Honoring Mike Ditka: The Legend

The Chicago Bears will take care of some long overdue business Monday night when they retire Mike Ditka’s #89.  I’ve decided to do a little three part series to honor Mike Ditka – The Player, Da Coach , The Legend.  Earlier this week, we looked at Mike Ditka: The Player, the first tight end to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.  Yesterday we looked at Mike Ditka: Da Coach who led the Bears to their only Super Bowl championship.  In the last of our three part series, we look at Mike Ditka: The Legend, the figure who has transcended the gridiron and the sidelines and has become an icon.

Mike Ditka started setting himself for like beyond coaching during the days of the ’85 season.  Ditka started promoting and putting his name on just about anything.  In fact, there is a story that Ditka ripped some of his players for getting distracted and doing commercials, only to end up pitching the products that they were supposed to promote.  This caused some animosity between the players and the coach and many think that unraveling is why the Bears only won one Super Bowl.

Ditka went on to a great life living off the Super Bowl XX title.  Ditka is possibly one of the greatest pitchmen outside of Billy Mays.  If you need a some salsa, a kick ass wine or Polish sausage, Da Coach is your guy.  Or just save the trouble and go to one of his restaurants, where you can get a pork chop the size of a football.

But Ditka isn’t just a successful restaurateur and pitchman.  Did you know that Ditka could have very well gone on to be President of the United States?