Those who know me know I don’t really follow football closely. However, I do have to acknowledge the passing of football legend Mike Ditka.

Just before releasing Cardiac King last year on the App Store, I was faced with a dilemma: what to name the app. The app was codenamed “Poker Face” but had no official name at the time. I struggled for a bit to come up with a proper name that was unique and not just “Poker Reference.”

I eventually was reminded of a custom poker game my dad and his brothers came up with called Football. This game had a special rule that eliminated any player dealt a face up King of Hearts, known as the Ditka Card or the Cardiac King. It was called that because Ditka’s reputation as a hot-headed commentator was so legendary, that my uncles joked he would have a heart attack.

I wasn’t familiar with his work and feats until seeing the in memoriam sizzle reels of his career, but his legacy and impact on the NFL was tremendous and one-of-a-kind. And though I am a small software developer, it speaks volumes that Ditka’s legacy extends to something I have created.

RIP to the original Cardiac King.