Writer Of Bears Parody Singing Different Tune
CHICAGO (CBS) - In 2009, the Chicago Bears were so mediocre, a local ad man wrote a nasty parody of their fight song, "Bear Down Chicago Bears."
The opening line was "Lie down Chicago Bears, snatch defeat from the jaws of victory."
We know where the team is now, they're just one win from the Super Bowl. But where's the author of that song and what's he singing now? CBS 2's Mike Parker has the answer.
Joe Schmitt calls himself a dedicated fan of the Bears, but after writing and performing the song on CBS 2 last December, he says he was labeled "a turncoat or a Benedict Arnold."
When the parody was written, the team was finishing up a season that nobody was proud of with 7 wins and 9 losses. Schmitt created a "Frustrated Bears Fan" page on Facebook and wrote that song.
"Lie down Chicago Bears," it continued, "let them score and you've lost your dignity."
Back then, Schmitt said head coach Lovie Smith should be fired. Today, he says, "If he wins the Super Bowl, Coach of the Year."
Back then, he said quarterback Jay Cutler was synonymous only with interceptions. Now he believes in Cutler.
But even in 2009, he still had hope for the team's future. Now, he says that maybe his song changed everything, "I think that song should get me into whatever parade there will be. I think they're going to win this weekend, maybe 49 or 56 to nothing."