It’s Packer week – three little words that spark a range of emotions from Bears’ fans everywhere. The long history of these two franchises is well documented. We were all inundated this past week with stats, accounts from former players who have helped write the story over the years, and overuse of cliched terms like “bitter rivalry”.
Sunday marked the 183rd time these two bitter rivals met on the field, the most in NFL history. And regardless of the outcome of the game, in which the Packers prevailed 27-17, the game means more than a simple “W” or “L” can define.
Growing up in suburban Chicago during the heyday of Walter Payton, Richard Dent and Buddy Ryan’s 4-3 defense, I grew to love everything the Bears stood for. Grind out victories between the tackles and physically and mentally take out opponents through a stifling defense.
I would watch the games on our console TV with the sound muted, so that my brothers and I could hear Wayne Larrivee’s distinct cadence. You know how you identify a song with a certain time period or significant event? That is what Wayne Larrivee’s voice does for me. It brings me back to a time when Jim Harbaugh was calling audibles at the line and not plays for San Francisco 49ers. His voice reminds me of Neil Anderson doing his best Walter Payton impression and Dikta chomping on his gum while patrolling the sidelines.
The 2011 incarnation of the “Monsters of the Midway” is certainly a far cry from those famed teams; however, they are in the midst of a difficult three game stretch to open the season in their attempt to repeat at NFC North division champions.
That is why Sunday’s loss to the Pack was so tough to take. Not the fact that it was the Packers, but the fact that they forced the home team to become the Anti-Bears. Green Bay once again imposed their will on Jay Cutler and dared him to beat them with his arm. The once-famed smash mouth team was held to a paltry 13 yards rushing. 13… (This reminds me of the scene from Major League with Bob Uecker in booth after the Indians could only muster “2 ___ ____ hits. Who cares, nobody is listening anyway.”)
The defense that the City of Broad Shoulders had identified with did its best to keep hope alive and the special teams nearly pulled off one of the most inventive plays in recent memory, but got called for a highly questionable holding penalty, negating a potentially game-changing touchdown.
Incidentally, the brilliant deception consisted of Devin Hester faking an effort to catch the ball, like a centerfielder attempting to freeze the tagging runner, and the ENTIRE Packers coverage team focused on him, waiting for the ball to fall out of the sky. Meanwhile Johnny Knox caught the actual punt on the opposite side of the field and scampered untouched into the end zone. The play was brilliantly executed, and I am surprised that it is not tried more often.
But the worst part of that game on Sunday was not all of those plays. It wasn’t even the fact that I spent the first three quarters in the car driving home. It was that I spent the first three quarters in the car driving home listening to Wayne Larrivee call the game… for the Packers.
Even though Larrivee has been calling games for the Pack since 1998, this was the first time I had to listen to it. They say radio is theater for the mind, well this was my own personal Spiderman: The Musical.
As Aaron Rodgers eluded multiple Bears pass rushers, rolling out and throwing across his body to a tip-toeing receiver for a huge third down conversion, I couldn’t help but cringe as Wayne described the play in immaculate detail.
The Bears will get at least one more crack at the Pack this year coming on Christmas Day. And Larrivee will be in the booth at Lambeau calling the game for the masses. But I won’t be listening. Christmas time usually evokes childhood memories, but I prefer to remember Larrivee as the voice of the Bears and enjoy my Christmas Day. Or as I call it, Packer week.
