4 DOWNS WITH DITKA
1 Is there a place for Tim Tebow in the NFL, and is it at quarterback?
I think he can play quarterback in the NFL, but whatever offense you run might have to be tweaked a bit. This kid is a talent, and he proved it in college. He is an outstanding leader. Now, does he have an unusual throwing motion? Yes. But there are a lot of quarterbacks that didn’t have a perfect throwing motion. Some of them turned out to be great quarterbacks because they were great leaders. I really do think there’s place for him. If not at quarterback, I think he could play tight end. If I was in the league and coaching today, I would take a chance on him at quarterback.
2 Kyle Long is not only a rookie, he’s a very inexperienced rookie. How long should it take before Bears fans can expect him to make an impact on the offensive line?
I don’t think there should be any expectations of him. That’s up to the coaching staff and Kyle. But I’ll think he’ll be fine. Because you never played professional football doesn’t mean you can’t. I came into the league and never played a down of professional football. But when I came in, I played. And I was young. If you have the attitude to play and you have the toughness to play, which he does, then why can’t he step in and start? He has all the physical attributes they’re looking for. I can’t buy into all that crap that he’s young and he’s this and that. The opportunity is all that matters. If you provide the opportunity to the right people, then they do something with it.
3 If you had an expansion team and were able to pick any player in the NFL, whom would you grab first?
Aaron Rodgers. He’s the best quarterback in football. He’s a leader, an outstanding man. He epitomizes what the Green Bay Packers are all about. And I think that organization is very proud to have him as the quarterback of their football team and their leader. He has all the qualities you look for in a great player.
4 NBA player Jason Collins became the first openly gay player in a major sport last week. Why did it take so long?
I don’t know how many gay people there are in sports, but I think people thought they would be chastised, criticized or looked down upon if they came out. It’s happened before in some sports with Martina Navratilova and others. But in a male sport, I think it’s a different thing, and I can understand how hard it can be to come out and to make that decision. It’s not an easy thing to do.