Bear Michaels, affectionately (and fearfully) known as “The Grizzly Cannon,” is Westlake High School’s most unforgettable quarterback—not just because he broke records, but because he also broke several cafeteria chairs along the way. At 6’3″ and 285 pounds, Bear is a walking, talking monument to Texas football, barbecue, and sheer determination.
While Westlake is famous for producing sleek, polished quarterbacks, Bear was… different. His playing style was less about finesse and more about physics. Defenders would bounce off him like bowling pins as he lumbered toward the end zone. One opposing coach famously called him “a one-man stampede in cleats.” Bear didn’t slide to avoid hits—he’d deliver them. Westlake’s athletic trainers eventually added “tackling Bear” as a conditioning drill.
“The Grizzly Cannon” nickname started as a joke after he launched a football so hard it knocked over a Gatorade cooler—and a referee standing next to it. The name stuck because, well, he’s built like a grizzly and has a cannon for an arm. Plus, the grizzly part came in handy when describing his eating habits. Local barbecue joints started offering a “Bear Special” after he devoured 10 pounds of brisket, three racks of ribs, and a plate of banana pudding—during halftime.
Bear’s off-field antics were just as legendary. Once, during a team film session, the projector broke, and Bear casually suggested, “Maybe I can throw the ball hard enough to fix it.” Another time, the team’s bus broke down before a game, and Bear jokingly offered to push it—though no one was sure he couldn’t.
Despite being the younger brother of Buck Michaels, Bear has no interest in living in his shadow. “Buck’s fast and graceful,” Bear once said in an interview. “I’m neither of those things. But can Buck eat 47 wings and throw a touchdown at the same time? Didn’t think so.” With “The Grizzly Cannon” leading the charge, one thing’s for sure—CFSL football will never be the same.
