I wore his Jersey number, my HS colors were very similar to Da Bears. Black and White, which in my head was the uniforms color on TV...even in color it looked B and W.
Coming from Deacon Jones that is high praise. He was definitely old school. Watching highlights from his career this evening, he was savage. When savagery was what the NFL required and desired. Dick Butkus, Ray Nitschke (the prototype), Chuck Howley, Mike Curtis..... they set the mold.
Off the field and post-career he seemed like a good man.
RIP MR Butkus.
I have fond memories of watching him play whenever a 🐻 game was televised in our area. The little bit of football I played I tried to emulate how he played, hit hard and don’t let go until the whistle sounds.
I just wonder what type of monster he would be in the modern era with the nutritional knowledge, conditioning and health care available now.
IDK if he would be welcome in the soft game today.
I met him and Bubba Smith at the Foxx Inn in Santa Monica California. I went to California to hang out with a childhood friend at the local bars for the 1980 Super Bowl. Butkus asked if he could join us at our table. We had a great time with him and Bubba. Two of the nicest guys you would ever want to meet.
go bawls out. hit hard. don’t stop until the whistle.
and when it’s over you will have given it everything you had and then some.
that’s how we were taught to play the game in the late 70s / early 80s.
that’s how Butkis did it. he showed us the way.
and that’s how America worked and played.
at our best, we were awe inspiring. which scared the ever livin’ crap out of the world.
which is why they attack us and try to destroy our country...
No one ever accused him of being a ‘dirty’ player, like a Conrad Dobler, but everybody he ever hit knew Butkus meant to do them harm.