Skip to main content

Familiar Punky Refrain

Jim McMahon has made a habit of trying to shock by blasting the Bears over the years but his apathy toward the sport and repetition of tired old cliches takes the bite from his comments

Jim McMahon has indicted the Bears organization.

Again.

Beating the same drum the same way repeatedly kind of reduces the shock value and McMahon obviously is looking for shock value when he repeatedly says things like this.

If he said something good about the Bears, he'd get far better shock value at this point.

The only thing more tiresome than the eternal Bears quarterbacking issue is the constant way McMahon says he doesn't follow the Bears yet criticizes them and then becomes their buddy again when it's convenient for him.

McMahon was on the FatMike Chicago Sports Show and said something of Chicago we've all certainly never heard: "I think it's where quarterbacks go to die."

It was 13 years ago when Muhsin Muhammad said of the Bears: "It's where receivers go to die."

Then Brandon Marshall repeated it. Then, insert a name here, repeated it. And now, it's McMahon twisting it around.

At least come up with some fresh material now and then and use the phrase correctly.

"Chicago has always been known for their defense — their defense and their running game — and that's probably all they're ever gonna be known for," McMahon said in a rare fresh comment, although not really a fresh thought.

Considering the 1985 Bears were known for defense and their running game, it's not saying much for McMahon's own play in 1985.

In his time, McMahon was a gutsy, instinctive player who could lead. His questionable arm strength, insubordination and then a bad shoulder injury combined for his departure in 1989 for San Diego. 

A good case could have been made for McMahon as MVP in Super Bowl XX, except the Bears defense that they were "known for" was so good that it dwarfed all else happening in the game. Steve Fuller probably could have won that game on that day. Mike Tomczak might have. Even Rusty Lisch might have had a shot.

In this interview with FatMike, McMahon blasted the Bears for drafting Mitchell Trubisky.

"Just a typical Bears draft move," he said. "Wasn't Mahomes there? Watson?" McMahon said. "There was other guys that they could've gotten. But that's the Bears."

McMahon must have just read about the 2017 draft or heard about it. That's because McMahon doesn't pay attention to football.

He said this much to reporters at the 2019 fan convention held to celebrate the first 100 years of Bears football. He said then that he didn't follow the Bears much and didn't know Khalil Mack's name. He also said then he liked their offense. 

That's the same offense where the quarterbacks go to die.

Apparently, not much has changed with McMahon. He's using the same sctick.

When asked in the interview what the Bears should do in this draft, McMahon said, "I don't know, don't watch them, don't care. I wouldn't know what they need or who they're thinking of drafting."

So, we should care that he says all this then because ...? 

If McMahon doesn't follow the Bears or the NFL, then what good are his comments on anything? 

He'll say some things, they're forgotten, then he loves Chicago and the Bears and then when it's convenient he goes back to the woodshed.

If he wants to rip the Bears, come up with something different or insightful for these interviews and at least feign knowledge, or decline to do them.

Apparently it's time for a new shtick.

Twitter: BearDigest@BearsOnMaven