Chicago Celebrates 25 Years of Championships
25 years ago I was living in Chicago and watching the Chicago Bears begin their magical 1985 season. This was an amazing time to be a sports fan. The whole city cheered together and celebrated long before the Lombardi Trophy was in hand. No other city (or team) has been so arrogant as to record the Superbowl Shuffle before the playoffs began. They went on to be the only team not to give up a single playoff score.
In 1984, when the Cubs won the pennant, I was too young not to get my hopes up. I wish I could include my beloved Cubs in this article, but as you know, they’re still lovable losers.
When Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls lost to Detroit in back to back years, the frustration in Chicago was palpable. This gave way to one of the greatest dynasties in professional sports as the Bulls went on to win 6 of the next 8 NBA Championships (only allowing Houston to win in the years when Jordan was on hiatus).
The Cubs gave us another few good runs including the 2001 playoffs but not really including the sweep by Los Doyers a few years back. As a Cubs fan from Chicago, I cheered for the Sox in the World Series, but when they won, the only feeling I had was, “it should’ve been the Cubs.”
Before last season began, everyone in Chicago knew it. Another magical season was upon the city. This time it was the Mighty Blackhawks turn. Even through and season that had its ups and downs, the Chicago Blackhawks were seen as the team that could get it done. After an exciting playoff run, one of the hardest fought Stanley Cup Finals, led to the fourth Championship team in Chicago in the last 25 years.
No other city can claim that they have won all four major sports trophies in a quarter century. The Vince Lombardi Trophy, the Larry O’Brien trophy, the Commissioner’s Trophy, and now the Stanley Cup all belong to Chicago. Congrats to the city of the Champions. Let’s hope the Bears can renew the Lombardi Trophy this year. Go BEARS!
