It was not quite the homecoming reception Marv Levy had anticipated.
The Buffalo Bills’ general manager, who played a high school football game at Soldier Field in 1942, could hardly wait to return to Chicago, where he still maintains a residence.
“I got here ahead of the team on Thursday,” said Levy, who is a business partner in Harry Caray’s Restaurant. “I love this city.”
Levy signed autographs and received good wishes from restaurant patrons Thursday night.
But his mood changed noticeably as the Bears climbed to a 27-0 halftime lead.
The 80-year-old GM, who coached the Bills to four Super Bowl appearances and earned induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, began pacing between his suite and the press box, sipping coffee and staring at the scoreboard.
The Bears prevailed 40-7, and Levy departed Chicago disappointed, without another meal from his favorite Chicago restaurant.
“I have to leave right after the game with the team,” he said.
Sight seen
Former Gov. George Ryan watched Sunday’s game from the comfort of a Soldier Field suite leased by United Auto Insurance Group.
Ryan was sentenced last month to 6 1/2 years in prison on charges of corruption when he was Illinois secretary of state.
He will report to prison in January, so he figures to miss seeing the Bears in person during the playoffs–and at the Super Bowl in Miami.
Overheard
With his final kick Sunday, Robbie Gould extended his streak of field goals to open a season to 17, breaking Kevin Butler’s franchise record of 16 in 1995. Gould has 19 in a row over the last two years. Butler’s club record is 24 straight in 1988-89.
Before Sunday’s game, Gould was worried that his holder and the team’s punter, Brad Maynard, would be too sick to play.
Maynard was afflicted with a virus and missed practice last week.
“I’m the emergency guy,” Gould said. “I punted a little bit in high school and a little bit in college [at Penn State], so if I have to, I can get it done. Not as good as Brad, but I can get it done.”
But placekicking is clearly Gould’s specialty.
“They are two different swings, two different techniques,” he said. “That’s why they have guys who specialize in it. It makes it easier on each person to just concentrate on what they have to do.” . . .
Defensive tackle Tank Johnson weighed in Sunday on the Bears’ imposing defensive front:
“We’re the horsemen, man. We’re always coming. We always have an attitude. We’re never satisfied. We just won 40-7, and I would venture to say that 100 percent of the defense is [ticked] off.”
Word on the street
The sportsbook BetUs.com listed some unusual odds before Sunday’s game:
Bears to go undefeated for the rest of the regular season: 100-1.
Bears to win Super Bowl: 5-1.
Rex Grossman to win league MVP: 9-1.
Brian Urlacher to get arrested this season: 22-1.
Tommie Harris to record the most sacks in the NFL regular season: 7-2.
Bills to win Super Bowl: 100-1.
J.P. Losman to be charged with DUI: 50-1. . . .
Veteran receiver Mushin Muhammad, who caught two passes, says officials are being more vigilant about calling defensive backs for illegal contact this season.
“A lot of that stuff used to be legal, and it does seem like the refs are paying a little more attention to that now,” he said.
“I think a lot of people have a hard time defending me because I have a big body and they try to find ways to get around me. Guys will bump me down the field, and they’re calling some of that now.”
Similar to circumstances in a basketball game, NFL officials can dictate the type of game that’s played between receivers and defenders.
“If they’re calling touch fouls, then you have to keep it real clean,” Muhammad said. “But if they let some of that touchy stuff go, you can bang in the post a little bit.”
Local attractions
The Bears’ Johnson and Gould will sign autographs from 7-8:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Deerfield Hyatt.
The last word
“It feels good to be great!”
–What Bears linebacker and special-teams standout Brendon Ayanbadejo shouted as he ran through the Soldier Field tunnel toward the locker room.
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fmitchell@tribune.com
