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Former Bears great Steve McMichael says he is “feeling the love” as he battles ALS
Hundreds of friends and well-wishers turned out for a fundraiser for former Chicago Bears legend Steve “Mongo” McMichael in Romeoville, Il. on June 5.
My wife, Kim, and I were invited for a private visit to his home prior to the event, dubbed “MongoPalooza,” which was held at McMichael’s restaurant. The former Super Bowl XX champion defensive tackle revealed publicly on April 23, 2021 that he has been diagnosed with ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis), an incurable and insidious nerve disease.
“I am feeling the love,” McMichael told me as we reminisced for an hour and talked about the support he has been receiving before the public event. I covered most of Mongo’s Bears career for the Chicago Tribune and watched his often under-valued contribution to one of the most intimidating defenses in NFL history. Three members of that defense are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame: Dan Hampton, Mike Singletary and […]
Sayers family “blown away” by statue and tributes for the late Kansas Comet
Celebration of his life to be planned for my longtime friend
An imposing 8-foot statue of former Chicago Bears and Kansas icon Gale Sayers was unveiled on Oct. 3 during halftime of the Jayhawks game against Oklahoma State.
Sayers passed away at the age of 77 on Sept. 23, following a lengthy battle with dementia.
The unveiling of Sayers’ statue coincided […]
Bob Stearnes inducted into Indiana Football Hall of Fame
Good evening. I am so grateful for the opportunity to be a part of Coach Bob Stearnes’ induction into the Indiana Football Hall of Fame.
I can’t believe how fortunate we were at Tolleston High School to have two Hall of Fame coaches mentoring us in Coach Earl Smith and Coach Bob Stearnes. Their legacy as athletes and coaches in the […]
When I crossed paths with Vince Lombardi and the Packers
So, speaking of the upcoming NFL draft, here’s a curious story about my brief interaction with the legendary Vince Lombardi and the Green Bay Packers nearly a half century ago.
Lombardi exchanged communications with a business colleague of my father just three weeks before the 1969 NFL/AFL draft, which took place Jan. 28-29 in New York of that year, and saw […]
Week 17 NFL picks
The Packers and Lions battle for the NFC North title Sunday at Ford Field, while the Bears and Vikings face each other with nothing on the line in Minnesota. Here are my Week 17 picks:
Vikings over Bears
Patriots over Dolphins
Steelers over Browns
Bucs over Panthers
Cowboys over Eagles
Titans over Texans
Bills over Jets
Ravens over Bengals
Colts over Jaguars
Seahawks over 49ers
Falcons over Saints
Chiefs over Chargers
Cardinals over […]
Week 16 NFL picks
Playoff spots are up for grabs for several teams. For others, top spots in the upcoming draft could be their consolation prize. The Browns, 49ers Bears, Jets and Jaguars are this year’s bottom-feeders. Here are my Week 16 picks:
Eagles over Giants
Bills over Dolphins
Panthers over Falcons
Redskins over Bears
Chargers over Browns
Packers over Vikings
Titans over Jaguars
Patriots over Jets
Raiders over Colts
Rams over 49ers
Bucs over […]