“One of the kindest people behind the scenes” BERMAN

One of the kindest people behind the scenes was how Chris Berman described the Mike Ditka he knew as a television colleague.

The recollection came during Berman’s conversation with Christopher Russo on Mad Dog Unleashed. Russo had asked about Ditka’s relationship with defensive coordinator Buddy Ryan. Berman described the competitiveness, then turned to a side of Ditka less visible in his public persona.

He recalled Ditka being charitable and taking part in Halloween sketches on their show, known as Ditkaween. Berman remembered the colleague enjoying the contrast with the stern image familiar to football viewers.

Their work together also gave Berman an account of Ditka’s television approach. He recalled Saturday meetings and Sunday broadcasts, knowing that the former player and coach would have something to contribute when a football subject reached him.

He could do it in 20 or 25 seconds and it’s Mike Ditka.

Berman remembered how those short comments could arrive after several minutes of discussion from the rest of the panel. As the host, he could recognize when Ditka had supplied a natural ending to the subject.

In the continuation of the interview, he described that ability in a sentence of his own.

He was really good at putting a period at the end of the sentence, Berman said.

Russo remembered Ditka as a television partner who expressed his views directly. Berman’s answer combined that familiar public presence with the friendship he had developed through working with him.

I was lucky to call him a friend.