Bears, Packers doing some good together

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Mike Ditka would be proud of his former center.

Jerry Fontenot succeeded Jay Hilgenberg at center for the Bears in Ditkas final year. Fontenot eventually went on to the New Orleans Saints and then to the Green Bay Packers as a coach, first as an assistant offensive line coach, then running backs coach and now tight ends mentor.

So you cant blame him for being a little conflicted at which team he would play for in the Bears-Packers Rivalry Cup charity golf event being played today at Medinah Country Club in advance of the Ryder Cup.

Very tough call, but its got to be the Packers now, Fontenot said, laughing. Hopefully Coachll still talk to me.

Not much worry there about Ditka, who once famously declared, the past is for cowards and losers.

Fontenot will be part of a Packers contingent facing off against a group of Bears in four-ball and singles matches. The Bears group will include a heavy special-teams flavor, with kicker Robbie Gould, long snapper Pat Mannelly and punter Adam Podlesh, along with Ditka and Richard Dent.

Other Packers will include fullback Jon Kuhn and special-teamer Ryan Taylor, kicker Mason Crosby and punter Tim Masthay, plus former quarterbacks Lynn Dickey and Randy Wright and receiver Bill Schroeder.

Its not the first time that members from the football rivalry have gotten together to do some impressive good.

Ditka and former Green Bay guard Jerry Kramer spearheaded the formation of Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund, a non-profit NFL football charity providing medical and financial assistance to pioneers of the game who are in dire need.

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