TIDBITS® CELEBRATES SOME NFL GREATS
by Kathy Wolfe
Super Bowl LIX is just around the corner, scheduled for February 9 at New Orleans’ Caesars Superdome, the largest fixed dome stadium in the world. This week, Tidbits pays tribute to some of the greatest football players of all time with some on- and off-field facts. • Former Chicago Bear Dick Butkus had an interesting way of strengthening his legs in preparation for games – he pushed a car up and down the street! During his nine-year Bears career, he was invited to eight Pro Bowls. At 6 feet, 3 inches (1.91 m) tall, weighing 245 lbs. (111 kg), Butkus was a force to be reckoned with. It’s no wonder he was so “solid” – he weighed 13 lbs., 6 oz. (6.1 kg) at birth! As a teen, he worked as a mover for four years. The NFL Network named him the most feared tackler of all time. Post-career, he became a broadcaster and actor, appearing in dozens of films and TV series. His football injuries took their toll on Butkus. One knee was replaced with a metal unit and another surgery left him with leg 1.5 inches (3.8 cm) shorter than the other, which created distress in his hips, back, and neck. Spinal nerve damage caused trouble with his walking, and he also lost strength in his hands. He also underwent quintuple bypass surgery. Yet “The Enforcer,” as he was frequently called, led a busy life until he passed at age 80 in 2023.
Of The Mid-Ohio Valley
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NFL GREATS (continued):
• Deion Sanders spent 14 seasons in the NFL, playing for five different teams, but his life hasn’t been limited to football. Sanders had been a high school All-Stater in football, basketball, and baseball. In addition to his honors as a two-time Super Bowl champ and eight-times in the Pro Bowl, Sanders was a Major League Baseball outfielder for nine seasons with four different teams. He signed to play baseball with the New York Yankees in 1989 and with NFL’s Atlanta Falcons the same year. He is the only the athlete to play in both a Super Bowl and a World Series. He’s also the only person to hit an MLB home run and score an NFL touchdown in the same week. If all of that didn’t keep him busy enough, Sanders also had a music career as a rapper, releasing his debut album in 1994. He also served as the host of the 2002 Miss USA pageant. Sanders has been the head coach of the University of Colorado Buffaloes since 2022.
• Jerry Rice is regarded by many as the greatest football player of all time. During his career from 1985 to 2004, Rice played in 13 Pro Bowls, four Super Bowls (winning three), and was a Super Bowl and NFL MVP. Rice set 38 NFL records, including receptions, receiving yards, and touchdown catches. As the son of a brick mason, Rice developed his hands by catching bricks tossed in his direction on the job. He honed his speed by chasing horses in the pasture until he caught them. Most of his career was spent with the San Francisco 49ers (19852000), but he spent 2001-2004 with the Oakland Raiders, and closed out his playing career with the Seattle Seahawks. Rice not only loves football, he adores golfing, and would rise early in the morning before 49ers practice to work on his golf swing.
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NFL GREATS
(continued):
• If Dan Marino had followed his original dream, he would have never achieved football fame. The former Miami Dolphins quarterback got his start in baseball as an outstanding pitcher who also played shortstop when he wasn’t pitching. During his high school senior year, his hitting record topped .500. The Kansas City Royals drafted him in the 4th round in the 1979 draft. But although he was a talented baseball player, he was an exceptional football player, chosen for Parade All-American, and made the choice to play just football at the University of Pittsburgh. Marino played 17 seasons with the Dolphins, but never was on a Super Bowl-winning team. He was Rookie of the Year in 1983 and played in the Pro Bowl nine times. Marino still holds nine NFL records. He’s been a CBS analyst and continues to act as a special advisor to the Dolphins, but in the 1990s, he branched out into acting, appearing in “Ace Ventura: Pet Detective,” and opposite Adam Sandler in “Little Nicky.” Marino did voicing in a Simpsons episode and appeared in a Hootie & the Blowfish music video in 1995. His love of music is evidenced in his ability as an accomplished drummer.
• Joe Montana’s favorite sport was basketball, and the Monongahela, Pennsylvania native was offered several college basketball scholarships before accepting the position of quarterback at Notre Dame, where he graduated with a degree in business administration and marketing. During his 14 seasons with the San Francisco 49ers, Montana had four Super Bowl wins and was the first player to be named the Super Bowl MVP three times. He spent his final two seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs, leading the team to its first AFC Championship Game. Joe’s surname was Americanized from his family’s Italian name Montani. He now raises horses and produces wine under the label Montagia in the San Francisco area.
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NFL GREATS (continued):
• William “The Refrigerator” Perry got his nickname while playing college football for the Clemson Tigers. When a teammate could barely squeeze into an elevator with the giant freshman, the player said, “Man, you’re about as big as a refrigerator.” The name stuck. In his career with the Chicago Bears, teammates called him Biscuit, referring to “one biscuit shy of 350 pounds.” After Clemson, Perry was hand-picked by Bears coach Mike Ditka in the first round of the 1985 draft. In his rookie season, Perry was part of the team that won the Bears’ first Super Bowl. Perry holds the record for the heaviest player to score a touchdown in the Super Bowl, weighing 335 lbs. (152 kg). His Super Bowl ring was a size 25, compared with the average adult male’s ring size of between 10 and 12. Weighing 13 lbs. (5.9 kg) at birth, by the time he was 11 years old, he weighed in at 200 lbs. (90.7 kg). At age 54, the weight had really caught up with him when, at 425 lbs. (192.8 kg), confined to a wheelchair, Perry was hospitalized for treatment of diabetes, and with no feeling in his feet, was at risk for having his leg amputated. Within a few months he was living in a retirement home, suffering financial difficulties. He has also been diagnosed with Guillain-Barre Syndrome, an immune disorder that attacks the body’s nerves.
Therapeutic Footwear
Skip the Takeout: Make Sesame Chicken at Home for a Frugal Feast!
Chinese New Year (Jan. 29) is a time to celebrate fresh beginnings and cherished traditions. Making sesame chicken at home is a delicious way to honor the occasion with a dish that's both festive and satisfying.
If you don't celebrate the Lunar New Year, this recipe is still a winner. It's a fantastic takeout favorite you can easily re-create at home.
Sesame Chicken is a dish that brings the perfect balance of crispy chicken and a glossy, savory-sweet sauce, and when you make it at home, you're in charge. You decide the ingredients, whether to add veggies or not, and the sodium level. No MSG (unless you want it), and the best part? You'll have bragging rights when your sesame chicken rivals your favorite restaurant's version.
Cooking your takeout favorites at home doesn't just save you money it's a chance to learn, experiment, and create. Plus, the process of cooking can be a celebration in itself, filled with aromas and textures that make it more than just a meal it's an experience.
SESAME CHICKEN
Yield: 4-6 servings
Total Time: 1 hour
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1/3 cup plus 2 teaspoons cornstarch, divided
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided 2 teaspoons fresh garlic, minced 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 green onion, thinly sliced Cooked rice, for serving Optional vegetables: steamed broccoli, red pepper, celery, onion
Whisk the water, brown sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil and 2 teaspoons of the cornstarch together in a small bowl; set aside. Slice the chicken into bite-size pieces. This is the most time-consuming part of this whole recipe Place the chicken in a medium bowl and season with salt. Sprinkle the remaining 1/3 cup cornstarch over the chicken and toss with your hands until the pieces are separated and evenly coated.
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large nonstick or cast-iron frying pan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add half the chicken and spread into an even layer. Cook without stirring until golden brown on the bottom, about 4 minutes. Turn the pieces and cook until the chicken is browned on the second side and cooked through, about 4 minutes more. Transfer to a platter and keep warm. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pan and repeat cooking the remaining chicken.
Optional Sauté the Vegetables: If you'd like to sauté the vegetables instead of steaming them, add them to the skillet now. Cook to your desired doneness, then proceed with the recipe as written. No specific quantities are suggested, as the choice and amount depend on your household's preferences. Adding extra veggies is also a great way to stretch the meal and feed more people without greatly increasing costs.
Return all the chicken to the pan, add the garlic and ginger, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Give the sauce another whisk, then pour the sauce into the pan. Cook, tossing constantly, until the sauce thickens, is glossy and coats the chicken, about 30 seconds. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and toss to coat. Garnish with green onion and serve over rice if desired.
With this simple, frugal and fabulous recipe, you can bring the joy of sesame chicken to your table no takeout menu required. Here's to celebrating deliciously and affordably!
***
Lifestyle expert Patti Diamond is the penny-pinching, partyplanning, recipe developer and content creator of the website Divas On A Dime Where Frugal, Meets Fabulous! Visit Patti at www.divasonadime.com and join the conversation on Facebook at DivasOnADimeDotCom. Email Patti at divapatti@divasonadime.com (c) 2025 King Features Synd., Inc.
Crispy, saucy sesame chicken that's budget-friendly and totally irresistible.
PHOTO CREDIT: www.JasonCoblentz.com
MORE FOOTBALL GREATS
• Coaches felt Johnny Unitas was just too skinny to play football. The 6 ft., 1 in (1.85 m) Pennsylvania native longed to play for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, but after rejection from the team, he attended the University of Louisville. Out of college, he was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers, but the team released him before the season began, and Unitas, now married with children, went to work in construction, playing football on the weekends for a local semi-pro team for $6 a game. In 1956, when Unitas was 23, he was invited for a workout with the Baltimore Colts. He had to borrow money for the gas but it ended well when the Colts signed Unitas as backup quarterback for the season for $7,000. He was MVP in 1959, 1964, and 1967, played in the Pro Bowl 10 times over the course of his 18 seasons, and helped the Colts to win four championship titles. His record of most consecutive games with a touchdown pass (47 games) held for 52 years until surpassed by Drew Brees in 2012. Being a football great had its drawbacks for Unitas, who played football before heavy padding and other safety features were introduced. An elbow injury led to almost total loss of the use of his right hand, as well as a finger and thumb disfigured from being broken repeatedly. He filed for bankruptcy in 1991 due to a failed business venture.
• Emmitt Smith retired in 2004, but he still holds the NFL record for all-time leader in rushing yards with 18,355, as well as the record for career rushing touchdowns with 164. Smith was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the first round of the 1990 draft. In 1993, he became the only running back to win a Super Bowl championship, NFL MVP, NFL rushing crown, and Super Bowl MVP all in the same season. (Continued page #7)
HENSLER’S HENSLER’S TOWN & COUNTRY TOWN & COUNTRY MARKET MARKET
Walter Payton was nicknamed "Sweetness" by his teammates both tof his pleasant disposition and for how "sweet" he looked when running on the field.
It's
up
to you to keep pets safe from cold weather injury
DEAR PAW'S COR-
NER: I hope you will warn your readers to take care of their dogs' paws during the winter. Recently, after a big snowstorm, I took my toy poodle, "Blake," out for his morning walk. Five feet from the door, he let out a yelp and started limping with his right front paw lifted. A big piece of rock salt had embedded itself in one of the pads! I took him back inside to clean the wound. Fortunately, it wasn't too bad, but I had to carry him outside for the rest of the week to do his business until it healed.
Tired Momma in Buffalo, New York
DEAR TIRED: Many owners are aware that ice and snow can cause frostbite injury to their dogs, but some don't realize that rock salt and other deicers are also dangerous. In addition to potentially cutting their paws, deicing mixtures that have low or no salt use chemicals that can poison pets.
Before venturing out in cold weather even when it's above freezing dogs of all sizes should have on booties and a warm vest (one that is water-resistant if it's snowing or raining). I know some owners will scoff and say that dogs survived thousands of years without booties. But they didn't have to contend with saltstrewn sidewalks!
A frostbitten paw is very painful, as well, and could mean your dog is sidelined indoors for several days as the injury heals. Getting too cold while outside especially for small dogs can cause hypothermia or reduce their resistance to illness. So remember, if it feels cold to you, it feels cold to them. Take heed and protect your dog from cold weather.
Send your tips, comments or questions to ask@pawscorner.com.
(c) 2025 King Features Synd., Inc.
MORE FOOTBALL GREATS
(continued):
• Walter Payton was certainly a well-rounded high school student, playing baseball, participating in the Boy Scouts, serving at his church, playing drums in the marching band, and singing in the choir. When the football coach tried to recruit Payton for the team, Payton only agreed if he would be allowed to continue in Band. After a college career at Mississippi’s Jackson State University, Payton was drafted by the Chicago Bears in 1975, where he remained for 13 seasons, playing in nearly 200 games. During a 1976 game against the Vikings, Payton broke the record for the most rushing yards in a single game, with 275, along with a touchdown, all of this accomplished with a 101-degree fever and a brutal case of the flu. Payton disliked the practice of touchdown celebrations in the end zone, and after scoring, he quietly handed the ball to his teammates or the official. During his postcareer ventures, including a sports radio show and ownership of a restaurant, Payton’s health began to fail and he was diagnosed with kidney failure and bile duct cancer. He passed away in 1999 at the age of 46.
• When John Elway retired after a 16-year career with the Denver Broncos, he had the most victories by a starting quarterback. Yet he was almost a New York Yankee, selected by the MLB team in the second round of the 1981 draft, and played for a Yankees affiliate during the summer of 1982, receiving $150,000 for his efforts. He had already been selected by the Kansas City Royals in the 1979 MLB draft, but opted to play football for Stanford University. He made his debut with the Broncos in 1983.
* To ripen a green tomato, wrap it in a sheet of newspaper or place it in a paper bag. It can then be left on the counter for several days to ripen.
* "To keep those ice crystals from forming on the top of your quart of ice cream, just cut a square of plastic wrap and push it down onto the surface of the ice cream each time you scoop a bowlful out. It peels off easily when you're ready for another helping, but there's no ice! Works for me!" T.D. in Nebraska
biscuit mix or to the dough for rolls, it will help them brown well and they will come out of the oven with golden tops." Jan R. of Michigan
* You can get five or six more uses out of a pumptop lotion bottle if you cut off the top to access the lotion inside that doesn't come out of the pump once the level is too low. You'd be surprised how much is still in there!
* White vinegar will clean off fruit or food coloring stains on your hands or most other places too!
Send your tips to Now Here's a Tip, 628 Virginia Drive, Orlando, FL 32803. (c) 2025 King Features Synd., Inc.
* F.J. of Texas writes: "Keep a fresh roll of unscented toilet tissue in the kitchen to clean up on the stove and countertop. It cleans up good because of its absorbency, and it saves money on expensive paper towels."
* "If you add a teaspoon of sugar to your
