Forget Yanks/Sox or Duke/North Carolina, the greatest and most enduring sports rivalry is the Chicago Bears vs. the Green Bay Packers. Starting in 1921, these teams have met on the gridiron in many a hard hitting, muddy, snowy game that helped shape the modern NFL. Sunday, they will meet in the biggest and most important game in the long history of this rivalry. The winner of Sunday's game at Soldier Field will go to the Super Bowl.
The Packers last went to the big game in 1997, losing to the Denver Broncos. The Bears played in the Super Bowl more recently in 2007, but lost to the Indianapolis Colts. It would be huge for either team to make it to the championship, and that is why we will see what is likely to be the most hard-fought, knock down, drag out fight in either team's history. I have watched many a Bears/Packers game over the years, but have been underwhelmed by many of them because while they were fun games, none were for the right to advance to football's most coveted opportunity. Whatever happens on Sunday will be the culmination of the work of so many great Packers and Bears players that went at it over the past 90 years. Hallas, Lombardi, Lambeau, Butkus, Ditka, Hornung, Starr, Sayers, Payton, White, Singletary, Favre. Whose name will go to the top of this illustrious list with a win this weekend?
Woodson, Urlacher, Rodgers? Time will tell, I guess. I just hope to God it isn't Cutler. I don't like him.
(For maximum effect, read this while listening to the classic NFL Films song- A New Game)