Silvy: The NFL schedule release really is a football holiday for fans to celebrate
Schedule release day is the NFL’s version of Sweetest Day.
Yet, unlike what Hallmark created, none of us rage against the latest version of this football holiday. We’ve known for a while whom the Bears play, and we already know where they’ll play, but the NFL has created a week of speculation and intrigue about when they’ll play. It’s another reason why football is king.
Years ago, opening day and the Super Bowl were the only days we celebrated as bigger than the rest. As the NFL became America’s passion, there is no longer an “opening day” — instead, it’s opening week. The draft is more than selecting players; it has ballooned into a three-day football fest that packs in Lollapalooza-sized crowds.
Two Thanksgiving Day games have now turned into three, while adding Black Friday and, soon, Thanksgiving Day eve. The league has stolen Christmas from basketball, and quite frankly, the NFL’s schedule release has provided more drama than this year’s NBA playoffs.
If you’re one of the few who haven’t been bitten by the schedule announcement bug, here’s why it matters and is so much fun.
The most football-related answer is that it impacts preparation and success. For instance, I love the idea of playing the Seahawks on opening night. Traveling to Seattle is never easy with the raucous 12th Man, so who cares if it’s banner-raising night? Most importantly, if the Bears have to play midweek, I’d rather do it coming off a full training camp so you’re not playing on a short week. Ben Johnson will have a full summer to prepare for the Seahawks and then be given 11 days to clean things up and get ready for Week 2. So bring it on.
As fans, our weekends are scheduled around the Bears for four months. Forget noon on Sundays being the norm. This year, we’ll have to be nimble. The networks love prime-time Bears games when they’re good. In addition, the better the team, the more often you’ll land in the 3:25 slot with Tom Brady or Tony Romo.
Then there’s the fan fun factor.
I love traveling to see at least one Bears road game a year. Whether you’re taking the family and creating memories — like I wrote about after seeing the Bears in Minnesota — or planning a trip with friends, it has become a tradition for many of us.
Who can forget the 2012 game when Bears fans drank Nashville dry? In 2006 my friends and I tied together a Bulls-Knicks game at the Garden on a Friday night and then drove to Foxborough for the Bears-Patriots on Sunday. Fifteen years later, that same friend group brought our kids on the road with us to Tampa, where Brady threw his 600th career TD pass. The Bears were blown out, but my son still remembers every detail of that trip. These experiences are a great way to teach kids about different cities and sights with football as the backdrop.
Traveling to Bears road games is also how I found out that Soldier Field lagged behind every venue in football. I thought long lines, bad food, and parking lot bottlenecks were just part of the experience everywhere — but that’s not the case. There are some magnificent buildings in this league, and I encourage you to see them for yourself.
My insider tip is to book your trip immediately when the schedule comes out. We paid just over $300 per night for a suite at the Renaissance in Minneapolis by reserving as soon as we found out the dates. A couple of weeks later, that same room was listed at double the price.
This year, I’m targeting the football-crazy town of Buffalo for a family trip. It’s certainly not going to be a beach vacation or a metropolis, but it should be one of the best games of the season. I also want to experience their tailgating tradition — jumping on top of tables — with my own eyes.
So set the table by making your plans now.
The Bears’ schedule is the toughest in the NFL, and there’s a division to defend.
• Marc Silverman shares his opinions on the Bears weekly for Shaw Local. Tune in and listen to the “Waddle & Silvy” show weekdays from 2 to 6 p.m. on ESPN 1000.