Overtime Heroics NFL Fans

Our goal is to find those football fans that represent their teams from somewhere outside of that state. So if you follow a team from miles away, let us know, and you might be the next reader to be featured.

Without further due, it is our honor, to introduce our first ever Overtime Heroics NFL FAN:

Claire da Bear

Famous for her online NFL twitter giveaways, Claire da Bear has been a football fan for over thirty three years,

In England!

Her popularity on social media and as an NFL ambassador has grown throughout the years, and she even appeared in an interview for Yahoo Sports. However, her story starts all the way back to when she was three years old.

It was 1985, Super Bowl XX, Bears vs Patriots, and her mother was about to give birth to her baby brother. While at the hospital, her father, instead of being in the place that he should have been, took Claire to the waiting room to watch the game, and that"s when she fell in love with the sport.

The Bears had their navy and orange uniform (Claire"s favorite colors) and because of her dyslexia, she knew that her name started with a C, which is the logo of Chicago, and just to add all the signs up.

Her older sister"s nickname is Yogi Bear, and she was Boo Boo Bear, so, it all made sense.

“I didn"t picked the Bears, they picked me"

“When you are three, you don"t really understand anything, but they played like superheroes, and I was sold!"

What"s it like being an NFL fan in a country known for soccer/rugby?

Soccer is king in England, and rugby/cricket is second, but not in her household! Her family has a proud history of military service and because of that, they have been around a lot of Americans. However, it hasn"t always been easy being an NFL fan in the U.K.

Before the Internet even existed, you had to go look for the U.S.A Today, to try and get the scores of each game. Nonetheless, her dad, was able to subscribe to a service, in which you would receive a VHS tape every two weeks, with NFL games, because there was no other way to watch them!

“I can remember being on school trips, and I would try to find American tourist, to ask them for the scores of that week"

She even got grounded because she would sneak downstairs to watch the games on T.V. at “hours" not apt for children

It wasn"t always pretty:

“My mom would give me a day for every point that the team I wanted to win would score"

The armed forces radio was another source that helped her keep in touch with the sport, but

“You had to sit close to it, in the right position, arms a certain way, just to get that signal"

“It wasn"t always easy, I"ve stayed up until five a.m. to watch games"

Claire is also very thankful with the NFL movement oversees, as that has increased the sports popularity. She describes the culture more as a type of NFL tribe, everyone is welcome, and you cheer for every team.

“We have a special NFL nod here in England, every football fan knows about it"

Her passion for the Chicago Bears

Claire"s first real love in the Chicago Bears was Brian Urlacher, as it was the first ever draft she was able to watch. She has one of the three Brian Urlacher pictures that ever made in to the U.K. and was lucky enough to buy it off someone on a Giveaway, and it is six foot across, and it"s called the Bear Hug.

“We never lost because of Urlacher, in anything, he got us closer to wins than anyone has on that team."

Her collection is very impressive, and she has over forty Bears autographs, including:

• Brian Urlacher
• Richard Dent
• Mike Singletary
• Walter Payton
• Mike Ditka
• Dick Butkus
• Gayle Sayers
• Sid Luckman
• William Perry
• Devin Hester
• Greg Olsen
• Curtis Conway
• Mitchell Trubisky

NFL Games & Soldier Field

“I love meeting new fans and sharing my passion and love with the sport."

With the NFL setting up games in the U.K. it has opened up access to this beautiful sport.

“But I enjoy turning on the T.V. and watching NFL on Game Pass or Sky Sports."

With the internet and global shipping, she now spends her money on more collectibles, specially new Bears caps!

“At the beginning it was very difficult to get autographs, I would have to save up all year long."

However, she makes sure every autograph is JDA Certified!

“My giveaways are open worldwide, so I have to make sure everything is authenticated."

But getting autographs isn"t as easy as you would think:

“We have no card trading shops in the U.K., I had to go to undercover clubs."

Bears in the U.K.

The Bears have been to the U.K. three times, and Claire has been to each game:

• 1986: Pre-season at the old Wembley stadium – Claire made it with her parents as a child.
• 2011: Bears vs Buccaneers at the new Wembley stadium – Claire went with her friend John using her traditional costume.
• 2019: Bears vs Raiders at the Tottenham stadium.

However, her favorite memory of the London games was a Chargers vs Saints game. The Saints got to play in London because of Hurricane Katrina

“There was seconds to go, I"ve literally got goosebumps as we speak, everyone was standing up. We where at the further end zone when this was happening, Brees heaves a long pass. Seconds to go, I remember, 80,000 people all breathing at the same moment, and there is a catch at the corner of the end zone, and it was electrifying, the place erupted!"

Possibility of the U.K. Getting a Team in the Future

She tells us that she would not want a full NFL franchise in the U.K. as she enjoys the mix they currently get, as it also allows fans to have opportunities to watch their teams.

“The Jaguars have played divisional games here, and we love it, we are getting games that matter!"

“There is nothing like going to a game here, everyone loves each other, it"s like a carnival!"

Funny Story – Memorabilia

Claire Da Bear shares with us a great short story:

“A few years ago, I had a small fire in my house, and I had to move to my sisters house. She said I could bring three things to her house. My first and most important, was a white ball, personally signed to me by Shaun Gayle. The best thing was, that when he autographed it, he knew exactly who I was, it was amazing"

She also has a sock addiction, and her mom has to constantly remind her that she can"t wear Bears gear everywhere she goes.

“It"s funny how many Bears socks I have, for some reason, my fans always send me some!"

Claire is not currently happy with the Bears QB situation

“I"ve never bought a quarterback jersey before, and Trubisky is looking like Grossman"

She has two of them!

Giveaways

Our OTH NFL Fan Claire Da Bear is mostly known online for her famous giveaways. She started almost five years ago, and she would stand in line four to six hours to get the autographs.

“I will keep going until I run from stuff to give away. I love giving and making people happy"

Claire has something special coming up for one of her giveaways. On Thanksgiving, she is going to do a giveaway for the Texans, and by the time the Super Bowl comes, she will have done 200 giveaways in just five years!

“My mom has always taught me to share! And to be who I am"

A special shoutout to her sister and her friends who always encourage and support her. If you want to follow/support Claire da Bear on twitter, click here. We"d like to thank Claire for giving us her time and sharing her amazing NFL journey with us! Stay tuned for our next OTH NFL Fan story!

Don"t forget to follow me on twitter, and for more NFL related stories, click here.