4 DOWNS WITH DITKA
BY MIKE DITKA
What did you watch Monday night? Football or the debate?
Iwatched the entire “Monday Night Football” game. There’s nothing they can debate that tells me one candidate is better than the other. I know what I’mgoing to do. That’s my choice. That’s what is great about America. You have a choice of who you want to vote for and who you don’t want to vote for. It’s not complicated. I’mlistening to some of the criticism now, and it’s amazing. The media says you can’t say this about this person, but what about when Bush was president? What did they have to say then? C’mon! It’s gotta be even. This is America. This is the greatest country on earth. Let’s start treating it that way.
Another game and another big injury for the Bears. Now Jeremy Langford is out. What’s going on?
It’s a lot different now than when I coached. If you think that going without contact during the week gets you prepared, then I think you’re full of crap. I understand you have to deal with the union, but you’re doing the players a BIG disservice. If everything is a walk- through and the first time you go full- speed is on Sunday, then something’s gonna happen. It’s a bigger, faster, stronger league today, so when these bodies collide, a lot of bad things can happen. As a coach, I wouldn’t practice the way they do now, and I think that’s why you’re having all these injuries today. I go back to my practices as a player with the Bears and the Cowboys. As good as we were, our practices were uptempo. As a coach with the Bears, they were almost like scrimmages.
Coach Fox is noncommittal on Jay Cutler returning as the starter.
I thought Brian Hoyer played pretty good, but you don’t lose your job to injury. Jay’s the starter. If Hoyer went and played lights- out, then, yeah, it would be tough to make that switch back to Jay, but I didn’t see that. Hoyer was the least of their problems Sunday. I thought he handled himself very well, but Jay’s the starter when he’s healthy.
What did Arnold Palmer mean to a young Mike Ditka growing up in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania?
He was the greatest. Because I was from western Pennsylvania, he knew who I was, so how lucky was I? I got to be with Arnold a number of times. I got to play golf with him, not that it was any big deal for him the way I played. I’msure golf would have reached the point of interest it has now, but I don’t know if that would have happened without a few guys, and Palmer was the main one. Jack Nicklaus, Palmer, Gary Player— those guys and that rivalry were truly great for sports. With all the things that were said about Arnold, one thing rings true: He was a gentleman. America was fortunate to have this man in its midst for 87 years. I don’t have a lot of heroes. My childhood hero was Stan Musial, and my other hero throughout life was Arnold Palmer. When he was young, he was a handsome man, a magnet. People gravitated to him, and he handled it so well, with class and grace. I think that’s something all athletes have to understand and try to emulate. I certainly did. I learned a lot from him, and Stan Musial had the same impact on me. There was a lot of western Pennsylvania in both of those guys.
EXTRA POINT: What is it about western Pennsylvania that produced so many legendary athletes?
WhenI grew up, it was a great working community— steel mills, industry. Alot of the people there were immigrants, and they appreciated the opportunity to have a job and work hard. We didn’t have anything, butwe had everything becausewehad a family, a great upbringing, andwehad discipline in our lives. Our fathers ruled the family. The toughest guy I ever met wasmydad. I never played against anyonewhowas a tougher person thanmydad. Nitschke wasn’t as tough asmydad. When I got out of line, I got whupped, and I got it pretty good. In retrospect, I thank God for that. Hemademe understand that you just can’t do the wrong thing and get away with it. If you’re wrong, you’re going to be punished. We had parents that raised us a certain way. Itwas all about the discipline. You had to do things the way your parents said to do it— no other way. I went to a Catholic school, and I had nuns teachmethe same thing. I don’t regret that. I think that was the greatest thing in the world becausewhenyou got out of line, they knocked the crap out of you. They don’t allow it anymore —“Oh, you can’t touch the kids in school.” Well, I don’t know what’s best. It’s a different generationnow, but I know the generation I grew up in was a pretty good one. I think the value system, the work ethic, was a pretty good time for America. As a country, I think we’ve gotta stop looking at the negatives all the time and start looking at the positives. We’ve gotta stop runnin’downthe country because this is a prettydamngood place to be. People can protest anything they want, but I don’t believe in protesting against the flag, the country or our national anthem. It pissesmeoff royally. We live in a society where people say, “It’sOK, it’s differentnow. It’s not like it used to be.” Well, maybe that’s what’s wrong. It’s not like it used to be. We don’t have the pride in America thatweused to have. Is it perfect? No. But what are you comparing it to? Where are things better? England? France? Russia? China? You have to explain that to me.