George McCaskey likes to pass himself off as an owner of the people. He umpires youth baseball games and walks the parking lots before games to meet and greet fans. The man has stated outright that he is more of a fan than a businessman. It feels like he’s tried cultivating an image of that aw-shucks guy trying his best to make his mother proud by saving the Chicago Bears. In reality, time is proving that McCaskey might be nothing more than a con man who is in way over his head.
Proof of this came to light on Tuesday. McCaskey met with the media to discuss the upcoming coaching search. He was asked about fans’ “Sell the team!” chants during the loss to Seattle two weeks ago. The chairman admitted the situation that got to him the most was when Detroit Lions fans took over Soldier Field the week before.
It seems like an innocent enough comment until you realize McCaskey is utterly full of crap. Derek Stevens is the CEO of Circa Sports and a massive Lions fan. He revealed on 670 The Score that McCaskey sold him personal access to his private suite at Soldier Field, which Stevens, of course, filled with Lions fans.
George McCaskey is not what he tells you he is.
Comedian Bill Burr said there is nothing worse on the planet than the boss’ son. That is proving to be the case with McCaskey. He didn’t earn the title of team chairman. It was handed to him by his mother, Virginia. Since then, he has operated the organization exactly as you’d expect somebody unqualified to. He’s flopped around like a fish out of water. This revelation only confirms a growing suspicion that McCaskey isn’t as committed to elevating the Bears as he’d have you believe.
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His primary goal is making money. That would explain why he was so stubborn about keeping Ted Phillips in charge as team president for so many years. For somebody who bellyaches about opposing fans taking over the stadium, his willingness to sell access to a suite to those same opposing fans proves he’s a liar and hypocrite. Nothing about this man’s words or actions suggests he has the best interests of the on-field product in mind. It is only about the bottom line.
Arnie, a few things are a bit off here. First, that 14- year stretch with 2 winning years (77 and 79) from 69-83 started after Sayers’ first devastating knee injury and tho he came back for a 1,000 yard season, was never the same after that nasty helmet-to-knee hit delivered by Kermit Alexander. Gale’s stellar punt and KO returns ended after that injury, so he was not the young Kansas Comet we saw the first four years and by 1971 he was done. Dick Butkus career was short too (I think he quit in 73) and injuries were sapping his… Read more »
@Bear_Down Your take on having a “Halas” running the show is certainly not uncommon, but aside from the fact that Virginia is in fact a Halas also, I may be in the minority that thinks this, but George Halas’ legend seems to continue to grow with each passing year and all the missteps seem to fade. People forget he hired Jim Dooley, Abe Gibron, Jack Pardee and Neil Armstrong to coach the Bears before he hired Ditka. 14 years with 2 winning seasons, and none with more than 10 wins. Keep in mind too, the early part of that stretch… Read more »
@PoochPest Thanks Pooch, but remember what I had written you earlier: sometimes I do mistakes to see who is reading and going to correct me in some manner or style. Note too, Dr. M decided to go off on the Laffer Curve. That’s healthy.
I wish I had been named “Milton” since that would have increased my fights by double in the neighborhoods, I had lived in.
(Warning – long post) If one flips coins over and over, eventually one will get a streak of 12 tails in a row. Not often, but it will happen. So it could just be bad luck. Consider QB draft picks, limited to the first round here. Exact pick numbers aren’t that important, but order is. 2017: Trubisky #2 (Bears), Mahomes #10 (Chiefs), Watson #12 (Texans). Mahomes was a clear win for KC, Watson started and played well for a number of years for the Texans before his massage escapades got him run out of town and tanked his career. Trubisky… Read more »
@Arnie Really appreciate your taking the time to write thoughtful, nuanced, researched comments. @Dr. Melhus Thanks. Nice sense of humor. @David Thanks for your perspectives too. It is ironic that there are so many more coherent and articulate comments than the actual writer’s articles. I don’t have animosity for people because they are wealthy or wherever they are on the economic scale, but we have to be realistic: the wealthy have more time and access to lobby for their perspectives. That doesn’t make them smart, right or fair. It doesn’t help society, their environment or anyone else. Just them. But… Read more »