DISCLAIMER: This video contains professional athletes attempting to dance and rap. Viewer discretion is advised.
Many people will agree that just because you are famous for being a stud on the gridiron doesn’t mean you should get to make a music video where you attempt to rap, pretend to play instruments, and dance. But thanks to YouTube, our generation has the pleasure of experiencing the 1986 Chicago Bears perform the Super Bowl Shuffle.
Unfortunately, the Bears did not make it to the Super Bowl that year, the Denver Broncos had the lucky chance to go and lose to the New York Giants, but at the time of this wonderfully cheesy video, the Bears were known as the “bad ass Bears”, according to my mother. Everyone felt this music video was awesome and made the Bears that much better than the rest of the teams in the NFL. They did have an incredible season, finishing 14-2, and that confidence probably prompted the idea of the Super Bowl Shuffle. I felt this video was appropriate for this assignment because today the Chicago Bears participated in Super Bowl XLI, and as you all hopefully know, they had no reason to repeat the Super Bowl Shuffle because the Indianapolis Colts walked all over them.
The focal point of this video was to make the Bears seem invincible and “bad ass”, to intimidate other teams with their own confidence that they would make it to the Super Bowl. Looking back at it, we would not understand that because as I stated before, this song and dance is horribly cheesy, and its almost painful to watch quarterback Steve Fuller try to dance to the rhythm of the song, and find that he is at least half a beat off every time. The Bears even rap at one point “We’re so bad, we know we’re good”. It is also interesting to see starting quarterback, Jim McMahon, who has an interesting history with alcohol, rap in his cool shades. I guess back in 1986, those were the style, and he could brag that he wore his sunglasses at night, but he also suffers from “white man syndrome” and admits it openly with his line “I can’t dance, but I can throw the field”. My favorite aspect of the whole thing was watching these professional athletes, people who were looked up to and admired, pretending to play the bass guitar, electric piano, drums and saxophone. They are not even trying to look like they know what they are doing.
The online community understands this video because a portion of it was around to witness the Super Bowl Shuffle when it was new and cool. There children, or us, get to see it from our perspective and laugh at what our parents thought was cool back in the day, which was a Wednesday in case you didn’t know (Dane Cook, had to throw it in there.) The fact that we are watching this on the internet is because no one who respects themselves would keep this on VHS. But we search for it and watch it so that we can get a handle on what was acceptable and awesome at a different period of time. The Chicago Bears were the “end-all, be-all” of football at that time, creating such groups as “Da SuperFans”, who today would be proud to be cheering for “DA BEARS” on this Super Bowl Sunday.
3 comments:
Hey that was an ummm interesting video. I just finished watching the superbowl and as humilating that video is so is their loss to the Colts. Where did you find that lol I had no idea that NFL teams did things like that. You have really good points in your blog and it is well written. Very unique original video to put up and goes with the current events going on in sports. I really found it shocking that the Bears made it that far this year, they started off the gamem tonight strong but as you saw finished poorly. Anyway it was funny to watch the old school video the same night as the current team almost won victory.
I totally agree with you Chels. Just because you are famous, doesn’t mean that you can have a music career. Look at Paris Hilton or even Lindsey Lohan. They totally suck. Or at least in my opinion they do. When I watched your YouTube video, I couldn’t help but laugh that you posted it on the same day that the Bears were playing in the Super Bowl. Its when people think that just because they have money and fame that they can do anything…I think that you have proven all of this rich, bored, people completely wrong. Bravo good Chap!
I did see this video even though it is not posted anymore and you are right these people could not dance a lick. An what made it even worse they lost. It is very funny and does prove several points for instance just because you are talented at one thing doen't mean that your are going to be talented at everything else. Most athlets probally have the ability to dance but just lack the talent. People should have alot more respect for entertainers.
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