Let's Ask Doug Buffone For Advice

Vince Lombardi once said, "Football isn't a contact sport, it's a collision sport. Dancing is a contact sport." Bob Dylan once wrote, "The times, they are a changing." Ron Burgundy had never heard that song. And neither, apparently, has Don Pierson. Pierson seems to invoke the sentiments of Lombardi today in the Trib, as he argues that Bears fans should be excited, rather than dismayed, that Cedric Benson injured his shoulder Friday when he bounced off of Mike Brown and Brian Urlacher after a short reception. Pierson has the luxury of taking such a view right now because it looks like Benson won't be gone too long. Still, I don't think a few anecdotes from a few decades back shed much light on how much hitting today's NFL players should be doing in training camp. These guys are in much better shape coming into camp than their predecessors were. And, I'd trade whatever miniscule margin in tackling ability is sacrificed by not hitting in camp, for having our best play makers on the field when the season starts.