When the Chicago Bears take on the Philadelphia Eagles this Sunday, many diehard fans from Northwestern will be cheering on the team from the Windy City.
But with the team’s subpar 2-4 record, Bears enthusiasts are less about winning and more about loyalty.
“I’ve been a Bears fan my whole life,” McCormick junior John Cowhey said. “My grandpa has had season tickets since Super Bowl ’85, and he really got me into them.”
Though many NU Bears fans have been following the team for years, few said they make game day a big event. Instead, most opt to watch the games either privately or with a close friend or roommate. These lonesome game days, though, are not always by choice.
“I usually end up watching the games by myself,” Medill senior Kate Diaz said. “I’m trying to recruit my roommate, but anyone who wants to watch the game should call me up. We can have a Bears party.”
Weinberg freshman Kimberly Johnson also expressed difficulty finding fellow fans who wanted to watch the Bears games with her.
“None of my friends are as into football as I am,” Johnson explained.
“Once in Willard, a bunch of people watched the game in the lounge, but that was when (Rex) Grossman was still playing,” she said, referring to the recent quarterback switch from Grossman, who led the Bears to the Super Bowl last season, to Brian Griese.
“They’re just less dependable as a team,” Johnson said of the Bears performance this season thus far.
“There have been more injuries, and Grossman has proven he just can’t throw a ball. There’s lots of energy on the defense though, so they’re still exciting to watch.”
Cowhey also said the team’s play has been disappointing.
“It’s kind of sad this year,” he said. “The whole Griese thing is kind of pathetic; he’s a horrible choice and has no upside to Grossman.”
That attitude seems to be common for many fans, but established followers of the team aren’t letting the Bears’ current slump get them down.
“When they lose, it’s heartbreaking for about five minutes, but then you bounce back,” Diaz said. “You just have to stick with them.”
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