BearFanatic34: 2015

I Am A Huge Collector...

I hope to utilize this blog forum to come in contact with more collectors, such as myself. I started off around 1990 collecting Chicago Bears' key chains and my hobby has escalated beyond normalcy.
I LOVED going to Sports Memorabilia Shows....sports card shows (I have a sizeable collection of NFL rookie cards, as well)...flea markets, garage sales, retail stores,etc. The early Chicago Bear Fan conventions caused me to bring home bags full of stuff....And then there's Ebay, my addiction for the last few years (few, lol, more like 29 years)I went from key chains to ERTL Die Cast car&truck banks, matchbox (now White Rose) trucks, starting lineup action figures, McFarlanes, zippo lighters, FOCO bobbleheads,anything and everything Memory Company, Danbury Mint...Die cast airplanes, games-checkers,chess...posters, wheaties boxes, books, videos....jewelry, watches, pins and pinbacks, playing cards,.christmas ornaments...I probably have a dozen neckties....coats, shirts,caps….stuffed animals....musical toys...LP vinyl record albums....pennants....a TON of old glasswareI could go on and on, and I will, I am sure, at a later date....Don't even ask me about my 360 card (all rookie year) collection of Cade McNown !!! I learned a big lesson from that. That's why I only have a few Rex Grossman, Jay Cutler, Kyle Orton and Mitchell Trubisky Rookie
Cards....

I Love The Chicago Bears

I love the Chicago Bears, it’s as simple as that. Ever since I can remember, back to the days of Butkus and Sayers, I have had a fascination with professional football, particularly, The Bears. I have read numerous books that detail the storied history of the team, in addition to several player and coach autobiographies. This whole NFL frenzy today had its roots with Papa Bear and many early Bear players. It should be rewarding to Chicago fans to know that current year end trophies that award excellence for teams and individuals carry the names of George S. Halas and Walter Payton...
I love the Chicago Bears. I have been fortunate to attend many home games at Soldier Field...some I recall better than others. I’ve been drunk by 10:00 A.M. sharing food and drink with countless others, in tailgating experiences that were seemingly out of this world. Everybody dressed in Bear colors stampeding en masse into the stadium to cheer relentlessly for da Bears. It is those times that I cherish dearly. I’ve been to Platteville and recently Bourbonnaisse. I have attended every Bear Fan Convention, through which I have met and received autographs from Bear players, old and new. Yeah, the conversations were limited to brief small talk, but I shook every person’s hand, and remember each and every one. I have attended luncheons where the guest speakers were some of my all time Bear idols. Through these meetings I have individually met Mike Ditka, Walter Payton and Mike Singletary...I will treasure the firmness of grip from Walter’s angelic hand, and the joy of his tender, yet domineering smile...
I love the Chicago Bears. For years now, I have been a huge collector of Bears' trinkets and memorabilia. It started out as a keychain collection and now encompasses cards, glassware, magazines, books, photographs, posters, stuffed animals, Christmas ornaments, Zippo lighters, matchbox trucks, die cast cars, trucks, airplanes...etc. dozens of starting lineup figurines, Danburry mint figurines, McFarlanes, a bunch of Bobbleheads......basically anything that has "BEARS" stamped on it. My Bear Den is a shrine....a museum to me...
I love the Chicago Bear players......if they wear the uniform, I cheer them on. I envy their life of football and the opportunity of wearing the Bears blue and orange. I respect their athletic toughness and dedication toward training. Rags to Riches. This is America, where a poor boy from Mississippi can become a multi-millionaire and become the idol and role model of thousands. The lowest paid NFL player makes as much money as many CEO’s running successful businesses. I love the Coaches and Staff. What a dream job. What a difficult job. Hours and hours of preparation in hopes of putting the best product on the field that you can. These guys are heroes and goats, but should always be respected and commended...
I love the Bears, so let’s get to the conclusion and point of this essay. There are many different types of fans in this world, at family gatherings, at the office, on internet message board, and even many, many bloggers. Some, as of late, are continual naysayers. This frustrates me. Whether the season is just beginning or has just ended certain fans are always writing them off. That’s BS. Where is your expertise? I know, we get the occasional genius of some high school X’s and O’s guy, or some guy that played in college. Neither of these has any idea what it takes. I am sick of "this guy sucks", "this coach needs to be fired".....blah, blah, blah. It’s a TEAM and an ORGANIZATION that builds champions. Please, let them try and do so. Support them. You don’t have to support them monetarily if you chose not to. That is your right. But, you could at least look for the positives and approach your fandom that way...
I love the Bears. Every year I predict 16-0. If we lose a game, I’ll change my prediction to 15-1, then 14-2.....you get the point. With the parity in the NFL, the Bears can win any game they play. If they win, I am ecstatic. If they lose, I am disappointed, but not explicitly angry or upset. I just prepare myself to get ready to watch the next game. I am a Bear Fan whether they win or lose. Winning is extremely fun, yet losing can at least offers an upside. I am confident that the Bears will return to glory days, and I will be on top of the world. And, I will be extremely proud knowing that I never griped and moaned and said the Bears sucked. Those of you that did, will have bandwagon issues.
Good or Bad......I LOVE THE BEARS !!!!!

Thursday, January 1, 2015

The Old Blog Starting in 2006