Last Sunday the Bears blocked a field goal attempt at the end of the first half. The ball was quickly picked up by the Bears’ Marcus Cooper Senior who raced down the field. It was a guaranteed touchdown. But right before the end zone, Cooper slowed down to do a little showboating to the home crowd. This year the NFL has made a rule not to flag a player celebrating after scoring a touchdown. The words after you score the touchdown. As Cooper was strutting his stuff a Pittsburgh player caught up to him and knocked the ball out of his hands. Guaranteed 6 points taken off the board for the Bears against a tough opponent, the Pittsburgh Steelers. The kicker knocked the ball out of the end zone. This gave the Bears some life at the one yard line to punch it in. False start penalty backs up the Bears and they have to settle for a field goal. Instead of 6 guaranteed points with most likely an extra point to make it seven, the Bears settle for 3.

The Steelers did come back in this contest to tie the game at 17 to 17. I wish I could have been in the mind of Marcus Cooper to see what he was thinking. Was he scared to be cut? He did not get benched. Did he get yelled at for making a bone head move like he did He played the rest of the game because actually he probably is the best corner back they have. Plus after Mr. Slick fumbled the ball, many Bears gave his stunt a high five and pat on the back. He probably felt no shame as he went on and played the second half.

Does anybody show these players the Leon Lett play back in the 90’s? Cowboys just destroying the poor Bills then to see Leon Lett another jack ass a bigger one than Cooper slowing down holding the ball out like a loaf of bread strutting his stuff. Then Don Beebe knocked the ball out of his hand before he got it over the pay dirt. Even though the Cowboys killed the Bills that game, a hustling Don Beebe never gave up on the play even down by a ton. Don Beebe is a football player. Leon Lett and Marcus Cooper should take their act to the circus. I will even say the Pittsburgh Steeler who knocked the ball out of Cooper’s hand deserves some credit for not giving up. Even the punter for Pittsburgh for knocking the ball out of the end zone so nobody from the Bears could land on the ball and still get the touch down.

If Cooper were on the Patriots he would have been cut at half time. His bags would have been packed and sitting on the curb. If the Patriots were on the road they would have probably given Cooper a bus ticket to get himself home from the road game. Since the Bears are not deep when it comes down to the roster, they have to keep him. They have to build up his confidence and coddle him so he can still play corner back the rest of the game and the remainder of the season. Since we do not draft well at many positions, we will probably have to put up with goof balls like Cooper until they are positive they have someone to replace him. Maybe when he’s about to retire we can finally give him his walking papers.

What happened to players like Walter Payton? All business all the time. He wanted to get in the end zone and win the game for the team. When he did get in the end zone he acted like he has been there before and will be there many more times as he handed the ball to the ref. This is not the first time Cooper has tight roped the end zone line strutting his stuff. He has done it as an Arizona Cardinal. Maybe that’s why he’s now a Bear. When is Bears management going to put a stop to these players? A few years ago Lamar Houston is dancing after he sacked Brady late in the game when the Bears were down by a ton of points. Then the stupid idiot hurts himself on the grand finally of the sack dance and boom he’s out for the rest of the year. The Bears need to build a culture that this behavior should not be tolerated. Draft and sign football players, not circus acts. Since the Bears’ management and your teammates won’t say anything, to Marcus Cooper Senior, I will let Red Foreman sum it up to you with his words.