Getting to Know Your Fellow Bears Posters - Soulman

[CBears019]

I’ve probably said that I plan on bringing back “Get to Know Your Fellow Posters” threads a million times now and never delivered.  Well, with the COVID keeping most people inside and spending more time online, what better time than now?  Since a lot of us here spend so much time talking/debating Bears topics (possibly more time than we spend with our SOs), it might be good to get to know eachother just a little bit beyond who we think the Bears are going to draft, who should start at RG, which fifth string CB they should sign, etc.  

In this edition we talk to @soulman, who in real life goes by Paul.  Paul has been posting with us at FF for about two years now after coming over from a WalterFootball forum.  

So without further adieu, let’s get to know Paul...

 

CBears019:  Tell us a little about yourself (or a lot) so we can get a better picture of who “soulman” really is.

Soulman:  I was born in Evergreen Park, IL and grew up in Oak Lawn so I'm a true born and raised Southsider and an avid Chicago sports fan.  I'm the son of a 95 year old Marine who currently lives in Wisconsin. I'm also the long time single father of four daughters and grandfather of Joe (age 16) and Rylan (age 2 1/2).  My grandfather hated George Halas for being so cheap and for trading away Bobby Layne but he loved the Chicago Bears which is how I became a Bears fan and I will be a Bears fan 'til the day I die sometime in the far distant future I hope.

I'm a semi-retired financial consultant/analyst currently working with a very old friend on a business project in the packaging industry but the Coronavirus has caused some delays in getting it off the ground.  I've also been a weekend warrior musician since HS.  It's never been my profession just a very enjoyable sideline and it remains a very big part of my life. As of today I own 10 guitars and 4 basses but that could change in a matter of a week or less. LOL  I also work on all of my own gear and have even built a couple of guitars for friends.  Music helps me to relax and feeds my soul.

 

C:  So you have four daughters?  Are any of them available?  I believe @Tyty is looking for a date.

S:  Ha ha, he would first have to complete a little questionnaire I use:

To be honest they're more than likely all to old for him or at the very least too mature.  

Actually two are married, one is a significant other, and only my oldest is single but in her own mind well beyond her dating years.  Work and raising my grandson Joe are her primary focus and she is a very good Mom.

 

(Sorry tyty, I tried)

C:  What have you been doing to keep yourself occupied during these “quarantine” days?

S:  Not a hell of a lot. LOL  I've worked from home many times in the past so I keep active in terms of doing research in several areas of interest and doing what I can to push our business plan forward.  I play quite a bit of guitar and bass and have done some modifications on a couple and tune ups on a few others.

I spend time here and following the Bears elsewhere in the media and also with some close friends on a musicians site I'm a member of.  I'm never alone as long as I have my lap top and access to the internet.  I also call my Dad and my daughters every few days just to check in on them and make sure they're all well.

Other than that just ridin' the storm out.

 

C:  You’ve referenced being a guitar player previously, ever play in any bands?  Any platinum records?  Grammys?

S:  My musical career is lengthy.  It began in HS and our rock band became good enough to have attracted two radio DJs as our managers which led to our playing dates with many recording acts some from Chicago like The Buckinghams,  The Cryan Shames, The American Breed, etc.  We never reached star status ourselves but we did make a few local recordings and appeared on the recordings of a few other bands.  But no Gammys. LOL

I played off and on throughout the '70s then moved to Colorado in '83 and resurrected my musical career here playing with some great local musicians and once again playing dates with national recording acts.  I became friends with the members of Firefall and their producer and played in a sideline band with one of the members of Firefall.  I've also played dates with members of Poco, The Dirt Band, The Richie Furay Band, and Timberline.

From the very beginning to today it's been a blast but also a lot of hours and hard work for very little money.  But I learned long ago that if you aren't willing to do it for the pure enjoyment of it don't do it just for the money.  It'll kill you just like it has so many great players from the past.

 

C:  Aside from guitar, what other hobbies do you have?

S:   Really just my music and some of the research I do that's not business related.  Injuries from a couple of accidents have put an end to golfing and skiing for me although at one time I did a lot of both.

 

C:  So you’re currently living in Colorado - what led you there?  If I remember correctly, you mentioned living in Green Bay previously, but have been a Bears fan your whole life?  How was that experience, living behind enemy lines?

S:  My incentive to move here came about 3 years before I did.  I used to come out once a year to ski then in the summers to visit friends who'd moved here.  Skiing and the weather is what made me want to stay.  I made a major career change when I moved here in 1983 and began my first financial planning business.  That's all of what's kept me here since.

I pretty much covered my early years in Chicagoland before so I'll skip forward to my Wisconsin phase.  My family bought a business in Northern Wisconsin right before I started HS.  So my teen and early adult years were spent living in and around Green Bay.  I lived there until 1980 when I moved to Madison before finally relocating to Denver.

Being one of a very few Bears fans in Green Bay I had my share of battles with them but fortunately neither team was doing well in those days and it was the Vikings who ruled.  I did eventually become friends and partied with a few of the Packer players.  I was about their same age so I became their "Bears Fan Mascot".  It was kind of amusing to be at a party and be introduced by them as "the Bears fan over there".  LOL

 

C:  Did you party with any notable Packers players?  Any good stories to share (assuming the statute of limitations has passed)?

S:  It was back in the late 70s after my first divorce.  Back then the players often hung out on Monday nights at a popular disco in town.  The two most prominent were probably QB Lynn Dickey and TE Paul Coffman.  They got a kick out of my being "the only Bears fan in Green Bay" so I became a mascot and they protected me from the wrath of other players like OT Greg Koch.  But I did get along well with most of them.

The players I partied with were other single guys.  As you can imagine single women were attracted to Packer players like bees to honey so female companionship never lacked.  And yes, there are some rather juicy stories I could relate but won't since my post would only look like this anyway.  She ****** my **** and then we ***** for a few hours before she had to leave for work but her roommate ****** me and we partied several times after that.  Those were my wildest and craziest being single days.

(Soulmans Eskimo bros)

 

C:  You’ve talked about having a career in finance.  Have you held any jobs that are actually interesting?

S:  Before moving to Colorado I was a division manager for a company in Green Bay.  I worked for them for over 13 years starting out essentially as a shipping clerk.  I've also done a little bar tending in my day just for ****s and grins when I wasn't playing music.

The financial professions don't share anyone willingly with another "lover" so once I began in that profession that was pretty much it. But I have held several different positions within the financial industry as both an advisor and analyst and as a senior compliance manager and senior principal.

 

C:  So...no?

S:  No.

 

C:  What is your most memorable “Bears” moment since becoming a fan?  What made it so memorable to you?

S:  Too many to mention if only because there were so many.  Attending many games in Lambeau Field are memorable as are a few time I got to watch the Bears live at the old Soldier Field.  I've seen them here in Denver a couple of times as well.

The careers of Bears greats like Gale Sayers, D Butkus, Walter Payton and the exploits of the '80s Bears will always be memorable too but I guess actually watching them win a Super Bowl may be the topper. Now we need a few more....and soon.

 

C:  Who are your top 5 all-time favorite Bears players?

S:  Wow, that's tough to say.  I'd have trouble keeping it to just five.

In the '60s and '70 it's gotta be Sayers, Piccolo, and Butkus, in the '80s probably Walter, Danimal, and Mongo, and more recently Urlacher, Peanut, Mike Brown.  Right now I like all of them.  No real favorites as of yet.

 

C:    If there was one Bear from any past Bears team that you could place on this current team (in his prime, of course) who would it be, and why?

S:  Without question if would be Walter Payton.  Why? Because I'd want the all around best football player the Bears ever had.

 

C:  Since it seems as though you’ve been around the block a few times, what advice would you give to the younger generation?

S:  I think maybe just to "be more aware".  More aware of everything from how the economy actually does work and how government is designed to work not how it's working now.  Corruption can only be weeded out and destroyed when people care enough to actually do it.  Don't be "bought off" by cons.

Each generation and those that succeed them become the current caretakers of this world we live in and the people who populate it.  We Boomers still have plenty of fight in us but we also realize the time has come to move out of the pilot's seat and let the next generations in line step up and take over.

Also love your family and keep them close.  In most cases they're the best supporters and friends you will ever have even though many times it won't feel that way.  I regret that I did not always do that and it led to many of the very wrong decisions I made and problems I created for myself.  Despite that they've always been there for me willing to help me recover from those mistakes, get my past behind me, and move on with my future.

 

C:  Is there anything else you’d like to add that I didn’t ask you?

S:  Not unless you need my SSN and the PIN to my bank accounts.  LOLOL

I don't think so Tim.  I don't mind giving people a glimpse into who I am but beyond that and despite the length of a few responses I'm not all that into talking about myself.

It's just that when you've been on the planet this long you have more history than someone half your age.  None of it has been all that special except to me and the pride I can take personally in some successful accomplishments.  But I'm surely not the only one whose ever done that.

If anyone wants to know more about something specific they can ask and I'll try to answer as fully and honestly as I can changing only the names to protect the guilty.  For some of them the statute of limitations may not have run out. 

 

-------------------------------------------

 

Thank you, @Soulman for doing this interview.  If there's anyone else who would like to be interviewed or someone you want to see be interviewed, send me a PM and I'll consider you for next time.  Who knows?  Maybe I'll actually stay on top of these interviews this time.

[JAF-N72EX]

11 hours ago, CBears019 said:

To be honest they're more than likely all to old for him or at the very least too mature.  

I don't think this would deter tyty at all from trying.  After all, beggars can't be choosers lol.

Good read guys. 

[soulman]

Geez, how did those guys get so old?  I'm sure I'm far better looking and much younger in appearance than these old farts.  LOL

Hey Paul.  Hey Lynn.  Here's a toast to high old times on Monday nights at the Carlton.  

 

[Bigbear72]

Great write up.  Very insightful in regards to, in my opinion, one of our best contributors.

[BEAR FACE DOWN ARROW]

"some rather juicy stories I could relate but won't since my post would only look like this anyway.  She ****** my **** and then we ***** for a few hours before she had to leave for work but her roommate ****** me and we par" 

 

That was a really pleasant read, very well done both.  Hilarious bits like above!

[soulman]

9 minutes ago, Bigbear72 said:

Great write up.  Very insightful in regards to, in my opinion, one of our best contributors.

Thank you for the compliment but I'm just one of many.

I'm here simply because I feel I'm among friends and I'm not as secretive with my friends as I usually am with others.

[soulman]

48 minutes ago, RunningVaccs said:

"some rather juicy stories I could relate but won't since my post would only look like this anyway.  She ****** my **** and then we ***** for a few hours before she had to leave for work but her roommate ****** me and we par" 

 

That was a really pleasant read, very well done both.  Hilarious bits like above!

I can honestly say that the Packer Groupies were so far set apart from anything I was used to in my other world dating experiences that it was like hitting the jackpot at a ***** bank.  ***** being the same thing DJT is notorious for grabbing.  LOL

[BEAR FACE DOWN ARROW]

24 minutes ago, soulman said:

I can honestly say that the Packer Groupies were so far set apart from anything I was used to in my other world dating experiences that it was like hitting the jackpot at a ***** bank.  ***** being the same thing DJT is notorious for grabbing.  LOL

"my god... it's full of stars"

[beardown3231]

Glad to talk with you, @soulman, despite all of our arguments (that I always win). Good info. @CBears019 I'd be happy to be next.

[CBears019]

1 minute ago, beardown3231 said:

Glad to talk with you, @soulman, despite all of our arguments (that I always win). Good info. @CBears019 I'd be happy to be next.

Cool I appreciate the offer, I’ll keep you in mind for the next edition.  Depending on how this virus goes and when sports come back (if they do) i might try to do this once a month or so, maybe even more frequent.

[RTD]

Very good write up.  Living in GA it is difficult to get inside information on the Bears. Really appreciate your posts. 

[dll2000]

On 4/7/2020 at 9:22 AM, soulman said:

Geez, how did those guys get so old?  I'm sure I'm far better looking and much younger in appearance than these old farts.  LOL

Hey Paul.  Hey Lynn.  Here's a toast to high old times on Monday nights at the Carlton.  

 

I am 45 and people legit tell me all the time I look like I am in my 20s.  I bask in it.  

But my wife was cleaning out house and found some old photos of me in college at like 20.  I don't look anything like that anymore.  LOL.  I may not look old, but I don't look young.  I certainly don't look how I looked at 20.  

I used to think how did I get this pretty girl or that pretty girl to go out with me.  They seemed out of my league even at the time.  I look back and I wasn't a bad looking dude.  I can see it now.

 

 

 

[soulman]

8 hours ago, dll2000 said:

I am 45 and people legit tell me all the time I look like I am in my 20s.  I bask in it.  

But my wife was cleaning out house and found some old photos of me in college at like 20.  I don't look anything like that anymore.  LOL.  I may not look old, but I don't look young.  I certainly don't look how I looked at 20.  

I used to think how did I get this pretty girl or that pretty girl to go out with me.  They seemed out of my league even at the time.  I look back and I wasn't a bad looking dude.  I can see it now.

 

 

 

Just wait.  People see me and they ask if I'm alright.  I say yeah, why?  They say you look just like my uncle did two weeks before he died.