Da Bears!

Coach and I recently took a trip to Orlando, FL to attend the 2011 ESPN All American Under Armour Football game.  One of the reasons it's so fun to attend this event, besides leaving the kids behind, enjoying warmer weather, visiting Disney parks, seeing young football talent and alone time with Coach is the sports celebrities you may run into.

My husband, being more knowledgeable than I, in the the who's who in sports was surprised when I spotted Mike Ditka in our hotel before a football event.  I didn't recall his name, but started pointing at Mike Ditka while hitting Coach the same time saying, "Look, isn't that that sports guy?"  I often wondered what I would do if I stumbled upon a celebrity and since he was busy being ushered around by several event personal, I decided just to be in awe from afar. 

Celebrity?  Well, I know that he's a member of the Hall of Fame, former player, former coach, and in all those beer commercials!  I've grown up seeing his face, but that's about it.

We did see him again later that evening, but a swarm of people seemed to catch him for autographs and I didn't want to bother him again since he seemed to be heading somewhere important.  Geesh, how annoying it must be to be interrupted all the time - hmph, being a mother isn't much different in my domain! 

At the game (Tropicana Field), we arrived two hours before game time.  I thought we'd be bored, but we weren't.  We decided to get seats down near the field. There was a lot to entertain us for two hours.  We saw Deion Sanders and Doug Williams there.  I knew them.  Who knows who else was there!  During the half-time show was a performance from Fabolous - never heard of him, but he seemed well received.

Coach Ditka was coaching the white team for the game.  He came to our area of seating to talk to someone and people started lining up getting autographs.  He was right there!  I almost missed another opportunity thinking he had lots to do before a televised game, but I got up and stood in the short line and got my picture and autograph.  Yeh!  We look like best friends, don't we?