Best rivalry in Chicago sports

With this weeks Bears-Packers game quickly approaching, I thought I'd comment on how this is by far the best rivalry in Chicago sports. Now I know there are certain people who disagree with me on this one, but I say this is my blog and I'm going to write what I want...lol. When Lovie Smith took over as head coach of Da Bears 2 years ago the first thing on his to-do list was "beat Green Bay." When he said that I knew he was gonna be the Bears coach for at least a decade. He realizes how important this rivalry is. It's been noted in the Tribune how 3 words change the entire feeling of a week for the Bears players. Those 3 words? "It's Packer week." You just hear that as a Bears fan and you instantly get jacked. As a player I can only imagine. There are stories of how Gearge Halas and Vince Lombardi never shook hands. Ron Rivera, current defensive cooradinator and former linebacker who played under Da Coach Mike Ditka, said that they were told by Ditka 'they should hate the Packers.' And now Lovie Smith is continuing that outward hatred. Yes, there was Wannstedt and Jauron who always said it was just another game, and look what happend to their sorry butts. But it has been reported that they told their players in the locker room how much this game meant, so even though it seemed like they didnt care, deep down, even they knew.

The other rivalries that can compare to this, but never quite attain its level of intensity are Blackhawks-Redwings, Bulls-Pistons, Bulls-Knicks (both of the late 80s and early 90s of course), and the Cubs Cardinals. The Cubs-Cardinals is the one that comes the closest. And I know I've argued this before that as much as I think baseball is the greatest sport and the Cubs are my favorite team, the rivalry with the Cards doesnt compare to the rivalry with the Packers and Bears. Maybe it's because of the way past coaches such as Halas and Ditka openly hated the Packers and made this known. Maybe it's because the entire city can get behind the Bears and root against the Cheeseheads instead of only a little more than 3/4 of the city backing the Cubs. : ) But I believe that this game on Sunday is huge. The Bears havent beaten Favre or the Packers in Chicago in 11 freaking years! We got it swinging back our way beating them in Green Bay last year, now it's time to make it complete. Bear Down Chicago Bears!