Sorry, Cedric Benson: Chicago Does Not Miss You

I marveled at them for a moment, on a hot day last June.  There were dozens of them, identical, and all lined up.  They were new and untouched, and they took up an entire rack.

"Man," I thought to myself, "they're better off just giving these away to the needy."

Even today, you can be the not-so-proud owner of a Cedric Benson Chicago Bears jersey for only $30.  Don't jump the gun, though.  If you want a good car shammy, you can get one at your local auto store for less money than that.

Even though Ced has been gone from Chicago for nine months now, he is still doing what he did best as a Bear: running his mouth.

One day after re-signing with the Cincinnati Bengals, Chicago's former feature back appeared today on the WMVP-AM "Waddle & Silvy" show and proceeded to repeatedly blast his former teammates.  He claimed that he was treated unfairly by players and coaches, both before and after his two inebriation incidents.

These comments come three months after Benson proclaimed in a public interview that he would have rushed for 1,800 yards in place of Matt Forte if he had remained with the Bears in 2008, and, even more laughable, couldn't figure out why he wasn't used as a receiver in the same manner as Forte.

To Bear fans, it is hard to not dislike Cedric Benson.  

Sure, he took over the starting job during a year in which the offensive line was in a harsh rut, and he had to battle several injuries early in his career.  

Those facts aside, what was there to like about him?  He was a shaky rusher, and failed as a receiver and a pass blocker.  He never once gave any indication that he aspired to be a team leader. And, worst of all, his attitude was beyond deplorable.  Cedric Benson was a lethargic football player as a Chicago Bear.

At times, he would show flashes of the run-you-over power rushing game that he brought to the table during his college days.  But most of the time, watching his college highlight reel online after disappointing 2007 performances drew contrast harsh enough to make you want to go to the cabinet and pick up a bottle of Jameson.

And where was Cedric last June?  Was he at the team's fan convention, signing autographs to make amends with the fans and putting on a good public image to handle damage control after his first DUI?  

No.  

He was being pulled to the side of the road by police officer in Texas.  And, in typical Cedric Benson fashion, he pointed the blame at everybody but himself rather than taking responsibility for his own actions.

Yes, Benson was treated very unfairly here in Chicago.  He was named the starting running back and received large sums of money without having earned either.