RIP Dick Butkus

Miller Lite commercials.

Although often paired with Bubba Smith, and Bubba was funnier.

 

If you were writing a teevee show about a glamorous football quarterback in the City of Angels, you'd name him Roman Gabriel.

 

If you were writing a teevee show about castaways dealing with headhunters, you'd want one of those headhunters to be Roman Gabriel.

 

Butkus and Ditka, who were pretty much thought of as the yin and yang of rough tough Chicago football, only played two seasons together for the Bears.

 

The easy thing to say these days is linebackers like Butkus would be a dime a dozen. That is true to an extent with the decline of the rush. But in his day, his position as a run-stopper was much more important and he certainly was one of the best at that.

NFL linebackers today have to stop the run, cover passes and rush the QB often on the same play depending on the read. Hats off to Big Dick. He was pioneer of the position.

 

Butkus had 22 career INTs. That was almost unheard of for a linebacker back then.

 

Love this Neil Leifer shot for SI




This has already been posted already yes? Some of his "greatest hits" from NFL Films

 

He also had 27 fumble recoveries in only nine years.

The great majority of leaders in this category are QBs recovering their own fumbles. But I believe only Rod Woodson, Jim Marshall, Rickey Jackson and Jason Taylor had more among defensive players.

 

It’s probably just me, but I like his pics pre moustache. He looks meaner.

 

That's before he became civilized.

 

That's what makes the Taylor Swift saga so utterly idiotic. She can set it up with any man, and chooses some imbecile choad from...Kansas City.

LOL