Pat-down not that bad, Bears fans say

The die-hards didn't mind getting a little rubbin' on the way intothe Bears' frigid showdown with the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday night.

Before the season's last home game, security guards frisked fansoutside Soldier Field for the first time this season.

For the NFL, it was a matter of security, and Chicago was the onlytown not patting down fans before every football game.

While the women-to-the-right and men-to-the-left security searchat Gate "O" on the stadium's southern end did create a bit of alonger line, most fans said they'd rather be safe than sorry.

"It's a good idea. Everybody wants to be safe and everybody wantsto have fun," said Bears fan Patrick Parker. "That's how it is."

Giant signs and the regular public address system outside thestadium warned fans of the pat-down policy. But Jeff Lawson said theteam should have provided their best customers -- season ticketholders -- with more notice.

"Why the last game of the season?" Lawson said. "It doesn't makesense."

The delay in implementing the searches stemmed from a disagreementbetween Bears brass and officials from the Chicago Park District,which owns the stadium. The two sides couldn't agree on who shouldpay for the searches and be liable in the event of a lawsuit.

Before Sunday's game, the Bears decided to pick up the tab and anyliability this year.

Next year an arbitrator will decide whether the team or parkdistrict will pay for the added security measure.

BUZZ KILL

NFL vice president of security Milt Ahlerich said the pat-downpolicy was working as planned, with no one refusing a search. Stadiumsecurity, he said, was instructed to be on the lookout for largeexplosives, not small items.

Still, those restrictions had fans unzipping their coats andunraveling blankets in longer than normal lines.

The security line was a bit of a buzz kill for fans like KristieStojek, who had to cough up her bottle of peach schnapps on the wayinside.

"I don't mind unzipping my coat. My alcohol got taken, so thatticked me off, but it's OK," she said. "Before the pat-down, I couldsneak in anything as long as it wasn't as big as my boob."

Marc Bodner, who last week sneaked six beers into the game, saidhe'll now have to bring in a flask "hidden where they're not going tocheck.

"They did some searches after Sept. 11 but then stopped," he said."It makes sense to pat people down. It's just going to cost me a bitmore [for beers]."

Longtime fan Steve Zook, a season ticket holder since 1964, saidthe pat down is just part of professional sports these days.

"It wasn't too bad. It's a good thing, they should do it," Zooksaid. "We've got a lot of nuts out there."

Once inside, all the fans' focus was on the field.

That held true even at halftime when James Lord of West Dundee wona $300,000 house that will be built for him by Town and CountryHomes, a Lombard-based builder.

mkonkol@suntimes.com