A House Divided

A House Divided

We had my in-laws over for Thanksgiving; they’re both what I’d call social Bears’ fans, like me.  We don’t lose sleep over the often dumb play that comes out of Soldier Field, but put us in a roomful of people watching a game, and we’ll cheer right along.  We also had their daughter and her family over, Packers’ fans one and all (and five).  My in-laws also have a son who bleeds Cheesehead green and gold.  So does Clare’s boyfriend, Chris.  Now guess what two teams faced off against one another in Green Bay last night and you have a Chicago version of civil war right in the living room.

My father-in-law’s youngest grandchild, a fearless 10-year old, walked through the door and up to his grandfather, to let him know, “The Bears are going to lose tonight.”  Thank you very much.  My brother-in-law no doubt was texting my wife about how the Pack was going to dispose of the Bears by halftime, when everyone at Lambeau Field could cheer their heads off for Brett Favre, who was having his number retired, and Bart Starr, who was intent on showing that a heart attack and stroke could not keep him from appearing.  And still the Bears won, 17-13.

I have no idea why so many football fans in these parts prefer the Packers to the Bears.  When I wax eloquent about the departed Cardinals being the South Side NFL team, hardly a person knows what I’m talking about, as the Cardinals checked out over 50 years ago.  Both the Packers and Bears are known for hardnosed football, with Green Bay having the better quarterbacks and Chicago the better running backs.  The Bears were pretty good in the 1950s and the Packer even better in the 1960s; both teams pretty much stunk in the ’70s while Chicago was always the more interesting team during Da Age a Da Coach, 1981-1992.  Favre came to Green Bay in ’92, and the Packers have dominated ever since.

Still, none of this explains why there are so many Packers’ fans south of the Wisconsin state line.  The best I can offer is that Vince Lombardi had something to do with it.  Deserved or not, Lombardi had the reputation of being extremely tough but fair (and a little brilliant) while George Halas was tough, arbitrary and cheap.  I know that last quality really rubbed my blue-collar father the wrong way.  That, or Chicago-area football fans reacted to the local team the same way I did with the White Sox—since the Bears rarely had a good quarterback, it was more fun to watch the team of Starr, Favre and (Aaron) Rodgers.  Except I never took the next step and switched over to the Braves or Red Sox.