When the old one is still so damn good...
The following post is from our loyal and devoted JB.
Okay, so I touched on the story in a previous thread, but with all the Tommy talk, I’ll give you the whole thing. Tom Waddle, my favorite Bear of all time.
I was in 6th grade or so and saw a #87 Bears jersey for sale when I went to get some new kicks. I bought the jersey, which for a 6th grader was a big expense, but I bought the biggest size they had (XXL), knowing that he would be my favorite player for a long time to come. It went down to my knees, maybe more, but it fit perfectly in my eyes.
I wanted it personalized, which at that time was harder to do. I went to a screen printer and had him put on WADDLE in white letters, which elicited some interesting comments from non-bears fans (didn’t help I wasn’t a slender kid).
We had gone to Platteville, WI many times growing up for training camp and we got to go that next summer. Of course I wore my jersey and when Tom came out, he wasn’t signing a lot of autographs. The 87 caught his eye and he walked straight up to me, and said “Well, I’ve got to sign this for my #1 fan�…making me the happiest kid ever of course.
I wore the jersey for every Bears game for 10 years, and started a tradition of wearing it at every Super Bowl until it could get us a W in the big game regardless of who was playing that year. At first I didn’t want to wash it, but my mom insisted. The ink of course has faded once or twice over time, only to be diligently and carefully retraced by my own hand.
Fast forward to my junior or senior year of high school. Tom had been retired for a couple years and was on a public speaking tour about sportsmanship. He came to my high school and I wore the jersey to the event (knowing full well that either made me really cool or a huge loser in the eyes of my then teenage cronies).
I went up afterwards to talk to him, not really knowing what to say. I said something to the effect of “you’re my favorite player of all time�, to which he responded, “you must be a poor judge of talent�. He then pointed to his signature on my jersey and said “too bad I ruined your jersey, now it’s not worth anything.�
We chatted for about five minutes, getting a chance to talk to my boyhood hero who I modeled my “playground game� after was probably one of the coolest things that has ever happened to me.
I still have the jersey; it is probably one of my most prized possessions. I wear it occasionally now; more like two to three times a year when we need a big win rather than the once a week during middle school.
After reading a few of the negative posts, and some of the comments about why people are mad at this player or have a negative outlook on next season or think the game itself has flaws, I just wanted to give you guys one of the great things the Bears have given me in my life. I love this team. I love the players and coaches that win us games. But most importantly, I love those 3 hours a week for 5 months of the year where I can become completely engrossed in a football game, forget everything else in my life, and cheer for the team with the greatest tradition in the history of the game with the best fans in the world.
#2 Pissed off said . . .Nice story JB. What TW did for you is what makes life-long fans. He always seemed like a good person, with a good head on his shoulders. Kind of rare in this day and age to hear about pro-sports guys with no egos.
May 11, 2007
#3 JCM said . . .I've touched on it before, I have a similar story but its regarding Brian Urlacher instead of TW. I'll give the short version, anyone who wants details can ask. Before I begin I want to say that the last paragraph written by JB sums it up well. You can forget everything else while watching your beloved Bears....if only for 3 hours a week, 5 months a year.
Back to #54. I have gone to the Bears/Vikes game in the Metrodome for the past 6 years, this December will be my 7th. A few years ago we discovered a Bears bar in downtown St. Paul called "Alarys." The owners dad or uncle or something is a former Bears player, not well known but played none the less. So Bears fans flock there from the Twin Cities. We make it a ritual of going there each night before the following days game. Well one night low and behold #54 shows up with Marcus Robinson at the back of the bar, they must have came in from the back alley. I'm not going to lie, I was a bit inebriated, which I regret so I could have savored and remembered every moment a bit clearer.
Long story longer....I went up, had a couple pics taken with him and had him autograph my Bears t-shirt (which now along with the pic is framed and shrined hanging in my basement) We chatted for a minute basically praising him like a little school girl, I couldnt believe he was there. Of all the people in the world I would like to meet...my guy was there. Anyway that pretty much locked my up for "Bears for life" and #54 my fav of all time. He doesnt have a big head, want the hype or attention...he's just a normal guy doing his job. By the way I had to stand on the step next to him to get level, and his neck is massive, what a beast.
May 11, 2007
#4 Max said . . .Just had to go beyond my normal RSS-reading to give an 'amen' to the 2nd part of the last paragraph.
Win or lose, I love the experiences I have shared with Bear fans over the years.
It may sound conceited, but we are the best.
May 11, 2007
#5 Megan said . . .Well said JB. Only time that everything else is pushed to a secondary worry (no pun intended). The Bears game each week is an escape from anything and everything. . . Bliss
May 11, 2007
#6 Midway Monster said . . .Jeff, if you are interested, I have a story to tell. It might be sappy. But it explains why I am such a Bears nut?
May 13, 2007
#7 Midway Monster said . . .***********************
***Official Announcement***
***********************Today Tank was released from jail
And
Today Midway was released from Rehab.It's great to be out.
May 14, 2007
Megan, I say you send in your "story to tell" even if it's sappy to post at the next refresh.
--Midway--
May 14, 2007
Here at DaBearsBlog, you are free to kill us or the Bears as you so wish. You are not free, however, to be an asshole. So if you spew racism or ill-meaning foul language (cursing about football is just fine) or anything of that ilk, your comments ain't gonna last long, jerk.