Compare-a-Bear: Urlacher and Singletary

The greatest Chicago Bears team in history is getting set for a reunion this Fall. The '85 Bears will gather at the Arie Crown Theater on Nov. 5 to relive the Glory Days.  

With the reunion on the horizon, we couldn't help but wonder: Are there any similarities between the Bears of today and the 1985 team that won the Super Bowl and Chicago's hearts?

Let's look, starting with the linebackers: Hall of Famer Mike Singletary and Pro Bowler Brian Urlacher.  

Sacks of sacks: With both Urlacher and Singletary, Bears fans could count on seeing a quarterback get flattened and give up yardage. But it's Urlacher who was the better sack-man -- possibly because Singletary played behind Dan Hampton and Richard Dent, both legendary linemen who could sack at will. Urlacher has not played with the same rich talent, so he has beat Singletary in sacks, 39-19.

Take that ball away: Urlacher easily outpaces in Singletary in turning defense into offense. Urlacher has an uncanny ability to be near the ball, picking off the QB 18 times, and recovering 11 fumbles. Singletary was better at flattening the offense, but still had seven interceptions and 12 fumble recoveries.

In the news: Both men have hit the news with pants problems. Urlacher was in the press for both dating heiress Paris Hilton and then for an ugly custody dispute with his son's mother.  In his playing days, Singletary was nowhere near as colorful as his Monster of the Midway teams. Now, as a head coach of the San Francisco 49ers, he turned heads by dropping trou in a half-time talk.  

Leading the crowd: This is an area where both players excel. "Samurai Mike" could whip up the Bears defense into a frenzy during his pre-game talks. Watch old game videos of the Bears, and it's Singletary who is revving up the team while in the huddle. Urlacher's leadership isn't as in your face, but his presence is key to the defense's success. Remember what the Bears D looked like without him last season?

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