Da Coach

Ha. Almost-candidate for Illinois governor and former Chicago Bears coach Mike Ditka has a movies coming out. The Chicago Sun Times' Richard Roeper has the details:

The Will Ferrell soccer comedy "Kicking and Screaming" opens on May 13, and
you'll have to wait for the official review from "Ebert & Roeper" this weekend -- but I can tell you that if Ditka doesn't exactly steal the movie from Ferrell and Robert Duvall (who plays Ferrell's father), he at least borrows the spotlight. The coach is hilarious.

Ditka plays a slightly cartooned-up version of himself, but he does so with more comedic flair than Ashton Kutcher does playing anybody. The movie version of Ditka -- often clad in Bears sweaters straight from the 1985 catalog -- spends his days sneaking cigars in his trophy-laden den, kibitzing with the neighborhood butcher and engaging in a nonstop feud with his hyper-competitive neighbor, played by Duvall.

When Duvall dumps his grandson to the last-place team, Ferrell takes over the
coaching reins of that loser team and enlists the help of Duvall's nemesis: Ditka.

That's right. Da Coach plays the assistant coach of a youth league soccer team.

This isn't a glorified cameo. Ditka has the third lead in the movie, and he's a lot funnier and more natural than he is in those Majestic Star Casino spots.

Come awards season, here's hoping Universal takes out at least one of those "For Your Consideration" ads touting Ditka for best supporting actor. He ain't gettin' no Oscar nod, but considering that the Hollywood Foreign Press is a little wacky and has handed out nominations to Patrick Swayze, Pia Zadora, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bjork, Chris O'Donnell, Billy Crystal and Rob Lowe, I ask you: why not Ditka?

Why not, indeed. Maybe Ditka will like doing movies and forget about politics. I hope. We really don't need him filling out the Jesse/Ah-nuld/Dik-a trifecta of idiots.