A throng of reporters asked Brian Urlacher about the opening of the new stadium and facing Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers on Monday. But that wasn't the main reason the Pro Bowl middle linebacker was mobbed in front of his locker Wednesday at Halas Hall.
Inquiring minds wanted to know about newspaper reports linking Urlacher with socialite model Paris Hilton last weekend in Las Vegas. The New York Post reported that the pair was seen together at a Bellagio nightclub and the Las Vegas Review-Journal added that Urlacher gave her "a piggyback ride after she broke a shoe and enlisted help, just like Cinderella."
Urlacher confirmed that he spent time with the 21-year-old heiress, even without mentioning Hilton by name.
"I get to meet a lot of cool people obviously in what I do," he said. "It was just a coincidence that I got to meet-obviously I think everyone knows who I got to meet-so I got to meet her in Vegas and we kind of hung out a little bit and that was about it. Everyone blows it out of proportion, but that's really all that happened."
According to the Chicago Tribune, Urlacher filed for divorce from his wife Laurie on July 14 in Lake County Circuit Court.
The attention Urlacher's encounter with Hilton has received surprised the Bears' marquee player. But he understands that it comes with the territory in a world that's fascinated with celebrities.
"I realize that in my position, that's the way it goes," Urlacher said. "Everything you do is put out there, but that's the way it is. I have to watch what I do, I guess. I didn't do anything wrong by any means, but that's just the way it goes."
Urlacher insisted that the incident has not been a distraction in any respect as he and the Bears prepare to open the new Soldier Field with an NFC North showdown against the rival Packers.
"We have a big game on Monday night," Urlacher said. "It didn't bother me. I'm here to play football; that's my job, that's what I'm going to do. It doesn't bother me really what people say or what people suspect. That's how it goes sometimes and you've just got to deal with it."
Urlacher doesn't think that the gossip will tarnish his squeaky clean image.
"People are going to think what they want," he said. "You can't really affect that too much. Obviously I've got a pretty good image so far. I don't think I've done anything to hurt that. I haven't done anything wrong. I haven't done anything bad criminally or anything like that. I feel like I'm doing a pretty good job."
Many of Urlacher's teammates were amused by the story; a few even seemed a bit envious. Then there was one member of the defense who wondered aloud: "Who the (heck) is Paris Hilton?"
lol :devious:
Inquiring minds wanted to know about newspaper reports linking Urlacher with socialite model Paris Hilton last weekend in Las Vegas. The New York Post reported that the pair was seen together at a Bellagio nightclub and the Las Vegas Review-Journal added that Urlacher gave her "a piggyback ride after she broke a shoe and enlisted help, just like Cinderella."
Urlacher confirmed that he spent time with the 21-year-old heiress, even without mentioning Hilton by name.
"I get to meet a lot of cool people obviously in what I do," he said. "It was just a coincidence that I got to meet-obviously I think everyone knows who I got to meet-so I got to meet her in Vegas and we kind of hung out a little bit and that was about it. Everyone blows it out of proportion, but that's really all that happened."
According to the Chicago Tribune, Urlacher filed for divorce from his wife Laurie on July 14 in Lake County Circuit Court.
The attention Urlacher's encounter with Hilton has received surprised the Bears' marquee player. But he understands that it comes with the territory in a world that's fascinated with celebrities.
"I realize that in my position, that's the way it goes," Urlacher said. "Everything you do is put out there, but that's the way it is. I have to watch what I do, I guess. I didn't do anything wrong by any means, but that's just the way it goes."
Urlacher insisted that the incident has not been a distraction in any respect as he and the Bears prepare to open the new Soldier Field with an NFC North showdown against the rival Packers.
"We have a big game on Monday night," Urlacher said. "It didn't bother me. I'm here to play football; that's my job, that's what I'm going to do. It doesn't bother me really what people say or what people suspect. That's how it goes sometimes and you've just got to deal with it."
Urlacher doesn't think that the gossip will tarnish his squeaky clean image.
"People are going to think what they want," he said. "You can't really affect that too much. Obviously I've got a pretty good image so far. I don't think I've done anything to hurt that. I haven't done anything wrong. I haven't done anything bad criminally or anything like that. I feel like I'm doing a pretty good job."
Many of Urlacher's teammates were amused by the story; a few even seemed a bit envious. Then there was one member of the defense who wondered aloud: "Who the (heck) is Paris Hilton?"
lol :devious:
