1985 Bears Coverage: It's better not to bet against the Bears

Every day of the 2015 Chicago Bears season, Chicago Sun-Times Sports will revisit its coverage 30 years ago during the 1985 Bears’ run to a Super Bowl title.

It’s better not to bet against the Bears

Sun-Times Staff

Originally published Nov. 15, 1985

When Dallas DJ Bo Roberts issued a challenge Thursday to Chicago’s WLUP-FM DJ Jonathon Brandmeier to bet on the outcome of Sunday’s Cowboys-Bears game, he got some surprise results.

Brandmeier didn’t return Roberts’ call. He responded instead by calling the idea “stupid” and reading Roberts’ private studio telephone number (214-528-5500) to his listeners, who then swamped WTXQ in Dallas with irate calls.

“If this guy Roberts wants to bet, and if he thinks the Cowboys can win, he won’t mind betting with all my listeners,” Brandmeier explained.

Said a surprised Roberts later that day: “We’re getting hundreds of calls from angry Chicago Bears fans saying all kinds of nasty things to our receptionist.”

Having grabbed the ball, Roberts is returning the favor by broadcasting Brandmeier’s telephone number to his listeners this morning. His reasoning: “I’m going to need all my armed forces to help.”

Stay tuned, there’s more. To add insult to insult, Roberts is organizing an anti-Bears party during the game’s halftime on Sunday. “We bought this refrigerator that we painted all black and we’re going to let fans smash it. Hanging refrigerators in effigy is a very popular thing these days in Dallas,” he brags, in reference to the Bears’ secret weapon, William “Refrigerator” Perry. Taunts Roberts: “We’re going to clean out one refrigerator this Sunday.”