Bears legend, conservative icon Ditka to have number retired Monday

NFL Hall of Fame member Mike Ditka, who starred for and then coached the Chicago Bears to their only Super Bowl victory, will have his number 89 retired by the team at halftime during Monday night's game against the Dallas Cowboy.

Ditka also played for Dallas and was assistant coach under another NFL legend, Tom Landry.

The Coach of Chicago describes himself as an "ultra-ultra-ultra-conservative." He campaigned for Sarah Palin in his native Pennsylvania in 2008 and proudly reiterated his support for her two years ago at an appearance in Washington, Illinois, the Ronald Reagan Trail town that was devastated by a tornado last month.

Ditka briefly flirted with running against Barack Obama in 2004 for the US Senate, in October he called his decision not to run "the biggest mistake I've ever made." Iron Mike said he probably would have defeated Obama--therefore preventing his unfortunate rise to the presidency.

It will be cold Monday night at Soldier Field--Bear weather.

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