Mike Ditka the player (Photo via Sports Illustrated)

I decided to do a countdown to the Chicago Bears season opener on September 8th versus the Cincinnati Bengals.  Thanks to one of my followers on Twitter @Beneiserle, I decided to combine the countdown with a roster preview of sorts.

We’re Mike Ditka days away from kickoff!  This could have been a breakdown of Matt Spaeth, but since he departed the team, the Bears decided to hang #89 from the proverbial rafters.  No other Bear will wear the number of the great Mike Ditka.  While most of us relate to Ditka as gum throwing, sideline tantrum throwing, Super Bowl winning head coach of the Beloved, he was quite the accomplished tight end before his coaching career.  (more…)

Mike Ditka the player (Photo via Sports Illustrated)

The Chicago Bears are making preparations to honor legendary coach and player Mike Ditka by retiring his number 89 at a halftime ceremony during their Monday Night Football game with the Dallas Cowboys on December 9th.  As Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune report, two sources have confirmed plans for the Bears to retire a jersey since they retired the jerseys of Dick Butkus and Gale Sayers on a rainy Halloween MNF game back in 1994.  (more…)

Dec. 23, 2012; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Jets quarterback Tim Tebow (15) runs off the field after the game against the San Diego Chargers at MetLife Stadium. Chargers won 27-17. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-USA TODAY Sports

There is no larger lighting rod in the NFL today than former Jets quarterback Tim Tebow.  Former Chicago Bears head coach Mike Ditka is not afraid of lighting, thunder, hurricanes or any other media storms.  To wit, Da Coach joins the very narrow cross section of NFL “experts” who think that Tebow could be a successful NFL starting quarterback.  (more…)

Since Jim Harbaugh is at the center of the football universe this week as he leads his San Francisco 49ers against brother John’s Baltimore Ravens in Super Bowl XLVII, I thought it would be interesting to look back where his NFL career started, as quarterback of the Chicago Bears.  (more…)

Former Chicago Bears coach and ESPN analyst Mike Ditka suffered a “very minor stroke” on Friday.  As reported by the Chicago Tribune’s Dan Pompei:

Ditka said he was at a suburban country club playing cards Friday when he noticed his hands “weren’t working quite right,” and then he had a problem speaking.

Let me tell you that there’s no such thing as a minor stroke, unless it’s happening to someone else.  Da Coach is resting comfortably and says he’s doing just fine.

Ditka has been in good health in recent years but went down a similar road nearly 25 years ago when he suffered a heart attack in the middle of the 1988 season.  Against doctor’s orders, Iron Mike was back to the office in just over a week and roaming the sidelines in less than two weeks.

Wishing Da Coach a speedy recovery!

So after you visit his restaurant for dinner, sit back tonight drink some Kick Ass Red, smoke a Ditka cigar, eat some of Ditka salsa on a Ditka burger, pop in a Levitra and make a night of it.