Football in America is not just a game, it is a way of life. Every Sunday, fans all over the country throw on their jerseys and watch their favorite football teams compete every week for a run at the Super Bowl. Everyone has their favorite team, whether it’s The Patriots, The Falcons, or even The Browns, but my favorite team will forever be the Chicago Bears. Yes, these past seasons have been pretty hard to watch, especially going through an era with Jay Cutler as your quarterback. But through it all, the Bears have always remained my team, because they’re so much more than just a football team.

Ever since I was a kid, my grandparents have been season ticket holders, which made almost every Sunday so much more special. And every game day is the same tradition. Meet at my Grandma’s house, head to the same restaurant for breakfast, then head to the game and tailgate until kickoff. But it’s this tradition that never gets old, it is something that I always look forward to every time we go. There is nothing truly like tailgating at a Bears game. The smell of everyone grilling out, the dedication some people have to their setups, it truly is a whole new type of culture.

Then of course comes the best part, walking into Soldier Field. Every time I walk into that stadium I am still amazed; I feel like a kid at his first game ready to see his favorite football team in one of the greatest football stadiums in the NFL. One of the things I never really appreciated is the people around us at games. The people in front of us and behind us have had season tickets as long as I can remember, and over the years they have grown to become family friends of ours, something I’ve learned to appreciate and take more notice of over the years.

There is also nothing quite like the entrance the Bears make, as they run out of the tunnel and through the giant blow-up bear. You can’t but feel the hype as energy and adrenaline fill the stadium, and both the fans and players get ready for the kickoff. After that ball is kicked off, offense or defense you can always find me in the stands yelling for my team or at the ref for making an awful call. Now I always get fired up for the game, but nothing gives me goosebumps more than in the 3rd quarter when U.S military serviceman or woman is honored for their duty as they served and protected our country. The whole stadium roars with applause, everyone is on their feet to thank that man or woman for their service, and you just can’t help but be proud of your country.

Now at the end of the day, I always want to see my team win. But sometimes, that does not always happen. It’s hard to accept the loss sometimes, but to me, the most important part is that it was a fun day, and I was able to spend another game with my family. It is something that I may have taken for granted before when I was a kid, but now, it is something I greatly appreciate and hold dearly. Because the memories made with my family at games are something that always outweighs the wins and the losses.

For me, The Chicago Bears are more than just a team. Gamedays are more than just an average Sunday, and Soldier field is not just a stadium. It is all so much more for me. The Bears are my team, Soldier Field is like a second home to me, and game days, game days are a family tradition, they have been for as long as I can remember. They are a tradition filled with happy lifelong memories that I would never trade for the world. So yeah, the Bears may have had a rough past few seasons, but they are still my team, and I will always love them no matter what.

Bear Down.