Published Sunday, June 3, 2007
Clark, Bears Still Climbing
Losing in the Super Bowl felt to Desmond Clark like the frustrating waste of a lot of good work, like an opportunity squandered.
``It's like climbing Mount Everest, and you get one or two steps from the top and you can't make it, and somebody has to come up and take you down off the mountain,'' Clark said. ``We could see the top, but we couldn't get there.''
Clark caught six passes, more than any other wide receiver or tight end, in the 29-17 loss to the Indianapolis Colts.
The Chicago Bears' tight end from Lakeland's Kathleen High School recalled the brief post-game address of head coach Lovie Smith on that rainy night in Miami four months ago.
``He told us we went from 5-11 to 11-5 to where we were last year,'' Clark said, ``and the last thing to accomplish was the Super Bowl. We've done everything else he's laid out for us.''
Even though they lost there was a strong feeling after Super Bowl XLI that the Bears had a better chance of getting back up that mountain than the Colts.
They were much younger, played in a weaker conference and would benefit from the return of Tommie Harris, one of the league's best defensive linemen.
So far, the off-season has not exactly filled Bear fans with hope.
All-Pro linebacker Lance Briggs wants out. Nose tackle Tank Johnson faces a suspension. Running back Thomas Jones signed with the New York Jets.
Too early to worry about any of that stuff, says Clark, who is preparing for his ninth NFL season.
``It's all relative,'' he said. ``Me, I worry about what's going on in my circle. As a team, I don't see too many people talking about it. I don't see (Briggs' demands) being a distraction, but it's still the off-season. When the team gets together, maybe that changes. Right now it's not a problem.''
Clark, who just turned 30, spends his weekdays training in Chicago and his weekends at home in Orlando.
FULL STORY
Clark, Bears Still Climbing | theledger.com
Clark, Bears Still Climbing
Clark, Bears Still Climbing
Linear Mode
