Sports

Ptah

(33,492 posts) Thu Oct 5, 2023, 09:42 PM Oct 2023

Dick Butkus

USA Today called Butkus the "gold standard by which other middle linebackers are measured." Although not the creator of the middle linebacker position—which is credited to his predecessor Bill George—Butkus is recognized as having defined the role. He is also recognized for having set the benchmark for the success of Bears middle linebackers, which continued with Mike Singletary and Brian Urlacher. Hall of Fame running back Earl Campbell, known for his hard-hitting running style, cited Butkus as his hero growing up.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dick_Butkus#Legacy_and_honors

6 replies

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Dick Butkus (Original Post) Ptah Oct 2023 OP

Bad Boy czarjak Oct 2023 #1

AFAICR, he was the quintessential MLB OAITW r.2.0 Oct 2023 #2

+1 Permanut Oct 2023 #4

Had At Least One Interception... ProfessorGAC Oct 2023 #5

I'm surprised they only very briefly mentioned his death Diamond_Dog Oct 2023 #3

I'll have to disagree with Wikipedia, about Bill George creating the middle linebacker position. rsdsharp Oct 2023 #6

czarjak

(12,413 posts)

1. Bad Boy

Reply to Ptah (Original post)

Thu Oct 5, 2023, 09:46 PM

Oct 2023

OAITW r.2.0

(28,392 posts)

2. AFAICR, he was the quintessential MLB

Reply to Ptah (Original post)

Thu Oct 5, 2023, 09:56 PM

Oct 2023

Not sure he'd have the skill set to compete today, though.

Permanut

(6,639 posts)

4. +1

Reply to OAITW r.2.0 (Reply #2)

Fri Oct 6, 2023, 12:37 AM

Oct 2023

ProfessorGAC

(69,889 posts)

5. Had At Least One Interception...

Reply to OAITW r.2.0 (Reply #2)

Fri Oct 6, 2023, 06:03 PM

Oct 2023

...every season he played (9) and led his team in tackles 8 times!
As you might expect, there has been a lot of Butkus discussion on Chicago sportsradio today.
And then there's this from another famous tough guy:

The late defensive end, and equally savage defensive legend, Deacon Jones, once said of Dick Butkus, "He was a well-conditioned animal, and every time he hit you, he tried to put you in the cemetery, not a hospital."

Diamond_Dog

(34,640 posts)

3. I'm surprised they only very briefly mentioned his death

Reply to Ptah (Original post)

Thu Oct 5, 2023, 10:02 PM

Oct 2023

on the NFL broadcast tonight. Or maybe I missed something?

rsdsharp

(10,121 posts)

6. I'll have to disagree with Wikipedia, about Bill George creating the middle linebacker position.

Reply to Ptah (Original post)

Mon Oct 9, 2023, 05:20 PM

Oct 2023

Tom Landry developed the 4-3 defense as defensive coordinator of the New York Giants. Sam Huff was the Giants middle linebacker, and Landry built the defense around him. There is no 4-3 without the middle linebacker.

Bill George was a Hall-of-Famer, and deservedly so, but Huff was the first middle linebacker, in the first 4-3 defense, and his Giants destroyed the Bears in the 1956 championship game. Huff was also the subject of the 1960 documentary The Violent World of Sam Huff.

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