COMMENTARY : BEARS NEED TIGHT END LIKE DITKA THE TOUGH POSITION GROWS IN IMPORTANCE AROUND THE NFL.Byline: Don Pierson Donald Grey Pierson (born October 11, 1925, died March 30, 1996 in Eastland, Texas) was a well-known business innovator, communications pioneer and civic leader. He became famous both as the founder of the British offshore radio stations Wonderful Radio London, Swinging Radio Chicago Tribune Chicago Tribune Daily newspaper published in Chicago. The Tribune is one of the leading U.S. newspapers and long has been the dominant voice of the Midwest. Founded in 1847, it was bought in 1855 by six partners, including Joseph Medill (1823–99), who made the paper The Bears need Mike Ditka Michael Keller Ditka, Jr. (born October 18, 1939, in Carnegie, Pennsylvania) also known as Iron Mike Ditka or Da Coach, is a former American football NFL player, television commentator, and coach. Ditka coached the Chicago Bears for 11 years. . Bring him back. All is forgiven. Not the coach, the player. Among the many possible reasons for the Bears' slow start are injuries to tight ends Keith Jennings Keith Russell "Mister" Jennings (born November 2 1968 in Culpeper, Virginia) is an American former professional basketball player in the NBA. Jennings, a 5' 7" point guard, attended East Tennessee State University and spent three seasons in the NBA with the Golden State and Chris Gedney Chris Gedney (born August 9, 1970 in Liverpool, New York) is a former professional American football player who played tight end for six seasons for the Chicago Bears and Arizona Cardinals. . Tight ends are rare and valuable commodities, as the Bears have learned since Ditka and George Halas George Stanley Halas, Sr. (February 2 1895 - October 31 1983), nicknamed "Papa Bear" and "Mr. Everything", was an American player, coach, owner and pioneer in professional football and the iconic longtime leader of the NFL's Chicago Bears. had a falling out 30 years ago and Ditka was traded to Philadelphia. The Bears have searched ever since for a force at the position. When Ditka coached the Bears, he had to mold one out of Emery Moorehead Emery Matthew Moorehead (born March 22, 1954 in Evanston, Illinois) is a former American football tight end/wide receiver in the NFL for the New York Giants, Denver Broncos, and the Chicago Bears. He won a Super Bowl ring as a member of the 1985 Chicago Bears. , a former running back about to be run out of the league. Moorehead proved an integral part of the 1980s glory years. Why are the Green Bay Packers running away and hiding from the rest of the league? Two reasons are double tight ends Keith Jackson For the former professional American football player, see Keith Jackson (football player). Keith Jackson (born October 18, 1928, in Roopville, Georgia) is a former American sportscaster, known for his long career with ABC Sports television, his coverage of college football and Mark Chmura Mark William Chmura (born February 22, 1969 in Deerfield, Massachusetts) is a former American football tight end who played his entire career with the Green Bay Packers (1993-1999). , former and present Pro Bowl players. Why are the defending Super Bowl champion Dallas Cowboys ``Jay has not gotten anywhere close to the recognition he deserves and what he means to this team and to me,'' Aikman said. Why do the Indianapolis Colts and Jim Harbaugh keep surprising everybody? One reason is second-year tight end Ken Dilger, who leads all tight ends in receiving yardage yard·age 1 n. 1. An amount or length measured in yards. 2. Cloth sold by the yard. Noun 1. . Dilger and another second-year tight end, Marcus Pollard, made big catches in the Colts' comeback victory over the Cowboys on Sunday. ``There's not very many of them and defenses don't account for them sometimes because they're not really concerned about them,'' said Packers general manager Ron Wolf. ``When you put that added dimension on the field, it makes you a better football team.'' The Packers put Chmura and Jackson side-by-side against the Chargers at times last week and let the Chargers figure out whether either or both were receiving or blocking. It's one thing for the Bears to try to mount an offense without running back Rashaan Salaam; it compounds the problem to subtract the tight end as well. Last season, Bears tight ends accounted for 21 percent of Erik Kramer's passing; this year, it has been a little more than 5 percent. Jennings also caught six touchdown passes and tight ends accounted for 27 percent of Kramer's touchdown passes. But Jennings' primary contribution is blocking. ``I think the tight end is a very, very important position, a unique position because of the skills required to block and run and get open and think,'' said Bill Tobin, Colts director of football operations. Wolf was criticized last season for making a trade with Miami for Jackson before getting his name on a new contract. Jackson sat out the first six games, then re-signed this season after coach Mike Holmgren helped talk him into it. Jackson is the fourth-leading tight end in receptions in the 90s. Novacek is first and San Francisco's Brent Jones is third. It seems more than coincidence that the Cowboys and 49ers have been the dominant teams of the decade. Second is Denver's Shannon Sharpe. Wolf's affinity for tight ends is no accident. ``I can recall a guy who made the biggest impression on me when I was at a very impressionable age was a guy named Mike Ditka when he played for the Bears in 1962,'' Wolf said. Wolf, then 24, was working for Pro Football Weekly newspaper in Chicago. ``Ditka was an awesome performer on the football field. There was a guy who totally and completely dominated the game from that position. It was an eye-opener as to what you can do if you have a really good one,'' Wolf said. By 1963, Wolf was working for Al Davis as a scout for the Oakland Raiders, another team that emphasized the tight end. Whether it was Dave Casper or Raymond Chester or Todd Christensen, the Raiders always had a dominant tight end when they were good. ``At the end of the game, we'd go right down the field throwing the ball to the tight end and no one ever bothered to account for it,'' Wolf said. CAPTION(S): Photo Photo: The Chicago Bears could use Mike Ditka, as a tight e nd not as a coach. Daily News File Photo |
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