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.
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Bears preparing for two games this week
Kevin Lamb
Originally published Sept. 13, 1985
With a game Thursday at Minnesota, the Bears are preparing for two opponents this week. “We have to be pretty sure a lot of things we do this week are things we’ll be looking at next week, too,” coach Mike
Ditka said.
Wide receiver Dennis McKinnon said his knee, which had arthroscopic surgery in July, was about 80 percent. But he also said, “That’s what I’m going to say all year.” . . . When Shaun Gayle blocked a punt Sunday, the Bears weren’t even trying to block it. His assignment was just to make sure the punter didn’t fake, but he went for the ball after no blocker slowed him down.
Ditka said tight end Emery Moorehead “blocked probably as well as I’ve seen him block” Sunday. . .The Patriots and the Bears each have 10 first-round draft choices, second only to Green Bay, with 11. . .Bear season-ticket sales increased by more than 2,500 this year – from 49,070 to 52,755, but still are far short of the cutoff point.
Bear running back Walter Payton has bruised ribs but they aren’t bad enough to warrant a mention on the weekly injury report that goes to the league office.
The Bears-Patriots game became a sellout, enabling the league to lift the local television blackout. WGN radio’s Wally Phillips purchased the last 200 tickets and donated them to the Neediest Children’s Fund.
Former major leaguer Bill “Moose” Skowron visited the Bears’ training headquarters at Halas Hall.
Defensive tackle Steve McMichael and guard Mark Bortz had to be separated from fighting twice during practice.
Patriots placekicker Tony Franklin, whose $250,000 salary is tops for an NFL kicker, has had field goals in 12 consecutive games.
Lineman Trevor Matich gives 10 percent of his income to the Mormon church. He dated Miss America, Charlene Wells, when he was at Brigham Young. . .Craig James’ real name is Jesse Craig James. He
named his daughter Jessica.
The Sullivan family is asking $100 million for the Patriots, including their stadium and the racetrack next door. The family isn’t 100 percent sure it wants to sell, but stadium maintenance costs prompted the team to request a special ticket dispensation, which the league denied.
The city of Foxboro, Mass., which has banned Monday night home games for the Patriots, also turned down rock concerts by Michael Jackson and Bruce Springsteen.
