Vacation
I'm leaving for Vegas in a few hours.
Two days with Underdog.
This could end badly.
« Enero 2007 | Main | Marzo 2007 »
I'm leaving for Vegas in a few hours.
Two days with Underdog.
This could end badly.
Okay, dude, I know the superbowl was a little traumatic for you, but I happen to know you're still alive cuz I got a beautiful rendition of the birthday song (well, 2 actually) the next day...where'd you go?
Posted by: nibblet | Febrero 21, 2007 02:46 PM
Right, right.
Truth be told, the outcome of the Super Bowl didn't really phase me much. Like Nena said after it was over, "yknow, it felt like any other game."
Yeah, I've just been wickd busy. Work's been nutz-o insane, but good. Nena's grad school adventure is going well and I've been busy planning next week's trip to Vegas with Underdog and this May's trip to España with Nena, Gunder and Jo. So, yknow, busy.
Birthday's tomorrow, come back for the annual state of the Nenie address...
T-Formation.
Do or Die.
In 1921, the A.E. Staley company of Decatur, IL turned over its company football team to its coach George S. Halas. Tomorrow, nearly 86 years later, George's daughter Virginia will watch the team her father took over and which she still owns play for its tenth NFL title, its twelfth appearance in a championship game.
26 Bears are enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of fame, more than any other club. 13 numbers will ever be seen again in orange and blue, again more numbers than any other NFL team has retired. Included among these are names and numbers that every student of the game should know: 77, 42, 51, 34.
It's ironic that commentators tomorrow will call every Bear run a "return to classic Bears football" because it was George Halas and Sid Luckman who introduced the T-Formation to the NFL. Prior to them, professional football was almost entirely run plays with the occasional pass thrown in for novelty. With the T-Formation's revolutionary direct snap from center and the backs lined up behind the QB, pass plays were disguised as run plays and vice versa. Soon, other teams were copying this innovative offense, with the San Francisco 49ers modifying it into the Shotgun and the Kansas City Chiefs molding the T into the I.
The Bears fight song reminds every Bears fan of this innovation with the line "we'll never forget you thrilled the nation/with your T-Formation." In the 1940s this line had literal meaning, but to me today, 60+ years later this line is about altering the game to find a way to win. Halas and Luckman decided to change the way offense was seen to win. Dick Butkus altered the role of the linebacker to propel his team to victory. Walter Payton re-wrote the record book and his 1985 teammates redefined confidence in route to Da Bears' last NFL title.
Tomorrow, a new set of Bears will have their chance to be mentioned in the same breath as the greatest Bears. But, to do so, they will have to find new meaning for thrilling the nation with their T-Formation.
I believe they will.
I love my wife for many reasons. But one of the largest is the outsider's perspective she brings to so much of my life.
It's a pretty constant thing, and one of the unexpected benefits of marriage, having someone else there to comment on things I've learned to just take for granted. One of the most interesting is how she evaluates my relationship with my home town. Her enthusiasm or lack thereof for places and institutions is amazingly interesting to me. Like, Wrigley Field is actually a cooler place to me now because she, having not really known it existed until she dated me and having a natural skepticism for anything I really, really like, thinks it's actually as special as I do. It's as if I have an instant "delusion check."
Anyway, she was getting ready for work while I was downloading a version of the CSO performing "Bear Down, Chicago Bears." when she stopped and said, "Man, I kinda wish we were in Chicago right now. It'd be so much fun. Cuz, at its heart, it's still a small midwestern town. So it's gotta be like a really big version of Grants (NM) when their team goes to state."
And she's right. Chiago's team is going to state. That's really what this feels like. It's totally different than when Da Bulls went to the Finals. And it's completely different than when the Cubs were in the playoffs. This, this feels like I'm in high school and my team is going to the State Finals.
Anyway, that's my thought for today. Oh, and the lyrics to "Bear Down, Chicago Bears." as a service to all my non-Chicagoan or ex-pat friends who are now riding Bears BandWagonAir.
Bear down, Chicago Bears, make every play clear the way to victory;
Bear down, Chicago Bears, put up a fight with a might so fearlessly.
We'll never forget the way you thrilled the nation with your T-formation.
Bear down, Chicago Bears, and let them know why you're wearing the crown.
You're the pride and joy of Illinois, Chicago Bears, bear down.
Stop me if you've heard this one...
A Gary, IN kindergarten teacher was talking with her class about the Super Bowl.
"I'm a Colts fan," she said "how many of you are Colts fans too?"
The children, being kindergarten students and not wanting to 1) be different and 2) disobey their teacher, all raised their hands in agreement. "Yes teacher, I'm a Colts fan" the students responded.
Well, all but one I should say.
In the back of the classroom little Virginia wasn't raising her hand or agreeing with the rest of the class. Curious, the teacher decided to ask Virginia what was going on.
"Virginia, why aren't you raising your hand?"
"Because I'm not a Colts fan Mrs. Chambers." little Virginia replied.
"But the rest of the class are all Colts fans, I'm a Colts fan. Why do you want to be different?" the teacher asked.
"Because I'm a Bears fan." She replied.
Annoyed at Virginia's defiance, she questioned her. "And why are you a Bears fan?"
"Because my mommy and daddy are Bears fans."
Feeling she had Virginia trapped, Mrs. Chambers went in for the kill, "well, what if your mother's and idiot and your dad's a moron?"
"Oh, that's easy?" Virginia replied, "then they'd be Colts fans."