Book remembers ‘underrated Bear’

Kevin Beese

Chet Coppock, who is known as “The Godfather of Sports Talk Radio” and is a member of the Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame, has been part of the Chicago broadcasting community for four decades.

Chet Coppock, who is known as “The Godfather of Sports Talk Radio” and is a member of the Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame, has been part of the Chicago broadcasting community for four decades.

Chicago sportscasting legend Chet Coppock has led a colorful life.

He has played golf with Andy Rooney and tennis with Tony Bennett. He has pitched products with some of Chicago’s most beloved celebrities, including Michael Jordan. He has worked with wrestling legends like Randy “Macho Man” Savage and Dick the Bruiser. He has been the emcee for boxing and roller derby.

While most people are overjoyed to see one team championship celebration in person, Coppock has seen four — the 1971 Milwaukee Bucks, 1985 Chicago Bears, 1990-91 Chicago Bulls and 1997-98 Bulls.

He has worked as a public address announcer for the Chicago Bears. Heck, he has even wrestled a bear (as a stunt while working in Indianapolis).

He is known as “The Godfather of Sports Talk Radio” and is a member of the Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame. Coppock has been part of the Chicago broadcasting community for four decades.

His latest endeavor, “Buffone,” is a book crafted with the late longtime Chicago Bear linebacker Doug Buffone.

Coppock, a longtime friend of Buffone’s, had to convince the former Bear that he had a story people wanted to read. Buffone died in April at the age of 70.

“It took 10 years to convince Doug to write the book,” Coppock said. “He would always say, ‘Nobody would want to read it. What insight would they get?’”

Buffone and Coppock, who knew each other for 45 years, eventually agreed that it had to be a book of stories, not a chronological recap of a season or the linebacker’s career.

“We wanted it to be stories that people would enjoy reading, the hilarious parties, the times with teammates,” Coppock said. “We tried to target an era. I think we did really well in capturing the laughter and tears. I think they are stories people will enjoy.”

While many of the stories are light, there are darker memories as well.

Coppock remembers being on the flight with Buffone, Dick Butkus and other Bears in October 1971 coming back from Detroit. In the game earlier in the day at Tiger Stadium, Detroit Lion Chuck Hughes died on the field. An autopsy revealed that Hughes had undiagnosed and advanced arteriosclerosis.

Coppock remembers Butkus and other Bears in the back of the plane crying.

The broadcasting legend called Buffone “the most underrated Bear” because he played in the same linebacker core as Butkus and only played on three winning teams in his 14-year career.

“He knew to win a title in Chicago would be very special,” Coppock said.

The Bears’ No. 55 would later be host of a Bears post-game radio show on WSCR-AM 670 and be teamed with former teammate Ed O’Bradovich.

“They were made for each other,” Coppock said about the dynamic duo that because the place to turn for post-game commentary.

Coppock remembers he and Buffone finishing the book and the owner of Triumph Books calling to say he loved the piece. On Friday, April 17, Coppock and Buffone had lunch to celebrate.

“I dropped him off and said, ‘I’ll see you, 55!’” Coppock said. “On Monday (April 20), I got the call that he had died.”

Coppock said that Buffone had difficulty getting around in his later years and kept to one level in his home.

“He had pain from being in the league in the ’60s and ’70s, but his mind was still wonderful,” Coppock said.

Starting his career at WFLD Channel 32, Coppock got his break in December 1968 when the Bears sent a press release that football legend Red Grange was going to be in town. With no one on a small staff free to go, Coppock, then an intern, volunteered to attend. That eventually led to him becoming a reporter for the station.

He was also part of WLUP 97.9 in what he calls “the golden era” with Steve Dahl and Garry Meier, and Kevin Matthews.

He puts the 1963 Bears, not the 1985 Bears, at the top of his Best Defenses lists.

“That team had the best defense ever,” Coppock said. “They only gave up 140 points in 13 games.”

He doesn’t put the ’85 Bears too far from the top spot for their dominance, as well as their cast of characters.

“They were bad to the bone,” Coppock said. “They did the ‘Super Bowl Shuffle.’ They weren’t afraid to brag.”

–Book remembers ‘underrated Bear’–