Ditka never prouder than on Capitol Hill

[Omaha Steve]

To bad the average worker doesn't get any press. I'm done for the night.

OS


http://www.suntimes.com/sports/mariottiweb/563250,mariottiweb19d.article

Ditka never prouder than on Capitol Hill

September 18, 2007
BY JAY MARIOTTI Sun-Times Columnist

You can cite the glorious day he was carried off the field, in his handsome BEARS sweater, after Super Bowl XX. You can bring up the Superfan skits, his big national profile, the way he continues to define this city with his gimpy swagger. You can say he's the face of the Chicago Bears to this moment, with his mug shot still more grizzly-like than the actual bear itself.

But the proudest day of Mike Ditka's football life was Tuesday, when he appeared before Congress and again fought the good fight for disabled former football players who deserve more benefits from a filthy rich league and its in-cahoots players union. How filthy rich? All you need to know is the NFL takes in almost $4 billion a year in TV revenue, period. While the league and union say they do plenty for the disabled, Ditka won a small victory when union leader Gene Upshaw, obviously influenced by commissioner Roger Goodell, reached across the table and shook hands with Da Coach.

''Don't make proud men beg,'' Ditka said. ''Just let them live out their lives with a little bit of respect.''

Let Dave Duerson, the bitter ex-Bear, call Ditka a hypocrite. Let him remember Ditka as a tyrant who pushed players to play hurt. What's relevant now is, Ditka is using his enormous profile to help when he could be quietly collecting ESPN paychecks and not caring.

Never has he used his mouth more productively.

[maximusveritas]

1. Ditka is just angling for a political race in the future

The guy is a far right nut and is just using this to soften his image. I'm not buying it.

[givemebackmycountry]

2. Give it up for Da coach!

He ain't perfect, by no means.
But he was on Tuesday.

[Rabrrrrrr]

3. Ditka's losing his "One of the World's Biggest Assholes" title to me.

Dang! I hate it when people I don't like start doing things that force me to reevaluate them.

:grr:

I hope he wins!

And after he does, it would be great if he would then go to bat to get the Republican "troops supporting" assholes to provide proper healthcare for injured and retired military veterans.

[Captain Hilts]

4. But Ditka never denied being an 'asshole', as you say. Better than a whining Walsh! nt

[ChairmanAgnostic]

5. have to ask his wife about that

but he was (in)famous for playing people who were hurt, who felt like the would get hurt worse, but he got them to play.

of course, he's had a hip, a partial knee, and a bunch of other cutting going on,,but he can afford it.

[abq e streeter]

6. good for him

I think he's sincere. Yeah, he's a far right loony, but if someone, no matter who they are, does something good, I'm all for it. Typical of the right though; when something personally affects them or someone close to them, all of a sudden they become a bleedin' heart librul on that issue and that issue alone. But still, whatever else his beliefs entail , he spoke up for compassion and decency today, and I applaud him for it.