Hope; or - Who's Allowed to Be Happy?
The Chicago Bears walked into the locker room at the end of their first game with Ben Johnson as head coach after a loss to an NFC rival in the final moments of the one-score game to thunderous boos echoing through Soldier Field. Fans left in droves even before the clock ran out, leaving the stadium and feeling of the game as worryingly hollow. The Chicago Bears walked into the locker room at the end of their final game of the season with Ben Johnson as head coach after a loss to an NFC rival in the final moments of the one-score game to thunderous cheers echoing through Soldier Field. Fans stayed long after the clock ran out, entire sections giving a roaring standing ovation of appreciation, leaving the stadium, and the season, with a feeling of hope . But what makes this season so special, now that the lights are off and the door is shut, with the Bears' playoff wins over the past 15 years going from 0 to just 1? How did a fanbase go from booing their head coach in his fi...