Championship Week: Rivalries part of the journey to North Texas

Winner of rivalry game to come on down to Texas

We're ready for y'all!
Courtesy of wildbillswestern.com.

There is a lot of excitement here in North Texas about the upcoming Super Bowl XLV.  I live an estimated 30 minute drive from Cowboys Stadium if there isn't anything going on.  There is no way any visiting Super Bowl attendee will step foot or car in my town unless they are driving down I-35E on their way into the city.  But we have banners on the light poles in town with the Super Bowl logo proudly waving in the wind.  We have tons of commercials about Super Bowl events, the sports radio station has a countdown with an exciting moment in North Texas sports history for the 45 days before the game, and the Super Bowl experience event at the convention center is almost ready for visitors.  (I will at least go down and take my picture by the giant XLV outside.)  Needless to say, there's excitement in the air.

Packers vs. Bears 1941 Western Division Championship.
Courtesy of AP/NPR.

Today's championship games determine who will play in our beloved Cowboys Stadium.  The Steelers-Jets game will be exciting but it has none of the history and rivalry as the Packers-Bears game.

The Chicago Bears and the Green Bay Packers have the longest rivalry in NFL history beginning in 1921 and have played 181 games to date.  The one and only time the teams have met for a playoff game was Dec. 14, 1941 for the Western Division Championship with the Bears winning 33-14.  Chicago currently leads the all-time series 92-83-6.  NPR has an excellent article about the game here with an interview with a 95-year-old Packer fan.

All sports fans love to talk rivalries and there are lists of the greatest for every sport.  The writers always include the Yankees and Red Sox, Cowboys and Redskins, Celtics and Lakers, Texas and Oklahoma college football, Duke and UNC basketball, and Army and Navy college football.  I enjoy sports but, honestly, I got a little bored reading these lists while my husband was excitedly confirming the rivalries.

It would be interesting if rivalries extended beyond the world of sports.  If there were rivalries between actors, fashion designers, or magazines that were published and monitored, that would be more exciting for me.  I'm sure the editors of Marie Claire compete with Vogue for readership, but that's not published for the rest of us to cheer on our favorite magazine.

A (sort of) rivalry in recent news is a bet between Oprah and Piers Morgan on which talk show host will gain an interview with Michael Vick.  The Eagles QB was asked about the bet and said he thought Oprah would win because he's never heard of Larry King's replacement.

Social engagements of NFL players

A recent airport pic of
Kristin in a Bears hat.
Courtesy of a creepy fan's blog.

This week the media in Chicagoland has been discussing one important question that you may not have considered: will Kristin attend today's game?  The Kristin they are speaking of is QB Jay Cutler's girlfriend and reality show star Kristin Cavallari.  A friend of the couple told the local media that Kristin doesn't want to be another Jessica Simpson so she has been staying out of the spotlight at games.  The Chicago Tribune sighted the couple at a restaurant on Friday night, so she is in town!

Chad Ochocinco had a lovely birthday surprise when former president Bill Clinton stopped by his party in Miami.  Clinton was in Miami for speaking engagements on behalf of the Alliance for a Healthier Generation.  He stopped by Ochocinco's birthday after having dinner with Cameron Diaz and Alex Rodriguez.

Tom Brady's wife, Gisele Bundchen, just received the honor of "Best Body" in the 14th Annual Famed Hottest Looks survey of Beverly Hills plastic surgeons.  This honor reflects the fact her body shape is the most requested by those receiving plastic surgery.