Bear down, Chicago Bears! The real audacity of hope.

Bear down, Chicago Bears, make every play clear the way to victory;

Bear down, Chicago Bears, put up a fight with a might so fearlessly.

We'll never forget the way you thrilled the nation with your T-formation.

Bear down, Chicago Bears, and let them know why you're wearing the crown.

You're the pride and joy of Illinois, Chicago Bears, bear down.

If you call yourself a Chicago Bears fan, trivial as it may seem, you must know the words to the fight song. Not should know, not will know someday, but know it cold. And it doesn't count if your version goes something like this;

Bear down, Chicago Bears, da da da da da da da da victory, etc.

Why you might ask? Hell I don't know, but it just sounds better when you know the lyrics. But what does it mean for Bears fans this season? Is this year different from any others? I say, hold on to your hat. It all starts and ends with Jay Cutler.

How many times in years past has the team had those 13-10 squeakers where you were saying to yourself, "The D played great, if we only had an offense...?" So whose fault was it that we didn't? Certainly not any one person, but a collaborative effort unseen by any other pro sports team. Oh sure, there are perennially bad teams in sports, like the NFL Lions or the NBA Clippers, but those teams have nothing on the Bears futility in the most important position in any pro team, the quarterback.

So I blame, in no particular order, Dave Wannstedt, Jerry Angelo, Michael McCaskey, Lovie Smith, Dick Jauron, John Shoop, Bob Avellini, Steve Fuller, Rusty Lisch, Greg Landry, Mike Tomczak, Doug Flutie, Jim Harbaugh, Peter Tom Willis, Will Furrer, Erik Kramer, Steve Walsh Kramer, Dave Kreig, Rick Mirer, Steve Stenstrom, Moses Moreno, Shane Matthews, Cade McNown, Jim Miller, Chris Chandler, Henry Burris, Kordell Stewart, Rex Grossman, Jonathan Quinn, Craig Krenzel, Chad Hutchinson, Kyle Orton, and Brian Griese. My apologies to any member of the Bears back office, front office, side office, coaching staff or player I forgot to mention.

Now will Cutler wave a magic wand and make all of this futility go away? OF COURSE HE WILL!! It is my choice to go through the NFL season with blinders on believing this will be the year. That's what we Bears fans do. My prediction for the season: 12-4 Now that's my audacity of hope.