Ditka Still a Possibility in the AFL
Mary-Ann Williams
Thursday February 8, 2001
In fact, the break-up had little to do with Mike Ditka at all, but rather was a business control issue between Rush owner Alan Levin and Ditka’s partner, Fred Smith.
“Discussions have been terminated as of right now,” said Levin. “But that’s not to say that there isn’t an opportunity for future relations. It’s strictly a business issue and has nothing at all to do with football.”
They couldn’t make the relationship work at this time, but Levin hopes for a future that includes Ditka.
“This is a short-term disappointment. In the long term, we hope that Mike (Ditka) will be involved with Arena Football. With any luck it will be with the Chicago team, but certainly with Arena Football in some way,” said Levin.
 Mike Ditka announced his affiliation with the Rush, only to bow out a few weeks later. Image courtesy of Joe Kauffman |
“Absolutely not true,” said Levin. “There is no truth to that at all. We had a meeting with everyone there, and there was great affection between the Mikes. There was no animosity at all.”
Another rumor had Ditka deciding that the XFL was really the better place to lay his hat after watching the new league in action last weekend. While there is no confirmation that he feels this way, it doesn’t seem likely. He seems to have thrown his lot in with the AFL, regardless of his affiliation with NBC, co-owner of the XFL.
Of course, the question remains: What affect will this have on the Chicago Rush? The crush of media attention that followed Ditka’s joining the team helped revive interest in Chicago, where the Arena League is possibly over-shadowed by the wicked and tawdry XFL. With so few people aware of the existence of the AFL at all and the loss of Chicago icon Mike Ditka, the Rush will have to work hard to get a portion of the media attention Vince McMahon commanded. Will they put out the money to get it? Tradition dictates that a winning team brings fans, but a little popularity with the media doesn’t hurt, either.
On the side:
As for the popularity contest between the AFL and the XFL, a poll sponsored by www.chicagosports.com had the AFL up by over 20% late Thursday night. Maybe all those dollars spent didn’t do so much, after all.
Mary-Ann Williams lives in Chicagoland with her four children, Carter, Jackson, Jeremy, and Riley Jade. As a freelance writer, she`s written articles for the Associated Press, Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel and the Daily Herald. She also serves as editor of the AFL-side of Arenafan Online, and covers the Chicago Rush.
