Sports Memorabilia

"DITKA'S FIRST COMMANDMENT, LIKE NAPOLEON'S, IS TO ATTACK" (Bob Oates)

In his assessment of the 1985 Chicago Bears in the lead-up to Superbowl XX for the Los Angeles Times, Bob Oates writes: "The personalities of the coach and his quarterback, Mike Ditka and Jim McMahon, make the Chicago Bears’ offense what it is....the Bears play the game with a flair. They attack their opponents with a special relish. They appear to fight for the joy of fighting. And somehow, their attitude usually projects into points. The gods of competitive sport, who hate dull football teams, usually smile on the Bears and make sure they win. Or so it seems whenever McMahon goes to war with a battle plan by Ditka...Ditka is a terrible-tempered competitor who was born to be the ringleader of a species that likes to be known as the Monsters of the Midway. Separately, McMahon and Ditka would be formidable. Together they’ve been unstoppable this season, except in Miami, and they will be looking for their 18th victim here Sunday in Super Bowl XX. They could, conceivably, beat the Patriots with a conservative game plan. Almost any other NFL coach with Ditka’s dramatic defense would play ultraconservative football on offense. Above all, he’d make sure that he didn’t blow the game with offensive mistakes. You can be certain that such a thought never crosses Ditka’s mind. Ditka’s first commandment, like Napoleon’s, is to attack." (January 23, 1986).  

Ditka proudly displayed this painting in his Chicago home for many years — greeting guests with an image establishing him as ruler of the gridiron.

Framed, 36 x 30".

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