This is the one you've been looking forward to all week -- the Bears and Packers in the NFC Championship game. Imagine being an NBC executive, though -- you've planned all year for the Stanley Cup rematch of the Blackhawks and Flyers to be your feature game on your season premiere of NHL coverage, and it gets virtually no attention in the Chicago media. Fortunately for NBC (and Blackhawks and Bears fans), the game begins at 11:30 a.m., which means it should be just about over when the Bears and Packers kick off.
↵↵There's some other football game tomorrow, too... to determine the Bears' opponent in the Super Bowl.
↵↵11:30 a.m., NBC-5: NHL, Blackhawks vs. Flyers at the United Center. It's the first meeting of the teams since last June's Stanley Cup finals.
↵↵11:30 a.m., Big Ten Network: College basketball, No. 17 Wisconsin at Northwestern. This game time was moved up 30 minutes to make sure it will be over by the time the Bears and Packers kick off.
↵↵2 p.m., Fox-32: NFL, NFC Championship game, Bears vs. Packers at Soldier Field. No more hype needed, just win. Announcers: Joe Buck and Troy Aikman.
↵↵2 p.m., Big Ten Network: College basketball, Indiana at Iowa. For die-hards only.
↵↵3 p.m., Comcast 100: AHL, Wolves vs. Barons at Allstate Arena. Can't imagine this game will get too many viewers. Or fans attending, for that matter.
↵↵5 p.m., CSN Chicago: Bears Postgame Live
↵↵5:30 p.m., CBS-2: NFL, AFC Championship game, Jets at Steelers. Announcers: Jim Nantz and Phil Simms.