Bear Digest

Bears borrow a page from Steelers fans to punctuate home-field edge

The noise from Bears fans has been deemed critical for Saturday night's showdown by Grady Jarrett, and they'll have something visual to help amplify that sound.
Gene Chamberlain|
Steelers fans and their terrible towels were present for a game earlier this season at Soldier Field. The Bears have their own terrible towels for the Packers showdown.
Steelers fans and their terrible towels were present for a game earlier this season at Soldier Field. The Bears have their own terrible towels for the Packers showdown. | Mike Dinovo-Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

There's no word on whether the Matt Nagy era Bear-Raid siren will make a return for Saturday night's Bears-Packers showdown on the lakefront, but they are borrowing a page from the Lovie Smith era, except with a twist.

During the Smith coaching reign, the "4th phase," became a popular phrase regarding Bears fans.

At least Smith thought it was, even if it sounded like a cheap ripoff of the Seahawks' 12th man.

Smith had referred to the offense, defense and special teams as the first, second and third phases and the fans as that fourth phase.

That's when someone began emerging from the tunnel with the flag and a No. 4 on it was born during pregame introductions.

The Bears also saw how the Steelers' terrible towels work when an unusually large number of Steelers fans came to Soldier Field this year with their yellow towels in a 31-28 Bears win. So now the "4th phase towel" is born.

They're handing out 4th phase towels at the game for more fan impact against their primordial rivals and will hope these aren't crying towels at game's end.

Everyone needs a gimmick. The White Sox had their black-out Series and playoff games. The Cubs have their annoying song. Blackhawks fans have long screamed through the national anthem.

This towel seems rather contrived and not spontaneous enough, and if the truth be told it should probably say "Gary, Ind. or bust" on it instead. However, if it gets the fans to avoid sitting on their hands during third-down plays or whenever the Packers have the ball, then it will be worthwhile.

"It needs to be the loudest game we’ve had all season," Grady Jarrett said this week. "We need to rock that stadium. Soldier Field needs to be shaking.

“And we know the chants they like to chant. We’re gonna make 'em happy, give 'em something to chant about it. We’re going to put up a good showing for 'em."

The chant is, of course, is not "good, better, best," but Green Bay sucks."  

From the way this breaks out spontaneously at Chicago sporting events and even events like concerts, they probably should have put that on the towels instead of a 4.

The Packers-Bears rivalry has never died with fans even as the series has been one-sided with 14 Green Bay wins in Chicago in the last 15 games.  

Jarrett this week told an amusing story about his own past with a Green Bay fan.

"I had an academic advisor, we call him Cheech, at Clemson," Jarrett said. "He loved the Packers. Obviously that means he hated the Bears. He just loved (former defensive tackle) BJ Raji and all them guys—he played the game so hard, BJ Raji. I said all right Cheech, whatever."

Now Jarrett wants to win so he can get ahold of his old friend.

"Me playing for the Bears now, I can’t wait to go out there, put our best foot forward," Jarrett said. "I’m going to give old Cheech a call and say how’d you like that?

"Shout out to my guy. I’m exciting to be on this side of the rivalry and we’re going to bring a Dub back to Chicago."

Fans at the game need to remember, then, they're waving their towels and hollering for the Bears, and against the Packers. And against the Cheeches of the world.

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.