Bears rookies, vets eye preseason game differently

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<p align="justify">Darwin Walker might as well have yawned.

<p align="justify">The subject was tonight's preseason opener at Houston. It would be the defensive tackle's first as a Chicago Bear after spending almost all of his NFL career with Philadelphia. How excited was he?

<p align="justify">Let's just say his pulse wasn't racing.

<p align="justify">"It's going to be good," he said, "but you know what? I've been around for eight years, and we'll deal with that. I'm looking forward to the regular season."

<p align="justify">Then there are rookies like tight end Greg Olsen, the team's first-round pick from Miami, Fla., who has had an impressive training camp. He might not have slept all that much Friday night.

<p align="justify">"I'm going to be excited, I know that," he said.

<p align="justify">All he knows of the NFL so far is what it's like to practice in pads but not hit or be hit. That will change in a hurry.

<p align="justify">"I just want to get my feet wet in the fire out there when every play is full, live tackle," he said. "I want to get prepared for what the season is going to be like.

<p align="justify">"When everything is thrown at you at once, you want to be able to execute your assignments. Once the ball gets thrown your way or once it's time for you to block, to execute it."

<p align="justify">He feels prepared in one sense because of what happens in training camp - he has spent a lot of it going against the No. 1 defense.

<p align="justify">"You go through two weeks of camp against our defense, it prepares you for a lot of things," he said. "It's obviously different in a game situation."

<p align="justify">Rookie linebacker Michael Okwo has been waiting for tonight for another reason. It's a chance to go up against his former Stanford teammate, safety Brandon Harrison.

<p align="justify">Okwo hadn't been able to reach Harrison by phone by Thursday afternoon.

<p align="justify">"But I'm sure he's getting ready," Okwo said. "I'm ready to see him play out there on special teams."

<p align="justify">Okwo's status is uncertain, as he sat out three consecutive days of practices with "general soreness."

<p align="justify">"Personally, I just want to stay healthy," he said. "I'm not sure how much I'll get out there. I want to get out there and learn what's going on."

<p align="justify">Third-year wideout Mark Bradley wants to take advantage of every opportunity to show the coaches they can rely on him.

<p align="justify">"Preseason is a steppingstone I have to take," he said. "I'm taking it as far as getting back into game mode. Getting in a comfort zone, not having errors and just going out there playing and having fun."

<p align="justify">Head coach Lovie Smith is likely to sit-out linebacker Brian Urlacher and defensive tackle Tommie Harris, who have missed most of practice this week. Most everyone else could play, with starters not expected to play more than a quarter.

Reed Schreck is the NFL writer for the Rockford Register Star. He can be reached at 815-987-1381 or rschreck@rrstar.com.</font>