NFL: A Tradition of Defense - The Chicago Bears

'Monsters of the Midway'...? Oh, yeah.
Born in 1952, I was just old enough to notice NFL football when the Bears drafted Dick Butkus at Middle Linebacker. I was a running back on my grade school football team but also a defensive back, so I LOVED Gale Sayers and gradually grew to love Mr. Butkus as well. To this day his style of play and his attitude towards opponents is why I love Chicago Bear football.

Butkus was one of those physically strong men who you can identify simply by shaking their hand. When he hit a guy, he folded up like a rubber table at the church social... and sometimes they stayed hit to the point of being carried off the field.

That kind of defensive punishment has been the hallmark of great Bear teams throughout their history and is documented in this video.

Butkus, Singletary, and now Urlacher... you get to see them all in action here. There have been other heavy hitters on the Bears' defense over the years (Ed O'Bradovich, Jim Dent, Gary Fencik, Otis Wilson and Wilber...

Hard Hitting Defense
This DVD, A Tradition of Defense: The Chicago Bears, is very good and complete as far as the history of great Bear Defenses is concerned. They go all the way back to the 20's and 30's with Grange and McAfee. Bulldog Turner, Buffone, George, Atkins, etc. are covered. Of course the 46 Defense is covered and my favorite character, Steve McMichael, made the all time team as a DT.

Bears Tradition
The DVD ranks the greatest Bears by position on defense so just for that it's a must have. It also contains a tribute to Papa Bear George Halas which any true fan would appreciate. The DVD is a little dated as a couple of Bears that are arguably the best we've seen at their respective positions, although mentioned, were not given the nod. In addition, players interviewed griped that Dent is still not in the Hall of Fame, an oversight which we know has since been rectified. Regardless of the above, I still enjoyed the DVD and I think any Bears fan would enjoy it as well.

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