According to the countdown clock to the left, we have about seven hours to go before game time. Bears fans everywhere are facing their own nervous anticipation in a variety of ways.
Many are sticking to routines; single-mindedly following proven Sunday traditions. Superstitious? Why? Just because I haven't washed my jersey all season or gotten a haircut since the weekend before the last loss to a AFC team that played for the conference championship? Just because most wins were preceded by a Bloody Mary served in a pint glass with a stalk of celery and three olives?
Many have surrounded themselves with the icons of current – and past – championships. The big screen today is surrounded by a Super Bowl XX program signed by 11 Bears who played in that game, a Rex Grossman autographed football, a Brian Urlacher autographed photo and many other museum-quality pieces topped off with Super Bowl XLI pennants and bumper stickers and buttons.
The buffet has been planned. The food and drink tables were set up yesterday. The fridge is stocked.
The pre-game shows start at 12 p.m. EST on CBS and ESPN. Six hours and 25 minutes of hype and diversion until kickoff. What will they tell you? That Peyton Manning's destiny is to win a Super Bowl? That the Bears are seven-point underdogs? That Rex Grossman does not deserve to be in the big game? That the loss of Tommie Harris is a death-blow? That Marvin Harrison is due for a big post-season game?
To a point, a lot of that is true. What is also true is that Mr. Grossman had a better QB rating in the post-season than Mr. Manning (If Mr. Grossman would have had six, consecutive post-season quarters like Mr. Manning had stretching from the entire Baltimore Ravens game to the first half of the new England Patriots game, he would have been dumped into frozen Lake Michigan by a ruthless mob of fans). What is also true is that no one on either side of the field is more determined to win a Super Bowl than Mr. Urlacher. No one.
Look for the X-factor: The Colts are weak on special teams, an area in which the Bears clearly excel. Devin Hester, do you hear fate knocking on your door? How about you, Robbie Gould? Some players are playing for MORE than just a s Super Bowl ring. On Monday, Lance Briggs would still like to be known as the No. 1 linebacker on the free-agent market. Guess how many MORE millions of dollars a fumble recovery/touchdown run would mean for his future?
Pundits talks about the X-factor of Colts' tight end Dallas Clark. Hmmm... I wonder what will happen the first time he crosses the middle and sees Mr. Urlacher? Will he recall the preseason game in which Mr. Urlacher rendered him unconcious?
In a way, the Bears are deeper than the Colts because they are less reliant on a high-flying passing game. Take out any combination of Manning or Marvin Harrison and the game is won. You take out Mr. Grossman and/or Bernard Berrian and you still have to worry about the heart of the Bears game plan with left guard Ruben Brown tearing out big holes in your defense for Thomas Jones or Cedric Benson to power through for big gains.
And the biggest X-factor: How many points will the Bears will score on defense?
I'm a Bears fan so I am going to pick the Bears 30-24. That said, Bears fans and the team have already won, no matter the score. There is meaningful football to play in February and that is enough to cause much rejoicing.
Enjoy the game! Go Bears!
More later,
Mark
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