The firestorm from the Brian Urlacher-Gale Sayers war of words was rekindled Thursday when Hall of Fame linebacker Dick Butkus jumped to the defense of his former teammate.
Urlacher had publicly chastised Sayers for questioning the potential of the 2010 Bears during a May 4 speaking engagement in Nebraska. Urlacher responded by saying: "Let me ask you a question: How many championships did Gale Sayers win? How many playoff games did he win when he played? None. None. None."
On Thursday, Butkus responded from his Southern California home, telling the Tribune: "It's a real reach to say: 'What did Gale do?' (Shoot), Urlacher wasn't even born yet, what does he know?
"I say things to other people, too, about the Bears. It's total frustration. You think (Sayers) is saying it because he hates the Bears? You get so tired of sitting there watching them."
Photo: Dick Butler on Brian Urlacher's criticism of Gale Sayers: "What does he know?" (Nuccio DiNuzzo/Tribune)
Butkus and Sayers were first-round draft picks of the Bears in 1965; the first duo to become Hall of Fame players for the same team from the opening round of the draft. Sayers still holds the NFL rookie record of 22 touchdowns in '65, including six TDs in one game.
Urlacher discredited the opinion of Sayers by pointing out that he played on the 1-13 team in 1969, even though Sayers gained over 1,000 yards in a 14-game season after undergoing major knee surgery the previous year.
"I think he is a little out of line by the way he is handling the whole thing and blaming the whole (1969) season on Gale," said Butkus of Urlacher. "That's uncalled for."
Because of knee injuries, Sayers played in only 68 games before becoming the youngest man to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame at the age of 34.
On Wednesday, Sayers told the Tribune: "I knew I couldn't play anymore, and I left the team. I saw that I couldn't run the ball anymore. Every time I fell on the AstroTurf, it hurt my knee. I told (former Bears coach) Abe Gibron during an exhibition game in St. Louis. I walked inside (at halftime) and said, 'It didn't work; I'm through.'
"I am quite sure people were talking about me...'He doesn't have it anymore.' And I knew I didn't have it anymore. So I gave it up. You have to prepare to quit, and I did that during my career. Hey, I gave it up and I didn't look back."
Urlacher also was upset that Sayers questioned the fact the star linebacker might have difficulty returning to his Pro Bowl level after a serious (wrist) injury kept him out most of last season.
"The truth of the matter is that I think Gale is absolutely right when you talk about a linebacker who has played nine years and he is coming back off an injury," Butkus said. "I would say that there should be some concern whether he can reach his ability again.
"I've gone through it. To go nine years and come out with knee injuries...you know your ability is going to be hampered a little bit. (Urlacher) is dead wrong right there. Maybe that's why he was trying to deflect that part of it by saying: 'Well, what does he know? He never won.'
"It's a little defensive move on his part. His pride got hurt," Butkus said.
