Chicago Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher ripped Hall of Fame running back Gale Sayers on Wednesday as a player who doesn’t know how to win, while Sayers responded by saying Urlacher is on the downside of his career and that he doesn’t think much of the Bears’ prospects this season.
Asked about Sayers saying he wasn’t impressed with the Bears, Urlacher pointed out that the Bears never had a particularly impressive record during Sayers’ career.
“Let me ask you a question: ‘How many championships did Gale Sayers win?''' Urlacher told the Chicago Tribune. “How many playoff games did he win when he played? None. None. None.”
Urlacher is blunt, but he is correct: It is true that the Bears never made the playoffs during Sayers’ career, which spanned from 1965 to 1971.
On the other hand, does the fact that Sayers’ Bears never made the playoffs invalidate Sayers’ opinions? Sayers is, after all, one of the greatest players in Bears history. Shouldn’t that accord him a little more respect from Urlacher?
Apparently Urlacher doesn’t think so.
“Does [Sayers] know how to win football games? Does he? No. How are you going to criticize someone else when you haven’t done it yourself? He’s one of our own, so that’s why it’s so frustrating,’' Urlacher said.
When told of Urlacher’s comments, Sayers said that when he previously criticized the Bears, he was merely giving an honest answer to a question about what kind of team they’d have in 2010.
“When I am asked a question, I have to answer it,’' Sayers said. “I don’t want anybody to think I am afraid to talk about the Bears. . . . Right now, the Bears are hurting. . . . And Urlacher, how old is he anyway [Urlacher will turn 32 on Tuesday]? He should know that himself, that he is on the downside of his career.”
Urlacher doesn’t like to hear that.
“Does it bother me?” Urlacher said. “There are enough people throwing daggers at us right now, why does one of our ex-players have to jump in? There are enough experts talking [crap] about us, so why does a Bear, an all-time great, have to jump in? I just don’t like that.’'
If Urlacher doesn’t like Sayers talking [crap] about the Bears, he might be better off taking the high road, and not talking [crap] about Sayers.