In Virginia McCaskey's lifetime, the phrase "Bear Down" has depreciated immensely.
There's no doubt the Bears brand is iconic. However, what most observers saw from the team this season was reminiscent of a dumpster fire.
A lot was expected of a team that brought back a high-scoring offense that fell short of a playoff appearance. At Monday's press conference, we witnessed a management team at its wit's end.
A damning assessment by the team's 91-year-old matriarch summed up the season.
"She's pissed off. ... She's fed up with mediocrity" is what team chairman George McCaskey told reporters of his mother's thoughts.
It seems like Jay Cutler and Marc Trestman should be lucky that Virginia McCaskey didn't run onto the field and smack them upside the head this season. Papa Bear Halas' daughter won Monday's press conference despite the fact she wasn't there.
George McCaskey admitted the back-to-back embarrassing losses to Green Bay and New England were tough to stomach. After all, he watched a team that needs help at almost every position.
The team has hit rock bottom. When that happens, there's nowhere to go but up. It was good to see the people who bankrolled this operation admit wholesale changes need to be made.
Getting rid of Trestman, Aaron Kromer and Phil Emery was a good start. So is emulating the other teams in town.
The Blackhawks, Cubs and White Sox braintrusts at one point in time had to change the culture surrounding their franchises. Those changes have produced results. CEO Ted Phillips and George McCaskey know the task ahead of them is a tough one.
"We need, obviously, good decisions," Phillips said. "We need strong drafts ... [and] smart decisions in free agency."
Who would've thought one of the NFL's most popular franchises would fall behind the other teams in town in terms of performance. For years, Bears fans thought the McCaskeys were cheap and didn't care about the on-field production.
The days of pandering to the "meatball" sentiment has come to an end.
Evan F. Moore is a RedEye special contributor.