The driving force
In 1985 I was 26 years old and the Chicago Bears was on a campaign of winning like I had never seen before. I am an out of state Chicago Bear fan because I grew up in southwest Michigan where I could view every game of the Bears. I had migrated east to Battle Creek MI in the days the Bears won the Superbowl. I was out of viewing distance until I bought a high power antenna and amplifier to pick up the South Bend stations that carried the games. Those were great days and to get the game on television was not enough.
I scoured the area where I could purchase the Chicago Tribune and Suntimes. I would have to wait until Monday to get a write up on the Bears. I would bring the paper home, lay it down on the floor and open to every page to read about the Bears. I am a fan smitten with the need to know more about the Bears.
We passed from the print age to the electronic age. The day came when I was on a new internet site called AOL.
On AOL, I found something called message boards. I was happy when I found a message board dedicated to the Chicago Bears. I am not sure how I stumbled upon it, maybe it was fate but it did bring me before a group of Bear fans that I spent years with discussing the Chicago Bears. I discovered one thing, not everyone sees things the way that I see them. I would not characterize myself as a Polly Anna but I do lean to the optimistic side of things. My new friends do not. What major adjustment it took to continue discussion with people who called themselves fans but sounded like negative Nellies. But there we were, everyday, talking and chatting about the Chicago Bears. Sometimes tearing each other apart to make them see things my way. A community does not always see eye to eye, but a community does have a passion, and whether it looked like love or hate, our passion was the Chicago Bears.
Author: David Wilson
