Lasting Images - Championship Weekend

I haven’t done one of these in a while and with Championship Weekend coming up I’m going to throw one out there.

For me being a fan of the Bears I’m more drawn to the NFC Title games and playoffs more so than the AFC, yes its all the NFL but for some reason my focus has been there.  So there have been many great Championship weekend games in both leagues but as in all facets of life, this is biased….and I’m going to have a couple images here.

First off – 1985!  Chicago Bears vs LA Rams.  The Bears dominated and shut out the Rams and in the 2^nd half the snow started to fall and the D forced a turnover that lead to OLB Wilbur Marshall picked up a fumble and had his neck pad nearly ripped off and got out of it and rumbled in for a score. 

Fast forward to 2006 and back in Solider for the Bears hosting the New Orleans Saints.  The Bears struggled a bit early on with the Saints, including giving up a long touchdown (and taunt) to Reggie Bush.  Then it was all Bears though with Rex Grossman and Thomas Jones running the show and capturing the NFC title and Urlacher raising the Halas Trophy.

Best and Worst of the Weekend - Put a full dad weekend on the resume`

So that was a blurr and busy weekend.  I’ll start Thursday.  I got off work early because both the older kids had parent teacher conferences.  Missed Addy’s but got to Bray’s.  Addy had a good conference and she is where she needs to be.  We’ve been working on reading and recognizing words.  She’s getting there.

Bray is almost ready to graduate and has more than a year and a half left.  He’ll probably have enough points by semester so I hope he doesn’t get too bored next spring.  He’s testing also as extremely gifted.  Smart kid.

 

After swim on Thursday night, since Addy didn’t have school, she got shipped off to grandmas till Saturday.  Friday night we got La Hacienda and a couple movies.  Bray picked out Rio, loves that movie and all the music.  At Redbox he did ask when Cars 3 comes out.  I rented The Conspirator.  Really good flick!

 

Saturday morning came and Bray had football in the am.  Got him there at 830 for pictures and then he didn’t want to participate.  I tried to nudge him a bit to play but he just didn’t want anything to do with it and I wasn’t going to push him. 

 

Grandma brought Addy down and was going to watch practice but then just headed to the house.  The next 4 hours was spent getting ready for Brayden’s 4^thbirthday party at the Y.  We had the rock climbing wall and pool for a couple hours and I was the only adult that got in the pool.  It was a free for all on me.  I had 4 4-5 year olds wrassling me.  My oldest daughter was too and then my older nephew was trying to go Dan Gable on me.  After an hour the kids were spent, and so was I.

 

Then we got to the cupcakes.  The kids I think had more fun with the frosting all over their lips and faces then eating them.  Bray then wanted to open presents.  Got some really cool things.  Grandma got him a leapster (that he’s been bugging me about) and some hot wheels stuff and a wii game and some other things.  We got him a bike and he was really excited about that.  Was a good day.  Played with them all night on Saturday night.

 

Also Saturday night I finally got to sit down and watch the Hawks.  Overall they played well I thought.  Liked the way Coker was running north and south and getting to the second and third levels.  Vandenburg had some nice tosses to Davis and McNutt.  Need to get them really involved in the next few weeks before we play the Michigan schools and Nebraska.  I like Persa and Ebert for the ‘Cats and Fitzgerald, if he could get some more talent in there would be really really dangerous…even still they are dangerous.

 

Sunday came and Bray got german pancakes for breakfast and a visit from grandpa and grandpa’s truck.  We went out and raked and loaded leaves and branches for 3 hours to take to a buddy’s house to drop so he can burn them.  Got a really big load and when the leaves were stacking up I put the kids in the bed and they had a blast scrunching down all the leaves.  Went and dropped them off then headed for home.  About half way home when we were talking about going to McDonalds with grandpa, Brayden puked.  Something didn’t sit well with him, either too much sugar, not enough sleep and all of the above just got him.  Got him home and cleaned up and he was looking like he had absolutely no energy.  He crashed for about a 4 hour nap.  While he napped, Addy even napped.  She was worn out from the weekend too.  I then feed Ryleigh…and got spit up on, and before that pooped on. 

 

After that we crashed in the recliner together, she’s a pretty good “warming cat” as my dad puts it.  I got about a 30 min nap in too before Addy woke up and time to get more stuff done.  Dishes, and supper out and going (steaks were phenomenal) All done in time to do some laundry while watching the Bears. 

 

The Bears made huge strides since Monday.  The pass protection was better and Hester, what can you say but “DON’T KICK IT TO HESTER” if you’re an opponent.  Was a good night! 

 

Was a really good weekend, but a rough start as Ryleigh is home sick today.

 

Next weekend is Iowa-Indiana, Bears-Bucs from London and more leaves await; plus Phineas & Ferb for Bray (another birthday present).  Wouldn’t change this though.

Lasting Images - Walter Payton

With the release of the Jeff Peralman book about the life of Walter Payton, detailing parts of Sweetness’s life that many didn’t know about and maybe don’t want to know about, I thought I’d throw up my Lasting Image of Walter.  Walter is the reason I’m a Bears fan.  He’s my all time favorite Bear.  Today I don’t really have high standards for athletes as an adult and knowing what he know now about them.  But growing up we have our heroes and Walter was one of mine, along with Ryne Sandberg.  I won’t probably read the book, I want to remember Walter for how I remember him from my childhood. 

Now for my lasting image – you would think that it would be Walter leaping over the lineman at the goal line for a score vs Detroit or Green Bay.  Or maybe him high stepping into the end zone after a long run with the ball held in one hand…and those are all great memories but they aren’t my lasting image of sweetness.

This is my lasting image of the greatest running back of all time!  Sitting on the bench with his helmet in his hands after the Redskins won in Soldier Field in the 1987 playoffs 21-17.  Payton’s last run was a yard short of a first down to extend a drive late in the 4^th quarter. 

The Bears had a chance to have a dynasty in the mid 80s with the dominance they had in the league from 85-87.  The Redskins though ended their season both in 86 and 87 and what could have been 2-3 Super Bowl Titles remains just the 85 Title and the Greatest Single Season team in history of Sports.

What sports year would you go back and relive?

Sitting around the past few days watching highlights of the 1986 and 1975 Masters with Jack Nicklaus I was wondering, if I could go back in anytime to watch a year’s worth of sporting events, what year would I choose?  There are a lot of good years or seasons.  2002 Iowa football may be my favorite all time.  The 90s with the Bulls runs and the clash of Dallas-San Francisco in the NFL.  Go back to watch Kid Griffey in the mid 90s tearing it up?  I know my dad would go back to 1961 being a Yankee fan with Mantle and Maris.  Then I came up with mine.

1985

The year the Hawks were #1 in football.  Beat #2 Michigan 12-10.  Chuck Long’s bootleg vs Michigan State.  That whole season would be great to relive.  I was only 7 when it happened, and would like to have experienced it more.  I remember those last moments of the Michigan game.  My dad was in between the tv and the radio with Zabel and Podolak, he couldn’t watch or hear.  After that kick went up and through the uprights, my house went nuts.  It was dark out afterwards but my brother and I so pumped turned on the lights in the back yard and went out and played catch. 

It was also the year the Bears went 15-1 and won Super Bowl 20.  Oddly enough, what I remember most about that year was waking up the Tuesday morning after the Dolphins game and asking my brother and dad if the Bears won.  They didn’t and I was crushed they lost.  Also I remember the Fridge.  He was the next BIG thing.  The touchdown runs and blocking for Walter at the goal line.  Watching the 2 playoff games with my cousins and then the Super Bowl.  Loved every moment of it!

Wish we could go back in time, but I know that we can’t, and I wish that I was older to appreciate what happened then, but I have the memories that I have and thinking back I get a smile out of them.  

What year are you going back to?

Best and Worst of the Weekend

BEST – I’m struggling to find a best.  Saturday night we did get the chance to go out, but don’t know if that helped my cold.  So that was nice.  Well the Hawks won.  The handled Indiana easily.  Remember about 10-15 years ago when this game was one of the top games in the Big Ten?  That’s about it. 

WORST – Other than being sick with an ear infection and cold and 100+ fever and actually having to come to work in this condition.  The Bears loss in the NFC Championship Game sucked.  I was hopeful we’d play like we did last week but a 3^rd stringer almost got us back there.  The play on 3^rd down with the end around was a terrible call!  Martz or Lovie should slap themselves after that.  Give it to Forte, don’t do a trick play in that situation.

NFC Championship Game

Bears vs. Packers

Lomarbdi, Starr, Nitschke, Lambeau, Hutson, Favre vs. Halas, Butkus, Sayers, Ditka, Payton, and Singletary.

Cheese heads vs Super Fans.

The winner gets the Halas Trophy and the chance to play for the Lombardi Trophy.

Who you got?  Post your predictions as comments.

My pick: Bears 20 / Packers 17

The Rivalry now has a BIG Prize!

The oldest rivalry in the NFL is going to get a little bit more history added to it, this time the winner gets the NFC  Championship and ticket to Dallas and Super Bowl 45.

This feels a lot to me like 2006 when the Bears played host to the New Orleans Saints.  Brees and the Saints were the hot team in the NFC, then beating the Eagles down before coming to Chicago.  Everyone in the media picked the Saints to win and go on to then Miami and Super Bowl 41.  The game still had to be played though, and the Bears won and hoisted their 2nd George S. Halas trophy.         Now the Packers and the Saints are 2 different teams.  The Packers to win will have to go on the road for a 3rd time.  Aaron Rodgers is playing like a QB possesed and with a chip on his shoulder, maybe the comments by ESPN's Colin Cowherd helped.  I see now why Lovie played all his starters in week 17, to get the Packers out of the tournament.  Anyway it should be a hell of a game.  Like the other 2 have been so far this season.

Before the year started I picked the Packers to the Super Bowl, when the playoffs started I rebooted and picked the Bears, so either way I'm sitting pretty good.  But Go Bears!

Some fun stat tid bits.

• This is the 182 meeting between the 2 rivals, 2nd only in the playoffs.  (Bears won the 1st playoff meeting on Dec 14, 1941.  )
• Bears lead the series 92-83-6
• This is Lovie's 2nd NFC Championship Game.  Ditka coached the Bears to 3, winning 1 and losing 2.
• The Bears have won 3 straight home playoff games. (06-Seattle, 06-New Orleans, 10-Seattle)

For more here's 5 early questions from former Hawkeye Matt Bowen at National Football Post.com.

Best and Worst of the Weekend

Best - Well the best is I get an extra day this weekend!  Get to spend it with Addy at home while my buddy Rich is helping with Ryleigh's carpet in her room!  I have that going for me, which is nice.  But the best of the weekend is the football games we had.  By far the best being the Bears winning vs the Seahawks and advancing to the NFC Championship game.

Worst -Well I think the worst is the cold and snow.  My kids like the spring/summer/fall more than the winter (so do I) and the fact that they aren't able to burn off as much energy and it keeps them in sucks.  Can't wait for April to get them out side.  Another worst is well not really that bad but I wasn't able to get out to the game watch with the Des Moines Sports Freaks and @thewood31 Saturday night.  But there will be more chances.

So that's the weekend.  4 day week ahead and it's going to be a busy one and stressful one.

2010 NFL Playoff Predictions

From my 2010 NFL Predictions, I got 7 of the 12 playoff teams correct, maybe not in the right order but got them at least in the post season.  My Super Bowl Pick then was Colts over Packers.  Not going to go with that this time, though it is the NFL and anything could happen.  But right now I'll go with this.

In the NFC I think the last game that Vick played vs the Vikings showed the league something and the Packers move on.  New Orleans wins in Seattle.  Sets up the Packers going to Atlanta.  As much as I like the Falcons, I think the Packers will be rolling and the week off will hurt the #1 seed.  Packers win.  The Bears then get the Saints back in Soldier again, and with the help of the the elements knock out the defending champion setting up an NFC North NFC Championship game.  Teams split in the regular season, home teams won, and home team wins again.  Bears go to Dallas!

In the AFC, I think the Jets and Ravens will both roll through the first round setting up a great second weekend of rivalry games.  In Foxboro Rex's fettish runs out and the Fighting Brady's put a big spot on the Jets again.  Then in another hard hitting contest the Steelers avoid another Broken nose and move on to the title game.  I think only 1 team can go in to Foxboro and win and that is the Steelers, and I think they control the clock and hit the Pats hard enough to win the AFC.

Super Bowl comes down to Pittsburgh and Chicago and the Steelers win title #7 after Cutler tosses two interceptions, one to Troy Palomalu who returns it to the house, 20-14.

Of course this will probably all be wrong after the first weekend....but that's what makes sports fun!

	Green Bay
	Philadelphia	Green Bay
		Atlanta	Green Bay
				Chicago
		Chicago	Chicago
	New Orleans	New Orleans
	Seattle
					Pittsburgh
	NY Jets
	Indianapolis	NY Jets
		New England	New England
				Pittsburgh
		Pittsburgh	Pittsburgh
	Balitmore	Baltimore
	Kansas City

Division Champs!

I never thought this year would result in the 2010 North Division Champions.  With the hire of Mike Martz as offensive coordinator, I thought that the Bears season was doomed.  5-6 wins max.  A new coach and staff.  Not only Martz being hired, but Mike Tice.  Yes Mike Tice the former Vikings head coach.  

I didn't think that the OL could hold up, and some games they haven't. Hester returned to form, and Cutler has cut back on the mistakes.  All that coupled with the Vikings, Packers and Lions all being banged up and the Bears 5-0 in the division and we are DIVISION CHAMPS!  I have a new hat to order!

How far can we go in the playoffs....i'm not sure.  I'd love to get the #2 seed and a bye and hopefully a home win.  Then after that the Falcons would loom in Atlanta.  That game would worry me, but thats why they play the games!  Anything is possible.

Best and Worst of the Weekend

Best – Friday night I had Brady on my left and Addy on my right on the futon and we watched “How To Train A Dragon” Couldn’t have asked for anything better. Saturday got Brady his Halloween outfit for this year. He’s going as Buzz Lightyear. No surprise, he’s on a big toy story kick. Sunday was Addy’s last soccer game of the year and she was so close to another goal, was proud of her this season, she played pretty hard. And I cooked a damn good supper Sunday night.


Worst – First will start with the 2 big things. Hawks lost to Wisconsin by 1, 31-30. Pretty much need to run the table to get back to the BCS, but won’t do any worse than the Outback Bowl. The Bears are just bad. We aren’t good. Another big thing that sucked was dropping 270 on a vehicle for brake pads. That sucked! Big Time. Other stuff, wish I had the weekend to do all over again. Things just weren’t fun outside of the ‘bests’.

Best and Worst of the Weekend

Best of the Weekend / Worth of the Weekend

Ok, once again copying is the best form of flattery, so I’m going to copy the Dan Patrick Show with this on Mondays. On the DP show it’s mostly all sports. Mine will have some sports flung in there but will mostly be about life. So with that, we will start.

Best of the Weekend – My daughter at her soccer game. It was her second week of games and well she had a great improvement from week 1 to week 2. Mom and Dad showed up at the soccer field. She was aggressive and got in there and got a lot of kicks in. Almost got her 2nd and 3rd goals but she just missed. She defended a lot though and out played great defense. My son can’t wait till he can go play. He’s going to be an ANIMAL!





Worst of the Weekend – um, there are still leaves in the gutter. It was too nice to completely work the weekend away. So Sunday instead of mowing, trimming the bushes and gutters, I only got one of those done. The yard looks great. The gutters still need cleaned. Anyone wanna help?

I do have a worst from the sports world. The Lions got gipped, Calvin Johnson scored. He had 6. The Bears should have lost. He didn’t complete the act of the catch? Are you kidding me NFL?

What's your Best and Worst of the Weekend?

My Sports Moments of the Decade

So as I listen to the local and national shows this week, a lot of them are pulling out the moments of the decade. Everyone points to the moments after 9-11 and the games after that, and Jack Bucks poem.



I was lucky enough to be at Wrigley Field for the Cubs first home game after 9-11. It was an amazing experience. Something I won't forget. So as I said, nothing will ever top those moments, so I will leave those off my list. Below are my lists of my moments of the decade.



My #1 moment of the decade is something I really dont like to remember. 2003 NLCS. Game 6. 5 outs from the Cubs first World Series since 1945. Mark Prior, probably the best pitcher in 2003 in the NL is rolling. Cubs were up 3-0. 2 were on. Do I have to go on? Bartman happened. (this didn't lose the game for the Cubs). Then Alex Gonzalez, statistically the best SS in the NL in 2003, booted a sure double play ball. 8 runs later the Marlins won. Cubs lose game 7. And still we are all saying wait till next year. So close as for us Cubs fans we could smell it....and it was snatched away from us.



#2 for me is one I'd like to have a lot wrapped up in to. The 2002 Iowa Hawkeye football season was one for the books. Brad Banks led the Hawks to a 11-1 regular season, Big Ten Championship and Orange Bowl berth. The season was amazing. Great offense with our awesome line and Dallas Clark. The D was under rated among Iowa D's and then there's Nate Kaeding. Captain Kirk had lead the Hawks back to the top. And the best moment for me was the trip to Ann Arbor Michigan for the Iowa-Michigan game. Iowa hadn't won at Michigan since 1990. Hadn't beaten them since then. Well Iowa went into the Big House and gave the Wolverines their worse home loss in 35 years! Hawks 34-9. If it weren't for a long 40 yard run by QB John Navarre, the Wolverines would have been held with negative rushing yards. Along with the game, the trip there with Mike, Westy & Harmon was classic.

#3 for me is also one I could wrap up a season into one, but the best moments for me from the Chicago Bears 2006 NFC Championship run were the Monday Night Game in Arizona. And then the NFC Championship game vs the Saints.

The Monday Night game gave the NFL world "Crown their ass!". The Bears and Rex Grossman looked horrible. The offense had been rolling, the defense dominating and Devin Hester blowing up in his rookie year. But the Cards and Matt Leinart were killing the Bears. Then Brian Urlacher stripped a ball and it was ran in for a score. Mark Anderson caused a sack fumble that was returned, and Devin Hester topped it with a punt return for 6. A miss by Neil Rackers and the Bears had a comeback win for the ages!


Then the NFC Championship game. The Saints were the "IT" story. Had Heisman winner and rookie Reggie Bush, and had just beat the Eagles. The Bears went to OT with the Seahawks and everyone was picking the Saints to go into Soldier and win. But just like in the 1985 NFC Title Game. The snow started to fall, and the Bears started to roll!


What are yours?