The High Cost Of Fandom

The Chicago Bears are in the Super Bowl! It's been a long time, and fans are eager to show their support. So eager that their wallets are coming out of their pockets quicker than you can say, "that t-shirt costs how much?" Yessiree, Bears fans are plopping down lots of dough to show the rest of the world where their loyalties lie. I wish I could tell you that my household did not fall victim to this shameless huckstering, but you wouldn't believe me anyway.

It's hard to escape the marketing of a championship team. Every newspaper you open has ads for "Officially licensed merchandise", every store you set foot in wants to sell you some trinket immortalizing your team, aisles are jammed with tables overflowing with all matter of team apparel. It's amazing to me to see so many people walking around dressed alike. It's almost like we're all back in Catholic school, but our uniforms are cooler and sponsored by Reebok. I fall into this category. I am the owner of a couple of Bears jerseys (usually reserved only for games I attend), some t-shirts, two hats, a jacket (which was a gift) and a thong. I may be kidding about the last one, I just wanted to see if you were paying attention. Visualize it, I dare you. There are some folks who scoff at the idea of a grown man wearing team apparel. They say that these men are pathetic, that they never played the game and are trying to fulfill some part of their manhood that is missing. To them I say...Lighten up Francis! Sometimes it's just fun to show your support. It's fun to wear a jersey, maybe not to a funeral or court, but what's the harm in wearing one to a game.

Back to the point. People are buying this stuff at record rates. The other day, while trying to pry "Wife" away from one of the stores, the lines of people buying Bears stuff was so long, I thought Russians might be giving out soup at the front. I was at one of the electronic stores this weekend and High Def TV's and other equipment was flying out of there so fast it looked like the place was being looted. I kept waiting for some people's civil rights to be violated, but it turned out a lot of folks just wanted a better picture for the Sunday. All this for a football game? Not just any game, the Super Bowl featuring the Bears! No cost is too high. Well, unless you take into account an actual ticket to the game, but as I've said before, the Super Bowl isn't for the average fan.

Bears fever has hit "Wife" with the fury of a Brian Urlacher sack. She is usually fiscally conservative, but in the last four days she has lost her mind. She dropped a little over a hundred dollars on shirts for herself and "Daughter". That was fine. I bought myself a hat that was on sale. Then she went in for the kill. I'll tell you all about that tomorrow. I gotta go. I think I need to pick up a Bears doormat and matching clock and waste basket before the big game. Later...Brian