Editor’s note: Who’s the most rabid Bears fan in the Muscatine area? That may be impossible to determine. But local readers nominated a bunch of folks who could lay claim to the title. We also asked for names of over-the-top fans for the Indianapolis Colts, the Bears’ opponent in Sunday’s Super Bowl showdown. Uh, virtually no response; perhaps they’re all in Miami for the big game.

Anyway, following is a rundown of the nominees and excerpts from written comments submitted by relatives, friends and co-workers (those we could verify by Thursday’s deadline). Have fun reading and, if it suits, arguing about who is the biggest fan.  

Larry Kirkland, Muscatine: Like many Bears fanatics, he’s got a room decorated in team colors and filled with related accessories — even his pets’ food bowls. And at Christmas, yes, his tree was covered with Da Bears stuff.

Jeremy Nichols, Muscatine: A Bears fan since he was old enough to know

what football was. It would take a death in the family to tear him away from a game. He collects anything Bears; he dresses his 2 ½- year-old daughter in Bears clothes.

Jennifer Sawyer, Muscatine: Her answering machine even says “The Bears are in the Super Bowl, yay! go Bears!” Heck, she’s probably wearing a Bears sweatshirt today at the Muscatine Credit Bureau. 

Erik Reed and his son, Kolby Reed, and brothers, Silvin Jr. and Kraig, Muscatine:  Erik’s father, Silvin Reed Sr., was a big Bears fan and raised his three boys to love the Chicago Bears. Erik will be watching the Super Bowl with Kolby in the same house Erik    grew up in (Silvin Jr. bought the family home). The Bears have won every game they watched at this house so they won’t be taking any chances  on watching the game somewhere else. …  Kolby’s walls in his room are painted Bears colors. …   Although the Bears are number one to my Kolby, he does own a Colts jersey — Dallas Clark (former Iowa Hawkeye). Erik’s brothers are also big Bears fans. The family is tied together by their interest in this team. When the brothers were kids, they had a dog named “Walter,” named after the great Bears running back, Walter Payton.

Jeff Olderog, Muscatine:  He has more Bears paraphernalia than anyone … and still loves to sing the “Super Bowl Shuffle.”

 Jack Savage, Muscatine:   He’s from Chicago, and he’s really excited about the Super Bowl. Of course. 

Troy Avis, Muscatine:  Even when relatives would harass him after every losing season, he never gave up on his team. 

Eric Hutchins: His home office is painted in orange and has everything Bears in it. Eric has a tattoo of the Bears logo on his right arm. He gives his family 36 weeks of the year but the 16 weeks of the NFL season are his (oh, and maybe those playoff weeks, too).  

Randy Sturms, Moscow: Put Bears tatoos on his face.

 Jeff Weggen, Muscatine: Bears fans since age 3.

 Matthew Ash, Wilton 

Butch Bennett, Conesville: This postmaster is well known for his devotion to the Bears. 

Don Hassel, Muscatine: He’s No. 1 Bears fan around here, say his supporters.  

David Courtois, Muscatine: This firefighter’s world revolves around whether the  Bears win or lose. 

Tom Dillon, Muscatine: Knows more about the Bears than anyone his daughter Shanna knows. 

Jerry Driscoll: This co-manager at Wal-Mart is wearing Bears clothes to work this week.

Chadd Irwin, Muscatine:  15-year-old has always been loyal to the Bears and talked his mother, Lisa, into supporting the team.  

Steve Edwards and Fern Gonzalez, Muscatine:  Two of the most insane Bears fans of all time. Steve painted his garage orange and blue, and Fern wears nothing but Bears clothing on game days. 

Donald Blake, Muscatine: Longtime fan was in Chicago to see the Bears’ great Walter Payton have a record-setting day rushing against the Minnesota Vikings. Predicts there will be Part 2 to the “Super Bowl Shuffle”  after Sunday’s game.

Tim Kutcher, Muscatine: Applebee’s manager is not shy about his affection for the Bears. 

Chris Painter, Fruitland: Wears a lot of Bears shirts, gloves, hats, etc., and never tires of watching them with his son, Zachary.

Jeff Bishop, Muscatine:   Since the Bears qualified for the Super Bowl, he and his dad  have been watching their tape of the 1985 Bears over and over.     

Jenny Brendel, Muscatine: Follows in her father’s footsteps as an extremely avid Bears fan.

Dan Figueroa, Muscatine: His sister, Vanessa, says Sunday’s game  is going to be the greatest moment of his life. During the NFC championship game, he put Vanessa’s stuffed bears in the living room and put Bears hats on them. 

Randy Smith, Muscatine: Devout family man has given up many hobbies but not being a Bears fans.  Has a Bears tattoo  on his upper arm and has taken his oldest daughter to Bears training camps.

 Bobby Johnston, Muscatine: His handle is “Chainsaw” and he is the craziest Bears fan on the planet, friends say. 

Jake and Angie Gabriel, Fruitland: Their 2006 family Christmas card featured the Bears pennant hanging with the stockings. 

Lindley Schenkel and son Randy, Muscatine: Both crazy Bears diehards. 

Lance Richards, Muscatine: The Bears are all he’s talking about these days, and he’s wearing team clothing to work daily. 

Marty Buster, Muscatine: Every game, he dresses in team garb, and he owns umpteen Bears caps. How his daughter, Heather Brossart, became a Colts fan, well, that’s a mystery.

Casey Koehler, Illinois City, Ill.: He’s in the Navy and has been a huge Bears fan since age 4. He’s confident that Bears quarterback Rex Grossman will do just fine this Sunday.