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Football Legend Mike Ditka Wows AWMA EXPO Fans

Football Hall of Fame player and coach Mike Ditka received a standing ovation from an overflow crowd Thursday morning after he recounted some of his experiences in the NFL and shared his philosophy for life: Attitude, Character and Enthusiasm (ACE).

Ditka, who played for the World Champion Dallas Cowboys in 1972, was an assistant coach when Dallas won the Super Bowl in 1977 and was head coach of the Chicago Bears in 1986, recounted many of his life experiences--from being the son of a tough, discipline-minded steel mill worker to becoming an all-pro NFL star from 1961-1966.

He emphasized the importance of respect, of hard work, of having a positive attitude, and being enthusiastic about what you do. Success, he said, is about setting goals, reaching them; then resetting new goals. "Success is about never being satisfied," he said.

Coach Ditka with Douglas Smedley, Country Boy Meat Stix, who placed the winning bid for lunch with Ditka on Thursday. "This man has always been a hero of mine," said Smedley. "This will be the highlight of my whole trip!"

"If you seek to excel, you’ve got a chance," Ditka said. "If you seek to be mediocre, you’ll make it. Commit to excellence – to being the best. Being number one has to be what drives you."

Ditka answered numerous questions from the audience, ranging from his experiences coaching such stars as Walter Peyton and Jim McMahon to "What happened to the Bears in the Super Bowl?"

"They didn’t play very well," he said. "And they lost."

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