Former NFL coach Mike Ditka eyes US Senate seat

[Sandpiper]

So, Illinois DUers, what do you think this testosterone addled idiot's chances are?

Former NFL coach eyes US Senate seat

Mon Jul 12, 9:04 PM ET

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.

The 65-year-old NFL Hall of Famer stressed that he was just evaluating the idea, but that was enough to rev up his many fans in this Midwestern state, some of whom have already established a "Draft Dikta" campaign.


http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1541&ncid=1541&e=3&u=/afp/20040713/en_afp/us_vote_offbeat_040713010435

[Hawkeye-X]

1. Zero.

IMHO.

[Fenris]

2. Because he led the Saints to victory!

;)

[NewJeffCT]

3. not from Illinois, but it's a potential danger, IMO

He has name recognition, and will pull an Arnold by refusing to debate unless provided advance questions so he can spit out platitudes...

Obama is a far superior candidate, but runs the risk of looking like he is beating up on a weakling if he challenges Ditka too aggressively.

[Sandpiper]

4. The difference between his situation and Arnold's is

Gray Davis was impotent and unpopular. Arnold held all the cards.

Obama is neither and was up 20 points on Jack Ryan before he bowed out.

I do think Ditka would poll well among the macho vote.

[xxqqqzme]

5. that's how steroid boy

'won' the 18-34 yr old male vote.

[bkcc]

6. Well, Ditka definitely isn't impotent....

Not anymore, anyway.
Just check out his ads for Cialis.
;)

[Sandpiper]

9. Yeah, I hear that

The quality of his erection is excellent.

That's what he says anyway.

[apnu]

7. not so sure about that.

I'm from IL, and Ditka is not seen as a weakling here. And if he lives up to his explosive (and self-destructive) past, he's done. Dit was the laughing stock of Chicago when he coached the Bears. Almost every night showed him freaking out on the media and being generally abusive. People will remember that.

At best he'll show himself as the buffoon that can only coach a team of superstars.

At worst, he'll bring out a few more die-hard Bears hooligans to the vote who will get drunk and make a scene on election day, who normally would just sleep through it.

The "L" line that I ride (the elevated train for those who don't know the term) is littered with Obama signs. Obama is very strong here, very strong.

[Zorra]

8. No one would elect someone that punched a 12 yr. old kid

and knocked him down. That's what this article says that Ditka did.

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

[bkcc]

10. Check out this Ditka quote:

Just found this on ESPN.

"Off the field, Ditka is well known as a conservative Republican. In 2000, he warmed up a crowd for then-candidate George W. Bush by saying the W 'stands for women. I believe women want a man for president of the United States.'"

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=1838856

Hoo boy. Can't say he doesn't fit in with the current GOP platform.

[Zorra]

11. According to this article, he is "anti-gun".

Ditka For Senate? It's No Joke
'Da Coach' To Make Decision By End Of Week
POSTED: 9:56 am CDT July 13, 2004
UPDATED: 1:49 pm CDT July 13, 2004


Ditka describes himself as an ultra-conservative -- he is anti-abortion rights and thinks a marriage should be between a man and a woman, Brooks reported. However, Ditka is also anti-gun. So how do other Republicans perceive Ditka as a candidate?

http://www.nbc5.com/news/3524151/detail.html

Da NRA don't like dat.

[Gin]

12. wasn't he the coach who choked a player and got fired?

g

[bkcc]

15. No. That was Bobby Knight.

Ditka was the coach of the Chicago Bears when they won the Super Bowl for the 1985-86 season.

[Hippo_Tron]

13. The problem is that they loved him in Chicago

Which is Obama's base.

[KharmaTrain]

14. Check Out The Illinois Forum

We've been chatting about it for the past few days.

The skinny from the Illinois DU'er...Bring Him On! Run Mike Run!

The guy's "best days" in Chicago were 20 plus years ago and lost whatever widespread popularity he had when he went off to coach New Orleans. He's got a paper trail a mile wide and has little to no support in this state.

The sports reporters are already taking shots at him (Jay Mariotti in today's Sun-Times) and even his wife doesn't want him to run.

This is a desperation move by the Illinois GOOP that has no one to run against Obama and sees Ditka for the fool he is...a rich egohead that will gladly throw millions of his own dollars to find out how much people in this state don't like him.

Yep, Ditka will make a difference here for that senate seat. He'll make it from a 30 points loss to only a 15 point one.

Run Mike Run!!!

[gauguin57]

16. Can someone answer this from last night?

I have become obsessed with knowing the answer to this. Any Chicagoans (or others) know the answer to this?

On another thread last night, BlackVelvetElvis said:

"I spoke with my friend in Chicago today

She told me that Ditka paid for a year of air fare for a fetus in a jar. This fetus was one that a pro-life group took to rallys (their little mascot). It couldn't be carried as cargo, so it had to have it's own seat.

Has anyone heard anything about that?"

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x1978012

FREQUENT FETUS FLIER MILES?

[Walt Starr]

17. Let's see, he stormed out of a "secret meeting" with GOP leaders

this morning because the GOP leaked the meeting to the press:

http://www.illinoisleader.com/news/newsview.asp?c=17620

I doubt if this is something we should be worried about.