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George Allen
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If this year’s Hall of Fame class looks undistinguished to the rest of the NFL
world, it represents the best Chicago has had to offer in the last 40 years.
George Allen and Dan Hampton need no apologies anywhere for their credentials. In
Chicago, they are heroes from the Bears’ last two championships — 1963 and
’85.
Separated by more than 20 years, they also are linked in the city’s tradition, a
tradition that remains strong despite its infrequent rendezvous with glory.
Allen joined George Halas as a Bears’ assistant in ’58 after entering the NFL
a year earlier on Sid Gillman’s soon-to-be-fired Los Angeles Rams’ staff.
Allen’s contribution as a defensive guru was validated after the ’63
championship when the raucous band of Bear defenders playfully referred to Allen as the
backside of a horse on national television during a postgame locker-room song of
"Hooray."
But defensive wizardry was only part of Allen’s job in Chicago. Halas also
entrusted him with the title of personnel director after the untimely death of Frank
Korch. Under Allen, the Bears drafted Richie Petitbon in ’59, Mike Ditka, Bill Brown,
Ernie Ladd, Keith Lincoln and Jim Tyrer in ’61, Rookie of the Year Ronnie Bull and Ed
O’Bradovich in ’62, and Dick Butkus and Gale Sayers in ’65. Ladd, Lincoln
and Tyrer became AFL all-stars. Ditka, Butkus and Sayers are in the Hall of Fame.
The minute Allen left the Bears to take over the Rams in ’66, the Bears’
personnel department descended into chaos. According to Jim Dooley, who succeeded Halas as
head coach in ’68, each assistant coach and each scout had a vote in the drafting
process. By ’69, they had so many diverse opinions in the draft room they exceeded
their time limit and forfeited their turn. Dooley wanted DE Fred Dryer, but the Giants
jumped ahead of the Bears and took him. The Bears then selected OT Rufus Mayes and claimed
he was the guy they wanted all along, which failed to explain the confusion. They traded
Mayes after one year.
By ’75, George "Mugs" Halas Jr. convinced his dad to hire Jim Finks as
general manager to resurrect the franchise. Finks hired an Allen disciple, Jack Pardee, as
coach, but in 1978, Pardee left to succeed Allen in Washington. One of Pardee’s
parting laments was: "Who is going to rush the passer?"
Enter Hampton. Finks made Hampton his first pick in ’79 to address such a crying
need that he also drafted pass rusher Al Harris later in the first round.
Hampton became the cornerstone of the great defenses that propelled the Bears back to
the top, like Allen’s ’63 defense. He started his career at defensive left end
and became a Pro Bowler as both an end and a tackle. His ability to play inside and
outside on both sides of the line, as well as his ability to push the pocket from the NT
spot in Buddy Ryan’s famous "46" alignment made Hampton the "most
valuable" Walter Payton of the defense.
Amateur statistician John Turney, who uncovered sack facts for Deacon Jones and others
before sacks were officially recognized, discovered remarkable facts about Hampton’s
career.
From 1979 to 1990 — Hampton’s years — the Bears led the NFL in each
defensive category: fewest rushing yards, fewest rushing touchdowns, most sacks, fewest
points and fewest total yards.
Second in rushing yards over those years were the Steelers with Jack Lambert and Mel
Blount. Second in rushing touchdowns and points were the 49ers with Ronnie Lott. Second in
sacks were the Raiders with Howie Long. Second in total yards were the Giants with
Lawrence Taylor. But in each category, the Bears were first.
Hampton played with excellent teammates, led by Hall of Fame LB Mike Singletary,
linemates Steve McMichael and Richard Dent and safeties Gary Fencik and Dave Duerson. But
check out this statistic: from 1983 to ’90, when the Bears were at their best, they
won 75 percent of the games Hampton played and only 33 percent of the games he missed.
Because knee injuries forced a dozen surgeries, Hampton missed 24 of 138 games during that
period.
Amazingly, in 20 different defensive categories from 1983 to ’90, the Bears proved
better with Hampton than without him in every single category. It was the "Hampton
Factor." For example, with Hampton, the Bears allowed only 3.7 yards per rush.
Without him, it increased to 4.02. With Hampton, the Bears compiled 3.6 sacks a game;
without him, only 2.3. Most telling, the Bears allowed only 14.7 points per game with
Hampton, 23.1 points without him, more than a touchdown a game more.
After Allen left, the Bears didn’t win another playoff game until 1984. Since
Hampton left, the Bears have appeared in only four playoff games, winning just one. So
don’t tell anyone in Chicago that this isn’t a great Hall of Fame class.
Don Pierson covers pro football for the Chicago Tribune. |
