Last year the bears nickle-back was Jerry Azumah, number 23. He started at cornerback the year before that (if memory serves) and still stands in my mind as the worst defensive player that saw regular field time on the Bears since prior to 2001.
This year the bears have a rookie named Devin Hester wearing that same number after Jerry Azumah retired. I rejoiced over his retiring alone, because I thought he was terrible and regularly was burned by receivers whenever he was on the field, and was an obvious blemish on the otherwise amazing Bears defense. For example, in the 2005 season he had no interceptions as the starting nickel-back, this year, Ricky Manning Jr. the starting nickel-back has a team leading 5 interceptions.
But, not only do I get to rejoice over the retiring of Jerry Azumah, but I also get the joy of the NFL record setting rookie Devin Hester regularly returning kicks for touchdowns, who know owns two records. (one for most returned kicks for TD’s in a season, and one for longest returned kick which he shares with Nathan Vasher at 108 yards which was set last year and tied this year).
He isn’t great as a nickel-back, but he doesn’t suck either.
The Bears can only be going up. They dropped John Shoop and got Ron Turner (who is an offensive badass…I’ve always said that), Lovie is running an amazing program, and Ron Riviera is rocking it old-school style with the defense (alright..it isn’t a 4-6 zone, but it is close). There is a quarterback who isn’t consistent, but has shown he can be great, which is more than I can say for any other Bears quarterbacks in recent memory.
And of course, there is Urlacher. ‘Nuff said.
This season is one for the books already, and now I can’t wait for the post season. Maybe we will win a playoff game for the first time since 92, that would be great.