FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, December 6th, 2016
CSN TO CHRONICLE THE HISTORIC BEARS VS. PACKERS RIVALRY ON THE NEXT INSTALLMENT OF “BEARS CLASSICS”
‘Bears Classics’ presented by Xfinity to debut Tuesday, December 13 at 9:00 PM CT — Exclusively on CSN
Narrated by Chicago Bears/Pro Football Hall of Fame legend DICK BUTKUS
Chicago, IL (December 6, 2016) – CSN Chicago and the Chicago Bears will debut a brand new installment of its partnered Bears Classics presented by Xfinity Emmy award-winning documentary series when the network will chronicle the history of pro football’s longest and, without question, fiercest rivalry: the Chicago Bears vs. the Green Bay Packers.
Debuting Tuesday, December 13 at 9:00 PM CT exclusively on CSN, Bears Classics will reflect back to the conflict that began in 1921 when the National Football League’s charter franchise, the Chicago Bears, met an independent team that joined the league that year, the Packers from Green Bay, Wisconsin. With more than 1300 NFL games played for each franchise, the win-loss records are nearly even as the Bears hold an overall advantage, while the Packers lead in total championships (13-9). From the big city on Lake Michigan to the small town some 200 miles north, the Bears & Packers continue to make their mark as combatants in pro football’s oldest rivalry.
This special edition of CSN’s Emmy-winning Bears Classics documentary series, subtitled The Longest War – Bears versus Packers, will once again be narrated by Chicago Bears legend/Pro Football Hall of Famer Dick Butkus. Butkus played for the Bears from 1965-1973 and is credited for redefining the middle linebacker position. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1979. CSN’s Sarah Lauch is the Executive Producer of Bears Classics, Willie Parker is the Producer, and Kevin Cross is the network’s Senior Director of News & Original Content.
In addition to the documentary narration by Butkus, among the numerous players/media/execs interviewed in this edition of Bears Classics include exclusive interviews with the following individuals:
GALE SAYERS
Bears Halfback (1965-71)
MIKE DITKA
Bears Tight End (1961-76); Bears Head Coach (1982-92)
BRIAN URLACHER
Bears Linebacker (2000-12)
LANCE BRIGGS
Bears Linebacker (2003-14)
DAN HAMPTON
Bears Defensive End/Tackle (1979-90)
GEORGE MCCASKEY
Bears Chairman
LOVIE SMITH
Bears Head Coach (2004-12)
JIM MILLER
Bears Quarterback (1999-2002)
DENNIS McKINNON
Bears Wide Receiver (1983-89)
BRETT FAVRE
Packers Quarterback (1992-2007)
AARON RODGERS
Packers Quarterback (2005-present)
JERRY KRAMER
Packers Right Guard (1958-68)
JAMES LOFTON
Packers Wide Receiver (1978-86)
Please note the following quotes from CSN’s premiere airing of Bears Classics: The Longest War – Bears versus Packers, debuting Tuesday, December 13 at 9:00 PM CT:
MIKE DITKA (on the Bears-Packers rivalry): “It was a war based on respect. I never disliked them. I would say they had something we wanted because they had a better team and had championships, and we finally did get one.”
BRETT FAVRE (on Bears & Packers Hall of Famers): “I was talking and said ‘surely, the Packers have the most Hall of Fame members.’ Well, we’re four short; it’s the Bears that have more. So we still have a few more to go…says a lot about the Bears.”
BRIAN URLACHER (on playing against Packers QBs Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers): “Aaron’s a little more mobile…Brett ran, but he didn’t like run to create. Aaron kind of dances around back there and will wait until the guys break open, Brett would just throw it no matter what.”
JERRY KRAMER (on the teachings of Packers legendary head coach Vince Lombardi): “We never got beat. The clock ran out when the other team had more points when we did, but we never lost a game. So it’s that constant…will to win and that will to excel. Those are the things that endure.”
GALE SAYERS (on Packers/Bears games at Wrigley Field): “You came out here and you knew that the fans would be on your side. It would be different if they were in Green Bay or something, hell, they’d kill you, but here, no way. And we played Green Bay on that field a long time.”
CSN will also re-air this episode of Bears Classics on Saturday, December 17 at 10:00 PM and again on New Year’s Eve (Dec. 31) at 7:00 PM. Details regarding January’s premiere episode of Bears Classics will be announced in the coming weeks. In addition, fans can also get interactive prior and during every airing of Bears Classics with their thoughts, memories and comments by utilizing the Twitter hashtag #BearsClassics. Plus, CSNChicago.com will provide additional, online exclusive interviews and commentary write-ups from CSN’s team of Bears experts.
CSN Chicago, a partnership between the Chicago Blackhawks (NHL), Chicago Bulls (NBA), Chicago Cubs (MLB), Chicago White Sox (MLB) and the NBC Sports Group, features over 275 live pro games in high definition each year. In addition, CSN delivers extensive pre/post-game coverage for its core pro team partners, as well as the Chicago Bears, along with Emmy Award-winning regional sports news and analysis via SportsNet Central and SportsTalk Live. Through the network’s growing digital platform, CSNChicago.com, Chicago sports fans tap into the most comprehensive and dedicated 24/7 online destination for breaking news, up-to-the-minute game previews/recaps, highlights, multimedia video clips, and standout coverage from CSNChicago.com’s team of “Insiders.” Follow the network on Twitter via @CSNChicago.
NBC Sports Regional Networks is NBC Sports Group’s portfolio of nine regional networks that delivers more than 2,200 live sporting events annually and original content to more than 43 million homes. Aligned within network groups in the East and West, the NBC Sports Regional Networks are: CSN New England, CSN Philadelphia, TCN, CSN Mid-Atlantic, SNY; and CSN Bay Area, CSN California, CSN Chicago, and CSN Northwest. For additional information, visit CSN.com. For more information on NBC Sports Group properties, including press releases, photos, talent and executive bios, headshots and logos, please visit NBCSportsGroupPressBox.com.
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