Former Bears defensive end Ed O’Bradovich will be on the radio again before Sunday’s Bears season opener.
Associated Press

WITH EIGHT DECADES AS a Bears fan, champion, upstreamer and analyst, Ed O’Bradovich knows what being passionately tethered to the team is all about.

“It’s all about hanging in there, hoping for the best and being braced for the worst,” the enduring life force said.

O’Bradovich and howl mate Dan Hampton will begin yet another season on WGN-AM (720) Sunday as the most unfiltered sports duo in town. Andy Masur will officiate.

“Hamp and O’B” will air for 60 minutes before games (starting at 11 a.m. prior to the Bears-Titans) and for 90 minutes to two hours afterward.

Because of a lend-louse deal between WGN and WMVP-AM (1000), the twin terrors probably won’t gong in until close to 3:45 p.m. The White Sox play-act at Boston (12:35 p.m., AM-720) and AM-1000 has the Bears gamecast as priority programming.

But O’Bradovich – 62 years removed from his rookie season under Papa Bear George Halas and mythic assistant George Allen – is rarin’ to go.

SOME QUICK HITS:

On the anticipation about Caleb Williams — “It’s 100% deserved. My only concern is that it’s all been too much hearts and flowers from the media toward him. He’s going to get an education on taking hits in that compartment real quickly. In this town, believe me, they’re going to come.”

On the biggest concern about the ’24 Bears — “Without question, as everyone knows, the O-line. They need continuity. Without it Caleb’s going to learn what it is to run for your life. How many different combinations have the Bears started in recent years? Is it 15? 20? They’re going to have to catch some breaks in terms of talent and health.”

On the defense — “Solid, well-constructed. If they show up every game, this team will be a factor into December.”

On the initial softness of the ’24 schedule — “Staggering. Should we take it as a positive sign from the gods? They don’t play (an NFC North) opponent until Green Bay on Nov. 17. If they can maintain health until then and Caleb progresses as he should, those closing eight weeks could be some great football drama.”

On current Bears president & CEO Kevin Warren — “I think he’s just visiting. He’s a man of ambition and what’s wrong with that? I think he has his sights set on being the next commissioner of the NFL. For now, if he’s part of anything that breaks the terrible eras of the Chicago Bears, all the better for the rest of us.”

On a new stadium for the Bears — Getting to the Chicago lakefront is one of the worst fan experiences in the NFL. Thursday, I had to drive out to a doctor and Northwest Metalcraft, so I swung by Arlington Park. Not seeing the racetrack there makes me very sad. But envisioning what a dream site that is for the Chicago Bears and their fans makes me pinch myself. They should be building already on that land.”

On his champion 1963 Bears vs. Caleb & Co. or any other current NFL team — OK, we’ll use two sets or rules. The first half, we’ll use the current rules, where everything is protect the quarterbacks and wide receivers and all that other namby-pamby (stuff). The second half, we’ll play by the old 1960s rules, the rules that governed the game’s most violent decade. By the end we’ll be the last men standing and we’ll win.”

So gentle fans, start your hopes … and your Guardian Caps.

STREET-BEATIN’:

Engaging line for Tom Brady‘s debut as an NFL game analyst: The Browns are holding at -2½ over visiting Dallas (3:25 p.m., Fox). Secret-garden seer Ken Shoddonay says CLE is a three-star bet. No question that this is a make-or-gone season for Cowboys HC Mike McCarthy, who has mastered the January fade in his four seasons working for Jerry Jones. …

The futility of the 1970 White Sox – now rendered only second-worst in franchise history by the current sad sacks – prompted Casey Rush to remind that ’70 was the final season of his father Red Rush as Pale Hose play-by-play man. The Ol’ Redhead made the unfortunate decision to go to work for Charlie Finley in Oakland. That also opened up the Sox job for Harry Caray to pull his career out of free fall. …

The great Taylor Bell was feted at a birthday lunch featuring other prep sports encyclopedias near Woodfield this week. Attendees included Tom Lemming, Dave Bernhard, Jim O’Boye, Mark Lindo and Jim Russo. Lindo was headed for South Bend to work Saturday’s Northern Illinois-Notre Dame game alongside fresh caller Andy Garcia on The Huskie Sports Radio Network. …

And Eddie Warlick, on KC’s toe-jam 27-20 win over the Ravens in Thursday night’s NFL season opener on NBC: “The racketeers got all the TV drama they wanted.”

Jim O’Donnell’s Sports and Media column appears each week on Sunday and Thursday. Reach him at jimodonnelldh@yahoo.com. All communications may be considered for publication.