It's Friday night in the middle of the off-season: what are you doing hanging out on a Bears blog? What's that? You're as Bears-obsessed as we are? Don't worry, we understand. If anything, we've got it worse than you. Let's revel in our obsession below the fold and share our best stories of our Bears obsessions paying off or getting us in trouble.
While one time I had to patch a hole in my friend's ceiling after punching a hole in it after a touchdown play, the most trouble I've gone through for the Bears was when I lived in northern Wisconsin. Since I couldn't get the Sunday Ticket at my house, I had to make a forty five minute drive every Sunday to get to a bar willing to cater to a FIB* like me. The drive was worth it, since the bartender was also from Chicago and had my back when the inevitable heckling began. The constant jokes and trash talk were balanced out by the Sunday wing special, but it's tough being the only Blue jersey in a sea of Green and Gold. I mostly smiled and nodded through all the hate, since I didn't want to get myself blacklisted at the one bar willing to put up with me. But it's good to know that even in the heart of enemy territory, you can still find the occasional ally.
There are benefits to the insanity as well. Back when you could still tailgate Bears games without having a ticket to the game, I went up with some friends to pre-game the Packers @ Bears games. We got perfect Chicago football weather: winds gusting up to 30mph straight off the lake and a wind chill somewhere around 30 below. Despite the coffee freezing within ten minutes of being out of the car, we stayed warm by huddling in between the portable fireplace and the grill. You may be wondering what the "benefits" were to facing such temperatures, and there were times I wondered too. But after about an hour, a news crew from the Weather Channel showed up to document our sucicial glorious celebration of all things Bears, so I got to be one of the goofballs waving in the background during their report! I'm still kicking myself for not getting a ticket to that game, since it ended up being the worst performance Brett Favre ever had against the Bears. It's good enough that I was able to stick it out through weather that he couldn't, I suppose.
What's the greatest length you've ever gone to in order to satisfy your Bears itch? Share your obsession in the comments, wreck the best tales of team coming before everything else, and see you back here next Friday night.
*"Friendly Illinois Brethen," I hope.