Budding bromance blossoms between Mike Ditka, Joe Maddon

Joe Maddon did a little name-dropping Monday night before the Cubs-Padres game was postponed, casually mentioning the fact he had dinner Sunday night with Mike Ditka at Da Coach’s restaurant.

“Kind of entertaining,” Maddon said.

That’s like saying Niagara Falls is “kind of” wet.

Like Maddon, Ditka tends to say what’s on his mind without really worrying about what anyone else thinks. Maddon has a better vocabulary, while Ditka probably thought Nietzsche played for the Packers.

Either way, Ditka was the right coach for the Bears at the right time, just as Maddon is a perfect fit for the Cubs as they try to end a 107-year drought.

“It’s always fun,” Maddon said. “That’s my second meeting with Coach Ditka. He’s very comfortable and easy. He’s from Western Pennsylvania, and we have the same kind of background growing up. He likes the same kind of wine. He’s just entertaining to speak with. He’s watching everything we’re doing. He loves what we’re doing.

“Just good conversation between football and baseball and what he’d done here in the past and what’s going on now. Real easy. He’s just as he appears, a tough, old football guy, man. And I know a lot of guys like him, so the conversation is very easy.”

The last time the two dined was in October before Maddon left for New York for the National League Championship Series. The Cubs were swept, so they’ll have to hope this latest Ditka-Maddon summit is not a bad omen.

It seems like a bromance waiting to blossom.

The Bears haven’t had a coach as entertaining as Ditka since he was fired, and the Cubs haven’t had a manager as fun as Maddon since Don Zimmer was fired. Both like to win. Both like to talk.

So what did they talk about?

“A little bit about the Super Bowl,” Maddon said. “Talking about the 46 defense and things like that, how it worked. Playing quarterback, I just was talking about that a little bit. He asked how (Kyle) Schwarber was doing. He’s very much aware. Very much alive. Looks great.”

The Cubs will have to win it all to be mentioned in the same breath as Ditka’s ’85 Bears, and if they fail to get to the World Series, the season will be considered nothing more than a big tease.

But so far they’re looking like the ’85 Bears’ doppelgangers, putting their foot on opposing teams’ necks and never letting up.

The ’85 Bears’ .938 winning percentage (15-1) is much better than the Cubs’ .800 winning percentage (24-6). But the Cubs had the second-highest run differential through 30 games (102 runs) of any major-league team since 1900, while the ’85 Bears outscored their opponents 456-198, ranking second in points and first in points allowed.

The ’85 Bears had several larger-than-life characters, including Jim McMahon, Walter Payton, Steve McMichael and William “The Refrigerator” Perry, who seemingly were in every other TV commercial during that dream season.

The 2016 Cubs aren’t quite there yet when it comes to marketing themselves, but it’s early. Jake Arrieta is the new face of Saxx underwear, Kris Bryant is on billboards all over town selling Express menswear and Anthony Rizzo is the first Cub since Sammy Sosa to have his own cereal brand, RizzOs.

Maddon, a spokesman for Binny’s liquor stores since arriving in town, probably could cash in more if he chose to become more Ditka-esque. But he said in spring training he turned down several endorsement opportunities because he preferred to focus on the task at hand.

Do the 2016 Cubs have the chutzpah to pull off something as brash as the “Super Bowl Shuffle”? Doubtful, though they do enjoy karaoke, as we discovered in spring training.

Maybe this Ditka-Maddon bromance will turn into something special this summer. Maddon could even invite Da Coach to Wrigley to perform during the seventh-inning stretch.

Oh, wait … never mind.

psullivan@tribpub.com

Twitter @PWSullivan