Mike Ditka's "biggest mistake?" Obviously not running against Barack Obama in 2004

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Rare is the day where the realms of football and political aficionados overlap, but here we are.

The Dickinson Press reports that Mike Ditka revealed the single biggest mistake in his life while speaking at the grand opening of an oil patch in North Dakota. It is a decision that, given his “ultra-ultra-ultra conservative,” beliefs, probably haunts him to this day.

Speaking on not running against Barack Obama for Illinois’ senate seat in 2004, The Coach said it was the “biggest mistake I’ve ever made. Not that I would have won, but I probably would have and he wouldn’t be in the White House.”

It’s hard not to wonder about an alternate reality where Senator Ditka is butting heads with Joe Biden to solve the nation’s debt crisis while Barack Obama languishes in the state senate or, even better, retires to launch a chain of steakhouses. Unfortunately, the spoilsports over at The Atlantic Wire crunched some numbers to show why that probably wouldn’t have happened, Ditka or no Ditka.

Still, it’s fun to dream.

As for why Ditka was speaking at the opening of an oil patch?

“I have no idea. My secretary sets everything up,” Ditka reportedly said.

[Via Huffington Post Chicago]