Bear Down Sunday #15

The Chicago Bears host the Minnesota Vikings today. Both teams lost last week, but Vikings (11-3) will be in the playoffs, while the Bears (5-9) are in disarray. When the Bears won Super Bowl XX, their defense was a major reason and Buddy Ryan was the man in charge of it.
Before Ryan put together the famed 46 defense (named after Doug Plank) for the Bears, he spent two years with the Vikings as their Defensive Coordinator. Ryan had a big hand in the dominating "Purple People Eaters" defense of Minnesota. He was a defensive genius.
Ryan wasn't as successful in stints as a head coach for the Philadelphia Eagles and the Arizona Cardinals. He retired from football after the Cardinals fired him. He now breeds horses on his farm in Kentucky.
Ryan wasn't very talkative when I met him at the Ultimate Collectibles Show. He did perk up a bit when I mentioned I was from Chicago and thanked him for his part in the Super Bowl. Either way, I am glad I met Ryan. The man deserves my respect after being so critical in the success for the best Bears team I have ever watched.

Buddy Ryan and me in Oaks, PA-October 2009.