Positivity Test Number One

It is my goal this week to craft seven different blogs. There will be a theme to the week. While "Positivity Week" isn't the catchiest theme, it's what I have.

I'm out of ideas.

Just kidding. It wasn't just the upcoming Presidential election, or the fact that the financial crisis has led to nothing more than "it's their fault" as an explanation. It just seems like every time a situation arises, the negative gets the press. I'll find a way around it, even though it goes against my instincts.

Just two posts ago I made fun of Vince Young for calling Colt McCoy and offering him leadership advice. It was the party line that Vince Young is not only unable to be a starting QB in the NFL, he's also mentally unbalanced. While some of that is true, he did receive some criticism early in his career at Texas. He managed to overcome that and engineer one of the greatest game-winning drives in college football history. Whether he can do that as a professional is in dispute, but his credentials as a leader at the University of Texas is not.

Let's give it up for Chicago sports fans. Cubs fans have been tormented for years, but not as much as this season, which happened to be the 100th anniversary of their last championship. White Sox fans had to deal with Ozzie Guillen's crazy rants and a bunch of hitters who set career lows in average. Both teams made it to the playoffs, which only 8 of 30 teams do. Sure, you can be negative about their combined one playoff win. Go right ahead.

Other than a quarter-long nap, I watched the majority of yesterday's Bears/Falcons game. Both teams were a surprising 3-2 with quarterbacks playing better than expected. Neither team could run so it was up to the passing games to thrive. Matt Ryan got the Falcons into field-goal range all game, and finally broke through with a TD pass to Roddy White. I can't be anything but positive about White. The Bears trailed 19-10 and got to the Falcons one. Jason McKie couldn't punch it in, and on fourth down Matt Forte attempted to jump over the pile for the score. His ascent was blunted by McKie. Somehow the Bears got a field goal, stopped the Falcons, and with two minutes to go it was Orton time.

Orton's TD pass to Rashied Davis was a thing of beauty. The Bears looked to be too far from paydirt to go directly to the end zone. Davis ran a corner route and when cornerback Chris Houston hesitated, the window opened. Orton hit it perfectly.

There were eleven seconds left. Except for a kickoff return for a touchdown, there was no way that the Falcons would be able to pull off the miracle. A squib kick gave the Falcons the ball with six seconds left at the 44-yard line. In Saturday's Missouri game, Chase Daniel hit Chase Coffman for ten yards to get into field goal range. The Falcons needed about 25 yards. Matt Ryan backpedaled and threw a perfect pass to Michael Jenkins, who got the two feet in at the 30-yard line. There was one second left. My less positive self would assert that in Chicago, the second would not remain on the clock. Instead I'll say that Jenkins had to get in position at his maximum speed.

Jason Elam, who earlier missed what would have been a game-clinching field goal, nailed the 48-yarder. Considering what the Falcons have trotted out at kicker in the past two years, and you know that Elam was worth every penny.

Matt Ryan's looking like a keeper. Roddy White overcame a concussion sustained in practice (practice!) to continue an excellent real and fantasy season. Michael Turner struggled but has been a great player overall. For the Bears, they know that Orton is no Rex Grossman. He did what he had to do to win. Sadly, someone had to lose.

Coming tomorrow: How do I remain positive when one of my fantasy teams will be without Tony Romo for four weeks? Hint...the team's 2-4. Can you say rookie draft bonanza?