Ben Johnson is giving Chicago sports fans everything Craig Counsell doesn't

After an 0-2 start to the season, first-year Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson has his team firing on all cylinders. A statement win over the reigning Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles has the Bears as the top team in the NFC and Super Bowl talk reignited in the Windy City.

As impressive as the win was, it was Johnson's postgame locker room talk that stole the show - his regular 'good, better, best' huddle with the players went to new heights when the Bears head coach ripped his shirt off and fired up his squad.

The winning is all Bears fans really care about. But if that's the end-all, be-all, why does it feel like Chicago Cubs fans have been relatively lukewarm about Craig Counsell since he left the rival Milwaukee Brewers and took the top job in Wrigleyville?

Ben Johnson's high-energy nature has Cubs, Bears fans loving him

It comes down to personality. Fans are welcoming Johnson with open arms because you can tell he cares. You can see it on his face during the game and in interviews - and, of course, when he's firing up the entire organization after big wins. The range of emotion - the highs and lows - make us, as fans, feel like he's as committed and bought-in as we are.

But I'm here to tell you that, despite his dry sense of humor and steadfast demeanor, Counsell cares about the Cubs' success just as much as Johnson. But the difference in personality has led to a much cooler embrace of Counsell in Chicago, despite his leading the team to 92 wins, a playoff berth and its first postseason series wins since 2017 this year.

It probably didn't help that Counsell's arrival came with sky-high expectations - and instead of a rapid ascent to the top of the division and the downfall of the Brewers, we got a 2024 Cubs team that posted the exact same record as they did the year prior under David Ross and another playoff appearance from Milwaukee.

That level-headed, calm approach to the day-to-day is wildly important in baseball. But it's not sexy and doesn't lead to viral moments like we got with Johnson this week - and can lead to the misconception that someone like Counsell doesn't care as much as he should.

Johnson's impact has been immediate - and it's a lot easier to see that over the course of an NFL season than it is over the grind of 162 games. But, regardless, don't expect to see Counsell ripping his shirt off after a big win anytime soon. That's just not his vibe.