CEDAR FALLS - Gale Sayers wants to help kids.

If lending a hand means dealing with questions about the problem children in the National Football League, so be it.

The NFL Hall of Famer and former Chicago Bears running back appeared at Mudd Advertising's facilities here Tuesday to promote the Gale Sayers Learning Center. Set to open on the south side of Chicago in the fall of 2009, it's designed to offer after-school programs for youths in the 8- to 12-year-old group.

The center will feature, at no cost, computer classrooms, a Jr. Toastmasters program, plus motivational and mentoring sessions.

So the man who dazzled Bears fans from 1965 through 1971 traveled to Cedar Falls. At Mudd Advertising, which helped find sponsorships in Chicago for the Sayers Center, he shot some television spots, taped some radio commercials and held a press conference.

"I think it's important for everyone to get involved in something," said Sayers, who's a trim 65 years old. "I was very, very blessed in my days as a football player. I'm using those blessings to help other people.

"We have a lot of young people out there who need help. A lot of kids have been raised by one-parent families. The programs will not be just for underprivileged children. It'll be for everyone.

"There are a lot of kids out there who need more help than just going to school."

Sayers said professional athletes, including NFL players, will be brought to his center to teach kids about life and how to avoid its traps and pitfalls. That led to a question about another former Bears running back. Cedric Benson was released by Chicago earlier this week following an arrest for driving under the influence of alcohol.

Sayers said his Center will be "very positive," but it won't shy away from the topic of bad behavior.

"It's too bad that a young man like Mr. Benson didn't realize that he had a golden opportunity to make a mark for himself and he decided not to," said Sayers. "Someone else will give him a chance to play the game of football. Hopefully, he can get himself together and he may be able to make a good name for himself."

Sayers added, "We will have people like that coming up to our kids and telling them about some of the mistakes they made when they were trying to play professional sports. It's a great way to make a lot of money at an early age. Hopefully, (Benson) will straighten himself out and other people doing the same things he's doing will straighten themselves out."

Sayers touched on a few other topics here Tuesday.

He downplayed the long-term impact of his friendship with Brian Piccolo, his Bears roommate, who died of cancer. Their story was the basis of the book and subsequent "Brian's Song" movies.

But Sayers said legendary Chicago coach George Halas simply wanted running backs to room with running backs and so on for pragmatic football reasons, not to break a color barrier.

"We happened to be the first black and white roommates, but there wasn't nothing to it," said Sayers. "We were trying to win ballgames, and that was one way to prepare."

When asked about the prospects for the 2008 Bears, Sayers was ready. noting that the regular season begins with games against Indianapolis and Carolina.

"That's an 0-2 season right there," said Sayers. "It's gonna be difficult. I really feel that. I just don't think they have enough players to compete for a Super Bowl. It's gonna be difficult to compete for a division championship. We're in for a long season."

Contact Jim Sullivan at (319) 291-1434 or jim.sullivan@wcfcourier.com