Ever wonder what a solid oline looks like?

Tonight I'm home sick. Bummer. So, I decided to watch the NFC Championship game from the '85 Bears season (for about the zillionth time since 1985 :smile:)

The oline that year, LT to RT was:
Jim Covert - Mark Bortz - Jay Hilgenberg - Tom Thayer - Keith Van Horne

Together they had around 11 Pro Bowl appearances, and some other awards like All-Decade Team etc. I watched them play in '85, and I taped the games back then (an old betamax recorder), and rewatched those games probably 50 or so times each. I never tire of it.

If you ever wanted to see what a GREAT oline looks like, get a copy of one of those games from '85. If you love oline play, that is the pinnacle of beauty. 5 men working as 1 with the precision of the finest Swiss watch. I LOL, Pat Summerall just said it's total domination by the offensive line, in this Championship game.

I wonder if many Bears fans know what a truly great oline even looks like anymore.

You look at our guys play now, and it makes you feel like crying. Short yardage plays we get dominated and pushed back. Cutler gets beat like a drum. We are 32nd ranked in the NFL (down from 31st in the NFL the previous year).

Seriously, if you ever get the chance to watch that old oline from '85 give it a shot. Not all high round draft picks (Hilgy was an undrafted guy who was a pro bowler).

We didn't need pixie dust, gellin' or a "Webb Nation" and our Pro Bowl LT Jimbo Covert didn't have to sell t-shirts). They were just men who went out and dominated every week. Blue-collar men who laid waste to dlines.
http://dabears.com/images/smilies/Da...ang[1].gif

The Bears oughtta make discs of these games available so it's easier than trying to find stuff on line. I know I'd buy some.

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Originally Posted by Blue Horse-shoe

The Bears oughtta make discs of these games available so it's easier than trying to find stuff on line. I know I'd buy some.

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That's a great idea. With the technology we have now, you'd think a team could have a "download library" where you could re-watch any game for a small fee. I'd pay for being able to watch some games from the past. Heck, I'd pay to see some of the REAL old games that must be in the NFL vaults from the really old days. Could you imagine watching that old 77-0 Bears Championship game over the 'Skins? I'd get a kick out of that.

I'm on my 3rd set of 1985 season games (those old betamax tapes and the machine, finally bit the dust many years ago) :smile:

Right now I have the set "The Greatest Games Series" but not every game got into this set. The quality is great though. Some of the sets out there are really bad video quality.

This is a good set:
LINK to the site
NFL Greatest Games Series - 1985 Chicago Bears (2007)

Rated: NR | Format: DVD

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...500_AA300_.jpg

Tks . You learn something new every day .

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Originally Posted by JustAnotherBearsFan99

We are 32nd ranked in the NFL (down from 31st in the NFL the previous year).

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That is great news. We won't be dropping down a single position this year!

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Originally Posted by JustAnotherBearsFan99

That's a great idea. With the technology we have now, you'd think a team could have a "download library" where you could re-watch any game for a small fee. I'd pay for being able to watch some games from the past. Heck, I'd pay to see some of the REAL old games that must be in the NFL vaults from the really old days. Could you imagine watching that old 77-0 Bears Championship game over the 'Skins? I'd get a kick out of that.

I'm on my 3rd set of 1985 season games (those old betamax tapes and the machine, finally bit the dust many years ago) :smile:

Right now I have the set "The Greatest Games Series" but not every game got into this set. The quality is great though. Some of the sets out there are really bad video quality.

This is a good set:
LINK to the site
NFL Greatest Games Series - 1985 Chicago Bears (2007)

Rated: NR | Format: DVD

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...500_AA300_.jpg

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I have this set also. It is excellent, except for the missing games. If they weren't going to include every game, WHY did they include our only loss?????

I was at the game in Detroit, with a bunch of college buddies, so drunk I don't remember it. Would love to see it again, but of course, THAT game was left out.

Well you had two high #1 draft picks playing OT so that helped but what really helped was having Dick Stanfil as their OLine coach. He made Pro Bowlers out of an UDFA OC (Hilgy) and a college DT who he converted to a LG (Bortz) and then there was Thayer too who came in and replace Kurt Becker after he was injured. That was one bunch of mean ass lineman.

I know there was a youtube for Super bowl xx - the full game. Can't find it :cry:

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Originally Posted by soulman

Well you had two high #1 draft picks playing OT so that helped but what really helped was having Dick Stanfil as their OLine coach. He made Pro Bowlers out of an UDFA OC (Hilgy) and a college DT who he converted to a LG (Bortz) and then there was Thayer too who came in and replace Kurt Becker after he was injured. That was one bunch of mean ass lineman.

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What I've never understood Soul, is HOW he possibly did this, when they did NOT have "Tice pixie dust" back then. I never heard Stanfil say ANYTHING about gellin' or for that matter, nobody on that oline sold t-shirts on the side or had a Webb Nation.

They just went out each game and imposed their will on defenses. Total domination. All the way to a Super Bowl win.

Imagine.