Brad Biggs' 10 thoughts on the Bears100 Celebration Weekend

10 thoughts after the Bears100 Celebration Weekend at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont.

1. The Bears100 Celebration was a lot of different things for a lot of people.

The new classic jersey, which will be worn twice this season as an alternate, was a huge hit with the fans who came through the doors. There were folks wearing the new white jersey everywhere you looked.

The panels were terrific and well done, a chance for folks to hear more details about stories they’ve heard before and there were plenty of new tales, stuff I’ve never heard previously from players of different eras whom I have spoken to many times. Much of that is intertwined below.

But the biggest takeaway, from my perspective, was how much the players enjoyed the opportunity to come together again, to see former teammates and to rub shoulders with some of the legends who have played the game for the organization.

Sure, a lot of these guys stay in touch with former teammates and they see some of them from time to time. But the planning the Bears put into this, to bring together so many players from the past, really made it a special weekend for them too. It was random, too, when you see Hall of Fame running back Gale Sayers on the orange carpet, followed by Matt Toeaina, a defensive tackle the Bears plucked off the Bengals’ practice squad back in 2007 who went on to be a solid rotational player for six seasons.

“It’s awesome, it really is,” former All-Pro center Olin Kreutz said. “You don’t really know until you are pulling up and it’s like, ‘Holy crap, everyone actually came out for this.’ A 100-year football celebration, if you played football, this is it.

“I was just talking to Matt Suhey and then Brandon McGowan (a former safety) comes along. It’s going to be that kind of random encounter and it’s awesome. It’s going to be a fun weekend. (My) kids are all here and they are loving it. I made them come so at least someone is wearing my jersey.”

Former All-Pro safety Gary Fencik, a member of the Super Bowl XX champions, said: “You know when I first heard about this, I wasn’t sure what to think of it.” Fencik noted that the Bears host an alumni weekend each year during the season.

“But I think this is more an appreciation of what the fans (mean),” he said. “Driving up here, it’s a three-block line. This is real. It’s the appreciation and understanding that you are a part of a context of something much bigger than the 12 years I played. … It’s really 100 years of a special organization and celebration of a great sport.”

Dick Butkus made the trip from California for the weekend and he was in awe of the long lines Friday night before the opening ceremony.

“I couldn’t believe the amount of people trying to get in here,” he said. “It’s six-deep and it goes all around this building. I don’t know where the heck they’re going to put them or when they’ll get in here for the event. It signifies what people in Chicago feel about the Bears. It’s 100 years. It’s a hell of an organization. I get a kick out of all these players who say how great the fans are in Tampa Bay or Seattle. I’m like, give me a break, man. They must not have been here in Chicago. It’s really neat to see and very proud and humbled to be a part of the Bears organization.

“The first guy I saw in 28 or 30 years, Craig Clemons (the Bears’ first-round pick in 1972), I used to really kid around with him. Even though I don’t live in Chicago, I don’t think a lot of these guys do get together. In talking to George McCaskey, I think there are 1,600 living ex-Bears players and I think maybe they have half, the information to call or talk to someone. Hopefully ... everyone can participate in this. I know a lot of people can’t travel probably, but a lot of them we don’t know where they’re at. Hopefully something like this (will help).”

Fencik is right, the Bears do a nice job with their alumni weekend each year during the season. They invite former players to come back and there are plenty of stories swapped then. This was set up to give the players that chance but also to involve the fans. What does Chairman George McCaskey hope current players take away from the weekend?

“How much the Bears mean to Chicago, to this area,” he said. “How much they mean to these great fans and how much these want them to succeed.”

Fans weren’t the only ones star-struck. Former cornerback Charles Tillman said on a panel he wasn’t sure about asking Butkus to pose for a photo.

Butkus, of course, wasn’t the only legend in attendance. He was one of many, and that meant a weekend filled with great stories, some of which I will touch on.

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Fans look over Saturday's schedule. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)

2. The feeling right now is the current Bears are on the verge of something good, maybe something great.

They broke through in 2018, ending a long postseason drought while pulling off a worst-to-first move in the NFC North. The 2005 Bears did something similar. They went from the outhouse to the penthouse. Expectations were not high for the Bears entering 2005 when coach Lovie Smith was in his second season. Folks expected the Bears to be better last year, but not many saw them going 12-4 in Matt Nagy’s first season. Both teams were led by excellent defenses. Both teams had young quarterbacks. Kyle Orton was a rookie in 2005. Mitch Trubisky was in his second season last year.

So are there some real parallels between 2005 and 2018?

“Lot of similarities,” said offensive line coach Harry Hiestand, who was in his first season in the NFL in 2005. “Coming off a poor year before. Good young team. Good defense. Especially as the year was going on. Seriously, exactly what Coach (Nagy) talked about the day after the Philly game. You get better or you get worse. You don’t stay the same. And they’ve been on that track. They come out every day. How are you going to improve in the things you do? Don’t think because you did that last year it is going to happen for you. That’s been the approach and the players have responded tremendously to that.”

Said Olin Kreutz, the center of the 2005 team: “There are a lot of parallels. We won 11 games. The defense was good. Kyle Orton was playing as a rookie. He played 15 games. All the excitement. Good defense. Offense kind of coming along. Yeah, there are a lot of parallels, if you think about it. All of the excitement now, the good chemistry on their team, Khalil Mack.

“I know it is going to sound cliché, but they have to keep that chip on their shoulder. They have to enjoy doing the little things, like learning the details of their new defense with Chuck Pagano, learning all of the details of their offense and just really executing and doing exactly what their coaches ask them to do. And then guys have to take another step. They can’t continue playing at the same level. You can’t get comfortable and every week you have to go out there and almost learn how to compete every week to win. That’s a hard thing to do.”

Said Roberto Garza, who was in his first season with the Bears in 2005: “It’s hard to make comparisons, but what I see is a lot of the same chemistry on that team that we had back in those years. That defense is flying around making plays and the offense is kind of finding its stride. When I see that team and the way they play for each other, that’s fun to see that again. They’re getting that confidence to go out and win football games, and once you get a taste of it, that’s all you want to do.”

Alex Brown, a defensive end for the 2005 team, cautioned that the 2018 season doesn’t guarantee success is ahead.

“I am going to speak on the defense because I don’t think our offense was nearly as good as this offense last year,” Brown said. “In ’05, our offense was bad. And our defense had to play special. That defense was crazy.”

Brown pointed out that the Bears defense allowed 283 points in 2018 to rank first in the NFL. The ’05 defense also was first in the NFL but allowed only 202 points.

“They gave up almost 100 points more (in 2018),” Brown said. “To play that level … and we had to because if we gave up two touchdowns, it was game over because our offense wasn’t going to score. It was tough. It was a different type of team. This team last year was more like our ’06 team where the offense, the defense and the special teams blended. Our ’06 team, we knew we were good. I don’t know if they knew they were good last year. They learned it as the season went along.

“We just added pieces. We really didn’t lose a whole lot from ’05 to ’06. They lost some. Losing (Adrian) Amos, that is huge. … And we didn’t get anything to replace him. We got Ha Ha (Clinton-Dix) and he is not a tackler in the box like Amos is, so that is different. That part is going to be different. (Nickel cornerback Bryce) Callahan leaving is different. The D-coordinator leaving is different and other guys, a bunch of position coaches on defense. This team could be a lot different. To think we can go from five wins to 12 and to be naïve and think we can’t go from 12 to five is crazy because it could happen. Now, they could take a step forward, win 12 games and then go further in the playoffs. Absolutely. I think that is more likely to happen than going the other way, but it could happen. They didn’t get hurt last year either. If stuff like that happens, it could be different.”

Said Kreutz: “They’re on the verge of being very, very good and they’re close. Their defense is really, really good and I guess the only advice you would give a team like that is pay attention to the details. That’s what wins you games, the little things. Pay attention to your locker-room culture. Make sure everyone is moving in the right direction and everything is always about winning and nothing else.”

If the 2019 Bears can reach the Super Bowl, there will be more comparisons between 2005 and 2018 because both of those seasons will have been springboards to something greater.

3. Mike Brown was a popular player in his day, respected by his teammates as a leader in the locker room and beloved by fans for his upbeat personality and knack for being around the ball and making big plays. Brown was terrific on the panel of former Bears safeties and it’s clear he holds Eddie Jackson, who has scored five touchdowns the last two seasons, in high regard.

“This dude right here, it’s a special skill that he has,” Brown said, referring to Jackson. “I don’t have that skill. So I was like, I’m not going to miss the interception and have someone go for a touchdown. I’m just gonna hit this dude. My philosophy was more like at the fourth-quarter mark, the receiver is going to be tired of me hitting him and that’s when you will see balls tipped up in the air and you will see them not finishing routes and that is when the big plays would happen in my situation.”

They rolled a highlight of Brown’s pick-six in overtime to beat the 49ers in 2001. Brown, of course, scored touchdowns on interception returns in overtime in consecutive weeks, also beating the Browns. It’s a back-to-back feat that has never been duplicated in NFL history. His introspection was fantastic.

“Those obviously are plays that are part of my career,” he said. “Those are two plays that are always about it. Those are two plays that I remember vividly. Yeah, it was a special time. I was a young player. I was in my second year. So it gave me more confidence; 2001 was a real special year, 13-3. Winning these football games is hard, so once you start getting to 10 wins, 13, that is hard to do. So, my problem is like I just don’t want to be remembered for those two plays. I want to be remembered as someone who played for the people. So, we’re talking about preparation. My preparation to get mentally prepared, I was always joyful. The game to me, it was party time. All the work in practice and all that, that’s the work. When it’s time to go out there on Sunday, that is when all of the fun happens.”

When that fun was starting, Brown would lead teammates out of the locker room before the game. The Bears rolled video of him doing that leading a chant — “We the ones that make plays!” Over and over again, it’s what he chanted as he led teammates from the locker room and through the tunnel to the field. Why that?

“I don’t know,” Brown said. “They call us specialty positions for a reason. We’re the ones that get the glory of the playmakers. The game is won in the trenches, I think we all understand that. That’s what we talk about, the front seven. We know that football is a game with an offensive line and a defensive line. Whoever wins that battle usually is going to win the game. You guys see all the plays being made. That was the thing, letting the playmakers know that we are the ones that have to make them. So when there is the opportunity to make them, we have to make them because the people doing the dirty work need us to make those plays. So we’re the ones that make the plays.”

Missing the Super Bowl XLI after suffering a torn Achilles tendon late in the season remains an emotional topic for Brown more than 12 years later. He teared up a little bit when asked about it. His answer was something that should resonate.

“I still struggle with it,” he said. “You play for the ’ship. You play for the ring. Our team made it and I couldn’t be out there. It’s the game. It’s the one sport, it’s one game for a championship. It’s not a series. It’s a game. And it’s the biggest game in the world. I still struggle with it especially when I get around all you folks. Like I said, now that I have children, it makes it a lot different. The past is the past and now I am looking forward to watching my children grow and be solid citizens. I am trying to teach them the right way to do things. Just being a Bear because they really didn’t believe I was any good. Being here, they’re amazed and they’re excited and it’s cool to see their faces. To me, that’s what it’s all about. If you have children, that’s what it is all about. That made it a lot easier. If I could get it back, I wish I could.

“That locker-room stuff, that stuff is life-changing. You made friends for life. That is the thing that is special coming back to these things.”

4. Sticking with safeties, Doug Plank is always good for some great tales. He talked about coming from Ohio State, where he was a reserve who didn’t get on the field much to the Bears, where he made an impact and was eventually the player that Buddy Ryan named the 46 defense for. Plank had never played free safety, but when he got to the Bears and veteran Garry Lyle suffered an injury in the preseason, he volunteered to play the spot.

“In life, we could all say this, there is only one chance, one opportunity to do something,” Plank said. “When I get drafted by the Bears (in 1975), I am sitting on the bench at Ohio State for three years. I got hurt the very first day I was there (at Ohio State). Tore two ligaments. Had surgery my freshman year and I was behind a first-round draft pick, Tim Fox, who played (11) years in the NFL and I couldn’t do things he could do. He could get an interception and jump up in flight and do a complete flip and land on his feet. I am sorry. I never could do that. I never was going to be able to do that.

“So I waited for my day and our coach always said, ‘Be ready for your opportunity, don’t wait for your opportunity.’ It came against Northwestern in Evanston. Tim got hurt the first play of the game and I had the game of my life against Northwestern. I had two interceptions, three forced fumbles and I made every kickoff tackle. So Vince Tobin, a scout for the Bears, said, ‘Who the heck is that guy?’ I was lucky. I had my one flash game, back on the bench the next week and I get drafted in the 12th round by the Chicago Bears.

“Their free safety Garry Lyle was injured in preseason and Jack Pardee, our coach, asked us, ‘Do any of you guys know how to play free safety?’ I put my hand up. I had never played free safety in my life. In between practices, I’m watching film, ‘What does a free safety do?’ And I couldn’t figure it out. So I just figured it out for myself — I’m going to line up at 12 yards, I’m going to watch the center and the two guards and if they come across the line of scrimmage, all hell is going to break loose. I am going to tag somebody. That was it. That’s a summation of my eight-year career.”

Gary Fencik shared an unbelievable story about Plank tackling a woman at practice as part of a contest.

“There was a contest on CBS where you could make a wish and someone won a wish to get tackled by Doug Plank,” Fencik said. “And so this woman, she came up, and Doug goes, ‘You know, I’m just gonna give her a little tap.’ And during practice, everyone says, ‘Doug, she wants to be hit! She wants to feel what it’s like to be hit by Doug Plank!’ And so we didn’t really think he would do it, but he crushed her. She got the real Doug Plank hit in practice.”

Mike Brown looked at Fencik. He looked at Plank. Brown’s eyes started to bulge out of his head. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Fenick said the woman was outfitted in full football gear for the big event — the tackle.

“You know what, you guys talked about hearing air leave somebody’s lungs,” Plank said. “That’s all I remember. That girl hit the ground. Think about today, think about an NFL player hitting a girl, driving her into the ground. Jail time.”

5. Gary Fencik isn’t just a Bears fan, he is a season ticket holder, something he picked up in his final contract. But his tickets didn’t come right away.

“I put it in my last contract with (general manager) Jerry Vainisi,” Fencik said. “I said, ‘Look, I am from Chicago. I need season tickets.’

“Well, I can’t give you what we don’t have,” Vainisi responded as season tickets were sold out at the time.

“So I put it in my contract, in perpetuity, that if the Bears ever built a new stadium, I would have the option to buy four tickets between the 40-yard lines in the middle of the first section,” Fencik said. “I am on the 42-yard line, Row 9, middle of the first section.”

Fenick hits the road to watch the Bears play on occasion too. He was in the stands at Lambeau Field when the Bears shut out the Packers in the first half before losing the season opener last September.

“I had never heard the Green Bay fans ever boo the Green Bay Packers ever,” he said. “And there was one game when Bart Starr was (about) to get fired and we were killing them. And all of a sudden at the end of the stadium would go “BART! STARR!” And we’re like in the huddle, ‘He’s going to get FIRED!’ And he did. They just never boo and they booed right at the half right there when (Khalil) Mack got that interception and waltzed in (to the end zone). I was in that end zone and I was like, this is amazing.”

Does he draw any parallels between the great 1985 team and the current Bears?

“The similarities are you have to have a lot of talent,” he said. “People ask me, ‘Well, what player on your defense really changed things?’ And it becomes a process and they’re going to have to go through that. You can have one great year, but … do you wear the ring at the end of the day is all that matters. And for us Dan Hampton was the cornerstone. But without Richard (Dent) or without great linebackers or without some really outstanding players and without having an offense that can do the same thing, you’re not going to go anywhere.

“Through my 12 years, you went, ‘Oh, we made the playoffs.’ And then you didn’t go. It was just very frustrating because you really wondered do you have the right coaching? And I think what I feel and I think as a season ticket holder, as a fan, is that there is something special. This is a team that is very connected. But the proof is in the pudding because we have all heard that before, ‘Oh, we like the vibe in the locker room,’ and all that. At the end of the day, you have to win and last year you just play the schedule that you have and they had a relatively easier schedule. This year, they have a big-boy schedule and they’re going to find out that people have adjusted to them. The challenges are greater. You’re no longer the surprise. You’re the (team) people are benchmarking their effort and their wins and losses to every week. And you think that that doesn’t matter. But it really matters.”

6. A panel of players from 2006, the last Bears team to reach the Super Bowl, spoke about their appreciation for coach Lovie Smith and the bond they developed as a team.

“It was just a mindset that Coach Smith set for us, a culture, he set the tone,” cornerback Charles Tillman said. “He had a real good culture for us. He was a defensive head coach, so he expected the defense to do more. I remember one game, he told the defense, ‘If we don’t score, we don’t win. If we don’t score a defensive touchdown, we’re not winning this game.’ It was a defensive meeting.”

“That’s where all the money was,” center Olin Kreutz interjected. “All of the salary cap was on the defensive side of the ball. They better score!”

The discussion turned to the offensive line, which was in the spotlight as Smith would frequently say the Bears “get off the bus running.” The O-line was a tight-knit group and there was a method to that.

“When you play offensive line, the line is usually better than the sum of its parts, right,” Kreutz said. “So, you’ve got to be working as one unit. Everyone has to see everything through, what Harry Hiestand always says is one set of eyes. So, we’ve all got to see everything the same way. We would eat breakfast together, eat lunch together, hang out, walk to the meeting room together. Just kind of build that culture of always seeing everything together and always doing everything together. That way we were always on the same page.

“That was just a special team. That’s really what everybody believed. We never thought we were going to lose a game. We had a couple key injuries that everybody knows about, who were really key players for us, but when that full 53-squad was there, we felt we were unbeatable.”

The topic shifted to quarterback Rex Grossman, who was not in attendance but would have been terrific on a panel as he is a great talker.

“He got a lot of crap,” Kreutz said. “He wanted to sling it. He wanted to go to the Super Bowl. He led our huddle a lot of times. If you really go back and look at those playoff wins that year, he made a lot of big throws that got us into that Super Bowl. I had a tremendous amount of respect for Rex. He had a great year. That year in 2006, it was the first time in my career with the Bears we had a guy start all 16 games and it was really having one guy for the whole season, getting comfortable with one guy and he played at a pretty damn high level that year.”

Then, Ron Turner’s play-calling came up. The Bears got away from the running game, which is something many frown upon when they look back on the Super Bowl.

“Is everybody leaving before we answer this question?” Kreutz said. “Yes, we wanted to run the ball more. That is as far as I am going with that statement.”

It still was a special team.

7. The panel of defensive linemen was entertaining — and how could it not be with a couple of passionate former Bears in Ed O’Bradovich, a member of the 1963 championship team, and Hall of Famer Dan Hampton on stage? They believe the current team is headed for great things — or should be.

“The Chicago Bears are the footing and the foundation of the National Football League and since 1946, and again this is what the hell gripes me, 1946, we have won the world championship twice — ’63 and in ’85,” O’Bradovich said. “Now enough is enough. I think what I see today with this coaching staff and I see the enthusiasm with this young team, they better get it because I tell you what, you aren’t going to see these guys playing at this level for five years, seven years, 10 years. It’s not gonna happen. It’s in front of them. They better see it and I like the Bears a lot, but it’s up to those kids.”

“I’m ready to go play right now,” Akiem Hicks chimed in. “It’s awesome to see the history of the Bears.”

“You have to have a core that refuses to lose,” Hampton said. “When I first got here, I was very fortunate after a year or two (Dick) Butkus, OB, some of the guys, they took a liking to me and I would go out to eat dinner with them. They would tell me what it was like to play the game at the level that you have to if you want to be a world champion. Mongo (Steve McMichael) and I would talk about it. We would go back to the locker room, we would say, ‘Hey, whatever we are doing now, it’s not enough. There is a reason they won a world championship. We have to take it upon ourselves to do what we have to do for us to win one.’

“And Akiem, that is exactly what Ed is saying right now. The time is now. Seize the moment. Let’s get it done, 2019! Now!”

8. Jim McMahon was a hit, and that’s not a surprise, as he outfitted Mitch Trubisky with his very own white headband for their panel appearance. The Punky QB had some words of wisdom for the current QB.

“Get rid of the ball,” McMahon said. “The first guy open gets the ball. Don’t predetermine anything. The play may be designed for someone else, but if there is someone’s open, get it to him. It takes a lot of heat off your offensive linemen and save yourself some hits.”

This weekend was the first time McMahon met Trubisky, and he said he likes the direction of the offense.

“From the little bit I’ve seen, that’s the kind of offense I would like to play in,” McMahon said. “I know Coach (Matt) Nagy just came from the Chiefs, I believe, and Andy Reid was my tackle in college. I have known him forever.”

McMahon appreciated being included as a Top 100 Bear by former Tribune writers Don Pierson and Dan Pompei in the Chicago Bears Centennial Scrapbook. He was No. 53. Spoiler alert, McMahon is also in the Tribune’s Top 100.

“It’s great to at least be voted in,” McMahon said. “I wish I would have finished my career here. Maybe I would have been a little higher. It’s great to be back in Chicago. I have always loved this town. Lived here for 28 years, almost half my life. All my kids were born and raised here. It’s a special place and this was a special team I was involved with.

“I spent the most time in my pro career with Chicago. Had a great time. We had a great football team. We were pretty damn good for about five years. My first two years, we sucked. But those last five were pretty good. It’s unfortunate we won only one Super Bowl, but people still talk about it.”

9. Switching gears to the current team, I really like the addition of wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson to the roster.

It will be interesting to see how Matt Nagy schemes to get the ball in his hands on offense. But don’t overlook the boost he will give an area that has desperately needed a personnel upgrade for some time — the kickoff return unit.

Patterson is one of the best in the league. He’s not Devin Hester, but he’s good enough to force opponents to adjust to him, and that will mean improved field position for the offense. What sets Patterson apart from some other returners is he has remained at the top of his game in that area for quite some time. A lot of returners can be flash-in-the-pan guys. Patterson has stood the test of time.

“That is something I have been doing for a long time,” Patterson said. “That’s just something God blessed me with the opportunity to be a good returner, how big I am. They really don’t make guys like me no more (as kickoff returners). Every opportunity I get back there is something special and I love kickoff returns.

“They’re trying to get rid of (the kickoff). Hopefully, they don’t. I have been doing it for so long and every year it is exciting to be better than the last year. They take that away from the game, they might take a lot of guys’ jobs away.

“Some people they get their recognition and they get that honor and all of that stuff and some guys just fall off. They think they’re too good for who they really are. I would never stop doing kickoff returns unless Coach made me. That is something I just love. I love when the ball is in my hands and that is another opportunity I have. I want to be back there every chance I have to make a big play for the team.”

Assistant special teams coach Brock Olivo is excited for Patterson’s arrival too.

“That is a game-changer,” Olivo said. “If I had to just put it real simply, he is the one guy I would not want to coach against. He is big, he is fast. He runs through smoke. (Special teams coordinator Chris Tabor) always uses the analogy of a NASCAR race where you have the pileup in front of you, you’ve got the smoke and you’re not sure what is there, but you have to hammer it down and run through and you’re hoping you come out there other side. He’s exactly what you want. He’s the archetype of a returner. He’s big, he’s fast, he’s linear, he’s tough and he’s got enough lateral quickness that he can make you miss. How many times have you seen him do it? He’s durable. If you look at him, he’s thick. He’s solid.”

10. Finally, with the Bears carrying three kickers on the 90-man roster through much of the offseason program, there have been countless kicks. Countless for the media anyway as we’re not allowed at practice every day, but you better believe the Bears have tracked every attempt. All of those kicks are being put down by one man — punter/holder Pat O’Donnell — and all of those reps can only help him improve in an area he’s gotten better at throughout his career. More kicks mean more holds. In this case, a lot more holds through May and now June.

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“No matter how many reps you have had in the past, the more reps you get (the better),” O’Donnell said. “We’ve got three kickers, so I’m getting plenty of reps. They’re all pretty similar (how they like the ball placed). For the most part, it’s pretty straight up with a little lean depending on the wind. Those are things we toy with — the lean a little bit.

“I want to do my best every single day, especially for these guys fighting for a job. They’ve handled it really well and they’re eager each and every practice. We’ve been crushing film every day, before practice, after practice. We have put a lot of time in.”

O’Donnell remains in touch with former kicker Cody Parkey and they worked out some during the offseason.

“We stay in touch,” O’Donnell said. “He’s in Jupiter, Fla., where he has a house. He’s training and probably playing a little bit of golf. I think when the dust settles, he’ll be ready to go. He’s a pro. He’s been through it. He’s handling it as best anybody could.”

bmbiggs@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @BradBiggs

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