Da Bears

I get the chance to go to Bears games very rarely, so when the opportunity presents itself, I hop on it. Weather conditions be damned. This year, I've managed to catch two of them. Last year, once. The time before that was about three years ago. Weather-wise, the last four times haven't been Paradise.

Remember the game earlier this year, when Nathan Vasher returned a missed field goal 108 yards? It was a new NFL record, and I was there. The breeziest game I've ever been to, we were joking about flying my friend's daughter like a kite. As it was, the wind knocked her over into the next row of seats before I caught her. No lie.

The last time I was at Soldier Field before they renovated it, it poured rain most of the game. Hell, all I remember about it, is that Chicago won. I'll admit, I was cold and miserable for that one... water seems to make its way through the toughest defenses. But it was still just a thrill to be there.

Some of you may remember that I caught a game last year around this time. That was a noon game, and the temps kept going down. Down to about -9^o, depending on who you read at the time. There wasn't much of a breeze to be felt on our side of the stadium, but the air was moving. I've no clue what the windchill was... after you get below 0, it really doesn't matter that much.

Last night's game was technically warmer, but it felt worse... 9^o, with a windchill of -8^o. No sun to provide it's warmth. The wind was blowing fairly steadily in our faces. But none of us got very cold... we all know how to dress in temps like that. (No, Teresa, I wasn't a popsicle! :D) If you happened to see a person dressed in a mess of denim, blaze orange, camo, and leathers, it may have been me. Keeping warm isn't a fashion statement, although there were an awful lot of "pretty people" there. 'Course, they had to keep running inside.

Both cold weather games that I've been to, they've announced the temps and windchills. Both times, the crowd goes wild. You can only grin... only Bear and Packer fans would go ape over that! Okay, maybe Buffalo or New England. Maybe.

How was the game itself? Well, thanks to the defense, the Bears were able to stay in it until Rex Grossman started the second half. I'm not one of those that hate Kyle Orton... I think he's done a pretty decent job considering the play calling. However, he really messed up a couple of times, once a potential touchdown to a wide open Muhsin Muhammad. It was good to see Rex step in and move the ball.

One thing I'll give to Atlanta is that their rookie punter, Michael Koenen, kept pinning the Bears deep. He had some great punts, compared to Maynard of the Bears. Some of those kicks were just terrible. Last year, a friend and I heckled the punter from the Texans for some of the same kicks Maynard had. I kept my mouth shut, but it wasn't easy.

Mike Vick got smacked around a few times, and sacked twice, so I was happy. No, no, no.... I don't hate him. It's just a fact that when he gets smacked around, his passer rating goes to hell. And it did...

Great game, great time, great weather!

Posted by That 1 Guy at December 19, 2005 10:20 AM