January 31, 2007
You Know It's a Big Deal When ...
Usually, the divide between the sports community and the arts community is about as wide as Lake Michigan. You're about as likely to find some Chad wearing his Illini cap in Symphony Hall as you are to find an Art Institute board member watching a game at John Barleycorn's. Until the Bears make the Super Bowl, that is — that's enough to bring everyone together.
Across the city, we find evidence of arts and sports converging. Tuesday, the majestic lions in front of the Art Institute were fitted with Bears helmets. However, one of the helmets broke! The cold "Bears weather" was supposedly to blame. Shoulda made them out of Weber grills like last time!
Also, the Chicago Symphony is offering a free MP3 download of the symphony performing "Bear Down, Chicago Bears" under the direction of Sir Georg Solti.
Not to be left out of the fun, the Lyric Opera's Bryan Griffin also performed "Bear Down", available on YouTube.
About the only thing missing is some Grant Achatz braised bear with essence of colt breath. And for that, we're thankful!
Image via AP/M. Spencer Green
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Or they could have used giant throwback leather helmets and put some eyeblack on the lions.
Benjy, you crack me up!
Maybe it was a message from the lion saying, "Grow up, people, and
come inside and have your minds and souls expanded through art rather
than basing your emotional well-being on a team of professional
athletes to whom you have attached some of your sense of identity and
pride. And get this stupid helmet contraption off of me!"
As an expat Chicagoan living in San Francisco for the last 23 years (love the Bears, you can keep the winters) I am vicarioussly enjoying the frenzy in Chicago. My Dickensonian account of the spiritual revelations I recently experienced about the Superbowl Bears is in this post in progress: Da Bear Song in Prose.