Mike Ditka Hates Idea Of Bears Leaving Chicago

In a very on-brand move for the Pittsburgh native, Mike Ditka is not a fan of the Bears leaving the lakefront for the suburbs.

Da Coach spoke with the Daily Herald about the Bears' bid to but the Arlington Racetrack and open a state-of-the-art facility an hour outside of Chicago city limits.

"The Chicago Bears belong in the city of Chicago," Ditka told The Daily Herald. "That's it. Call me an old-timer, call me a traditionalist, whatever. They're a Chicago institution, and that should be the end of it."

This is not a surprising position being taken by the one-time Super Bowl winning coach. Mike Ditka has been putting the old in old school for about 40 years now. He was revered in Chicago for winning a Super Bowl in 1985 but his status in Chicago has waned over the last 20 years now that people are starting to realize that Ditka was likely the reason the '85 Bears never became a dynasty.

He also famously would endorse literally anything that asked him to but would also discourage his players from doing the same thing. You'd be hard-pressed to find any former player, especially ones from the 85 Bears to say a positive word about him.

Ditka's reasoning for wanting the Bears to stay at Soldier Field doesn't rise above the stereotypical meatball Bear fan logic. The Bears have always played in Chicago so that's why they should keep playing in Chicago. Basically tradition for tradition's sake, which is never a good reason to keep doing anything.

The Myth Of "Bear" Weather

Ditka continued playing more hits from the old-school Bear fan playlist. The idea that the Bears benefit from playing in harsh conditions.

You can't practice for that kind of weather. You can't simulate it. You've got to be in it. Chicago Bears football weather is a great part of the team's legacy, and all of that legacy in Chicago in my life has been outdoors.

That was his reasoning for not liking the idea of the Bears moving into a domed stadium. A roof that would allow the facility to host other events throughout the year and possibly even a Super Bowl. It should also be noted that "Bear" weather could be one of the reasons the team hasn't had a good quarterback in the era of color television.

Here's hoping that Da Coach is wrong about one more thing. And...