Fall is coming, and for town of Chicago, it’s bringing extra pleasure than ever. The Chicago Bears (NFL) are the center and soul of the Windy Metropolis and paired with the Chicago Blackhawks‘ roaring success over the previous decade; their intertwining seasons all the time made town come alive. Nonetheless, each groups have gone by way of latest full-scale rebuilds and dreadful shedding seasons, which made for lengthy winters that appeared like would by no means finish…
Till now. With the Blackhawks’ 2023 first general decide, Connor Bedard, going into his second yr, and Bears’ 2024 first general decide, quarterback Caleb Williams, coming into his rookie season, the excitement round Chicago is at an all-time excessive, wanting to see the place these two franchise gamers will take their groups.
The similarities between the positions that Bedard and Williams are in, together with their championship mindsets, make their tales even higher.
Blackhawks and Bears Are Related, But Completely different
Watching the Bears and Blackhawks rebuild take form has been fascinating (and oftentimes painful!). The Bears are a bit additional alongside, the place they’re anticipated to make some noise within the NFC North this season. The Blackhawks are able the place they may probably be higher than final yr however nonetheless out of the playoff image. But, they’ve been constructed equally regardless of being in several leagues.
Blackhawks normal supervisor Kyle Davidson and Bears normal supervisor Ryan Poles worth constructing by way of the draft. Poles’ greatest transfer since taking on in 2022 was buying and selling the 2023 first-overall decide to amass 4 draft picks and extensive receiver D.J. Moore. Since Davidson took workplace in 2022, he has acquired many picks, drafted 30 gamers, and has 11 draft picks within the first two rounds of the subsequent three drafts.
Each Davidson and Poles have additionally been supplementing their groups with veteran expertise to help their high rookie gamers. The Bears have gamers like Moore, Keenan Allen, and Cole Kmet on offense and have Montez Sweat, Jaquan Brisker, and Jaylon Johnson on protection to help rookies like Williams, Rome Odunze, and Austin Booker. For the Blackhawks, their veterans embrace Seth Jones, Nick Foligno, and Teuvo Teräväinen to assist transfer gamers like Bedard, Kevin Korchinski, and Lukas Reichel alongside.
The Bears have extra “win-now” expertise versus the Blackhawks’ “fill-in” veterans, like Pat Maroon and Alec Martinez, to assist mentor the roster. But, they each have their golden tickets, Connor Bedard and Caleb Williams, that they hope will finally lead their groups to a number of championships.
The Mindsets of Bedard and Williams
While you have a look at why NHL groups closely sought Bedard and why NFL groups valued Williams simply the identical, it comes again right down to how they carry themselves and their group. All skilled sports activities gamers have expertise, however most say that “elite” gamers are constructed otherwise, which may be traced again to mindset. While you hear Williams and Bedard discuss, they define the identical targets.
One factor each gamers have in frequent is how a lot folks imagine in them primarily based on their personalities. “Poise” was used to explain Williams by teammate Montez Sweat. Bedard has been lauded for his maturity past his 19 years for the way he dealt with the noise on and off the ice.
They’ve the drive to win, and each used the phrases “hungry” for his or her groups’ conditions.
Williams’ mindset is contemporary, beginning a brand new journey as a professional: “They [the Bears] didn’t simply inform me [they want to win], they have been displaying me how we do it. That’s all the time huge. I’ve all the time been a routine man. I’ve all the time been true to my work, dedicated to that and issues like that. They’ve been saying that they need to win, they’ve been saying that they’re hungry. Once I went there on a go to, they have been displaying me plans of how they plan on implementing that, issues like that all through the entire group, myself, to have the ability to lead these guys to victories.”
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For Bedard, his mindset is about reflecting on the Blackhawks’ second-worst NHL end and trying ahead: “There’s professionals and cons [for last season], and general, with how the yr went for us, I’m not proud of it. I believe, you understand, for those who’re too joyful about it, then possibly that’s one thing you bought to take a look at, however I believe it offers you a chance to get higher and develop and are available into subsequent yr hungry, and we’re all going to be tremendous motivated coming into subsequent yr with a chip on our shoulder with sort of how issues went this yr. I believe that’s going to be a constructive for us.”
The opposite factor that Williams and Bedard share is how they impression their teammates. Teven Jenkins stated about Williams, “He’s an ideal dude. He is aware of what he’s doing, and he works onerous for us. Each little factor you ask him like, ‘Hey, are you able to get just a little louder on the cadences,’ he’ll take it private to get higher as a result of he is aware of that it impacts everybody and never simply himself.”
With Bedard, Kevin Korchinski stated it greatest about how Bedard motivates others, “He loves the sport. I believe for him, lots of the stuff isn’t actually work. It’s simply him having enjoyable and having fun with it and loving what it’s to be a hockey participant. Seeing what he places into the sport, it’s superior. It’s infectious, and it motivates you that heading into the summer season, he’s going to be working his ass off, so that you need to do the identical factor.”
Chicago’s Particular Period Begins Now
Each set excessive expectations for themselves. Bedard talked in regards to the objective of successful Stanley Cups in Chicago and dealing as much as that. Williams acknowledged he would love to chase Tom Brady’s Tremendous Bowl document, and people “never-satisfied” personas are exemplary.
The tradition that Bedard and Williams have set for his or her groups makes Blackhawks and Bears followers purchase into the hype simply as a lot. Each have confronted immense strain and are carrying so much on their shoulders to carry success to a metropolis ravenous for extra championships, however they commendably embraced it. They work onerous with the video games they love, and that’s the place it begins.
Bedard and Williams talked about how a lot they love Chicago and the followers. They’ve the identical needs because the followers. They’re striving for extra and are main the best way. Time will inform the way it will work out, however these two have introduced again the zest, and followers are totally on board. Completely different gamers, completely different sports activities groups, completely different leagues, however the identical metropolis and identical objective.
The brand new period in Chi-City must be a particular one.
