I did. I knew it. When we started this idea for a Blog Game Ball, I knew he'd win the first one. He had to.
I thought about it this morning on my bus ride passing Giants Stadium, home to the Meadowlands Massacre, and I realized I've never written about #54. But Sunday...for the second time this season...Brian Urlacher reminded me why I'm going to spend a lot of time thirty years from now telling stories about him. A regular middle linebacker intercepts the ball in the endzone. Brian runs it another thirty-five yards. A regular middle linebacker tackles you. Brian's hit on Leon Washington was greeted by a chorus of "Oohs" from the green clad swamp dwellers all around me. Brian Urlacher is not a regular middle linebacker. He's the best defensive player in the game today.
There were other great performances yesterday. Every time Mark Bradley catches the football, he seems to gain ten yards. The middle of the offensive line overpowered the Jets. Thomas Jones ran as well as he's run all season. But yesterday was about 54...again. My uncle, a casual football fan, said it best this morning:
"Urlacher is something else. It's like they combined Butkus and Singletary into a crazy German." My vote for the first Blog Game Ball is #54 Brian Urlacher.
#2 Midway Monster said . . .No arguments here at all. Great (and obvious) pick. He locked onto the QB's eyes and tracked that end zone pass like a military weapon/machine. It will be in highlight films for weeks! Give 'em the game ball - well deserved.
-- Midway --
November 20, 2006
#3 Coxy said . . .No arguments here at all. Great (and obvious) pick. He locked onto the QB's eyes and tracked that end zone pass like a military weapon/machine. It will be in highlight films for weeks! Give 'em the game ball - well deserved.
-- Midway --
November 20, 2006
#4 jonathan said . . .I agree as well. How about Peanut Tillman getting absolutely obliterated by Todd Johnson (his pupils were about an inch in diameter on my HD tv), Then he sat out for only a few plays and did well once coming back in. That's ballsy.
November 20, 2006
#5 Pat said . . .The interception was, IMO, the turning point in the game. The Bears, via Urlacher, collectively stated "You will not score today. This is our game now."
And from that point forward, it was.
Game ball to 54, absolutely.
November 20, 2006
#6 jeff said . . .54.
Also, give the coaches credit for a good gameplan against a D that could have caused some problems.
November 20, 2006
#7 Brian said . . .i thought ronny turner did a hell of a job. and i think we're going to see a definitively different plan next week. i expect them to spread the pats out.
November 20, 2006
#8 Midway Monster said . . .I agree it's #54 all the way, but I appreciate the post regarding Peanut. He has been critized quite a bit over the last 2 years and for the most partm rightfully so, but one thing you cannot question is his toughness. Peanut is the best tackler we have had at CB in a long while and he is always willing to stick his head right into the ball carrier. The fact he only missed a few plays after getting his bell rung like that proves that he is very tough.
In other news, can you believe the onside kick to start the 2nd half? Talk about having no confidence in your offense (or being scared to death of the bears defense)
November 20, 2006
#9 Still said . . .The onsides kick was a joke. ::Geeze:: this is the NFL not sand lot football!
Next stop - New England Pats. This will be a nice win.
November 21, 2006
#10 Megan said . . .I think this could be a lot like the Jordan years where you had to come up with an excuse not to name him MVP of every game.
Johnny Red:
"How about that nice pick that Bill Wennington threw in the third quarter? Of course, MJ got his 40, but let's give Bill the game ball tonight"Urlacher will be the same for this game ball thing. And you know what - that's OK.
November 21, 2006
#11 jeff said . . .Jeff/MM,
Urlacher's eyes, watching the quarterback reminded me of Singeltary... Focused, driven, reading almost every thought. Can we call him the "psychic middle linebacker?" Leave it to the female of the bunch to come up with that one!
Years ago, my parents saw OJ Simpson speak (This was when he was still a player) . He talked about Butkus and said "[Butkus] is so tough that he doesn't tape his socks up, he nails 'em up"
I would say that Urlacher probably uses a nailgun or some other more modern device.
November 21, 2006
#12 Max said . . .meggles, we missed you last week. and i love that comment. i've never had so much fun watching a player. he's the best.
November 21, 2006
#13 paytonrules said . . .54 gets it. The real human highlight reel.
November 21, 2006
Brian Urlacher is morphing from heck-of-a-player to hall-of-famer before our eyes. He's reading and reacting to plays like Singletary now - that is before they happen. He's hitting like Butkis too. He changes the entire game.
Right now I tell stories about Walter Payton and Michael Jordan. I will tell stores about Urlacher. Overrated my right testicle.
And a normal middle linebacker couldn't catch that ball. They'd have knocked it down - at best.
November 21, 2006
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