The Superbowl Shuffle: 1985 Chicago Bears- Superbowl Champions
by Wilson of Predictem.com
People dont often think of football players as musicians or dancers for that matter, but the 1985 Chicago Bears football team proved to the world that they could in fact, sing and dance.
Bears player, Willie Gault, was approached by his good friend Randy Weigand about a dance routine from the show Amos and Andrew. The show featured a dance routine called the Kingfish Shuffle which Weigand thought the Bears could recreate and make their own version. The shuffle would be used as a celebratory routine in the end zone after every touchdown. However, there have been several rule changes regarding end zone celebrations, and the Superbowl Shuffle was more of a marketed video to entertain fans and help donate any monetary gain to charities.
Sure enough, the song and dance routine was a huge hit as fans all over the country and the world were singing along and trying to memorize all the dance (shuffle) moves. The song actually climbed the National Billboard Charts all the way up to No. 41 but was cut short of being played on the top 40 hits. Also, the song was ranked No.75 on the hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles and Tracks. In addition to all of these accolades the Super Bowl Shuffle was then nominated for a Grammy for best Rhythm & Blues Vocal Performance-duo or group. The Grammy nomination was the first ever nomination for a sports team.
The video was produced after the Bears lost their only contest of the season to the Miami Dolphins 38-24. The Dolphins were playing with perhaps some extra motivation as they had to defend their title as the only undefeated team to go the distance and win the Superbowl too. They accomplished their task. But the Bears didnt hold their heads in their hands very long as they won the remainder of their games including the 1985 Superbowl.
The Super Bowl Shuffle crew starred Walter Payton (Sweetness) Jim McMahon (Punky QB) and Mike Singletary (Samurai). The other notable members of the crew were Richard Dent, Willie Gault, William refrigerator Perry, Otis Wilson, Steve Fuller, Mike Richardson, and Gary Fencik. Interestingly, Payton and McMahon were not available for the video shoot so they were dubbed in later.
There was also a Shuffling Crew chorus and band in the video. Several players were involved and nearly the entire team participated in this newly found football dance fever if you will. However, the Bears defensive end Dan Hampton refused to participate in the Superbowl Shuffle because he claimed it was a little too cocky.
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Band members included: Maury Buford, Mike Tomczak, Calvin Thomas, Stefan Humphries, and Tyrone Keys. The chorus included: Thomas Sanders, Leslie Frazier, Shaun Gayle, Dennis Gentry, Ken Taylor, Reggie Phillips, Jim Morrissey, Dan Rains, and Keith Ortego.
The joy of being an NFL Football fan is not just rooting for your favorite team but appreciating all of the athletes who understand how to have fun and entertain us- the fans. Sure, we have our share of players who get in trouble and cast a shadow over the league but most of that is out weighed by the majority of NFL players who truly love what they do and arent afraid to have a little fun.
In 1985 the Chicago Bears Football team did something that captured the attention of not just football fans but people from all walks of life. Yeah, we football fans like to watch a great game with hard hitting, one-handed grabs, and naked bootlegs but every once in a while its nice to see the lighter side of the players doing something positive for people in need. The entire revenue generated by the video was donated to charity. Thanks for the memories Bears!