It's just a game.

Football is a brutal sport. And I don't really know why I continue to follow the game. As a fan. Of the Chicago Bears. Maybe it's because I got hooked when I was a youngster. On the Bears. More than on football. I really don't watch much football. Only the Bears. And even though they are playing an important game tonight, I'm not gonna watch. Mostly, because I want to relax. And I get hyped up. Far too much. When watching the Bears. Because I'm pulling for 'em to win. And if they screw up in a big game, I get annoyed. Disgruntled. Upset. Which is stupid. Maybe even idiotic. The Bears need to win. Against the rival Green Bay Packers. To keep their hopes alive for getting into the playoffs. The Bears are just a mediocre team this season. So maybe they don't even deserve to be in the playoffs. But one always hopes that your team turns into a Cinderella late in the season. It happens occasionally. Last season, for instance. The New York Giants barely qualified for the playoffs. And they became the Super Bowl champs. Well, that won't happen to the Bears. But still, it would be a nice achievement to make the playoffs. Especially, when one wasn't expected to. It's gonna be a very, very brutal game tonight. Because of the weather. A wind chill of 25 below zero in Chicago. Brutal. Brutal. Brutal. I'll check the score. Maybe after 11. When the game should be safely over. I really want to know what happened. Out of curiosity. If the Bears win, I'll go to bed happy. If they lose -- well, I'll still go to bed happy. Yes, I'm learning to put football in perspective. It's just a game. --Jim Broede