Party like it's 1985
With signs, rituals and new TVs, Bears fans going all out for Super Bowl
There is the possibility that this party won't come around for another 21 years.
The last time the Chicago Bears were in the Super Bowl, Russia was still a threat to national security and denim jackets were in. So it makes sense that some Bears fans are in high spirits for tonight's Super Bowl XLI, where the team will battle the Indianapolis Colts.
(Terence Guider-Shaw/Staff photographer)
(Terence Guider-Shaw / Staff Photographer)
But watching a TV simply isn't enough. Local fans are looking for ways to vent their Super Bowl anxiety. Employees at Coldwell Banker, 967 W. 75th St., hoisted several 6-foot poster board squares along its storefront that read "Go Bears."
And the Foran family was already donning their Bears jerseys early Saturday in preparation for the game.
"Well if you're a fan, this is what you have to go through," said Tim Foran, addressing his 12-year-old daughter before heading out into the 3-degree weather. "We're planning on having people over for the tailgate - after that they can watch the game - just not in the house with me."
Foran has a strict regimen while watching Bears games that consists of a designated spot on his couch and no talking - no talking at all.
"That's what he does - and occasionally screams at the TV," Foran's wife, Jodi, said. "He's not a big fan of Super Bowl parties but since the Bears are in it this year, he said we needed to do something."
"He talks to the TV all the time," said Foran's daughter, Sydney Foran. "I sometimes sit with him during the game; he's really serious."
The Forans are hosting an early tailgate in their driveway and garage before the game. They plan on serving the usual - hot wings, taco dip and beer. But considering the near-zero temperatures expected Sunday, the party might move indoors.
The Forans aren't the only ones with ambitious plans for the game. Fans were visiting Circuit City and Best Buy in Aurora on Saturday, scoping out some of the new HD TVs on display for the game.
Sales for these high-end TVs typically spike at this time of year. Though employees at the Circuit City on Route 59 or the Best Buy on New York Street are restricted from speaking with the media, one sales assistant with Circuit City said it was an unusually busy Saturday.
Still, it was apparent that fans were in heavy pursuit to upgrade their Super Bowl experience. According to the Retail Advertising and Marketing Association, about 2.5 million Americans were planning to buy a new TV for the game.
Though the Forans did not invest in a new TV or other electronics, they did attempt to set up an inflatable Bears football player on their front lawn over the weekend. The violent winds and the cold weather made the experience bittersweet for Tim Foran.
"We'll probably find it down the block," he said of the inflatable. "Oh well, this only comes once in a while."
Contact Mike Mitchell at mmitchell@scn1.com or 630-416-5279.