Web only: Why victories of sports teams from our youth burn brightest

For more of our interview with author Rich Cohen, watch CNN's "The Lead with Jake Tapper" at 4 p.m. ET

Many sports fans hold a special place in their hearts for victorious sports teams from their youth. For CNN's Jake Tapper, it is the 1980 Philadelphia Phillies; for author Rich Cohen, it is the 1985 Chicago Bears.

"Those first teams are like the first thing that ever happens to you, and you believe that this is how it's going to be forever," said Cohen, author of "Monsters: The 1985 Chicago Bears and the Wild Heart of Football."

"You actually believe, if you're a Bears fan in January 1986 when they thrash the New England Patriots ... that you're better than everyone from New England and Boston, it gives you tremendous pride," Cohen said.

The historical context of the Bears' victorious run is not lost on Cohen, or other fans of that era. The author recalls seeing, as a kid, a shirt with the words "Chicago Cubs World Champs" with the date 1908 added below in tiny letters.

"All your life, I grew up believing that no matter what happened, it's going to end in misery, humiliation, and ruin," said Cohen. "The Bears just blasted through all that and became the '85 Bears."