| Super Bowl XLI holds special interest for me and | | | | the fifth-best senior college prospect in America. |
| all of New Mexico. Our most successful football | | | | He was picked ninth by the Chicago Bears making |
| player will take Center Stage in Miami on Sunday, | | | | him the highest selected player from the |
| 02-04-07. | | | | University of New Mexico breaking Robin Cole's |
| I hold a brief and memorable encounter in my | | | | 1977 twenty-first pick by the Pittsburg Steelers. |
| heart every time I hear Bryan Urlacher's name. | | | | Bryan was listed, in the draft, as his character |
| On a cold winter night almost one and a half | | | | being his strongest point. Again, I say New Mexico |
| decades ago, I watched him play basketball | | | | knows a good thing when they see it. |
| against my son's high school team. It was a | | | | One night, our oldest son called to say he had |
| hard-fought battle as Bryan's team scored more | | | | tickets to the Dallas Cowboys/Chicago Bears |
| points than my son's team did. Lovington always | | | | game at Texas Stadium. Excitement rose as |
| beat Artesia in basketball, but Artesia got them in | | | | game day finally arrived. We were again going to |
| football every time. | | | | see New Mexico's Favorite, and we could not wait |
| Bryan was a perpetual progress of hard work | | | | to get to the game. We made a sign that read: |
| and success in everything he did. After his high | | | | Bryan Urlacheryou playedbasketballagainst my son |
| school graduation from Lovington High School, we | | | | About halfway into the third quarter, the |
| read in the Albuquerque Journal he was playing | | | | announcement came that Bryan did not make the |
| football for the University of New Mexico. He was | | | | trip due to illness. My poster suddenly became |
| an inside linebacker in his freshman and | | | | very heavy. Most of the people in the stadium |
| sophomore years at the University then was | | | | were wearing his jersey. Moans rang out. Oh Well! |
| moved to the lobo/free-safety position his junior | | | | The Cowboys won the game. |
| and senior years by UNM'S head coach Rocky | | | | Bryan's basketball skills are not known by many, |
| Long. | | | | but he hosted an AFC ALL-STARS vs. NFC |
| My husband and I made the one-way, four hour | | | | ALL-STARS Basketball Extravaganza in |
| trip to Albuquerque several times to watch Bryan | | | | Albuquerque in 2001. Fifteen National Football |
| Urlacher play football. It was no surprise to us to | | | | League players participated in this event and |
| learn of his 442 career tackles which won him the | | | | proceeds went to benefit the New Mexico |
| NCAA Division I "Defenders Award" with 178 | | | | America Football League. Thousands of |
| tackles in 1998. | | | | youngsters have benefited from this football |
| "How did playing basketball help him on the football | | | | showdown. |
| field?" I asked my husband driving home one night | | | | But basketball is not his talent. This Chicago line |
| after watching Bryan help defeat the New Mexico | | | | backer who was named as the 2005 National |
| State Aggies from Las Cruces. | | | | Football League's Defensive Player of the Year, |
| "Not sure, but today he was a one-man wrecking | | | | and is deemed Chicago's poster boy, has been |
| machine." | | | | pegged as the silent quarterback for his Bear's |
| "Maybe the Cowboys will draft him. Wow! How | | | | team. His intelligence for defensive signals allows |
| exciting that would be." I drifted into dreamland | | | | him to think beyond the game and helps him |
| knowing the Cowboys would again be on top. | | | | guide the Bears defense against the opposing |
| "The Cowboys could use him, that's for sure." Pat | | | | offenses. |
| answered with his smile. | | | | He is all business on the field and has been the |
| New Mexicans' view Bryan as: The Best, The | | | | key factor in bringing the Bears their participation |
| Chosen One, A Media Icon, One of the State's | | | | in Super Bowl XLI against the Colts. (I found an |
| Favorite Sons, and URL. He was the 1999 | | | | interesting stat, both teams have scored 427 |
| Mountain West Conference Player of the Year | | | | points this football season.) |
| and a Thorpe Award finalist for the country's | | | | For Super Bowl XLI, move over Dallas, the Bears |
| best defensive back. He was also an All-American. | | | | are playing for the championship with New |
| I think New Mexico knows a good thing when | | | | Mexico's Favorite Native Son leading the way. And |
| they see it. | | | | New Mexico will salute him once more, as their |
| In the April 14, 2000, Albuquerque Journal, Mel | | | | "chosen one", the most successful Lobo football |
| Kiper Jr., a draft analyst for ESPN, rated Bryan as | | | | player ever. |