despite the crowds at Soldier Field yelling "Go! Goooo!" (oh, right, that was on fourth and inches :-) )
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040715/ap_on_el_se/illinois_senateCHICAGO - Former Chicago Bears coach Mike Ditka said Wednesday he would not run for the U.S. Senate, leaving Illinois Republicans still without a replacement candidate less than four months before the election.
Ditka, who first told Illinois Republican Party leaders of his decision, made his announcement outside his Chicago restaurant.
"I don't know how I'd do on the Senate floor if I got in a confrontation with someone I didn't appreciate or maybe didn't appreciate me," he said. (But we do, don't we? -Ed.)
Republicans had hoped Ditka would step in to replace Jack Ryan, who dropped out nearly three weeks ago over embarrassing allegations in his divorce papers that he took his wife, "Boston Public" actress Jeri Ryan, to sex clubs before they split up. The party's top choices have refused to run.Heh, heh, maybe now Ryan will have to jump back in, Perot-style! That'd just about make the nut...