Bradley Sowell is a member of the Chicago Bears. He re-signed with them because he loves the team and believes in the direction they’re headed. One would think this has given him enough time to establish a certain love or loyalty to one of the local baseball teams. Mitch Trubisky and Kyle Long appear to be in the White Sox corner while Eddie Jackson and Khalil Mack favor the Cubs. As it turns out, Sowell already favors another team.
One that Chicago has come to hate over the years. The Milwaukee Brewers.
Sowell explained the situation to Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times. Over the past few years, the former tackle has his next career path once his playing days are done. He wishes to get involved in NFL front office work with the goal of being a GM someday. He’s a big fan of Ryan Pace’s work and is also brother-in-law to Brewers GM David Stearns.
This has led to the new Bears tight end openly wearing Milwaukee gear in the locker room. Something that gets him more than a few sideways glances.
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The 6-7 Sowell has lost weight — he’s down from 310 to 285 pounds, with a bit more to go — to prepare for his new role.
Stearns knows the challenges of a veteran changing positions, but also the benefits: The Brewers moved slugger Mike Moustakas to second base this year, a position he’d never played in the big leagues. He’s been one of their best players.
Maybe he’ll become one of Sowell’s favorites, too. He’s already used to getting funny looks from his Bears teammates when he wears Brewers gear in the locker room.
“When people ask,” Sowell said, “I tell them, ‘I support family.’ ”
Bradley Sowell can be forgiven if he help beat Green Bay
Plenty of Cubs fans won’t like hearing this. Then again as far as Wisconsin team loyalties go, it could be a lot worse than the Brewers. Sowell is far from the first player who plays for one city but still has a connection to a rival city. Imagine if he revealed he supported the Packers in secret? People would accuse him of being a double agent.
Provided he does his job on Sundays, most will probably let this one slide. That said, it’s probably going to get super awkward in that locker room if it comes down to a race between the Cubs and Brewers in September in the NL Central. It’s already shaping up to go that way. The trash talking may reach top tier levels. Hopefully someone will have a video camera on hand.
