The gun is loaded.
It might discharge this weekend. Or next weekend. Or seven weeks into the regular season. Or maybe not all.
Still, the Bears seem willing to play high-stakes Russian roulette with their defensive tackle.
Steve McMichael could empty the bullet from the chamber, if only he would report to camp.
The Bears also could assist by acquiescing to a reasonable compromise that would save face for the organization, McMichael and his agent, Larry Bales.
”We have had no conversation lately,” Bears Finance Director Ted Phillips said late last week. ”I heard they expect me to call him. Larry Bales knows what the Bears` position is.”
Said Bales: ”The only contact we have had was when (defensive line coach) John Levra called Steve and asked if he was serious about holding out. Steve said he was serious. It has been two weeks now. I think that should show that he is serious.”
No one seems to be winning this war of wills.
McMichael, 32, wanted his contract renegotiated from $500,000 to $800,000 for this year and 1991. The Bears relented somewhat and said they would pay him $775,000 this year and $500,000 next year. The only stipulation was that McMichael had to report to camp on the first day, July 26, or the offer would be taken off the table. Shortly after the deadline passed, McMichael said:
”OK, we will take the $775,000.” The Bears told him to take a hike.
”Steve thinks that they are trying to publicly humiliate him,” Bales said. ”Otherwise, why would he (Phillips) have taken that offer off the table? We offered to play for what he was offering on a one-year contract, and he summarily dismissed that idea. He could have probably come out better than what the (current) contract calls for if Steve had had a subpar year. He probably could have gotten him for $100,000 or $200,000 less than what he is scheduled to make now.”
The Bears` and McMichael`s welfare seem to have become subservient to the personality clash between Bales and Phillips.
”It is really silly to draw a line in the dust like that,” Bales said.
”I am not one of these agents who is hell-bent on getting it my way or no way. I`m not getting any money out of the situation.”
Phillips says a trade does not seem feasible at the moment. When the Bears made it known that McMichael was available a few months ago, little interest was shown at the price the Bears would ask, Phillips said.
Bales sounds less insistent on a trade now.
”I don`t necessarily think that would be the best resolution,” he said. ”I think Chicago needs Steve and Steve still loves Mike Ditka and wants to play.”
With that resolved, why don`t the Bears simply reinstate the offer of $775,000 for 1990?
”I`m frankly mystified; I don`t know what they might be thinking,”
Bales said. ”I just can`t believe that they think they will be able to make it through the season with the defensive line they have.”
Perhaps it is time for club President Michael McCaskey to step in.
”I really think that would speed things up,” Bales said. ”There is not a question in my mind that McCaskey controls the contract offers. We are willing to go anywhere and meet him.”
In the meantime, McMichael is looking for someone to tackle.
”Steve has been driving around Texas a lot, just trying to stay busy,”
Bales said.
The Bears are banking on veterans Dan Hampton, William Perry and Dick Chapura staying healthy while rookies Fred Washington and Tim Ryan continue to progress. But Hampton has had 10 knee operations, two last season.
”What really amazes me is the chances they are taking with Dan Hampton,” Bales said. ”I really can`t believe they threw him in there like this.”
– Running back Neal Anderson, the highest-paid player in Bears history at $1.7 million a year, was courted by three or four teams last spring as a free agent. The Miami Dolphins were rumored to be one of the clubs talking to the former University of Florida star.
”We talked to quite a few teams; I don`t want to mention any names . . . that is home,” said Anderson with a smile.
Anderson, who led the club in scoring, rushing and receiving last season, wants to play only a few series in each preseason game. But he is in top condition.
”I think I can always improve, but I came in in really good shape,”
Anderson said. ”I`m in the same shape I came in last year, if not better. I just don`t want to peak with five preseason games and then have the 16
(regular-season) games. That`s a long time.”
The Bears` expanded passing attack this season should improve Anderson`s already prolific numbers.
”It is good that we are going to throw it because guys have stacked up on us and put eight guys on the line of scrimmage,” Anderson said. ”It is awfully tough to run when you have eight men on the line of scrimmage. They haven`t respected our pass the way they should. This year, with our offense being a little more versatile and multiple, they will have to play the pass, and that will, in turn, open up more running lanes for me. It will give the team a better offense.”
– Veteran middle linebacker Mike Singletary had a special message for his teammates at the beginning of Friday`s practice, Anderson said.
”Mike told us to say a little prayer for Petey (White), the little guy who was always on the sideline,” Anderson said. ”We will definitely miss him. Everybody had a little silent moment for him.”
White, a friend of team founder George Halas, had a lifetime pass to Bears games and exhorted the players from the sideline. He died last week.
– The Bears plan to keep three quarterbacks, but four are in camp: Mike Tomczak, Jim Harbaugh, Peter Tom Willis and Brent Pease.
”I think I have been doing pretty good,” said Willis, who ended his two-week holdout Wednesday. ”There are four of us, and you don`t get that many reps.”
