Over 26 years later, Super Bowl champion Bears honored at White House

[alp227]

Source: CNN

(CNN) -- More than one quarter century after dominating the New England Patriots in New Orleans, the Super Bowl XX champion Chicago Bears finally got their chance to celebrate at the White House -- much to the joy of one of the team's biggest fans, President Barack Obama.

In remarks in front of the team and onlookers, Obama said that he was a newcomer to Chicago in 1985 when the Bears posted a 15-1 record en route to capturing the NFL title in January 1986. But just days after their Super Bowl win, the squad's ceremonial visit to mark the occasion in Washington was postponed after the explosion of the space shuttle Challenger.

The president welcomed the Bears on Friday for what he called a "well deserved and long overdue" visit, calling them "the greatest team in NFL history."

He admitted, too, that the ceremony was a thrill for him personally.

Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2011/10/07/politics/obama-chicago-bears/index.html

[Suich]

1. Wonder why it took 26 years......n/t

[DeSwiss]

2. From the article:

"But just days after their Super Bowl win, the squad's ceremonial visit to mark the occasion in Washington was postponed after the explosion of the space shuttle Challenger."

K&R

[malthaussen]

3. "Postponed?"

A dinkum word.

-- Mal

[DeSwiss]

6. And fair dinkum at that, I'd say. :^D n/t

[caraher]

4. Sure, but that doesn't explain why it took 26 years!

[Left Coast2020]

5. You mean the team with Refrigerator Perry?

Was he there too?

[OhioBlue]

9. The Fridge was absolutely on the '85 Bears, however

he did not make it to the White House. He's been very ill.

http://m.npr.org/news/U.S./141161842

[DeSwiss]

7. To postpone:

POSTPONE post·pone

verb - \(ˌ )pōs(t)-ˈpōn\

post·poned post·pon·ing

1: to put off to a later time : defer

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/postponed">Merriam-Webster.com

- And remember this is Reagan we're talking about -- so it's just as likely that he forgot. Or hates Chicago......

[OhioBlue]

8. cool

Led by Hall of Fame running back Walter Payton and one of the fiercest defenses to ever play the game, the 1985 Bears dominated the competition that year, beating teams by a margin of 456-198 to go 15-1 on the season.

Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/more_sports/famed_chicago_bears_finally_get_ZLOcZN2PG8qumqeoY2YSmK#ixzz1a9fL35jf

[tishaLA]

10. One of the '85 Bears is a bagger and refused to go

and his teammates, or some of them at least, roundly criticized him:

President Obama will honor the Super Bowl-winning 1985 Bears at the White House today, and one player, Dan Hampton, has said he doesn’t like Obama and won’t attend. That doesn’t sit well with some of Hampton’s teammates.

Tim Wrightman, who played tight end on the 1985 Bears, posted a message on Facebook saying that being honored at the White House is an opportunity he would never pass up, even though he writes, “Out of all the players from the ’85 Bears arriving on October 7th I would probably say I am the most conservative.”

Unlike Hampton, Wrightman believes that political differences can be put aside for an occasion like this. “This is the Bears’ once in a lifetime opportunity that has been given a second chance,” Wrightman wrote. “Some people don’t realize our initial trip in 1986 was cancelled because of the Challenger space shuttle accident. I think it was a classy thing for Obama to right the misfortune of our team. Besides, the White House is not President Obama’s house it’s the people’s house.” Wrightman also took a shot at Hampton complaining that his wife wasn’t invited to the White House ceremony, asking Hampton, “would you take the wife you had when we won or the newest one?” http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/10/07/teammates-rip-dan-hampton-for-snubbing-white-house-invitation/">ProFootballTalk

[Simeon Salus]

11. I wonder who was president in 1985?

Wasn't Ronnie Raygun that guy?

Saint Union-Buster?

Good for Chicago.

Go Bearsss!

[elehhhhna]

12. I met most of those guys back inthe late 80's/early 90's and they're cool.

Richard Dent is the nicest sports fig. ever -- a total sweetheart. He patted my hugely pregnant tummy and I literally disabled him (temporarily) with a martialarts move (used my hand to twist his around until he was bent over with his arm behind him 'til he said "uncle" -- the look on his face was PRICELESS. He and Warren Beatty are also 2 of the celebs I've met who DON'T lie about their height -- I'm 6'3" in 2 inch heels and had to crouch at the knee for photos with those Bears players so I wasn't taller than them...except for Richard and, okay, maybe one or two others.

Richard finally got into the hall of fame just a year or so ago.

FWIW the three (four?)-peat championship Bulls were unfriendly compared to the Bears...and a few of them exaggerated their heights in their "official" stats, too.