Chicago Bears - Secret Practice Techniques

Summary

Forward Progress: Chicago Bears – Secret Practice Techniques

Podcast: Forward Progress – A Chicago Bears Podcast
Hosts: Dan Bernstein & Matt Abbatacola
Date: October 31, 2025
Episode Theme:
An in-depth and spirited look at the Bears’ preparation ahead of a critical game, focusing on their battle with penalties, the mystery of “secret” practice techniques, the addition of C.J. Gardner-Johnson, and all things Chicago Bears – delivered with trademark wit and candor.

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Episode Overview

Dan Bernstein and Matt Abbatacola dissect the Chicago Bears’ latest week of preparation with special emphasis on the team’s penalty woes and newly adopted “unorthodox” practice methods. The episode blends hard football analysis with irreverent humor, exploring everything from injury reports and defensive matchups to the risk-reward calculus of signing C.J. Gardner-Johnson. Multiple coaches' comments are examined, and the episode punctuates with lively debates, playful banter, and deep Bears trivia.

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1. Setting the Scene: Bears vs Bengals & Season Overview

[01:11 – 03:12]

• Season context: Bears are 4-3, entering a promising matchup against a struggling Bengals team.
  • Dan Bernstein: “They have terrific opportunity in front of them, regardless who is quarterbacking this Bengals team because they're not very good… this should be a get right game. But the NFL is weird and we know the Bears are often weirder than the baseline weirdness of the NFL.” [01:13]
• Key to victory: Avoid self-inflicted wounds, especially penalties.
  • Matt Abbatacola’s bold call: “If the Bears have six or fewer penalties, they're going to win.” [02:25]
  • Both discuss how the Bears have been averaging nine penalties and 80 yards per game and how staying disciplined is a top focus this week.

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2. Injury Updates & Roster Health

[03:12 – 04:44]

• Positive updates: Odunze, Zacchaeus, Moore, Cole Kmet – all limited but practicing; Stevenson and Ogbongbemiga – full participation.
• Concerns: Luther Burden (head injury) getting necessary rest; Joe Tuney, Deandre Swift, and Roschon Johnson also not practicing.
  • Bernstein: “Getting Tyreek Stevenson back would be absolutely enormous with these two wide receivers out there.” [03:57]

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3. Defensive Game Plan & Challenges

[04:44 – 06:44]

• Coping with Bengals’ threats: Jamar Chase and Tee Higgins pose matchup nightmares, regardless of QB.
  • Bernstein: “If you're going to beat me, you better not beat me on slants. I don't want to see that. I don't want to see 12 slants to Jamar Chase.” [04:36]
  • Abbatacola: “Take the inside leverage, force him outside, make him make those throws to the outside of the hash marks.” [05:13]
• Chase’s inevitable production: Aim to limit damage, not eliminate.
  • “He's going to make his catches… just have to limit the damage of what he does.” [05:52]

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4. Penalties: Bears' Bane & Secret Practice Techniques

[06:44 – 19:01]

Penalties Discussion

• Bears are #1 in the league for pre-snap penalties. Coaches and players have repeatedly highlighted this in the week’s preparations.

Interview with Offensive Coordinator Declan Doyle

[07:45 – 09:33]

• Declan Doyle addresses the penalty issue and hints at “unorthodox" methods being deployed in practice, though specifics are withheld.
  • Doyle (on cleaning up penalties): “We're kind of using some unorthodox things as far as out there on the practice field that you might not see. But it's something that we're addressing and is really important for us…” [07:53]
  • Pressed further, Doyle stays secretive: “I don't want to give any of that away…” [08:22]
• The coaches are also self-reflecting:
  • “Are we asking our guys to do things that are too much for them or is there an issue whether it's communication… That’s what we're trying to attack.” [08:29]

Hosts’ Reactions and Speculation

[11:16 – 19:01]

• Dan and Matt brainstorm (humorously) what “unorthodox” penalty remedies might look like at Halas Hall, ranging from electric collars and cattle prods to dunce caps and team punishment drills:

  • “I want to see the use of an actual electrified cattle prod. You jump offsides, you get shocked.” – Bernstein [11:28]
  • “Wear a giant conical dunce cap… practice with it instead of a guardian cap.” – Bernstein [12:32]

• Real-life approaches: Both recall laps, push-ups, and peer accountability as classic, effective methods.

  • “Your mistake punishes the entire team… Then you get your code red late at night when they get the pillowcases with the bars of soap in it.” – Bernstein [13:13]
  • Abbatacola shares real anecdotes about assigning running laps for missed assignments in actual drills.

• Best notable quote:

  • Bernstein (on team punishment): “If everybody… pissed off that you jumped again, you didn't know the snap count… you get your code red late at night… whatever metaphor you want, that is kind of an extreme. I don't know if the NFL does that, but you get their attention.” [13:48]

• Series of tongue-in-cheek suggestions follow, riffing on “strip football” for repeat penalties and “Roman Coliseum tigers” for false starts [15:39+], all to underscore how desperate the staff is to curb avoidable errors.

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5. CJ Gardner-Johnson Signing: Risks, Rewards, & Locker Room Chemistry

[19:19 – 26:43]

• Dennis Allen (Saints Coach) comments on CJ’s attitude and role:
  • “He brings a little attitude to the football team, which I think is good.” [20:06]
  • On maturation: “I think we all mature with age… I've seen a player that's matured a little bit, and yet he still has that fiery attitude…” [21:09]
• Hosts decode the euphemisms:
  • Bernstein: “They're trying so hard to not admit what everybody knows… he can be an asshole.” [21:17]
  • Reflect on the balance teams make between locker room friction and on-field playmaking: “How much of this guy will you tolerate? Over a quarter of your football season, that's a lot of time to spend with your team... Four games is a long time to have an asshole in your locker room...” – Abbatacola [23:19]
• Key analysis:
  • If Gardner-Johnson performs and limits distractions, he’s a net win—but the leash will be short, and his “provocations” (making others react, drawing fouls) can help or hurt depending on context: “He can make you stupid. He can take advantage of stupid… but you gotta be real careful and know where the officials are.” – Bernstein [26:14]
• Big picture: This is likely Gardner-Johnson’s “last chance” to define his narrative in the NFL at age 27.

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6. Special Teams Corner: The “Hurricane” Field Goal Play

[27:10 – 31:59]

• Richard Hightower (Special Teams Coordinator) on the chaotic, frenzied late-game field goal operation.
  • “You’d be surprised as many times you do it, somebody, hey, he’s not paying attention. Or, hey, somebody ran the wrong way off the field, and now you got guys coming on the field, running into guys coming off of the field, and they fall on the ground, and it just looks like a circus…” [28:31, repeated for comedic emphasis]
• Hosts’ comedic flourishes:
  • Extensively riff on Hightower’s “circus” – imagining clowns, elephants, and pratfalls as the team tries to execute the “hurricane” field goal:
    • Bernstein: “What are elephants coming out, too?” [29:15]
    • Abbatacola: “As guys are running onto the field, guys running off, they have the flowers that spray. They stop them and spray them right in the face…” [31:02]

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7. Bears Defensive History & Sack Trivia Showdown

[33:22 – 43:39]

• Matt quizzes Dan on the three fastest players to 50 NFL sacks.
  • Top 3:
    • Reggie White: 40 games [34:59]
    • Derek Thomas: 54 games [34:21]
    • Von Miller: 58 games [37:07]
  • Trivia then pivots to Bears all-time sack leaders and Pro Football Reference “AV” (Approximate Value) ranking debates.
    • Top Bears sackmen: Richard Dent, Steve McMichael, Dan Hampton, Jim Osborne, Doug Atkins, Mike Hartenstein, Alex Brown... and more.
  • Bernstein, skeptical of all-encompassing football stats: “Anything that has Mike Singletary as more valuable than Dan Hampton is flatly, entirely wrong… You found the metric to make me do it. I don't know what it is. I don't know how they found it, but it's bad and stupid…” [43:45]

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8. Memorable Quotes & Moments

• “If the Bears have six or fewer penalties, they're going to win.” – Abbatacola [02:25]
• “We're kind of using some unorthodox things as far as out there on the practice field that you might not see.” – Declan Doyle [07:53 / recurring joke]
• “I want to see the use of an actual electrified cattle prod.” – Bernstein [11:28]
• “He can make you stupid. He can take advantage of stupid. But you gotta be real careful and know where the officials are.” – Bernstein on CJ Gardner-Johnson [26:14]
• “You'd be surprised as many times you do it... they fall on the ground, and it just looks like a circus.” – Richard Hightower [28:31]
• “What are elephants coming out, too?” – Bernstein, riffing on Hightower [29:15]
• “Anything that has Mike Singletary as more valuable than Dan Hampton is flatly, entirely wrong.” – Bernstein [43:45]

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9. Key Timestamps

• Game setup, penalty focus: [01:11 – 02:40]
• Injury update: [03:12 – 04:07]
• Defensive game plan (Chase slants): [04:36 – 06:44]
• Declan Doyle on penalty “unorthodox” techniques: [07:45 – 09:33]
• Hypothetical “extreme” penalty fixes: [11:16 – 15:04]
• CJ Gardner-Johnson locker room risk-reward, Dennis Allen quote: [19:19 – 26:43]
• Special teams “circus” with Richard Hightower: [27:10 – 31:59]
• Sack trivia, Bears defensive debate: [33:22 – 43:39]

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10. Tone & Style

Fast, comedic, and irreverently insightful. The hosts toggle between serious Xs and Os speculation and playful, self-aware Bears fandom. Their affection for the franchise is as clear as their frustration with perennial issues (penalties, discipline, roster gambles). In their signature style, Dan Bernstein is both analytical and dryly caustic, while Matt Abbatacola is emotionally invested, quick with personal anecdotes and laughter.

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11. For Bears Fans: Key Takeaways

• Bears are emphasizing discipline and cleaning up penalties, possibly with novel practice tactics (but the jury is out and details are secret).
• The addition of C.J. Gardner-Johnson brings both potential on-field impact and possible locker-room volatility—how long his leash lasts depends on both performance and behavior.
• Team camaraderie and accountability are at a critical juncture, and the outcome against the Bengals might reflect if the week's adjustments take hold.
• There’s deep humor and self-awareness among those who love the Bears and are eternally hopeful for progress—forward or otherwise.

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For listeners:

You’ll leave this episode with both a nuanced understanding of the Bears’ current state and several belly laughs—plus enough inside jokes (circus field goals, invisible fence collars, speedos, and dunce caps) to share at your next tailgate or group chat.

Transcript

[A]

I'm Mike King from the podcast Profiling Evil. A place where true crime meets behavioral science. I spent my career investigating serial predators and studying the psychology behind them. Here we don't just talk about what criminals did. We explore why they do what they do. We expose manipulation and control, look at how offenders select their victims and uncover the ways that they try to avoid det. You can find Profiling Evil on your favorite podcast platform. 102 19Forward progress, a Chicago Bears podcast with Dan Bernstein and Matt Abeticola on 312 Sports.

[B]

Who gives you Forward Progress? We do.

[A]

You.

[B]

You're pushing forward and that whistle is blown and maybe you get pushed backward, but we are gonna make sure the farthest that you have gotten toward your goal, we place you there on 312 sports.

[A]

We'll do a tush push for you.

[B]

Here on 312 sports. A Chicago Bears podcast called Forward Progress. I'm Dan Bernstein. That is Matt Abeticola. We talk about your Chicago bears bears on three 1, 2, 3. Yay. And at 4 and 3, they have terrific opportunity in front of them, regardless who is quarterbacking this Bengals team because they're not very good. Bengals defense is bad and their offensive line sucks and this should be a get right game. But the NFL is weird and we know the Bears are often weirder than the baseline weirdness of the NFL. Ben Johnson and this regime hoping to put an end to that. Here's a chance to prove it.

[A]

Yeah. And we'll see how it all plays out on Sunday, whether it's with Joe Flacco or if it's Jake Browning. It's just. It's a blob weird season. We just don't know what we're going to get from the Bears week to week. Hopefully this is a week they can take advantage of the weakest defense in the league and get some points, particularly in the red zone where they have struggled. So it's either it's either going to work out one way or the other where someone gets healthy. It's the Bengals defense is going to get healthy in the red zone or the Bears offense is going to eat.

[B]

Maybe a little bit of both in ways that we cannot know. And that would probably be my guess. I don't usually say stupid stuff like this, but I'm going to. If the Bears have six or fewer penalties, they're going to win.

[A]

There's been a lot of concentration this week on cleaning up the penalties.

[B]

Stay out of your own way, stay on schedule, stay on target. Stop being stupid. Stop. Six or fewer penalty that's the. I'm just imposing that from the top down as my arbitrary number. It just feels right to me. Six or fewer. This is a dub.

[A]

And they've been averaging nine penalties and about 80 yards a game.

[B]

If you see something, say something.

[A]

We'll see how that took place this week. If it had an impact or an effect.

[B]

That's what they've said in practice. See something, say something. Coach, coach, coach. Get over here. Punish this guy. As far as the significant injuries, it looks like the wide receivers all came back yesterday for the most part, and I am optimistic that they'll be all right there.

[A]

With the exception of Luther Burden.

[B]

Right. Because. Go ahead, give him rest. You don't mess with head injuries. But odunze back, we're not going to see Jade Walker and Devin Duvernay.

[A]

Yeah. Zacchaeus and Adunze and more and Cole Comet all limited in practice yesterday. All back. Yeah. The did not practice. Joe Tuney, Deandre Swift, Roshan Johnson and of course Luther Burden Just mentioned I'm.

[B]

Hopeful that Swift is going to play. It's a big drop off to Kyle Menung guy. And getting Tyreek Stevenson back would be absolutely enormous with these two wide receivers out there.

[A]

Full participation for Stevenson yesterday. And then Amin Ogbogmiga.

[B]

Nice.

[A]

There you go. Your guy. Full participation. Yeah, I know.

[B]

I'm proud of you.

[A]

I was, you know, trying to have fun with you. But you don't like to have fun.

[B]

I do like to have fun. But you don't.

[A]

You never like to have fun.

[B]

You're a guy with that.

[A]

You never like to have fun. I always just want to have fun. All you want to do is just be serious.

[B]

Yeah, that's my problem, is I'm too serious about sports.

[A]

You're just too mature, too evolved.

[B]

I just take.

[A]

Never want to have fun and laugh.

[B]

Take it way too damn seriously going up against Jamar Chase and T. Higgins, regardless of whose quarterbacking is going to be a chore. You know, I mentioned this with Patrick Finley yesterday. If you're going to beat me, you better not beat me on slants. I don't want to see that. I don't Want to see 12 slants to Jamar Chase. I want to use the sideline as a defender, make it more difficult over there. Don't give him the room to operate. Don't give him a head of steam coming across the field into the middle of your defense unless there's somebody on the backside is ready. They're ready to clock him.

[A]

Now, are you just. Are you saying that specifically because of what the Bengals have done the last two weeks? Okay, yeah. I mean, Joe Flacco has just been throwing. I mean, he can throw darts and you give him the space in the room that he needs. He's. He's going to make those throws every time. So take, take the inside, the, in the inside, leverage, force him outside, make, make him make those throws to the outside of the hash marks and work that, that portion of the field.

[B]

And also don't over commit on your jam because either one of these guys, but particularly Chase, if he swims by you, if he catches you leaning, trying to punch him in the neck at the line of scrimmage, you are toast.

[A]

Yeah. And he's going to get his targets. Obviously he'll get between the 15 to 20 targets that Joe Flacco will look for him or Jake Browning. He's going to make his catches, he's going to gain yards. You just have to limit the damage of what he does.

[B]

I don't think it's too much to ask.

[A]

No. And it's good having Stevenson back to be able to do that. I mean, he's the best option that the Bears have to cover Jamar Chase. No one's ever going to shut him down. That's. That's not going to be a play. But limit what he does. Take away touchdowns, take away that, that inside leverage. I like that plan. Keep him to the outside, force those more difficult throws and hopefully your defensive line can, can make some hay. And a guy like Montez Sweat, who seems hungrier and more excited to get out there on the field, hopefully he can make some plays against a guy who just doesn't move very well, but throws the ball quickly and knows where to throw the ball.

[B]

I would like to see them be able to accomplish all of these goals without the yellow flags. So prove it. Prove it. You spent all week talking about it. You put it on the players. Go prove it. Because I'm going to get my usual resting level of Bears annoyance. This is going to be one where usually my wife and daughter can measure what's going on in a Bears game based on the number of times they go. God damn it. God. And a lot of it is the pre snap penalties. Just, I'll take a lap. They'll hear me get up. They'll hear me throw the remote. They'll hear thumping and something going on. And then I'll walk around and I'll come back and I'll sit down.

[A]

Yeah. And the Bears have been, I think, number one in the league in pre snap penalties. So we'll see how that gets cleaned up with an extra focus on it. Over this week, the coordinators, they take their turn meeting the media they met yesterday. Declan Doyle had some things to say about working on cleaning up the offense and working on those pre snap penalties.

[C]

This team is still averaging more than two false starts. What can be cleaned up in the.

[A]

Pre snap with a lot of these?

[D]

Yeah, so we've gone back and kind of looked at every penalty we've committed, just trying to. Obviously we're all looking to clean all those things up throughout the whole team, but we're kind of using some unorthodox things as far as out there on the practice field that you might not see. But it's something that we're addressing and is really important for us to be able to stay on schedule and be able to move the ball offensively and be effective and finish with touchdowns.

[E]

Like what, What's.

[D]

I don't, I don't want to give. I don't want to give any of that away at every penalty, though.

[B]

Is that something that you just did this week?

[D]

You know, we've done it every week as we've gone and you're just trying to identify can we teach it better? Are we asking our guys to do things that are too much for them or is there an issue whether it's communication or is there something happening that is causing those things? And that's really, as we evaluate it, that's what we're trying to attack. You figure out what is the problem and then create a plan to attack.

[B]

That approach though, in practice to try to. To help us.

[D]

Yeah, we've kind of gradually done that as the season has gone on, but yes.

[A]

All right. Couple of things that are. That are there. I'll let you get to that. To that point. A couple of things I want to point out first.

[B]

What.

[A]

How do you know? My point is because I just.

[B]

Because I know.

[A]

I can see the look in your face.

[B]

Damn it.

[A]

I know. I know where you're going. But a couple of things he mentioned. He says, number one, is it can. Can we. Can we teach it better? Is it too much for the guys? Understand. Is there a different way that we can communicate it? Okay, those are the three things that we've talked about that before he even said this. This is going on a couple weeks now. Is it the coaching? Is it the guys? Is it the message?

[B]

Okay, some of that to me sounds like over inoculation. It sounds like just doing everything that he can do. Pouring it on so thick to say, like, it could be on us. We must not be teaching it right. We're not reaching them somehow. It's. It's our fault. It's our fault. It's our fault. When it's not their fault. It's. It's very likely not their fault. Stay on sides. Don't. Don't snap count.

[A]

No, I, I think you're. I think you're right. But it was, it was this. It was interesting to hear him say that because we've mentioned that a couple times on this show and then to hear Ben Johnson and I like the way that our guest yesterday, Patrick Finley, mentioned it, that Ben Johnson is kind of like a parent who's just given up telling their child to clean, you know, clean up your room. You fed up with it. And I think Ben Johnson got to the point where he's fed up with it. And it's not on the coaches and it's not the way they're communicating it. It's the players. And Ben Johnson said that.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

Without saying it.

[B]

Now can I do my bit?

[A]

Wait, one other thing at the very end there. Listen, what he says.

[B]

Approach though, in practice to try to help this.

[D]

Yeah, we've kind of gradually done that as the season has gone on.

[A]

But yes, gradually. You started the season off with 12 penalties, over 100 penalty yards in the first game where you blew the fourth quarter and lost the game. You shouldn't have lost. Like that should have been ramped up from the get go. So I don't know if there's a gradual build up to it or, you know, it's. Finally the code red was issued and now it's like, see something, say something. We're going to focus on it now. We heard Drew Dahlman, the center, talk about that extra focus that we need, that extra focus that we need, that veteran leadership. Oh, then on top of it, here's a guy that's going to disrupt the locker room possibly. But you got to focus this. We can get ready for this game.

[B]

I love the idea of the unorthodox techniques.

[A]

There you go. Now you can get a new.

[B]

Okay. Right. Can I now, please.

[D]

I'm kind of using some unorthodox things as far as out there on the practice field that you might not see.

[B]

When I see, I want to see them. I want to see the use of an actual electrified cattle prod.

[A]

All right, so let's. Is that the one you have or do you have a list?

[B]

Several.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Just off the top of My head.

[A]

I want to hear what you have.

[B]

Well, I'm working. The back of my brain is working on it as I'm talking right here. So one would be the. Just enough of a cattle prod, you jump off sides, you get shocked. Or they have another, like a collar, like a dog training device.

[A]

Like the invisible fence thing.

[B]

Right. You snap that, you put an invisible fence up there, and the moment the ball snapped, you turn it off. But if the ball's not snapped and you get that, whatever that is, or it's the one from Running man, when your head explodes.

[A]

So you think they're doing that?

[B]

No, I don't think.

[A]

I haven't seen the injury report.

[B]

Anyone with exploding head, Missing head, then parenthetically exploded.

[A]

Exploding rear, yes.

[B]

But exploding head, no, they're not going to have that. So that was one thought I had. The other was shaming.

[A]

Like body shaming.

[B]

Where you wear a giant conical dunce cap. You're like the dunce of the practice. And you have to practice with. Instead of a. The guardian cap. It is a guardian cap, but it's got a big, you know, like a conical dunce cap on it.

[A]

Or they could do it the other way and do like the cone you do for a dog after injury.

[B]

Yeah. Whatever you have to do to embarrass a player, something like that. And just say, shame, shame. Or you put him in the stocks and you parade him around and everybody throws things at him.

[D]

So that's what I use in some unorthodox things as far as out there on the practice field that you might not see.

[B]

All right, let me give you my third option.

[A]

All right, give me your third option. I have three ideas as well. Okay.

[B]

The third option, and this is kind of the military version of this. And that is your mistake punishes the entire team that we are a team. And if we have to run it again, if there is a penalty, everybody does push ups. Yeah. Or everybody runs. It's. It reminds me of in Full Metal Jacket, a jelly donut. They're paying for it.

[A]

You eat it.

[B]

That kind of where everybody. And then you get your peer pressure. You want. You want to talk about that? You want to talk about that? Kind of see something, say something. Police yourselves. If everybody, even some of the guys who are out there hurting a little bit, and if. And if they're pissed off that you jumped again, you didn't know the snap count. So everybody's got to do push ups. Everybody's got to run. Then. Then you might see it. Then, then you get Your code red late at night when they get the pillowcases with the bars of soap in it. But whatever. Whatever metaphor you want, that is kind of an extreme. I don't know if the NFL does that, but you get their attention.

[A]

We had a drill that we would. We would use for offense. It was about extending the run out to take it to the outside. And then for. It was meant to stay in your assignment and keep your gap coverage alive. And we had the pads that separate the holes. And if a guy went over the pad instead of committing to his. To his gap, then the whole team had to run laps. That was a punishment for it. And they would all call each other out when it would happen. And I would call it out out loud as it happened. I'd let the play continue, but I would say, that's a lap. And there was one play where a guy went over the pads twice in one place. It was two laps on one particular play.

[B]

Now, is that around the entire field, or is it like a down and back?

[A]

It's a down and back. Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no. I'm sorry. It's around the entire field.

[B]

Okay. It's around one.

[A]

One lap.

[B]

One football field.

[A]

One football field.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

And so on one particular play, they had to do two laps because of one guy. All right, well, yeah, so I like that. So that was your. Your one legitimate.

[B]

And then after practice, they beat the. Out of it. Right.

[A]

I would be like, okay, all right, coaches, turn your backs. Or you get two minutes. Two minutes. Get the pads back to the pad shed. Whatever happens in there, grab a weapon.

[B]

For the weapon bucket.

[D]

We're kind of using some unorthodox things as far as out there on the practice field that you might not see.

[A]

All right, here's. Here's what I envisioned. I envisioned. I went back to the rolling. The Roman Coliseum, and a guy fall, starts, does something, and a portion of the field opens up and a giant tiger comes running out.

[B]

Cool.

[A]

Yeah. And goes after that. Bengals. Yes.

[B]

You're going to be playing against the Bengals. If you get your foot bitten off by a tiger, stay on sides. Next time, don't jump. Know the snap count.

[A]

And then the second idea I had came from the Dennis Allen portion of the press conference.

[E]

Guys, how are we doing? Standing?

[A]

Fire away. I think maybe they brought in some ice agents to practice with the rubber bullets.

[E]

Guys, how are we doing?

[B]

And they're.

[E]

They're far away.

[B]

Their American flag.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

Face coverings.

[A]

Yeah. The real Patriots. And they're, like, on towers over the Field and a little rubber bullet to the helmet.

[B]

They're going to be busy tonight.

[E]

That's how we're doing.

[B]

Rounding.

[E]

Standing far away.

[A]

Second idea.

[B]

All right, third one.

[A]

They do a version of strip football. You commit a penalty, you got to lose something, like a shoe, and then.

[B]

You work your way up, and then.

[A]

You work your way up to the second shoe.

[B]

But here's the problem.

[A]

Then your shoulder pads and a helmet.

[B]

We have a problem with that.

[A]

What's the problem?

[B]

Okay, here's the problem.

[A]

What?

[B]

You saw Hard Knocks. Theo Benedict can't wait to stand in his underpants.

[A]

Okay, that's true. Right. So I think you're doing it on purpose.

[B]

One of your. One of your culprits. One of your culprits decided to stand in front of the team in a speedo just because he wanted to.

[A]

Yeah, that's true.

[B]

Nothing wrong with that. I've got no problem with him wanting to do that, but he's going to be like, wait a second. I can commit penalties and stand naked in front of my teammates. Sign me up.

[A]

All right, so the very first play in practice, false start. All right, shoes off. Second place, Shoes off.

[B]

What's wrong with Theo? I don't know, but he keeps false starting.

[A]

Eventually he's down to like an American flag speedo.

[B]

Yeah, yeah. And running lats. Because he wants to.

[A]

All right, well, that's what I thought.

[B]

All right. I like the idea. It kind of reminds me of the SNL sketch Wedgie Fever, when they realized the competitor was getting answers wrong so he could be hoisted up by his underpants. He's getting him wrong on purpose.

[A]

I saw there was a really funny SNL bit this past weekend. They took the, like the Hallmark movies, like the romantic Hallmark movies, and they made it into a Halloween love romance. And so the big city girl comes back to visit the hometown and the in town, like the hometown serial killer that's killing people is her ex boyfriend.

[B]

Aw.

[A]

And so he's like in her. In his inner house to kill her. And then he takes his mask off and he's like, susie, is that you? And then she's like, mark. And it's called. The movie's called the Stab at Love.

[B]

I like it.

[A]

It was really good. It was really, really fun. I'll just send it to you. It was funny. All right, so that's what I thought. That's what I thought. It were his unorthodox things that he was trying to. I don't know.

[B]

Whatever. It works.

[D]

Just kind of using some unorthodox things as far as out there on the practice field that you might not see.

[A]

So I'd like to know what they really were.

[B]

Six or fewer. And if they win, maybe we'll find out.

[A]

Yeah, and I love that the reporters, they followed up. Well, like what. What are you doing? What kind of unorthodox thing? I can't tell you. I don't want to tell you.

[B]

It's just us. We're just hanging out.

[A]

I don't want to tell you. I'm not going to tell you.

[B]

But good for them for following up. And maybe if they're. If they're all giddy and excited after a win that you can ask it, then.

[A]

Well, hopefully we get to find out. All right, so Dennis Allen met with the media and he talked about the signing of CJ Gardner Johnson, and he had some things to say.

[D]

What do you.

[A]

Can you kind of walk us through the early stages of Chauncey, when you.

[B]

Got him after you drafted him, like.

[A]

Kind of what you saw early on to move him to the nickel spot?

[E]

Yeah, look, I think that was part of the whole evaluation process that we. That we went through. You know, we saw a really good athlete, we saw a highly competitive player, and we felt like that was an easy fit for us back then, you know, so he had played a little bit there, he played some safety.

[C]

And.

[E]

We felt like at that point in time, you know, it was kind of best to find kind of one spot for him and let him get comfortable in one spot. And he did a nice job for us. He has a reputation of being a guy can get under player's skin. Obviously, you coached him in New Orleans. What's your say in terms of what makes him an aggressive player but also walking that fine line? Yeah, look, I mean, I think he's a highly competitive player. Player, and I think he goes out there and competes on every single play. And so that's fully what I would expect for him to do, you know, with us. So I think he brings a little attitude to the football team, which I think is good. Is he a different player now from maybe a couple years ago, maybe maturing with age or whatever it might be? I think we all mature with age, you know what I mean? Like, I think all of us, you know, we make some mistakes as we're younger and we kind of learn from them and we kind of move on. I've seen a player that's matured a little bit, you know, and yet he still has that fiery attitude, which I think that's what makes him who he is?

[A]

Got the fire and the passion. He's going to fit right in.

[B]

They're trying so hard to not admit what everybody knows.

[A]

Yes, it's.

[B]

It is painful. The euphemisms you have to use. Competitive and fiery. He can be an asshole.

[A]

Yeah, that's pretty much it.

[B]

That's it. You know, as long as he's not. Do you remember Brandon Merriweather?

[A]

Yes.

[B]

Brandon Merriweather just was completely out of control. Absolute maniac at throwing himself at people. He was a bad union brother is what he was.

[A]

He was reckless on the football field.

[B]

Reckless headhunter, a danger to himself and others. Just bad. I don't think that C.J. gardner Johnson's that. I think he's like A.J. pruszynski.

[A]

I think he's just.

[B]

I think he's just kind of an asshole who, you know, he's pretty good at what he does, that. You hate him. What did Ozzy say about AJ you hate him when he's on the other team. If he's on your team, you hate him a little less.

[A]

That's funny. Yeah. It's interesting.

[B]

I love AJ As a broadcaster.

[A]

What? Oh, he's very good.

[B]

He's really good.

[A]

He's one day be as good as Smoltz.

[B]

Stop trolling me.

[A]

There was, you know, let's. We'll talk about it real quick here about the. The. The CJ Gardner Johnson signing. Just thinking back over on the last last couple days, and we had Patrick Finley on yesterday from the Sun Times. He called it a desperation move, called the desperate.

[B]

Which it is.

[A]

Which. Which it is. You know, here's a guy that, what, three teams this. This year already, you know, traded, cut, released.

[B]

You know, same thing with A.J. brzezinski.

[A]

Yep. And people are just saying, well, you know what? Let's give it a chance because Gordon's back in hopefully four weeks, if it's a minor thing, was thinking about that. And the four weeks in a football season, that's a really long time. Four weeks is a really long time in a football season. That's one quarter of your football season. How much of this guy will you tolerate? Over a quarter of your football season. That's a lot of time.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

To spend with your team.

[B]

Yep.

[A]

Now, I, you know, you can say that. Oh, yeah, four games. That's not much for Gordon to miss. And, you know, we'll get him back hopefully quicker. But four games is a long time. To have an asshole in your locker room, that's creating problems. How much do you tolerate Based on how well he plays a lot.

[B]

If he's good, he can decide that he can. That's, that is a, that's not a locked ratio, but of course that affects everything. That if you, if he proves important and he's got an interesting matchup this week because he is going to be entirely, completely in the slot. Yep. And anytime that the Bengals are in 11 personnel, I believe it's going to be Andrei Yoshivas who will be his assignment. And Yoshav, really interesting story too is he was born in Tokyo, his parents are Filipino and Romanian and he went to Princeton. And he's been pretty good, like good enough that he can, if you leave him in a one on one, he can burn you. He's had some drops that I've seen, but he's a great story. Supposed to be a really, really interesting guy too. But that's the assignment. That's what you're gonna have. Last year he had 62 catches or 765 yards and 10 touchdowns. And this year he's off, well off that pace in eight games.

[A]

Yeah. I just think the correlation between CJ Playing well and Gordon coming back, those are, those two things are separate. Can't. Can't have those together because if he's not, if he's, if he's disruptive and not doing productive things on the football field, the Gordon timeline is meaningless.

[B]

Correct.

[A]

So you can't put those two together. And like you said, he, he owns his time, his own timeline here with the Bears and what his future could look like because this most likely is going to be the last opportunity.

[B]

I called it. Last chance. You. He.

[A]

Yeah, for sure.

[B]

This is. You're 27.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

You're in your, the prime of your prime. You don't have enough wear and tear on you. It's not like he's coming off some major injury. Go ahead and prove it. If you, you can't be mad at the world if this is it for you. You can't blame anybody but yourself if this is it for you. And if teams just don't want to bother anymore, if it's not worth it. It's all of these things. Yes, it's a desperation signing. It's also. He's also really good when he wants to be right. And there are some aspects to his, his provocations that can help a team. And the Bears have been the victim of it. The Bears have seen it. You know, we saw it with Anthony Miller, we saw with Javon Wims. He can make you stupid. He can take advantage of stupid.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

But you gotta be real careful and know where the officials are. And you don't want to live on that. You don't want to come into a game thinking, this is my plan. I'm going to do that. And you just want him to be a good teammate.

[A]

Yeah. So let's hope that he is. Let's hope that he's productive on the field and as a football fan, just for the sake of the Bears, let's hope he's got his mind right and he plays good football. Because he. He does. He owns and he controls his own timeline here. It's got nothing to do with Gordon. And the question being asked about the Gordon timeline, with this, they're two separate things.

[B]

Because Gordon, theoretically, if you need him to play a boundary, you could have both on the field at the same time. I don't want to have to do that. And they're probably. If Stevenson is back, they're going to go with Nishan wright and keep McLeod on the bench. But if you see that C.J. gardner, Johnson, been. You can't take him off the field because he has such an incredible impact. That'd be a great problem to have. And you worry about that when you get there. I don't think it's going to be a worry.

[A]

All right. One other coordinator, our guy, Richard Hightower, special teams. Special teams coach, he also met with the media and he was asked specifically about the. The Hurricane play. The, you know, rush. The guys out there get the field goal attempt quickly.

[B]

The 58 yard that fell short.

[A]

That fell short by Kyro Sanders. In your experience, does the.

[E]

The kind of the rush aspect of.

[A]

Brushing out there, can that affect the.

[B]

Length of the kick?

[D]

Like, in other words, does the time.

[A]

Is there any data that shows, like.

[D]

A timeout would result in longer kicks or anything?

[C]

Yeah, I mean, there's. There's. The sample size is not huge enough at times of certain yardages, but I know what you're asking and where you're going, and you definitely. The more time you have, the better, because it feels like a normal field goal. The less time you have. The kicker doesn't have time to take his steps or his approach, and the snap is coming super fast. And the best thing you can do is get your guys out there and get everybody set, you know, so that you have enough time to go there. But it is. You'd be surprised as many times you do it. Somebody, hey, he's not paying attention. Or, hey, somebody ran the wrong way off of the field and now you got guys coming on the field, running into guys coming off of the field, and they fall on the ground, and it just looks like a circus. So from that standpoint, I thought our guys did a nice job.

[B]

Wait, what? How often has he seen guys run into each other and fall down on the ground?

[A]

Wait, I absolutely loved it.

[B]

The fact that he offered how many under his watch, how often does that happen?

[C]

And the best thing you can do is get your guys out there and get everybody set, you know, so that you have enough time to go there. But it is. You be surprised as many times you do it. Somebody, hey, he's not paying attention. Or, hey, somebody ran the wrong way off of the field. And now you got guys coming on the field, running into guys coming off of the field, and they fall on the ground, and it just looks like a circus. So from that standpoint, I thought our guys did a nice job.

[B]

What, are elephants coming out, too?

[A]

I want to know the guy that's running the wrong way.

[B]

What is the wrong way?

[A]

Like backwards or the wrong sideline?

[B]

How do you run the wrong way off the field?

[A]

I.

[B]

Let me ask you, coach. Are there, like, running lanes or is it, like, right on left is like walking the streets in Manhattan with your umbrella?

[A]

No, it's. Look, if there's a guy running towards you, don't run at him.

[B]

Or is it. Or is it like when you're in the hallway at school and you get one of those things where people are walking this way, you're going that way, and you end up doing the. The. The dance.

[A]

Or maybe guys leave the field on their hands.

[B]

I don't know.

[C]

You'd be surprised as many times you do it, Somebody, hey, he's not paying attention. Or, hey, somebody ran the wrong way off of the field. And now you got guys coming on the field, running into guys coming off of the field. They fall on the ground, and it just looks like a circus. So from that standpoint, I thought our guys did a nice job.

[B]

Do you. Guys running circuitous routes, veering wildly.

[A]

I loved it, though.

[B]

Flipping off the field.

[A]

I'm listening, and I'm like, heart wheeling off the field.

[B]

What is he saying? Are they leapfrogging each other off the field? Just leave the field? Well, in my experience, at least four times out of 10, there's guys falling all over the place out there.

[C]

Somebody, hey, he's not paying attention. Or, hey, somebody ran the wrong way off of the field. And now you got guys coming on the field. Don't run off guys coming off of the field, and they fall on the ground, and it just looks like a.

[B]

Circus falling on the ground.

[C]

That standpoint, I thought our guys did a nice job.

[B]

What happened, coach? Well, the one guy had the bottle of seltzer he was spraying on everybody. The other guy had the giant spring loaded pants that kept falling down to reveal his giant red polka dotted boxers.

[A]

Like, as guys are running onto the field, the guys running off, they have the flowers that spray. And so they stop them and spray them right in the face. Oh, I can't.

[B]

Then that little car pulled up and everybody got out of it. You know, we weren't ready for that. The car filled with guys is supposed to go onto the field, but the cart came off the field. And then one car ran into the other. And we had everybody everywhere falling all.

[A]

Over the place because guys were running off the field the wrong way.

[B]

Burn all of our timeouts.

[C]

Somebody. Hey, he's not paying attention. Or, hey, somebody ran the wrong way off of the field. And now you got guys coming on the field, running into guys coming off of the field, and they fall on the ground, and it just looks like a circus. So from that standpoint, I thought our guys did a nice job.

[B]

All right, let's not do that. Show them that tape and tell them that's what not to do.

[A]

I don't know. I loved it so.

[B]

And it looks like a circus out there. Oh, my God, there's animals everywhere.

[A]

I love. I love Richard Hightower. I do.

[B]

You know, we look over, there's. There's a guy launching himself out of a cannon. You got another guy with a sword all the way down to the bottom of his stomach. Dude's juggling fire. These things happen.

[A]

When I. The first time I heard.

[B]

It smells like cotton candy everywhere.

[A]

The guy's running off the field the wrong way. I just pictured a guy running to the wrong sideline.

[B]

Johnson.

[A]

Johnson, get back here.

[C]

Where's he.

[B]

Johnson. Wrong sideline. I've seen that when guys have a.

[A]

Traumatic brain injury, there's a concussion. Yes, but you're in a, like a. Hurry up.

[B]

I can't.

[A]

Hurricane motion for a field goal.

[B]

They should call it circus. Don't call it.

[A]

That's what it should be.

[B]

God's God. Circus.

[A]

Oh, I loved it. I just. I love listening to Richard Hightower every. I mean, that's one of my favorite things on Thursday.

[B]

I will say, all comedy aside.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Declan Doyle is really good as a talker and as an explainer.

[A]

I think he. I mean, if the bears are successful under Ben Johnson in these next couple seasons that that guy will. Will get looks for sure.

[B]

Because we know Johnson will give him more responsibility and allow him to call some plays here there in the preseason and maybe a series. Who knows how he does it, but good stuff.

[A]

All right. One final thing I want to get into into it with you. Montez sweat had his 50th sack the other day and he completed that task in 99 games. All right, I got a little trivia here for you. You got to think the sack guys sack machines. Do you know in order? 1, 2, 3. The fastest ever in number of games played to 50 sacks. Now, I mean, you're talking about prolific.

[B]

Sack getters ever in the history of the NFL.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

The fastest.

[A]

The fastest to 50.

[B]

All right. J.J. watt.

[A]

No. And all I have number. And I just. I put. I pulled numbers for the top three.

[B]

I wonder how far back these go. Like Derek Thomas.

[A]

You. You watched all these guys play? Derek Thomas, number two on the list at 54 games.

[B]

Okay. LT. No. Right. So I got one in Derek Thomas. What about now?

[A]

I mean, as, as an adult. You've watched these guys play as an adult?

[B]

I've watched them.

[A]

Well, maybe one guy. Younger.

[B]

Strahan.

[A]

Nope. Derek Thomas. Good guess, though. 54 games to get 50 sacks.

[B]

Gaston O. Nope. I wonder if there's any who flamed out who had like a crazy, like, Javon curse.

[D]

No.

[B]

Who had like. They're probably all among the careers. Reggie White.

[A]

Reggie white is number one.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

Took him 40 games. Four, zero.

[B]

Wow. To get. Yes. Pretty good.

[A]

40 games.

[B]

Pretty good player. So Reggie White, Derek Thomas, number three. I'm trying to think of somebody. Kevin Green, somebody early on. Did Dent do it?

[A]

No, it is not Dent. Sack machine.

[B]

Yeah. The Zach man. Is this a Hall of Famer?

[A]

Yes. He. He will be still playing. He will be a Hall of Famer.

[B]

Still playing.

[A]

Is he still playing?

[B]

Is he retired? Oh, what about.

[A]

No, he's still playing.

[B]

Oh, okay. So I was going to guess. I was thinking like maybe Bruce Smith.

[A]

No, it's a good guess, though.

[B]

It's not. It's going to be a Hall of Famer for somebody is a. Oh, is it a. Is it a Bosa?

[A]

It is not.

[B]

And it's not T.J. watt.

[A]

Let's see. Yeah, he actually had. He had two tackles in a game against the Bears this year and credited for half a sack in a 2524 Bears victory.

[B]

There were two. 25, 24 Bears victories.

[A]

Yes, there were.

[B]

So one was over the Raider. Oh, Crosby.

[A]

Nope.

[B]

I thought I had it for sure. Dexter Lawrence.

[A]

So on the commanders, he got his 50th sack in his 58th game. Denver Bronco.

[B]

Denver Bronco for his career.

[A]

Yep. Von Miller, he.

[B]

He had that against the Bears.

[A]

That's what it says.

[B]

I don't remember it. Neither do I. I seriously don't. I don't remember that.

[A]

Neither do I.

[B]

Let's see. That's in my notes. Von Miller. Okay, I gotta look at that.

[A]

All right.

[B]

That's a. That's an amazing number.

[A]

Is that incredible though? I mean. Well, first of all, I mean, all three of them are insane, but the Reggie White.

[B]

Well, I remember Derek.

[A]

50 sacks in 40 games.

[B]

Yeah, I remember Derek Thomas. Didn't he have six in a game or seven in a game?

[A]

Yes, for sure.

[B]

I.

[A]

For sure.

[B]

Yeah. There's one. He was a part of the changing of the rule. He was part of why they were. Why the tackle can set back with his head at the, at the, at the guard of the center's ass was because of Derek Thomas. You couldn't stop him turning the corner.

[A]

Yeah. What, what years did Reggie White play? I can't remember his years.

[B]

Reggie White finished up in the. In the late 90s, mid to late 90s. Because he was still playing when I was on the beat. He had.

[A]

He.

[B]

Poor Steve stenstrom.

[A]

Oh, yeah. 85 to 2000. 2000 last year with the Carolina Panthers.

[B]

That's right.

[A]

Yeah. Eagles, packers, obviously. And then remember, I mean, when he went to the packers, what a huge, like just, I mean, a huge story for free agency.

[B]

Derek Thomas, seven sacks in a game. November 11, 1990, as a Chief. He sacked Dave Craig seven times. Future Bears quarterback Dave Craig. Yes. Seven sacks in a game.

[A]

All right, so looking at Montez sweat, just got his 50th career sack. Did it in 99 games. He has 14 and a half sacks for the Bears in 32 games. And 14 and a half puts him 47th all time on the Bears sack. Listen, do you know if you look at his entire career where 50 would put him on the Bears all time sack list?

[B]

Where 50 sacks would put on the Bears all time list? Yeah, he's got 40. If he had 50 as a bear.

[A]

If he had 50 as a Bear, where would, where would 50 land him up there?

[B]

Because most of the great Bears pass rushers were there before they kept track of sacks. So Dent is number one.

[A]

Correct.

[B]

And then you. I mean, there's probably a couple other 85 guys in there, but Peppers has to be up there. I'd say it puts him in the top five.

[A]

It would put him at number eight. Number eight.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

All time. So, yeah, get. It would get him in the top 10. 50 gets him in the top 10.

[B]

Okay. Yeah. So who's on that list?

[A]

Let me just pull it up here. Hang on.

[B]

Because Buffone insisted that he had 20 in a year, but they just weren't keeping track of him. So he said he never got credit for it because it just wasn't. It wasn't a stat that they kept. And that was the same thing we were. Do you remember at the super bowl when we interviewed.

[A]

Oh, man.

[B]

We interviewed so many of the. Deacon Jones.

[A]

Yes, Deacon Jones.

[B]

Jimmy's hands.

[A]

Oh, my God. Insane.

[B]

And then he. Because I was mentioning the head slap. And he cocked his hand back as if he was going to do it. Yeah.

[A]

He did hit you.

[B]

No, he didn't.

[A]

He did not hit me.

[B]

I wouldn't be here.

[A]

Number one, Richard Dent, 124 and a half. So this is Bears all time sack. Yeah.

[B]

Right.

[A]

Stephen Michael, 92 and a half. Dan Hampton, 82.

[B]

Three hall of Famers.

[A]

Jim Osborne, number four.

[B]

Number 68. Terrific player.

[A]

81.

[B]

Terrific player.

[A]

Number five, Doug Atkins.

[B]

Wait, so how do they know? I didn't think they were keeping track of him when Atkins was playing. Is there an estimation?

[A]

Maybe they go back retroactively.

[B]

Maybe. I don't know.

[A]

Number six, Mike Hartenstein.

[B]

My guy, net 55.

[A]

Number seven, 51 and a half. Adel Bradovich. Number eight, Alex Brown at 43 and a half. Number nine, the agent, Trace Armstrong at 42. And number 10, a Goulier.

[B]

Oh, yeah.

[A]

Adewali Gunli at 42 also.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

Brian Erlacher, 41 and a half. Jim Flanagan, 40 and a half.

[B]

So Peppers isn't even there.

[A]

Yeah, yeah. Alan Page, 40. Otis Wilson. And then you have to drop down to 15 to get to Julius Peppers at 37 and a half.

[B]

Thought he was higher. At least that's. That is a list that isn't entirely embarrassing. Like when we start looking at quarterbacking or wide receivers.

[A]

I won't do that to you.

[B]

Yeah, it's weird to do a Bears list that doesn't make us throw up. Isn't it?

[A]

And have you ever looked at Pro Football Reference? They have this AV category, which is the approximate value is their attempt to attach a single number to every player. Like war since 1960. Yeah. And just looking through the AV number, it's. It's interesting who they have. Well, I mean, Walter Payton obviously is number one. I might not. I. Before I categorized it. I thought Walter Payton would be one, and I thought Brian Erlacher would be number two.

[B]

Just because of statistical production?

[A]

Yes.

[B]

It's hard to measure a lot of.

[A]

The stuff he did, so I don't know what.

[B]

Well, this is such a fool's errand for football.

[A]

It is, but they have Walter Payton at 1, Mike Singletary at 2 at 159, and then Erlacher is 3 at 152.

[B]

No, no.

[A]

And then from there, it drops considerably to Dan Hampton at 125.

[B]

Anything that has Mike Singletary as more.

[A]

Valuable than Dan Hampton counted immediately.

[B]

Anything that has him more valuable than Dan Hampton is. Is flatly, entirely wrong.

[A]

Here. This is their. Their top ten again. It's their. Their approximate value, so they try to put one single digit.

[B]

You're going to turn me into John Smoltz talking about this metric.

[A]

All right, Walter Payton.

[B]

I don't believe in any of this garbage.

[A]

Mike Singletary, Brian Urlacher, Dan Hampton, Lance Briggs, Steve McMichael, Richard Dent, Dick Butkus, Gary Fencick, Jay Hildenberg at 10.

[B]

Take that out, I stand out back and throw it in the drumster.

[A]

I immediately thought, all right, Peyton's one, I had my brain. Erlacher's two. I clicked it to categorize it. And Singletary number two, you can take.

[B]

That thing out and burn it somewhere.

[A]

Mike Singletary, eight points.

[B]

Don't ever invoke that.

[A]

Eight points behind Walter Payton.

[B]

If you want to turn me into a statistical Luddite, you have seven points.

[A]

Ahead of Brian Erlach. If you want to.

[B]

You found the metric to make me do it. I don't know what it is. I don't know how they found it, but it's bad and stupid, and you'd be done.

[A]

34 points ahead of Dan Hampton.

[B]

Nope. No. That would be a no. What position did Dan Hampton play in the defensive line? All of them. Every single one of them at once. But wherever he was, multiple positions in a game, wherever he was needed, both ends, both tackles. Anything?

[C]

No.

[B]

No, no and no.

[A]

Wow. No good stuff?

[B]

No. And I don't want to end on a sad note.

[A]

Then don't end on a sad note.

[B]

I won't. Because what I can do is I can tell you all about our dear friends at Beer Church. And what Beer Church does is they lend their imprimatur to forward progress. And we're happy that they do, because, first of all, I know you're headed out there and you are going to enjoy everything that I have. Beer Church Brewing New Buffaloes Brewery pizzeria and a historic church Wood fired Neapolitan pizza small batch craft beer brunch every day. Visit beerchurchbrewing.com and I've shown you this before. Their menu is more than a menu. I would call it a magazine, but it's even more than that. They refer to it as their hymnal. And what's really cool about beer church is when they decided to build this brewery in a civil war era iconic church in downtown New Buffalo. The church was there since 1861 and they've decided to lean into the whole church thing. The wonderful home baked bread that they make there, they refer to as their communion bread and their bruise. The Pontius Pilate, the peach be with you, the crooked cross. Those are just some examples of where they go with this whole thing. And you can sit down and look at the shots that they do. Heaven's Gate, Kinky Mary Bathsheba. I would say if you're sensitive to such things, steel yourself. Because their shrimp cocktail is the St. Erasmus of Campania Colossal shrimp chalice. And you can go through this hymnal all day and have fun with all the stuff that they do. And this is embodied in the experience that you have there. So go and enjoy. And there's a lot of TVs, there's plenty of places on their heated pad to go to watch games. But the important thing is the pizza school. And especially as we start getting into some of these later months, if your business, your workplace does Christmas parties, this is new and different and fun. I've been to the pizza making school. I'm not technically certified, but I feel like I am because I was taught by their pizza making crew. As you will be. Whether it's 12 people or 300 people. You learn to stretch the dough. You learn to top it. You can eat every pizza on the menu until you say stop. So book now. Go to beerchurchbrewing.com if you want to just go there, check in. And especially this time. There's never a bad time to go to New Buffalo because it's always gorgeous in that part of our region. Beer church could not be easier to find. It is right on the way and you go in and you say, hey, where's John the owner? Hey, you know, thanks for being a big supporter of 312 sports and forward progress. And he'll show you around and your kids will love it. You'll love it. Go take it in. We love beer church. Matty, you're gonna have an unbelievable time. I can't believe you haven't been yet. And I can't wait for you to have that first experience. Beer Church Brewing. Book your party now beerchurchbrewing.com and that'll.

[A]

Do it for another episode of Forward Progress. But we're not done this weekend.

[B]

Not do it for the weekend because we will be coming to you on this program live on YouTube in real time immediately after the Bears game coming out. We've got a great community that is building around these broadcasts. We had a sub sitting in for you last game because I know you have finished up with your season. Great job by the Cats this year and it was a valiant performance by your son in the final game. But now, now we're all about our, our post games right around we say 3ish.

[A]

Yeah. Somewhere around there. Yeah. I mean again, we'll, we'll depend it depends how the game goes itself and what the structure of the game is and how it all plays out for us. Hopefully. We're talking about a Bears victory on Sunday over the Bengals and my guy, Frankenstein's monster. Have a great Halloween. Be safe and smart tonight. Enjoy yourself.

[B]

Please, please be safe and smart. And if you. I know there are certain neighborhoods that are looking for volunteers who are looking to help out and make sure that kids and families have extra eyes and ears out there. I know it's something that my wife is going to be doing tonight. As I'm manning the door, she is heading out further north and west in.

[A]

The city Club Bernstein going on Halloween. Man in the door. IDs, please. Yeah.

[B]

By the velvet rope. I love doing it and so feel free to come by the house and.

[A]

I just, I want to full size candy bars too. At the Bernsteins.

[B]

I, I'm, I have to go. I know I have to go buy.

[A]

More because you ate it all or did your wife somebody the holiday, the.

[B]

Halloween gremlin found the candy.

[A]

I love it. I absolutely love it.

[B]

I hid it in plain sight and I knew that when I saw it that there were going to be some.

[A]

We have less candy now.

[B]

Gee, I wonder what happened.

[A]

Less candy.

[B]

Our guy. So I am going to get more but I look forward to seeing all the adorable kids tonight. And do be safe, be aware, be smart. And if you're driving around this afternoon, drive really slowly. I got to remind myself because I drive fast. So this is a day where I always tell myself slow down, idiot. So I'm saying the same to you there, Ted. 219. 219.

[A]

Forward progress. A Chicago Bears podcast with Dan Bernstein and Matta Batticola on 31 2. Sports wherever you go, whatever they get into, from chill time to everyday adventures, protect your dog from parasites with Cridellio Guattro. For full safety information, side effects and warnings, visit cordelioquatrolabel.com consult your vet or call 1-888-545-5973. Ask your vet for Cordelia Quattro and visit quattrodog.com.