This guy has more balls than Bears D

AP Photo

Talk about a bet with balls.

Chicago Bears superfan Scott Wiese (above) was so confident his Bears were going to win the Super Bowl, in front of a bar full of people in Decatur, Illinois last Friday, he vowed to change his name to Peyton Manning if the Bears lost.

Oops.

Yesterday, he began the process of living up to his bet. He has to advertise his intentions for several weeks in the newspaper, then he needs permission from a judge to make the change. His lawyer is taking care of the paperwork.

Hey Scott, have you ever seen Rex Grossman play? I take it you have, since you are such a big Bears fan, but I can't believe you had that much faith in a defense that was showing cracks back in December, or in a QB who at times late last season looked like he could screw up a two-car funeral.

Not that I'm putting down fan enthusiasm. I'm a Cowboy and Oiler superfan, as readers of The Journey know, but I dunno if I could commit to a bet like that.

I can't see vowing that I'd change my name to Jarome Iginla, the best player on Edmonton's arch rival, the Calgary Flames, or Donovan McNabb if the Cowboys lost to the Birds.

Again, I'm crazy about my two favorite teams - hell, I even have a Gretzky tattoo (left), but I dunno about a name change. A tattoo can be covered up, but your name can't.

"I made the bet, and now I've got to keep it," said the 26-year-old, who lives in Forsyth, just north of Decatur.

The men have little in common, Wiese acknowledges.

Indianapolis Colt Peyton Manning is 30, stands 6-foot-5 and has a contract worth more than $100 million, while the soon-t0-be Manning is 5'11" and works for Staples, for just a few dollars less.

While he's making good on his bet, Wiese isn't sure how long he'll remain Peyton Manning.

Hopefully for him, it won't be until the Bears reach the Super Bowl again - prior to last week's game, Chicago last played in a Super Bowl in 1985.

"I mean, well, it may be another 21 years," Wiese told AP.

Something tells me that Wiese will be modifying his betting enthusiasm when the NFL begins play again in September.

The quotes and some info. from this piece are from an AP story.