ProCase Sports

In 2007, the Bears were going to the Super Bowl and I was on my way to Miami where the game was set to be played. I was hired for the duration of the week leading up to the Super Bowl, to photograph all of the events that the Otis Wilson Foundation was holding. It was going to be a week of parties, dinners, and a golf outing. I had no plans on going to the game, the Bears had only played in one Super Bowl before this one, so trying to find a ticket for that game was impossible. Plus, Otis was having a party during the game, and one of my assignments was to photograph it.

As the week went on, I was so busy working and going to all of the events that I didn’t get to even watch any television coverage or see any hype about the game. Still, my favorite team was finally in the Super Bowl, and I knew a lot of the players on the team. I did frame jerseys for many of them after all.

So there were four of us that spent most that week together. Our group included Otis Wilson, Larry Vacala, Chuck Vacala, and myself. The night before the game I suggested to our group that we should go to dinner at the Hilton hotel where the Bears were staying. I was hoping that if we went there, I might run into a few of the players and could wish them good luck. I figured the team would be locked up in meetings, but I wanted to take the chance anyway. When we got to the Hilton the players were all over the hotel, most of them were hanging out in the lobby or having dinner at the hotel restaurant.

After we had dinner, we mingled around the lobby and spoke to some of the players. I couldn’t believe how relaxed they were. One person I was able to speak with was Harry Swayne. Harry who was the Bear’s chaplain, also attended my church, was in a small group with me, and was a good friend of mine. Harry asked me where I was going to be sitting at the game. I told him that I wasn’t even going to the game and that I would be working for Otis. Harry told me, “You’ve got to go to the game. You’ve been one of the Bears photographers for years!” When it comes to the Super Bowl, the NFL is in charge of all credentials, not the Chicago Bears, so sideline passes were very limited. Harry told me that he had a ticket he wanted to give me. I told him I couldn’t accept it because I knew Otis was counting on me to photograph his party during the game. I also felt my pride wouldn’t allow me to accept such a gift. Harry said that his ticket would be wasted, he was going to be in the locker room during the game and nobody would be sitting in his seat. The other guys in our group told me to take his ticket, but I said, “What about Otis’s party?” They told me I was never going to photograph that anyway. They had a Super Bowl ticket for me as well, and they were going to surprise me with it. I had no clue that they planned for me to see my favorite team in the Super Bowl all along. Now by accepting the ticket from Harry, I knew I would be sitting by myself during the game, which was okay with me, I was going to the Super Bowl!