What a Show!

I was fortunate enough to have witnessed, firsthand, the Chicago vs Denver preseason game. Although much has and will be made of the demonic boos and hisses that seemed to flow down the stands and wash onto the field everytime Jay as-much-as exposed a toe to the field, what probably won't be talked about is the wonderful cheers and applauses that also came form the same area throughout the game. Yes, my friends, Chi-Town was well represented at this magical event. Am I exaggerating by decribing this as a "magical" event? Perhaps. Maybe not. Depends on your opinion and sensibilities, I suppose. You see, I haven't been "home" for years. I spent 20 years stationed all over the world. Still, I ALWAYS kept my Bears close to my heart. I watched Superbowl XX through a gasmask at o-dark thirty while hunkered in a musty building during a chem warefare exercise in Germany. Because of my service, even in my mid -forties, I've been to only a handful of games. So, to me, there was magic, here.

The magic of this game wasn't the importance of it; it was, after all, just a preseason game. The magic wasn't the hype of Jay Cutler going back to face his nemesis Josh McDaniels, nor the way Jay Cutler exercised his demons and slapped a muzzle on his detractors. We know the media will continue to question his mental fortitude throughout his career, much the way they railed on Peyton until he finally "won the big one!" The magic, in my humble opinion, was in the mile-high walk down a winding ramp from the fifth level (yeah, we were in the nose-bleeds) to the exit of Invesco Field. The winding ramp enabled us to continually see the same group of people over and over. And everytime a certain guy, whose crusty blue and orange face was dis-figured from three-plus hours of smiling, yelling, and probably drinking, would see me wearing my bright orange Cutler jersey, he would point and scream "Da Bears" at the top of his lungs. The entire crowd would then erupt in the same chants and joyous screams. I must have high-fived that dude 20 times by the time I reached the exit. I figure my wife and I must have high-fived about 50 different people, all told.

Personally, I prefer to watch my games at home surrounded by my family and friends. I have the ticket and a 42 and my wife goes all out making a spread and even baking muffins (weird, but the guys love'em.) I don't have to deal with drunks (yeah, there was at least one obnoxious guy looking for a beating) or long lines to get food or use the restroom. And with Jay Cutler's tight missile passes, you MUST have Instant Replay to see if he receivers were able to maintain their grip as they roll to the ground.  

Still, if I were to put a value on the price of watching a live Bears game, I would seriously have to factor in the walk down the winding mile-high ramp to the exit of the building. As the commercial so-famously quoted, it was "priceless!"