Dick Butkus might be the greatest linebacker to ever play the game. That's why his words mean more than most when it comes to evaluating the Bears. The Hall of Famer knows his old team might struggle at times now that Brian Urlacher is sidelined with a season-ending wrist injury, but he isn't ready to give up on Jay Cutler & Co. just yet.

The Northwest Herald's Tom Musick and I caught up with Butkus at Soldier Field before the Bears knocked off the Steelers on Sunday afternoon. He was in town as part of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Fan's Choice program, in which fans are being given a small say in the election process of future Canton inductees. As usual, the Illinois native was blunt and honest in his commentary.

So fans have a chance to vote for Hall of Famers now?

Dick Butkus: Really, that's how anybody can get nominated. I could write a letter and say, "OK, Richard Dent should be in the Hall of Fame," and send it to the Hall of Fame. Then their research department will start breaking it down and everything else. What they want to do now, I think, is expose [the process] even more for this coming 2010 [class]. They came up with 130 names, and the fans [will] get involved to see who they think should be in.

Now, you might think it's a popularity contest or whatever, but like the first two guys are unanimous choices, are of course Jerry Rice and Emmitt Smith. It's kind of like a slam dunk. But from there on down, who do [fans] think [should be in]? If it's Jerry Rice, then Cris Carter and Shannon Sharpe, all these other receivers, what happens to them? So, [this program] is a new idea to get the fans interested in the history of the Hall of Fame. And so whether or not they use it or not, who knows? They may. But, it's just to drum up interest.

Do you think baseball may adopt a program similar to this one so that Ron Santo may be able to get in the Hall of Fame?

DB: Yeah, he [could] just drum up enough votes for himself or whatever, and Pete Rose, of course. What about Pete? But to get in the Hall of Fame, there's certain rules, of course. The five-year delay after you've retired and certain parameters like that, and so this is kind of interesting, and the fans are such a part of football. I think we're gonna let them say a little bit and see how it reacts.

You told me a couple weeks ago that you had to turn off the Illinois-Missouri game because you were so disgusted. Did you have to do the same thing during the Bears' game in Green Bay last weekend?

DB: (Pauses) Pretty damn close. They came out flying and hitting and everything, and I don't know what happened. … It just irritates me to watch people who I think are not giving 100 percent, that's all. Is that asking too much, to fly all over? I know in the Bears' case, commentators are looking at the way Cutler walks off the field and [the] gait of his walk and his attitude, but like I said, probably to you, it's the defense, man. The defense gotta turn the ball [over], get the ball to the offense more and more. Whether [Cutler] gives it right back [or not], so what? It's gonna happen. Block for the guy.

Do people make too big of a deal with that stuff, though? The emotional and facial expressions of Cutler?

DB: Oh, I think [so]. Block for him, give him some time, let him do his thing. You all reach your level … if he's been fooling everybody, we'll know at the end of the year, but don't judge him by one game, that's for sure.

You obviously know about the importance of the linebacker position; do you think the Bears can recover without Brian Urlacher out there?

DB: Well, I think the experience factor, you lose a lot. Because experience in the huddle when the game is going on is pretty important stuff. You can say, "Well, yeah, he got hurt, and we knew he wasn't playing this week, so whoever replaces him got all week to practice," but it's the same when you miss an all-pro character like Urlacher, it's very tough to relate. Everybody else just got to look at themselves and say, "Hey, I just gotta push it up a notch," because you're definitely gonna be a little weaker. It's not taking away from whoever replaces him, because whoever is replacing him, if he was better than Urlacher, he would have been playing in the first place. Nothing to be ashamed about filling in for somebody, but you need some help from everybody. Everybody's gotta play a little harder.

Is it weird for you being back here on a game day? Do you still feel any of the same emotions you did as a player?

DB: No … (chuckles) it's been a number of years. I still watch 'em, I still feel for 'em, and I got a little kick to my step if they win and I feel bad if they lose, just like anybody else. It's a fraternity, and you want to see 'em do good.

Getting back to Urlacher for a second, do you think the Bears will be able to respond without him, or did you see something against the Packers that made you think otherwise?

DB: We just gotta see how they do against a real good team. We know [the Steelers] are good, so whether or not they bounce back, it's gonna be a real good test for 'em. Green Bay is good, but I think the Steelers, going into this [game], are a better team, so we'll see just how good or bad we are. They're losing their ace guy, too, ya know.

Who do you think was the bigger loss: Troy Polamalu or Urlacher?

DB: I think our guy. A safety, he's a run-filler and everything else, but I would go with our guy. Middle linebacker is a little bit more impact as far as our defense is concerned.

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