Pierzynski 12 Posted December 29, 2005 Share Posted December 29, 2005 Olin Kreutz is among the players the Bears are considering resting during the regular-season finale Sunday at Minnesota (3:15 p.m., Fox-32, 780-AM), and that could spoil one of the NFL's better grudge matches. Vikings defensive tackle Pat Williams is out for revenge for what he feels was a Pro Bowl snubbing orchestrated by Kreutz, a charge the Bears center finds ridiculous. Don't be surprised if Kreutz petitions coaches to let him play in an otherwise meaningless game, despite spraining an ankle Sunday at Green Bay. Williams ripped Kreutz in a Nov. 4 article in the Minneapolis Star Tribune, calling the five-time Pro Bowl player "a joke.'' Fans, players and coaches selected the participants in the Pro Bowl, which will be played Feb. 12 in Honolulu. Each group's collective vote counted one-third toward determining rosters for the AFC and NFC. Six Bears were selected: linebackers Lance Briggs and Brian Urlacher, strong safety Mike Brown, defensive tackle Tommie Harris, center Olin Kreutz and cornerback Nathan Vasher. Urlacher received the most fan votes of any NFC defensive player, and Kreutz received more than double the fan votes of his nearest NFC competitor. ''You all want to bump the guy up,'' Williams said. ''Kreutz, he ain't nothing but a joke. He's been a joke since he came in the league. I've never respected the guy.'' The bad-mouthing was followed last week by comments from Angelo Wright, Williams' agent, in the St. Paul Pioneer Press, alleging that Kreutz worked to blackball Williams in Pro Bowl voting by players. Williams finished in the top three among NFC defensive tackles in fan balloting but was not named to the team, passed over by, among others, the Bears' Tommie Harris. ''I know for a fact that the Bears were upset about Pat's comments about Olin Kreutz,'' Wright told the Pioneer Press. ''So Kreutz and the players called around and were in cahoots to make sure Pat didn't get votes.'' Those comments set off Kreutz, who started ahead of Minnesota's Matt Birk in last season's Pro Bowl. ''When [Williams] talks nonsense about me like that, I can respond in so many ways,'' Kreutz said. ''I can attack him. I can call him a fat slob. I can tell him he has never made the Pro Bowl. I can say all of this stuff. Then his stupid agent comes out and says I am manipulating Pro Bowl votes. Like I actually know that many people. ''Obviously, if everyone likes you, you're probably doing something wrong. I'm glad there is someone out there that hates my guts. It makes me feel good about myself.'' While Williams feels he has something to prove and Kreutz is more than happy to accommodate him, the Bears' coaching staff might be thinking differently. With the Bears planning to start quarterback Rex Grossman, they want their best line out there, but they could elect to use Roberto Garza and effectively give Kreutz three weeks to heal before the divisional playoff round. The last thing the team wants to do is send Grossman onto the turf where he blew out his right knee last season behind a makeshift line. Kreutz, who has missed only one game in the last four seasons, undoubtedly will fight efforts to keep him on the bench. Williams made his remarks two weeks after the Bears defeated the Vikings 28-3 at Soldier Field, the only game this season in which the offense has produced four touchdowns. It was the biggest margin in the series since 1998 and the most lopsided Bears victory over Minnesota since 1989. The Bears were limited to 95 rushing yards, and Kreutz acknowledged that the 6-3, 317-pound Williams played well. ''Let me be very honest about it,'' Kreutz said. ''He played a hell of a game against us, he did a hell of a job against me and I won't lie about that. If that's why he thinks I'm a joke, that's fine. I don't give a [hoot].'' Bears left guard Ruben Brown missed the first meeting with a pectoral injury but was chirping back and forth with Williams from the sideline. They were teammates in Buffalo for seven seasons, and Brown said he and Ted Washington, who also is represented by Wright, took Williams under their wings after the Bills signed him as an undrafted rookie free agent. ''I had a good relationship with Pat,'' Brown said. ''But I can't believe this. It hurts me that he is saying these things. It doesn't make him look good by saying it. You don't do that in this league. There's a code. He went the wrong way. ''Now, am I surprised this was coming out of his mouth? No. But I'm surprised he said it in public. I've heard him say things like that before. Sane people aren't going to say those things, not when probably the rest of the league regards Olin as maybe being the best at his position. Who says that stuff? Idiots. I'm sticking by my man, Olin.'' Brown laughed off the idea that Kreutz could organize a movement against Williams. ''Does he think we're like the mob or something?'' he said. ''See, that lets you know what type of people these are. I'm trying to convince Olin not to get into it with those guys [Williams and Wright]. It's no wonder -- both of them aren't that bright.'' Kreutz played against Williams only once before in a 2002 game at Buffalo. He said he never has met Williams in any other setting. Typically, Kreutz declines to comment on players from other teams or else heaps praise their way, but he said Williams stepped over boundaries that exist for professionals. ''The code is this: Don't hide behind a newspaper,'' Kreutz said. ''If you have something to say to someone, look them dead in the face. I'm going to be there on Sunday, lining up right across from him. Everyone knows I'm happy to oblige him. "I don't know if he thought that talking was going to get him in the Pro Bowl. You're going to play me Jan. 1, and the guy is talking about me in [early] November. The whole thing is just so silly to me.'' http://www.suntimes.com/output/sports/cst-spt-bear28.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyyle23 Posted December 29, 2005 Share Posted December 29, 2005 You would think that Fred Miller would have shown people not to f*** with Olin Kreutz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hammerhead johnson Posted December 29, 2005 Share Posted December 29, 2005 Although it's not mentioned in this article, Olin said "He's just mad at me because I stole his cheeseburger". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rangercal Posted December 29, 2005 Share Posted December 29, 2005 QUOTE(hammerhead johnson @ Dec 29, 2005 -> 12:38 PM) Although it's not mentioned in this article, Olin said "He's just mad at me because I stole his cheeseburger". I seen that on comcast Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chisoxfn Posted December 29, 2005 Share Posted December 29, 2005 I wouldn't play him. He's banged up and no need to risk it. Of course I dont' exactly want Rex playing under a megshift line. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockRaines Posted December 29, 2005 Share Posted December 29, 2005 It is said that Olin bascially runs the bears locker room, and that should show how much respect the guy commands from his own team let alone the rest of the league. He beat Fred Miller down, im sure he could do it to Williams. I wouldnt f with the big offensive line. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WHarris1 Posted December 29, 2005 Share Posted December 29, 2005 ROFL Man that fat douche needs to STFU before Olin kicks the f*** out of him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heads22 Posted December 29, 2005 Share Posted December 29, 2005 QUOTE(Chisoxfn @ Dec 29, 2005 -> 12:49 PM) I wouldn't play him. He's banged up and no need to risk it. Of course I dont' exactly want Rex playing under a megshift line. Makeshift? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitesoxfan101 Posted December 29, 2005 Share Posted December 29, 2005 Don't play the damn starters. Between that nasty ass turf, the game meaning nothing, and the Vikings playing for nothing and a bad coach (which makes me worry about cheap shots)...it's not worth it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyyle23 Posted December 29, 2005 Share Posted December 29, 2005 QUOTE(Heads22 @ Dec 29, 2005 -> 03:50 PM) Makeshift? I was gonna say something, but then I thought "naaaah, not worth it...." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WHarris1 Posted December 29, 2005 Share Posted December 29, 2005 Anyone else concerned maybe the Vikes play dirty this weekend with nothing on the line? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoodAsGould Posted December 29, 2005 Share Posted December 29, 2005 QUOTE(WHarris1 @ Dec 29, 2005 -> 10:54 PM) Anyone else concerned maybe the Vikes play dirty this weekend with nothing on the line? Noo... maybe Pat Williams but not 2 worried about the other players.... when they got nothing to play for why should they even play that hard? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goldmember Posted December 30, 2005 Share Posted December 30, 2005 QUOTE(SoxFan101 @ Dec 29, 2005 -> 04:58 PM) Noo... maybe Pat Williams but not 2 worried about the other players.... when they got nothing to play for why should they even play that hard? save face, keep/contend for job, ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iWiN4PreP Posted December 30, 2005 Share Posted December 30, 2005 Anyone else concerned maybe the Vikes play dirty this weekend with nothing on the line? yes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoodAsGould Posted December 30, 2005 Share Posted December 30, 2005 QUOTE(Goldmember @ Dec 30, 2005 -> 12:18 AM) save face, keep/contend for job, ... Yeah so maybe some of them that are contending for a starting job will play hard but I dont think they will play dirty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mplssoxfan Posted December 30, 2005 Share Posted December 30, 2005 Pat Williams' dad died eariler this week, so maybe that will stem some of the yapping on both sides. Living where I do, I get to see a lot more of the Vikes than the Bears, and I'll say this: even though Sharper has had a great season for the Queens, Pat Williams is their Defensive MVP, if not their overall MVP. He's very good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chisoxfn Posted December 30, 2005 Share Posted December 30, 2005 QUOTE(Heads22 @ Dec 29, 2005 -> 12:50 PM) Makeshift? Wiseass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heads22 Posted December 30, 2005 Share Posted December 30, 2005 Come on, it's like a 3rd grade word.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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