Fire Ryan Poles | Fire Ben Johnson

*Note: Most of this article was written before the news of his firing.*

I do not have any social media. I never had Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or even Instacart. Social media is disgusting, a waste of time and detrimental to our society. These are facts.

So when I heard that Dan Bernstein was suspended from 670 The Score for the second time in a decade due to comments made online, I wasn’t surprised.

I just don’t know what happened to this guy. Did the world just pass him by? Or is the current society we currently live in force him to be a completely different person compared to 20 years ago?

“Boers and Bernstein” was one of the best shows not only on The Score. But in Chicago. I started listening to The Score in high school and much more frequently in college (mid-2000’s). Boers and Bernstein was the show of choice.

During that time, Dan Bernstein was great. Always bashing callers who said stupid shit. When Terry Boers would add onto it, it was the best radio out there. And yes, there were plenty of instances where he would talk about a certain woman’s physical appearance that gave me a chuckle. I am not here to get into a “political correctness” discussion. But he would have been “cancelled” if those comments were made today compared to 15 years ago. Same with all of those sound bytes they use to play to make everyone laugh. But all of those times, it was entertaining.

Ever since his first suspension a decade ago, he seem to have changed. It seemed he was more “cookie-cutter” with his style and what he said. I get that people may change as years go on. But I felt he was faking it on the radio. This isn’t the Dan Bernstein I listened to for all those years. Again, I get that he had to be careful with what was said in order to not get “cancelled.” But this was over-the-top.

So here is another suspension. This one was warranted. I don’t care who I offend saying this next point. But if you’re an adult and take a picture of yourself holding up a fish, you’re a douchebag. There is no way around it. Bernstein did this. Someone online said he killed it. He then proceeded to do what most people on social media do: Act like a child. Then he acted some more like a child.

I don’t care what the other person’s beliefs were. I’ve heard of others who block people. He could have done that. Or just simply ignored him. Instead, he made some really insane comments at this person. And now, it cost him his job.

The Score has had plenty of issues over the years. Management has changed a time or two and because of that, great hosts were either let go or limited in their jobs. My own rant: Brian Hanley was great with Mike Mulligan. For many years, I listened to them in the middays and when Mike North left, the mornings. Then some douchebag by the name of Jimmy DeCastro got rid of Hanley and brought in David Huh?. And let me tell you something, to be replaced by someone who didn’t want John Fox fired a decade ago shows that the one making that decision is a fucking idiot. And let’s not get started on bringing Dan McNeil back. But that’s not why I called.

It’s time for The Score to get better and I feel it should. Not to put words/thoughts in Laurence Holmes, but even I think he was getting tired of Bernstein. Steve Rosenbloom is out there. He would be a great replacement for Bernstein. Not sure he would want the gig of doing it five days a week. I am going to assume that Leila Rahimi will be a front-runner to take over. We will see what happens.

In closing, it was time for Dan Bernstein to go. I am sure he will end up somewhere else in the not-to-distant future.

I know. I am such a pessimist. As I’ve argued in the past, it’s actually me being a realist. The Bears put a ton of bandages on these open wounds when more is needed.

Once again, all of these free agent signings point to Ryan Poles silently admitting he is an abject failure at scouting and drafting players who can take these positions and for cheaper.

Again, Joe Thuney may only give the Bears one decent season. Drew Dalman could be a bust. Jonah Jackson could be hurt all year and rarely see the field. None of this is encouraging because all of this can be a reality.

For the love of God, someone find a general manager that can actually draft franchise players. The last I checked, Ryan Poles has had three drafts already and only one franchise player. Poles drafts Austin Booker as an edge rusher and he barely sees the field. Then, they are in a hurry to sign not one, but two edge rushers in Dayo Odeyingbo and Grady Jarrett. So with Booker, it’s one of two things: He either sucks ass or it’s shitty coaching. Maybe don’t draft someone who sucks? Or maybe find an actualy coordinator who can fix whatever the problem is?

And let’s be honest, he got Caleb Williams as that franchise player because the Panthers stupidly gave away the draft picks and happened to be the worst team in football that year.

Discuss.

I find it absolutely obnoxious when I’ve heard on the radio constantly these last couple weeks that the Bears are interested in signing or training for an edge rusher. Even Khalil Mack’s name came up again. We’ve been through this shit already.

THEY DRAFTED AUSTIN BOOKER LAST YEAR. WASN’T HE SUPPOSED TO BE THE GUY TO TAKE THAT SPOT?

Oh, and what about Montez Sweat who they just gave a ton of money to with an extension?

Again, this is the problem. Ryan Poles does not know how to draft players. Making a trade for a 32-year old offensive lineman in Joe Thuney reeks of desparation. It screams “abject failure” with Poles. I am sorry. Thuney may still be good. But 32 is at the tail end of a career for a lineman these days. So they made a trade for a guy who may only play a year or two more?

They also traded a pick for Jonah Jackson. As our friend Dave mentioned in the previous thread, this guy was hurt most of last year. This also isn’t good news despite him being “healthy” now.

I saw enough of Ryan Poles and his chin pubes years ago. I don’t give a shit if Ben Johnson is the coach. The general manager needs to give his coach the best players possible to succeed. It won’t matter because the players who have a history of being hurt are hurt again.

The Eagles have been to two Super Bowls in three years and won this last one. Why? Most of their offensive line was drafted. Their playmakers on both sides of the ball were drafted. Yes, they made a free agent signing here and there that made a big difference. But the majority of their success was in the draft. That’s how teams win.

Not by signing a bunch of free agents and/or trading for veterans past their primes.