Sweetness and The Original Chicago Flu Game
Game 5, 1997 NBA Finals; Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls were tied 2 games to 2 games with Karl Malone’s Utah Jazz. At 2:00 AM on the Tuesday before the Wednesday game, the leader of the Bulls came down with a stomach virus, which some say was from food poisoning and some say could have been the Flu. Whatever it was, Jordan certainly did not seem prepared to play a hardly contested playoff game, and the Chicago training staff said there is no way he could play that game. According to an ESPN article from 2004, Jordan stayed in bed for 24 hours, only leaving his bed three hours before tip-off. Jordan was clearly weak from his illness, moving with little energy and starting off the game slowly, giving the Jazz a 16 point lead in the second quarter. However, despite this slow start, the Bulls would win the game by 2 points, with Jordan ultimately scoring 38 of the 90 points, and getting 7 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals, and 1 block.
The Chicago Bulls would go on to win the series in game 6 and Jordan would get his 5th Finals MVP award. Needless to say, Game 5 (“The Flu Game”) is one of the moments that defined Michael Jordan’s Hall of Fame career.
While this iconic game is the first thing sports fans think of when they hear ‘Flu Game,’ Walter Payton, better known as ‘Sweetness,” had an iconic flu game himself. And, maybe an even more impressive game than Jordan’s flu game. On November 20th 1977, the Chicago Bears were playing their division rival Minnesota Vikings, in a game that had playoff implications. In the days before, Payton came down with an intense Flu, including symptoms of hot/cold flashes and weakness. Most thought Payton would not play on Sunday, including Payton himself, but on a day that most people would dread when sick (82% humidity and 21 MPH winds), Payton started the game. In the locker room, moments before the game, it is said that Payton was laying on the floor shivering from his intense fever.
Sweetness ran for an NFL record of 275 yards with a 101-degree fever, breaking the previous record of 273 yards held by O.J. Simpson. Let me say that again. Walter ‘Sweetness’ Payton ran for 275 yards with a fever of 101-degrees. And this is not just a few big break-away runs, Payton ran the ball 40 times against a top 12 defense, still using his brutal power running style. To put that in perspective the record for rushing attempts in a game is 45. This single game rushing yard record would not be broken for 23 years, until Corey Dillion ran for 278 yards in October of 2000 (note, without the Flu). Currently Adrian Peterson holds the record with 296 yards (who also did not have the Flu).
The Chicago Bears would go on to win the game 10 to 7, with the only Bears touchdown coming from the ill Walter Payton. This win would help the Bears tie with the Vikings at the top of the NFC Central. The Vikings would ultimately win the division due to a point-based tie breaker of only 3 points, but both would make the playoffs. If all else remained the same, and Chicago lost that game, the Washington Redskins would have made the playoffs instead of Chicago. Chicago would ultimately lose big in against the eventual Super Bowl Champion Dallas Cowboys, but nevertheless, Payton’s Flu game goes down as one of the most clutch single player performances in NFL history.
So, which Flu game was better? Michael Jordan’s 38 point Game 5? or Walter Payton’s record breaking 275 yards rushing in a late season victory?
No disrespect to Jordan, but I’d pick Sweetness any day.
