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The Award Previously Known as Butkus

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sandgk

sandgk

Watson, Crick & A Twist
Dick Butkus has won a ruling in a California US District Court that prevents the Downtown Athletic Club in Orlndo from using the Butkus name, picture or identity in association with the annual award given to the year's best Linebacker.

A federal district court in California has ruled the Downtown Athletic Club of Orlando does not have the right to use the name, picture or identity of Butkus in connection with the collegiate linebacker award program that has been known as the "Butkus Award."
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THis solidifies an earlier ruling in Butkus' favor last year.
Judge Percy Anderson of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California ruled last Wednesday that the club lost that right when Butkus revoked permission last spring. The court also ruled the club's use of Butkus' name after the revocation was unlawful, possibly rendering the club responsible for significant financial damages and attorney's fees incurred to stop the club's continuing use.
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Butkus is seeking to have the authority to make an award in his name transferred to an organization that will be located in Chicago. More suits will follow as Butkus also seeks to recover damages from the unlawful use of his name, court costs - and to determine who actually owns the Butkus Award trademark.

(One possible outcome, a "Butkus Award" might never again be known as the Butkus Award).
 
WTF, I can understand his right to want to have some control over an award that bears his name, but what was his complaint? Did the downtown athletic club in Orlando mis manage the award, mis represent him, what is his bitch?
 
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gregorylee;1135832; said:
WTF, I can understand his right to want to have some control over an award that bears his name, but what was his complaint? Did the downtown athletic club in Orlando mis manage the award, mis represent him, what is his bitch?
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I read that he thought they weren't raising enough money for charity. But if he wanted to not sound like a jerk, that's the thing to say. Sandgk's article also mentions it:

"This is a great thing for Dick because this means he is free to start his own award program. He wants to bring it to Chicago," attorney Bob Helfing said Tuesday. "He thinks [Chicago] is going to be a much better venue for him to raise funds for the charities he supports. The only thing that remains to be decided is who owns the trademark 'Butkus Award.' But regardless of who owns that, Dick is free to operate his own award."
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If the award in Orlando isn't called the Butkus anymore, will it be called the

"National Award we'll give to a Penn State player if he's All Big Ten" Award,

or does the Bednarik own the rights to that?
 
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gregorylee;1135832; said:
WTF, I can understand his right to want to have some control over an award that bears his name, but what was his complaint? Did the downtown athletic club in Orlando mis manage the award, mis represent him, what is his bitch?
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he's pissed aj didn't get the award.
 
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BB73;1135838; said:
If the award in Orlando isn't called the Butkus anymore, will it be called the

"National Award we'll give to a Penn State player if he's All Big Ten" Award,

or does the Bednarik own the rights to that?
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Pretty sure thats the Bednarik, the one that you can buy a vote for. Clearly PSU students have nothing better to spend their money on.
 
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I know it is a college award; however, just for information purposes, here is the list of NFL Hall Of Fame linebackers:

Bobby Bell (also DE) 1963-1974
Nick Buoniconti 1962-1974, 1976
Dick Butkus 1965-1973
Harry Carson 1976-1988
George Connor (also DT, OT) 1948-1955
Bill George 1952-1966
Jack Ham 1971-1982
Ted Hendricks 1969-1983
Sam Huff 1956-1967, 1969
Jack Lambert 1974-1984
Willie Lanier 1967-1977
Ray Nitschke 1958-1972
Joe Schmidt 1953-1965
Mike Singletary 1981-1992
Lawrence Taylor 1981-1993
Andre Tippett 1982-1993
Dave Wilcox 1964-1974

Who would would you pick to rename the "College Outstanding Linebacker Award" after?

I'd go with Ray Nitschke. The "Nitschke Award" sounds pretty cool. :biggrin:
 
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ESPN - Butkus, nonprofit group settle lawsuit over namesake award - College Football

ORLANDO, Fla. -- A nonprofit group that hands out the Butkus Award to the nation's top college linebacker will stop presenting it after a yearlong legal battle with the Hall of Famer.

Dick Butkus sued in Los Angeles federal court in 2007, demanding the Downtown Athletic Club of Orlando relinquish control of the Butkus Award, which it had given out for 23 years and trademarked in 1987. He said the club didn't raise enough money for charity and in April won a summary judgment.

In exchange for returning the trademark to Butkus, the club will be able to use his name in conjunction with other fundraisers. The settlement was reached earlier this week.

"Dick is thrilled," Butkus lawyer Robert F. Helfing said.

Butkus' family will begin presenting the award in January 2009 in Chicago, where he grew up and played eight Pro Bowl seasons for the Bears.

Cont'd ...
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So, how will the winner of the Butkus Award be determined? By Dick himself? Also, will the DAC continue to present their award, simply under a new name, essentially keeping the prestige of the award?
 
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