Former NFL coach eyes US Senate seat (Mike Ditka)

[Kadie]

Former NFL coach eyes US Senate seat

2 hours, 40 minutes ago


CHICAGO (AFP) - A former NFL coach is considering a run for a US Senate seat, following a path already blazed by the likes of California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (news - web sites), and former Minnesota governor Jesse "The Body" Ventura.


Former Chicago Bears coach Mike Ditka, better known to his fans as the irascible "Iron Mike," is mulling a run for public office -- one in which his considerable name recognition would be a powerful asset.


"I'm getting excited about it," Ditka said in an interview with a Chicago television network Monday.

snip...
Republican Party officials have not formally approached the 65-year-old about joining the race, but they are desperate to find a viable candidate to put on the ticket.


The previous candidate, millionaire banker Jack Ryan, quit the race late last month over a late-breaking sex scandal, and some Republicans who have been touted as possible replacements have reportedly balked at jumping into a campaign at this late stage.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1506&ncid=703&e=8&u=/afp/20040713/ts_alt_afp/us_vote_offbeat

[fortyfeetunder]

1. No Mikey No!!!!

Don't you have a messed up ticker like Cheney? You don't need that kind of stress....politics and football are not the same....

[Hailtothechimp]

3. It'll be kinda fun to taunt him.....

I'm sure he wouldn't handle it too well, either.

Obama would clean his clock in a debate. Wouldn't that be fun to watch???

[jobycom]

6. On the other hand

He has a lot of experience in front of a camera, he has worked with the media before and knows how to handle them, and he's a generally likeable fellow. I wouldn't take him lightly. It doesn't matter who wins a debate, it only matters who the media says won the debate. And that's never the Democrat.

[Bandit]

43. He would be an easy target for an enterprising Democrat with research

skills. I have seen him at his worst during games and it would not play well in a campaign commercial. He better think long and hard. He was a real hothead in his heyday. He would come off as a raving lunatic bordering on being deranged.

[jobycom]

47. Maybe

If that's done poorly, though, it backfires. Depends on how popular Ditka is, and whether people will believe he's calmed down. If they like Ditka and see someone picking on him, they turn against the aggressor.

Mud slinging is not as easy as it seems.

[Bandit]

51. I wouldn't consider showing clips of him in action to be mudslinging

Let his actions speak for themselves.

[CatWoman]

22. I saw one game

where Ditka actually spit on a spectator in the stands.

Real class act.

[0007]

48. Ditka is a loose cannon and dumber than a box of rocks

Love to see the guy in congress!

[The Zanti Regent]

2. Send more money to Obama!

After seeing the Nazi Party overthrow Gray Davis, I am afraid Obama is toast!

[President Jesus]

15. No way. The difference is Davis had very few allies, wheras Obama...

...is universally loved by IL Dems and the DNC.

[flamingyouth]

4. I'm reminded of those old SNL sketches

And I'm just imagining his face turning beet red during a debate.

Yet, we have a drunken puppet for a president and a washed up "action star" as a governor in California, so why not Senator Ditka, now that we've officially entered Bizarro America.

[Octafish]

5. He has gravey-tots.

Plus, he's strong as a horse and twice as smart.

[MattNC]

7. if i were the Republicans

I'd more or less concede this race to Obama and put my resources into more competitive races elsewhere.

[Manix]

8. ...another repuke "meathead".

[Hobarticus]

9. Six-inch Obama, versus Ditka.

Obama, in overtime, with a kick.

[buycitgo]

16. it's Dikka

da Bearsss

btw, I'm looking forward to Dikka's entering the race as much as anything since my Bowlamatic game when I was about 13.

Please please run, mike

he is SO insane, he'll come apart in public, guarantee

he thinks sportswriters are tough?

he can't abide even remotely hostile questioning

and I read here somewhere his wife said she'd divorce him if he ran

please run, mike

please

[PROGRESSIVE1]

10. What are his chances, really?

[qazplm]

11. unbelieveable

are we as a nation REALLY going to elect Mike Ditka as one of our senators?

I mean seriously...I dont care if he is Republican, Democrat, or whatever...Mike Friggen Ditka?

If he gets elected, and I suspect he just might, I will have officially given up on this country as being anything other than in decadent decline.

[glitch]

30. Vote Ditka for Decadent Decline - sounds catchy nt

[Toucano]

12. Oh, hell no!

Is that what they need? Another celebrity? For such a VALUES driven group, republicans sure seem to be relying heavily on name-recognition and celebrity lately.

If Ditka does this, Obama will make him wish he hadn't.

[Kinkistyle]

13. At least he's not a trial lawyer!

Thank goodness he's not a trial lawyer. Could you imagine? What business does a lawyer have making laws and governing a country? A football coach, well thats a different story! After all, we all know that sitting in the Senate is just like coaching a 80 yard march upfield for a winning fieldgoal. :crazy:

[President Jesus]

14. Run Ditka Run. This guy's got more DUIs and 'broads' in his closet...

...than the entire Kennedy family combined.

Good bye and good riddance, Illinois GOP.

[kevin881]

31. this is the truth. I live in Chicago...

... I cant tell you how many times I have seen him out at "Jillys" on Rush Street, with women who are not his wife, drunk out of his mind.

[Zorra]

35. Here is one article that mentions a Ditka DUI:

When Phil Jackson was kicked out of Chicago like the town hobo last week, it ended the Bulls as we know them. After all the post-Finals hope for an extension, Jackson's ride was the final signal that the Bulls were done, almost as powerful an omen as when Mike Ditka's DUI arrest foretold the end of the great Bears' teams of the mid-80s.

http://www.cavalierdaily.com:2001/.Archives/1998/June/25/spsteve.asp

[Zorra]

37. A football fan apparently filed assault charges against Ditka.

After the inspiring Green Bay win, Chicago lost a close game at Denver, 31-29, then beat Green Bay at home and Minnesota on the road, in the famous "Rollerdome" game (Mike Ditka referred to the Metrodome by this name, prompting the Vikings' cheerleaders to parade around on skates throughout the contest.) The Bears were 10-2 with three games left, but dropped 2 of them, and struggled into the playoffs. One of the losses was a 41-0 disaster at San Francisco, and Mike Ditka threw his gum at a heckling fan, prompting assault charges to be filed against him. This was certainly not a good way to enter the playoffs.

http://www.bearshistory.com/seasons/1987.html

According to this he is a spokesman for a casino:

Mike Ditka Named as Spokesman Of Majestic Star Casino
The March issue of Midwest Gaming & Travel features an exclusive cover story on Mike Ditka, ³Da Coach,² being named spokesman for the Majestic Star Casino in Gary, Indiana. The NFL Hall of famer is the highest-profile sports figure ever to represent and endorse a casino in the United States. Ditka is one of only two men to win the Super Bowl as a player, an assistant coach and as head coach. To read a partial of the exclusive Q&A portion of the feature from Midwest Gaming and Travel Click Here.

http://casinogambling.about.com/b/a/071162.htm

[Placebo]

17. Even if he did...

Barack Obama would KILL him in Illinois. We've been trending steadily democratic the past few elections, and short of jesus himself coming down to run for senate from illinois as a republican, Obama has it IN THE BAG! Besides, Ditka isn't nearly as popular as some may think he is, and as a politician, he would be even less so.

[DarthDem]

18. Put This One On Ice

Start the bus, etc. The Illinois race is over, folks. The very fact that the Goopers there would even consider turning to Ditka, who is virtually insane, to enter the race shows their total desperation.

Mark this one down for a pickup.

[Democat]

19. Who cares what celebrities have to say - they should all shut up...

Wait, that only applies to liberal celebs.

Republican hypocrisy is at Red level.

[a_random_joel]

40. Shut Up and Coach!

Laura Ingram's latest...

[regnaD kciN]

20. Not to be too pessimistic....

...but when was the last time you saw a celebrity/athlete/coach lose to a Democrat? Leaving aside Ahnuld and Jesse Ventura, you've got Tom Osborne, Jim Bunning, and several others I can't recall right now. The only losing athlete I can think of was Steve Largent, and that was in the gubernatorial primary to another Republican after defeating the Democrats several times for a House seat. There's something about "sports heroes" that turns off the average American's (or at least the average American male's) mental processing, and morphs them from voters (or, more often than not, long-time non-voters) into fans reliving the glory days of the championship season.

:(

[Kadie]

21. The new face of American Politics

The sitcom star of today could be the President in the not so distant future.

I wouldn't even be surprised if the reality TV "stars" start running for office. Some of the people from Survivor have become pretty famous.

[a_random_joel]

39. Screech for President!

[a_random_joel]

42. Jesse is NOT a Repuke. He has been pretty harsh on *

[leesa]

50. He is a Republican, just pretends he's not.

[dolstein]

23. This is becoming a standard procedure for Republicans

Find a celebrity that looks good at first glance, but probably wouldn't withstand the scrutiny of a full-length political candidate. Then find a way to get them on the ballot a close to election as possible. And then, have them announce on the Tonight Show.

Any idea whether Ditka's booked on Leno?

[Walt Starr]

24. Hmmmm, I don't know if he can run by law

He no longer lives in Illinois and is not registered to vote in the state. From the article:

"There are still some hurdles left: Ditka's wife has said she will divorce him if he throws his hat in the ring, and he is not apparently even registered to vote in this state."

Time is running out. He has to move back to Illinois soon if he is to make the deadline to have his name on the ballot.

[Walt Starr]

26. Okay, he must MOVE BACK TO ILLINOIS NO LATER THAN

July 27th in order for him to be on the ballot.

He has two weeks.

The last date by law for the GOP to file his name on the ballot is August 26th. He must be a resident of Illinois for no less than thirty days in order to register to vote.

That's July 27th. If he hasn't moved back by then, the state legislature must change the rules to get him on the ballot.

[wyethwire]

33. who controls the legislature?

[Walt Starr]

34. Democrats, BUT...

they did cave in and change the rules for getting the name for a party candidate for president on the ballot. Bush was going to be nominated too late for his name to appear on the Illinois ballot.

[fob]

38. "He must be a resident of Illinois for no less than thirty days..."

By "resident" do you mean just physically living there or ESTABLISHED residency? I ask because when you go to college outside your homestate there are different (higher) fees for non-residents. It usually takes a year to establish residency. Are there different standards of residency for different actions?

[ronnykmarshall]

45. Where does he live now?

[ScreamingMeemie]

25. Mike Ditka=GOP viable candidate???

Hahahahahaahahaha!!! Now I can go about my day with a smile on my face. :hi:

[Kadie]

28. Maybe the GOP is trying to portray a new image?

:shrug:

[King of New Orleans]

27. In New Orleans, Ditka couldn't even get elected

as dogcatcher.

[Walt Starr]

29. New Orleans ain't Chicago

And Obama's biggest base is in Chicago.

for some damn reason, this city LOVES Ditka.

:shrug:

Oh well, all speculation will be over if he has not purchased a home in Illinois by July 27th.

[quaoar]

32. Ditka better hope

There are no Saints fans in Illinois.
We still recall how he traded every single draft pick one year and two picks the next year so he could get Ricky Williams.

You can just imagine what he would do in the Senate.

[a_random_joel]

36. As a Bears fan, and yes, as a Ditka fan...

Stick to what you're good at Mike...

COACHING!

(Not General Management and certainly NOT politics!)

[Zorra]

41. Was Ditka really banned from a casino for throwing a cigar at a pit boss?

Dear Mark,
I read where Mike Ditka was banded from a casino for three months for tossing a cigar at a pit boss. The pit boss made an unfavorable ruling when a die was cocked on a stack of chips. What is your take? Scott S.

In a frenzied game like craps, a boxman needs to make split-second decisions that are not always favorable to the player. In Ditka¹s case, I visualize one of the dice leaning towards the number four, matching up with the three on the sister cube, and instantly you have seven-out, line-away. Without being there and knowing all the facts, I trust the judgment the boxman made on the call. He, or she, has made hundreds of similar calls before, and although it is not always advantageous to a former NFL player and coach, it most likely was the correct decision.
The other matter is the behavior of the disorderly player. For that, I agree with Nick the Greek, who said about sore losers; "The only difference between a winner and a loser is CHARACTER".

http://www.midwestcasinoguide.com/markpilarski/mpcolsept7.html

[Zorra]

44. Is it true that Ditka knocked out a 12 yr. old kid with one punch?

The No Freakin' (Justice) League
Jason Thornbury

Mike Ditka once laid out -- with one punch -- a fan that ran onto the field during a game. The fan was 12.

http://www.morphizm.com/physiquez/gramatica.html

[gatlingforme]

46. I think his ego is huge to even consider, but I hope he does....

that would be the cat's ass against a well educated, thoughtful, compassionate, and endearing man as Obama. LOL

[leesa]

49. Oh joy! Another ignorant loudmouth, just what we need!

Why on earth would ANYONE consider this man as a viable candidate for the Senate??? Because he's wealthy? Is that the only criteria these days?