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Bears Mon May 02 2011
Meet the Bears' New Strongman
I believe Ron Swanson said it best in his introductory speech before the Pawnee community art show Visions of Nature:
"This room has several paintings in it. Some are big, some are small. People did them and they are here now."
That's sort of how I feel about the NFL Draft: The Bears have several new players. Some are big, some are small(er). People picked them and they are here now.
But until we can assess the real impact these rookies will have on the field, whenever they actually take the field, let's entertain ourselves by assigning them heroic new personas.
You've already met first-round pick Gabe "The Bear Jew" Carimi, and following quick on his oversized heels is Stephen Paea, the Oregon State defensive tackle Chicago drafted in the second round. At 6-1, 303 pounds, he was the strongest player at the NFL Combine. He bench-pressed the standard 225 pounds 49 times, which might or might not be a combine record but is undoubtedly insanely impressive.
Here he is pressing that weight 44 times last year:
Paea, a rugby player in his native Tonga, played high school and junior college football in Utah before becoming a Pac-10 defensive player of the year at Oregon State.
Surely, we can find him, too, a Bear-related nickname. It seems only right.
