Monsters

The 1985 Chicago Bears and the Wild Heart of Football

By: Rich Cohen

Narrated by: Tom Taylorson

The gripping account of a once-in-a-lifetime football team and their lone championship season.

For Rich Cohen and millions of other fans, the 1985 Chicago Bears were more than a football team: they were the greatest football team ever - a gang of colorful nuts, dancing and pounding their way to victory. They won a Super Bowl and saved a city.

It was not just that the Monsters of the Midway won but how they did it. On offense, there was high-stepping running back Walter Payton and Punky QB Jim McMahon, who had a knack for pissing off Coach Mike Ditka as he made his way to the end zone. On defense, there was the 46: a revolutionary,quarterback-concussing scheme cooked up by Buddy Ryan and ruthlessly implemented by Hall of Famers such as Dan "Danimal" Hampton and "Samurai" Mike Singletary. On the sidelines, in the locker rooms, and in bars, there was the never-ending soap opera: the coach and the quarterback bickering on television, Ditka and Ryan nearly coming to blows in the Orange Bowl, the players recording the "Super Bowl Shuffle" video the morning after the season's only loss.

Cohen tracked down the coaches and players from this iconic team and asked them everything he has always wanted to know: What's it like to win? What's it like to lose? Do you really hate the guys on the other side? Were you ever scared? What do you think as you lie broken on the field? How do you go on after you have lived your dream but life has not ended?

The result is Monsters: The 1985 Chicago Bears and the Wild Heart of Football, a portrait not merely of a team but of a city and a game: its history, its future, its fallen men, its immortal heroes. But mostly it's about being a fan - about loving too much. This is a book about America at its most nonsensical, delirious, and joyful.

©2013 Rich Cohen (P)2014 Blackstone Audio

Solid.

Well written, entertaining, educational, great narration. An awesome tribute by a true and dedicated Bears fan to a superb ball club and it’s alumni.

Excellent sports story

...Not only the 1985 Chicago Bears but the history of the Iron Men who were so instrumental in establishing football as America’s sport. I think it rates with “Friday night lights” as one of the mesmerizing football Chronicles of our time.

Cool Bears History

Nice job with many good interviews with players from the ‘85 Super Bowl champ team. Enjoyed the history of the Bears going back to 1920 with George Halas.
Occasional reminders of how different the game was then compared to now. Hard hits used to create “oohs and ahs” and now they make us say “oh no!”
46 defense was created for #46 who was a safety. If you love the Bears or loved that team, this should be a fun listen for you.

Well told, passionate, detailed, and emotional!

"Monsters The 1985 Chicago Bears and The Wild Heart of Football" is very detailed. The beginning passages of chapter 15 will give you a good indication of the worth which the author feels towred the essence of the material found in this subject, it is indelibly etched on his heart. Growing up in the area at that time; I related to the sentimentality of the book. The detail chapter essays about individual players, the details surrounding the development of that specific roster and coaches. The stories of boisterous enthusiasm of the individuals and the culture of the team. The struggle of the interplay between the two different offensive and defensive philosophies on the same team. The way the fans seem to live and die with every play every game. However, what makes this book different is that it makes you understand the depth of the people behind the warrior mentality that were on that team and the very culture and historical depth that is in the fabric of the NFL itself! You don't have to be specifically a die-hard Chicago Bears fan to enjoy this book and the quality of the writing found in it. If you enjoy pro football, you will enjoy this book and you will not regret reading/listening to it.

Great storytelling for any football/history fan

I dinged the performance one star due to the narrator’s horrible botched pronunciation of Rocket Richard’s name. Yes, it looks like “rich-ard”, but it’s French Canadian and pronounced “ri-shard”. He’s super famous. Somebody should have caught that mistake.

Well Worth the Listen

A full telling of the story of the 1985 Bears. The character portraits are detailed and complete, and the key games are brought back to life. Narration is excellent; he does slight impressions of some of the players and it really works. I will offer one warning: the author makes a lot of high brow references and turns of phrases that seem odd in a book about the 85 Bears. There are also a number of tangential detours into the author’s life that seemed out of place, but overall this was a very enjoyable listen.

The story of legends

Not a bears fan but any fan of football knows the legendary 85 bears and any fan of football in general should read/listen to this book

just incredible

Far and away the best book on the Chicago Bears that I've ever read/listened to. So much great inside input and perspective that you won't find elsewhere. My only complaint was that it ended; I could listen to this stuff forever.

like reliving my youth.

outstanding book. it brought back so many memories for me. I graduated from a rival high school the same year as the author, so it was even more personal for me. I was pleasantly surprised at how detailed he was with the history of the organization and Papa Bear.

fun history

I was never a big bear's fan but this book was great!! learning the history of the team and kinda where are they now; was super addicting. I was a fan of the funky QB like the rest of Chicago so hearing more about his stunts was worth the giggles