R. I. P. Dick Butkus

[baddog]

The best middle linebacker ever. 
 

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[LumRaiderFan]

He was the man!

[baddog]

1 hour ago, LumRaiderFan said:

He was the man!

Saw an interview with Butkus years ago. He was asked why he hit so hard, he said because he didn’t want the guy he tackled to have to read the number on his jersey to know who tackled him. He wanted him to KNOW he was hit by Butkus.

Opposing teams had some plays they liked to run because they worked well with the personnel they had on their team. However, they could not run those plays because of Butkus. Teams had to change game strategies just because of one man…..Butkus.

Off the field, he had a sense of humor and was an approachable, like able guy. On the field, he was a maniac. I am old enough to have enjoyed watching him play. That was back when football was football. He would be kicked out of every game today.

Anyone who may not know who Butkus is, Google his highlights. You didn’t break his tackles. He was a true legend.

[Granite State]

I first heard of Dick Butkus when he was playing at the University of Illinois, and back then the information was not readily available. Football wasn't all over the place. ABC had a contract with the NCAA and telecasts of college football belonged exclusively to them. ABC provided one college game on Saturday afternoon and that was it until next week. Any particular team might be seen on TV one time during the regular season. Usually they divided the country into four regions and each region got to see a game of two teams from their area. If Illinois was playing we would see some other game as they were in a different region. So the only opportunity to see Dick Butkus was when Illinois went to the Rose Bowl, which back then was the only bowl game the Big 10 schools were allowed to play in.

So we heard about Butkus but didn't get to see him play very often. But what an impression when we did. My memory, my very vivid memory, was how ridiculous, how absolutely absurd it was for the other team to attempt to move the ball downfield when Butkus was playing defense. It simply couldn't be done. The guy needed to go to the NFL. He was just too good to be playing college football.