You’d have to be from Mars to not know the name “Dick Butkus”.
His accolades speak for themself.
Now, that was honor and respect.
This guy had to have been a big deal.
And man, was he ever.
(He played a high school basketball coach in this show.
It was light-hearted Saturday morning television.
He also met his high school sweetheart, and future wife of 60 years, Helen, there.
(The two would go on to finish as offensive and defensive rookies of the year.)
Think about that for a second.
That would NEVER happen today.
Butkus played the game with such ferocity that he once had four personal fouls in apreseason game.
Butkus recorded 1,020 tackles, 22 interceptions, and 27 fumble recoveries over nine seasons.
But death came for Halas before he had the opportunity.
In 1985, the Butkus Award was established to honor outstanding high school, college, and professional linebackers.
His contributions to the sport were further recognized when the Bears retired his No.
51 jersey in 1994.
If I was smart enough to be a doctor, I’d be a doctor.
I ain’t, so I’m a football player.-Dick Butkus
Well, maybe on the field too.
To him and everyone they came across.
(Forewarning, he uses CAPITALS a lot when he texts.
Cut him some slack.)
His parents, truly, raised him right.
It’s been said that “Class is something hard to describe, but easy to recognize.”
It was almost comedic.
After seeing this, I would often whisper to him: “Your parents raised you right!”
Or “Hey, Pal, What are these people sitting here invisible?”
I / We expected the EXACT OPPOSITE".
As a football player, Butkus had a nose for the ball.
Butkus was so proud of his Interception Record.
By way of that…he was a HUGE NOTRE DAME FAN , his daughter Niki, an alum.
But when you think about it, it wasn’t hard to understand why.
He was the “SULTAN OF SUPERLATIVES…. & THE “ORIGINAL” MONSTER OF THE MIDWAY ….
THE DARTH VADER OF DEFENSE…
THE MAESTRO OF MAYHEM
THE HERCULES OF HELLACIOUS HITS… “He made quarterbacks crumble….running backs fumble…and pass receivers humble.”
Rest in Peace, Dick Butkus.
