[CBFF] Ahhhh, so *THAT* explains it!

[Steve Behrens]

The Cornell Daily Sun

http://www.cornellsun.com/node/19153

 Willing 'Da Bears' to Win *Scotty Doesn't Know*
    By Scott Reich <http://www.cornellsun.com/user/943>
Sun Staff Writer
Oct 24 2006  Deckhead: Scotty Doesn't Know

If you were watching ESPN a week ago from last night, you saw one hell of a
football game. Despite trailing 23-3 with a little more than a quarter to go
and featuring a lifeless offense, the Chicago Bears used three return
touchdowns — two on fumbles and one off a punt — to shock the Arizona
Cardinals, 24-23.

Now, I could take this opportunity to write about how the win proves that my
beloved Bears are a team of destiny, or that they have the best defense ever
(they might) or some cliché like that. But, unfortunately, I think only the
20 other Bears fans on campus would appreciate it.

Instead, I want to share you with the real story behind that game. Despite
being played over 2,000 miles away, the Bears incredible comeback win was
actually sparked by events happening on the 200 block of Williams Street
here in Ithaca.

Falling behind 20-0 at halftime and then 23-3 toward the end of the third
quarter, I kept searching for a solution to turnaround the Bears' fortunes.
Being the superstitious fan that I am, I had already gone through a half
dozen costume changes hoping that, with just the right combination, the team
that had trounced Buffalo 40-7 a week earlier would finally show up.

First, I tried wearing my various Bears hats. Next, I put on my Urlacher
jersey, took it off, and even made one of my roommates put it on. At some
point, I even suggested that my four roommates and I switch seats on each
play until we found the perfect alignment. Needless to say, my four
roommates got tired of that idea pretty quickly — and it wasn't really doing
anything anyways.

Still, though, I held out hope that Bears could win the game. All we needed
to do was find that "lucky state" — the one that would somehow propel them
to victory. Fortunately, it found us.

After another hopeless three-and-out by the hapless Bears offense, the
Cardinals got the ball back deep within Chicago territory leading 23-3 with
less than minute to go in the third quarter. Believing the game to be out of
reach, my roommate Jeff left the room to study BioChem.

Immediately, the Bears caught their first break of the night. Coming in
untouched from his defensive end position, Bear's rookie Mark Anderson
knocked the ball from Arizona quarterback Matt Leinart and Chicago safety
Mike Brown scooped up the fumble and took three steps into the end zone.

All of a sudden, the Bears were back in the game and Jeff, hearing our
screams at the play, returned to the living room with a renewed interest in
the game.

Instantly, all the momentum Chicago had picked up after the fumble return
seemed to disintegrate. The Cardinals continued to run down the clock on
offense, as the Bears did absolutely nothing when they got the ball back.

When Rex Grossman threw his fourth interception of the night and Arizona
took over the ball with less than six minutes to play, it again seemed that
all hope was lost for the formerly unbeaten Chicago Bears.

But, then, Jeff returned to his studies.

Two plays later, Brian Urlacher stripped the ball from Pro Bowl running back
Edgerrin James, and Bears' cornerback Charles Tillman scooped up the loose
ball and returned it forty yards to cut the deficit to 23-17

Again, Jeff closed his textbook and returned to the couch, anxious to see if
the comeback would actually be pulled off.

Getting the football back after the kickoff, the Cardinals picked up one
first down before the Bears forced a punt. Knowing that ESPN would cut to
commercial after the change of possession, Jeff ran back to his room to cram
in a few precious minutes of amino acids and polymers just before the
fourth-down play.

He ended up missing the most exciting play of the game. Weaving through a
sea of players, Bears rookie Devin Hester wrote his name into the Chicago
record books with an 87-yard punt return for a touchdown.

As I screamed loud enough to wake up most of lower Collegetown, kicker
Robbie Gould added the PAT to put the Bears up, 24-23, with under three
minutes to play.

Also, it became abundantly clear that Jeff was responsible for the Bears'
woes. In the handful of plays he had missed in the entire game to study,
Chicago had scored three remarkable touchdowns and completed one of the most
improbable comebacks of the year.

As we all acknowledged this phenomenon, I begged Jeff to leave the room.
With over two minutes left, there was plenty of time for Leinart to
orchestrate a game-winning drive to complete his coming out party on
National TV.

But Jeff refused.

Immediately, what seemed like an incredible victory for the Bears started to
crumble away. After a lengthy kickoff return, Leinart began to slice apart
the Bears defense. Meanwhile, Jeff — who I think is related to Steve Bartman
— would not leave.

Desperate to recapture the magic that stirred the comeback, I decided that
maybe it wasn't Jeff, but the act of studying in his room that had brought
the Bears luck. As such, I actually went into his room, sat in his chair,
opened his BioChem textbook and started reading.

It didn't work. When I came back to check on the game, the Cardinals had
moved to the Bears' 22 yard line and had Neil Rackers — one year removed
from setting the NFL record for field goals in a season — lining up the
game-winning kick. As the Bears called a timeout to ice the attempt, I
pleaded with Jeff to get back in his room one last time. Maybe it was that I
had finally appealed to his heart, or maybe it was his fear of my intense
fanaticism at that moment, but, either way, he finally agreed not to watch
the kick.

The rest of it is history — Rackers missed the 40-yarder wide left, the
Bears ran out the clock, and I won't let Jeff watch another Bears game as
long as I live.

I guess there've been more improbable wins and more incredible comebacks in
the history of sports. However, I think it was the context of the Bears
victory and my Dad's voice in my head — saying what he would always say
after a game like that — which struck me so strongly. After watching a
comeback of that caliber, he would turn to me and say, "You know what that
shows — It's never over until it's over."

Being a senior in college, I think that's some of the best advice I could
receive right now. As I try to work through prelims, search for a job, or
deal with relationships as they form and disintegrate, it's the hope, even
the faith, that there's always the possibility that things will turn out for
the best that keeps me going. And, if along the way, you find you need a
little superstition — or a lot as in my case — to keep that faith alive, go
for it. Hope is never a bad thing to have.

*Scott Reich is a Sun Staff Writer.* Scotty Doesn't Know *will appear every
other Tuesday this semester.*