"Then Ditka Said to Payton. . .": The Best Chicago Bears Stories Ever Told

by Dan Jiggetts, Fred Mitchell

Written for every sports fan who follows the Bears, this account goes behind the scenes to peek into the private world of the players, coaches, and decision makers—all while eavesdropping on their personal conversations. From the Chicago locker room to the sidelines and inside the huddle, the book includes stories about Dick Butkus, Red Grange, George Halas, Walter Payton, and Gale Sayers, among others, allowing readers to relive the highlights and the celebrations.

192 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2008

Reviews

[Steven Peterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are a fan of the Chicago Bears, you'll probably enjoy this book (I did). If not, maybe three stars. Many of the stories in this book would be familiar to a Bears' fan. But it's still fun to reexperience the snippets of eighty years of the history of the "Monsters of the Midway."

The volume begins at the beginning--the origin of the Bears. They actually started out as the Decatiur Staleys; then, the team moved to Chicago. George Halas was a key organizer of the team then and continued as coach and owner for many years. The book covers some of the interesting players employed by the Bears--from Red Grange onward. The book takes a chronological look at the team, althopugh the bulk of the coverage is from the 1960s on (something of a disappointment, as the Bears' history before then was rich indeed).

The author, Dan Jiggetts, was a player with the team, and has some of his own observations that "spice up" the volume.

All in all, fun to read for a Bears fan. . . .

[Patrick · Rating 2 out of 5]

This title was very misleading, it should've used the words "lackluster" or "average" stories. There aren't a lot of exciting stories from games, it's just some boring factoids and non-ectotes. There are a ton of good stories I can remember just since 2001 or so and none of them are touched on; this book is a dud. Another book came out at the same time, called something like "The greatest Plays in Bears History" or something, so maybe that's more big-moment/eye-witness-oriented, I'll have to check it out. Mike Ditka's "In life, First You Kick Ass" is a perfect example of what a successful book in this style should be. I am not a meathead, by the way.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have been generous with the rating, it's a book about the Bears after all.
There are better books available with tales from the sidelines etc.
This is sometimes frustrating, for example, when covering Devin Hester's Super Bowl kick off return for a TD it starts with Devin visualising it happening.
Fair enough.
But then 80% of the article with Earl Christy who returned kicks for the Super Bowl III Jets remembering returning the opening kick off for 26 yards, complementing Devin then saying that he is glad he won a ring, and that is better than returning the kick off all the way.
????!!!!
For completists only.

[Keenan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is about the Chicago Bears history. But this this book really good is that author was a Chicago Bears guard! He block for Walter Payton! And he gives so many details. The story starts way in the early 1960s to the present. Also because the athour was a guard for the bears it was like you were at training camps and the games.

I like this book because how I said before it was like you were at the games because the athour was the guard for the Bears. Also I liked how he talks about Walter Payton. Because he was one of the greatest players of all time. He talked about him a lot how love to prank. It was like my cousin who loves to prank people. Also he talks about the 85 Bears making the Super Bowl. And how the Bears DOMENATED the Patriots. This is why I picked the book " Then Ditka Said to Payton...."

[Jeremy · Rating 1 out of 5]

My two guilty pleasures are sports and rock n' roll biographies. This book promises "legendary insider training camp stories", but delivers "Kurt Becker was always pulling pranks on somebody., whether it was ball boys or other players. Those were really great times."
Wow this was a bad read. There isn't even a story where Ditka says anything to Payton.

[James F. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some great stories about a football team that has found a home in the hearts and minds of many fans.

Nice inclusion of an audio CD that features play-by-play action of the greatest game in Walter Payton's career - the Chicago Bear game against the Minnesota Vikings on November 20, 1977, in which Peyton rushed for 275 yards!