Chicago-Green Bay Rivalry Is All Show, Sports Commentator Argues

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Some are saying we are about to witness the greatest sporting event in Chicago history, that the Bears-Packers clash for the NFC crown will climax a decades-old rivalry.

But as CBS2's Mike Parker reports, not everybody is convinced it will be so historic.

John "The Rock" Mamola is a weekend host on "The Score" radio and writes a blog called the "Rock Report." He argues the Chicago-Green Bay rivalry, at least among the players, is non-existent.

"When Jay Cutler is texting Aaron Rodgers congratulations after the Green Bay Packers upset the Atlanta Falcons -- that's not a rivalry to me," he says. "It's not bloodlust. These are million-dollar athletes going up against million-dollar athletes. The last thing these guys really want to do is hurt each other."

Don't try to tell fans there's no rivalry. Talk to the Packer boosters who hang out at Will's Northwoods Inn on North Racine in Chicago. There's a Green Bay flag outside, and a big Vince Lombardi poster inside.

Ed Caparelli nursed a beer there Monday night, wearing a Lambeau Field jacket.

"It's bigger than the Super Bowl," he said. "The stakes are so high, the bragging rights between fans is so high."

Wisconsin transplant Amy Gapinski was there, too. She works in the suburbs and battles and taunts Bears fans all the time on the job.

"I've gotten post-it notes in my cupboard," she said. One was a picture of a bear crumbling a piece of cheese.

Bears fans in the Tilted Kilt bar in the Loop agree there is a vicious rivalry among fans.

"I'd like to see somebody walk into my office with a Packers jersey this week," David Fields boasted. "I'm pretty sure we'd show them just how passionate we are as Bears fans."

In:
• The Score
• Green Bay Packers