If Ditka Marches In, Will Aints Become Da Saints?

NEW ORLEANS â€”  Reports that George Halas will soon coach the Oakland Raiders have not been confirmed, but following the resurrection of Dick Vermeil this past week to coach the St. Louis Rams and now the New Orleans Saints’ anticipated hiring of Mike Ditka, nothing can be discounted.

Who next? Pop Warner?

The Saints have not announced Ditka’s hiring, and certainly would not want to compete with the Super Bowl for headlines or take away from the extravaganza, which has already added to the speculation that the team will wait until Monday or Tuesday to officially announce his hiring.

Ditka’s wife told a Chicago newspaper that he has only interviewed for the job and he has yet to receive an offer, but ESPN and Ditka’s current employer, NBC-TV, reported a deal has already been struck making Ditka the Saints’ new coach.

In an interview earlier this season, Ditka sounded very much like a man who missed coaching. And based on background--his refusal to interview for the Rams’ top job three years ago unless the team offered him the position going in--it’s probably safe to assume if he sat down with New Orleans owner Thomas Benson, it was with the understanding that the job was his if he wanted it.

Oh glory be, what a fine day it will be in Chicago this next season when the Saints go there to play the Bears.

The hoopla that surrounded Miami Coach Jimmy Johnson’s first encounter with his former team, the Cowboys, was considerable, but that game was played on Dolphin turf. Imagine Ditka going back to play “Da Bears,� growling and prowling the sidelines of Soldier Field.

Let’s see now, that makes Dom Capers of the expansion Carolina Panthers the head coach with the most seniority in the NFC West.

Ditka, 57, coach of the year twice, drove the Bears to one of the all-time great seasons in 1985, culminating with a Super Bowl XX victory in the Superdome over the New England Patriots. Ditka, 112-68 with the Bears including a 6-6 playoff mark, left Chicago after a 5-11 campaign in 1992 and has not coached since.

Jerry Vainisi, 55, a longtime confidant of Ditka’s and to Ditka’s dismay fired by Bear owner Michael McCaskey as the team’s general manager, is expected to take over the Saints’ front office. Vainisi, an effective buffer in Chicago between Ditka and McCaskey, has been working as a sports agent of sorts in the Chicago area.

Johnny Roland, who has been the Rams’ assistant head coach and running backs coach, is now considered a leading candidate to be Ditka’s offensive coordinator.

Ditka was expected to arrive in New Orleans late Saturday night after delivering a speech in Atlantic City, N.J., earlier in the day.

At today’s Super Bowl he will participate in the coin toss ceremony before the game.

Heads he hires Buddy Ryan, tails he signs Jim McMahon.

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Mike Ditka File

* HEAD COACH: Chicago Bears from 1982-92

* RECORD (regular season): 106-62-0 (.631)

* POSTSEASON RECORD: 6-6

* SUPER BOWLS: Won in 1986, 46-10 over Patriots

* NFC CENTRAL: Six division titles in 11 years