The former Bears guard, who helped pave the way for Hall of Fame running back Walter Payton, continues to create opportunities for deserving minority students who want to attend college.
Q. What was it like blocking for Walter Payton early in his career?
A. It was incredible. If you just got in the way, you made a good block. And I happened to throw a couple of get-in-the-way blocks. And he made me look outstanding. Whenever we ran a sweep, I figured we could get at least 10 or 15 yards. If he broke it, that was gravy. He was a guy who could do so many things. When you look at a lot of running backs today, they can’t handle the punishment. You’ve got third-down backs now and all that sort of thing.
Q. What are your responsibilities now as educational director of the Ada S. McKinley Community Services Center?
A. It is nice to be able to serve the community and we are sending minority students to major colleges around the country, from the University of Illinois to many of the local colleges. Our program is overseen by the federal government. This is something this organization has been providing for the last 38 years. We will go into the tough high schools and set up plans and help those counselors identify those students who desperately want to go to college.
Q. How gratifying is it for you personally to be able to assist needy students?
A. There are a lot of celebrities now who have been through this system. There are people from this program who went on to do some wonderful things. Cheryl Burton from Channel 7, for instance, is from our multitalent search. I talk to our students about having the weapons of choice. And truly the weapon of choice right now is education.
Q. What was summer training camp like for you while playing with the Bears in 1975-82?
A. I played under coaches Jack Pardee, Neill Armstrong and Mike Ditka. They had very different personalities and different styles. We had guys like Walter Payton who were workaholics when it came to conditioning and being prepared. When you come from that mind-set, you don’t have a problem.
Q. You suffered a stroke two years ago. How is your health today?
A. My health is good. When you go through something like this, it’s a new life. You get a second chance. I’m losing a lot of my friends who are 50 or over with different diseases and different things. So, do I feel blessed? Every single day.
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