WASHINGTON (AP) - Welcoming the Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers to the White House was no easy task for President Barack Obama.

Obama is a die-hard fan of the Packers' rivals, the Chicago Bears. And the Packers beat the Bears in the last year's conference championships to reach the Super Bowl.

Still, Obama congratulated the Packers on their victory, as well as the work they do in the Green Bay community. Obama says the team has raised millions for charities, given scholarships to local students,

Wisconsin's calling card, as always, will be its offensive line. They'll have to replace Carimi, a first-round draft pick of the Chicago Bears, and Moffitt, who went to Seattle in the third round. As usual, though, there's no shortage of big guys in Madison.

``I was surprised how big they were,'' Wilson said. ``I'd always been told that. That was good. They were great guys and had the sa

BOURBONNAIS, Ill. (AP) - When the Chicago Bears decided to part ways with center Olin Kreutz, his replacement seemed certain when they signed former Seattle center Chris Spencer.

However, Bears right guard Roberto Garza has picked up the center position well enough to make coaches feel he can remain there all season.

When the team released the first official depth chart Wednesday, Garza was listed as first-team center and has the stamp of approval of the coaching staff.

``Olin has always been the gu

He didn't plan on resting much anyway, utilizing every minute he could get to put his personal life back into some semblance of order.

McGee's world was turned topsy-turvy when the Chicago Bears released him Monday. He went back to his job as a stock trader the next day in Austin, Texas, and was there for a few hours when his fortunes turned again after Browns punter Reggie Hodges was lost for the season with an Achilles' tendon injury.

`

CANTON, Ohio (AP) - That kid who went to college with two brown grocery bags filled with his belongings strutted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday night.

Shannon Sharpe joined running back Marshall Faulk, Chicago Bears sackmaster Richard Dent, Washington Redskins linebacker Chris Hanburger and NFL Films founder Ed Sabol in being inducted into the hall. They were to be followed by the late Les Richter, and Deion Sanders.

When Sharpe headed to Savannah State, all he heard was how he was des

CANTON, Ohio (AP) - Chicago Bears sackmaster Richard Dent, Washington Redskins linebacker Chris Hanburger and NFL Films founder Ed Sabol were inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday night.

They were to be followed by Shannon Sharpe, Marshall Faulk, the late Les Richter, and Deion Sanders.

Dent was a dynamic pass rusher on one of the NFL's greatest defenses, the 1985 NFL champions. He was the MVP of that Super Bowl and finished with 137 1/2 career sacks, third all-time when he left the

CANTON, Ohio (AP) - Chicago Bears sackmaster Richard Dent and NFL Films founder Ed Sabol were the first of seven men to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday night.

They were to be followed by Chris Hanburger, Shannon Sharpe, Marshall Faulk, the late Les Richter, and Deion Sanders.

Dent was a dynamic pass rusher on one of the NFL's greatest defenses, the 1985 NFL champions. Dent was the MVP of that Super Bowl and finished with 137 1/2 career sacks, third all-time when he left the

BOURBONNAIS, Ill. (AP) - Chicago Bears players, including linebacker Brian Urlacher, are calling for the team to ask the Chicago Park District to change to an artificial playing surface after one day after practice was canceled at Soldier Field due to poor field conditions.

``It's a joke,'' Urlacher said about the Soldier Field grass.

The Bears canceled a Family Fest practice at Solider Field and returned to Bourbonnais for a late-night closed practice Friday night that ended at about 10:45 p.m., then

CANTON, Ohio (AP) - Chicago Bears defensive end Richard Dent, one of the game's greatest sackmasters, has been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Dent finished his career with 137 1/2 sacks, third all-time when he retired behind Reggie White and Bruce Smith, and was the MVP of the 1986 Super Bowl. Those Bears epitomized the Monsters of the Midway.

A four-time Pro Bowl player, Dent spent 12 seasons with the Bears and one each with San Francisco, Indianapolis and Philadelphia before retiring i

CHICAGO (AP) - The Chicago Bears canceled a practice in front of fans at Soldier Field because the turf was deemed unsafe for the players to use.

Fans paid $8 to attend Chicago Bears Family Fest on Friday, but it was called off an hour before it was scheduled to start because seams had buckled on the edge of 3-foot wide sod pieces which had been put down 3 1/2 weeks ago.

Operations officials from the Bears and Chicago Park District decided it was too risky for players.

Soldier Field general manager