Garage Logic – Weekly Scramble Episode: “SCRAMBLE: The Chicago Bears announced they are moving to............Indiana?” Date: February 20, 2026 Hosts: Chris Reivers & Mike Fratelloni

Main Theme

This episode centers on the shocking breaking news that the Chicago Bears NFL franchise has struck a deal to move their team out of Illinois and across the state line to Hammond, Indiana. Hosts Chris Reivers and Mike Fratelloni discuss the wide-ranging political, economic, and cultural implications of the move, tying it to broader frustrations about local governance, taxes, and policy decisions. The episode also detours through lively (and, at times, irreverent) side conversations about Minnesota snowstorms, antics at the Olympic Village, ongoing political fraud in Minnesota, and much more—all delivered with the show’s trademark mix of gumption and Midwestern common sense.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Minnesota’s Monster Snowstorm (02:16–06:14)

• Personal stories about the recent heavy snowfall:
  • Chris spent about three hours in total on the road during "probably our biggest snowfall of the season."
  • Both express surprise at the severity and rapid melt: “This was like, this snowstorm? I feel like this is what Denver would feel like.” (Mike, 04:42)
  • Humor about snowplows and local government efficiency (or lack thereof).
• Regional comparisons:
  • Tahoe and Duluth received massive amounts of snow; some areas north of Duluth got over 36 inches.

2. Breaking News: Chicago Bears Move to Indiana (06:14–15:27)

a. Details of the Move

• Announcement Recap (06:14)
  • Chicago Bears ownership has reached a deal to build a stadium in Hammond, Indiana—essentially right on the Illinois border (“it's basically halfway between Chicago and Gary, Indiana”—Chris, 07:21).
  • Locational clarity: “It would basically be like if the Vikings moved to Hudson [Wisconsin].” (Chris, 07:49)
• Fan Reaction: Bears fans “are livid.”
• Notable: The stadium move is motivated by political and economic incentives:
  • “Hammond, Indiana said, we are going to give you $2 billion to develop a brand new stadium. You do not have to deal with the BS of a blue controlled, democratically controlled state. You get to move to a red state. So you’re going to get tax advantages.” (Mike, 08:34)

b. Political and Economic Analysis

• On Political Leadership in Chicago/Illinois:
  • “This is such a glaring example of bad politicians suffering consequences and they'll find a way to point the finger and blame everybody else. Brandon Johnson, Chicago's mayor, he's such an idiot.” (Chris, 08:02)
  • Critique of Mayor Johnson and Governor Pritzker: “Your failed policies are what caused this … a company has every right to do anything to affect their bottom line.” (Chris, 10:11)
• Comparisons to Minnesota sports and stadium deals:
  • “Are we really going to reinvest into building a brand new stadium in downtown Minneapolis, or should we go find something in the suburbs ...?” (Chris, 10:35)
  • “Breaking sports news… USA wins Olympic women's hockey Gold medal over Canada!” (Mike, 12:43)

c. The Identity Question

• Should the Bears keep the “Chicago” name if leaving the city/state?
  • “Out of respect to Indiana, they should change them to the Wolf Bears ... take the word Chicago out. Because Chicago screwed them for so long.” (Mike, 09:03)
  • “Do the fine people that live in Chicago say, take the name Chicago out of your effing mouth just like Will Smith did?” (Mike, 14:37)
• Ownership and corporate HQ questions: Discussion about team incorporation in Delaware for tax reasons (18:47–19:44).

d. Economic Impact

• On taxes and business environment:
  • “That could be 10, 12, 13 percent. So if you make 10 million bucks, you just made $1.3 million bonus to play across 16 miles out of the way.” (Mike, 11:58)
• On the role of sports as an “economic engine” and why public financing for stadiums persists.

3. Sidebar: Olympic Village Antics (19:55–27:37)

• Viral Report: Olympic Village in Milano/Cortina runs out of 10,000 condoms in the first three days.
  • “That's 3,300 acts of need that you'd have to have per day...” (Mike, 21:33)
• Hosts debate authenticity: Mike argues most condoms are taken as souvenirs.
• Cultural riff:
  • “If anybody should be reproducing, they should be reproducing. Right. These are the best in the world. The best looking people, the best physically active people. They are the best in the world. They should be reproducing.” (Mike, 23:08)
  • Lively discussion about athletes’ off-field activities and media sensationalism.

4. Political Frustration and Statewide Fraud (30:36–38:49)

• Minnesota legislative failure:
  • Bipartisan bill to establish an independent inspector general for fraud is shot down unexpectedly.
  • Hosts express deep cynicism in state government’s ability (or willingness) to address corruption.
  • “I'm so tired of being lied to… I'm sick and tired of paying for crap I don't want to pay for anymore, which, oh, by the way, includes billions and billions of dollars in fraud.” (Chris, 31:53)
  • “Governor Tim Walz is leaving the Minnesota taxpayer no other choice than to assume that he either knows exactly who's involved with this fraud or he himself may be even involved.” (Chris, 33:10)
• Taxpayer math:
  • Mike tries to break down how much the average top taxpayer loses to fraud:
    “If you take the top 25,000 taxpayers … if someone walked in and pulled $40,000 out of my pocket, I would lose my ever-loving mind.” (35:25)
• One in three Minnesota tax dollars goes to fraud (Chris, 37:34): “So whatever you have been paying in Minnesota taxes, take a 30, 33% of it is just stolen from you.”

5. Lighthearted Closer: Epstein Files & Oddball Jokes (39:16–41:12)

• Mike’s unusual “Epstein file” trivia:
  • “James Watson won the Nobel Prize in science for discovering DNA. And guess who's in the Epstein files. This guy.” (Mike, 39:44)
• Light joke about Irish patio furniture to end the show.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On political fallout:
  • “Shame on you, Chicago. Shame on you.” (Mike, 09:06)
• On the “identity crisis” for the Bears:
  • “Take the name Chicago out of your effing mouth just like Will Smith did.” (Mike, 14:37)
• On taxpayer frustration:
  • “I'm so tired of being lied to... I'm sick of this. I'm so sick and tired of this.” (Chris, 31:53)
• On the Olympic Village condom story:
  • “If anybody should be reproducing, they should be reproducing. Right. These are the best in the world.” (Mike, 23:08)
  • “That is a really, really great illustrative story about how bullcrap news outlets are now.” (Mike, 25:41)

Segment Timestamps (Key Moments)

• 02:16: Cold open; snowstorm stories
• 06:14: Breaking: Chicago Bears moving to Indiana
• 08:34: Political and economic motivations for the move
• 09:03: Realignment of Bears’ identity and local reaction
• 11:51: Financial ramifications for players and Illinois
• 12:43: Brief interlude: USA women’s hockey wins gold
• 19:55: Olympic Village condom supply gossip and cultural analysis
• 30:36: Minnesota legislative scandal and anti-fraud bill betrayal
• 35:25: Explaining tax fraud in terms “average Joe” can grasp
• 39:16: DNA, Epstein trivia, and oddball facts

Tone & Style

• Conversational, irreverent, and strongly opinionated
• Frequent use of humor, sarcasm, and “common sense” criticisms
• Accessible Midwestern banter blending serious commentary with lighthearted asides

Summary Takeaway

This episode captures Midwest frustration with big government bureaucracy and perceived failures of political leadership, especially in Chicago and Minnesota. The Bears’ move to Indiana is used as a megaphone for the hosts’ gripes about taxes, fraud, and ideological politics—a cautionary tale for cities and states everywhere. Mixed throughout: lighthearted banter, relatable stories, and straight talk that’s classic Garage Logic.