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