Don’t get me wrong, I love baseball. There’s something relaxing about the rhythm of the game, and it always takes me back to my childhood to listen to the Sox game while driving around on a warm summer evening.

But damn… I miss football. The Jay Cutler signing was the biggest offseason news in my Chicago sports memory. It was a great move and has really helped increase the morale of both the team and their fans. However, it’s brought along with it the added negative component of making me really antsy for the season to begin. I feel like a kid on Christmas Eve; except instead of visions of sugar plums, I can’t stop fantasizing about sixty-yard frozen ropes from the hand of an Actual Quarterback.

And yet it’s so very far away. Hell, it’s over a month until training camp starts!

I think there’s a lot to be excited about this year. Firstly: Cutler. ‘Nuff said. Also, we have a young star in Matt Forte that should only continue to play better in his second year in the league. We have a young crop of Wide Receivers that will hopefully show some flashes. The defense looks to return to dominance, headlined by the additions of Defensive Line Coach Rod Marinelli and Linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa.

If the Vikings add Brett Favre, it should only improve the budding rivalry we have with them (read my thoughts on this topic here: http://bears.gearupforsports.com/blog/2009/05/i-want-brett-favre-to-join-the-vikings/). Some people expect the Packers to compete too, but I see them taking at least a year to get that defense in shape. The Lions also think they’ve found their franchise quarterback, and it should be interesting to see how many steps forward they take.

I hope you’re handling this better than I am.