Bears Will Be Bears

By Benjy Lipsman in News on Nov 15, 2005 6:59PM

If you watched Sunday's Wind Bowl, you may have noticed that John St. Clair started at right tackle in place of Fred Miller, ending Miller's 102-game streak of consecutive starts.

When first reported, the fractured jaw that was expected to cost Miller at least 2 games was caused by a fall at home last Monday. However, a little different story unfolded yesterday. Seems that the broken jaw actually was the result of an Olin Kreutz fist.

So what caused the Bears All Pro Center to punch his teammate November 7th? Reports are somewhat sketchy, but the Trib's account states:

According to sources familiar with the incident, Miller and Kreutz spent the off day at an FBI shooting range in North Chicago. Tension percolated throughout the day and escalated, sources said, as more alcohol was consumed.

Kreutz, a source said, repeatedly warned Miller to stop agitating him. They eventually went to a drinking establishment with other linemen.

According to two people with knowledge of the incident, the fracas began when one player threw a drink at the other. It's unclear if Miller, who is 6 feet 7 inches and 320 pounds, first swung at Kreutz. But Kreutz landed the only punch, making Miller's mouth fill with blood when his braces cut his gums. Miller also lost a tooth.

Miller, according to one source, then "lost it," rushing Kreutz and either throwing an unknown object or striking him in the head with it. One source said it was a 5-pound weight. Another said it was a board. Kreutz, who is 6-2 and 292 pounds, suffered a cut that, according to one source, required double-digit stitches.

So basically, an off day of shootin', drinkin' and fightin' was all fun and games until somebody's jaw done got busted up. While Kreutz ended up with a nasty gash, he hid it under caps all week and played against the 49ers. Miller had a place inserted into his jaw and missed the game. He's likely out against Carolina this wekend, too.

When asked about disciplining the players, Bears coach Lovie Smith said he'd deal with the situation internally, and that the players would not be suspended by the team. They can probably expect some hefty fines, however.

Like so many scandals, the punishment is as much for the cover-up as the "crime" itself. After the incident, the two players agreed to lie about the situation to avoid the attention it would draw and the distractions it would cause the team. Yeah, that worked. And now the distraction comes the week of a huge statement game rather than during a week leading up to a weak opponent.