Em-Bear-Assessment: Better Late Than Never?

When I was growing up, one of the things I looked forward to was the use of expressions that nobody used except for my father. Cliches were a part of his life, and as corny as they seemed at the time they were used, it’s something I miss greatly now.

One of his favorite phrases was “Every dog has its day.” Everyone gets their chance someday. I heard this phrase about work, when I would get passed up for a promotion. When the baseball team I was playing for completely stunk, he would reassure me that one day, I would play for a winner. It was a basic way to say that anything could be achieved-I might just have to wait for it.

I never thought this phrase would apply to professional sports.

After 26 years of waiting, the 1985 Bears (the dog) finally had their day on Friday, making the trip to Washington for the traditional White House visit by the Super Bowl winner. President Obama was kind enough to say  ”This is as much fun as I will have as president of the United States.” about the entire experience.

Well thank goodness he had fun during their visit, but this is not meant to become a political debate.

What I do not understand is why this was necessary in 2011.

The reason the original trip to the White House was cancellled was the Space Shuttle Challenger tragedy which ocurred two days after the Super Bowl. As the nation mourned, the trip was understandably postponed. Subsequently year after year passed, and the visit never occurred. The ’85 Bears team faded into NFL histrory, and life moved on.

When President Obama was elected, it was seen as an opportunity to finally give this team the honor it deserved. A Bears fan in office, from Illinois. Seemed like a perfect fit.

So, 26 years later, the punky QB stepped on stage with the president, sporting the trademark headband that helped make him famous (or infamous) in a event which can only be described as grasping at straws at the glory years . To honor a team 26 years after the fact only further serves the notion that Bears fans, even those who hold the highest position in the world, live in the past.

In fairness, the 1985 Bears team was one of the best teams I ever saw play. They were freakishhly good, and dominated the league in a way seldom before seen and rarely duplicated since. However, at some point, everyone has to move on, and sometimes you do not get what you think you are entitiled to.

I wonder how much money was spent to fly the team out to Washington. Who paid for it? Did the taxpayers, in what could be seen as unnecessary use of tax payers dollars? Or was it the NFL? Considering the lockout this past summer was an exercise in who could acquire the most money in the long run, was it wise to spend money that thoeetically was argued over? Or maybe it was the Bears, spending money that they now need to recoup. Is a ticket price increase on the way for them? Makes no difference to me, but it’s a queston worth asking.

The saddest part of the event is those who were not able to attend. Walter Payton, the player who the game meant more to than anyone, passed away in 1999. Dave Duerson committed suicide in part due to brain damage received while playing in the NFL. William Perry suffers from a neurological disease and was unable to make the trip. While it can be said that the trip might have been made because the people involved are getting older, it might also be said that when those start to permanently fade, it is better to move on than try and recapture something which is gone.

Every dog has its day. In the case of the 1985 Bears, it came 26 years late. They were worthy of the honor, the same as all other Super Bowl winners had been. It just seems like it was another example of Bears fans, in this case the most powerful person in the world, living in the past.