madlithuanian

I wonder if the flux of the players union makes this harder for the players to fight? It would be nice to see the big boys suspended from purely selfish reasons...but I don't really think it matters. Minny should win/lose due to their offense more in the next 4 games than their D.

How would that playout in tie breakers Chile? Assuming we can beat GB, would we then have a better divisonal record having beaten Detroit twice?

Baffling, truly baffling...

No. Now, honestly...you know that years ago, didn't you? The problem is that other D's now see this and have no intention of covering our so-called WR's... Now they focus on our TE's and RB's coming out of the backfield. I really want to see Bennett get a chance. He's just onein a long line of WR's our staff couldn't develop and will probably end up being the next Jerry Rice somewhere else...probably Green Bay.

True enough! What we want and what will realistically happen are usually 2 very different things! I know you've been all over JA and Smith... I really wanted to give Smith a chance, sometimes good HC's aren't great coordinators,or vice versa... I'm basically in complete agreement that we will retain Smith and JA for at least one more year, if not 2 or 3 more. Ha! Good catch! I guess I'm over "it", with "it" being a hope that our current team and staff can take us to the prmoised land with a little more help. We need a lot more help... So, in those terms I'm over it! I think I bought into a little too much hope after seeing what wonderful things young Mr. Forte has shown, what Kyle has done, and a few other moments... I realize now that that's foolsgold. I still think Forte will be good for years, I'm not so sure about Kyle... But I guess I'm in the mental mode that we are simply a rebuiding franchise, that will have to rebuild twice. Once now for Smith and JA, and once in 2-3 years for the next regime... And I guess that make me a fool for watching and caring all the while!

Agreed... I'm changing my perspective...I'm really looking at our young guys and hope that in 4 years, they will be rockin' when we make a run with a real coaching staff. Guys like Forte, Olsen, Briggs, etc...

I really have no arguement for your other points... I can see your points, although I may not really agree with them. But on your last one, I just can't buy into it. After what we've been getting from Smith, I think he should be axed. Many disagree and want to give him another year. That's fine, I can understand that. However, I think in the Bears' case, it will be because managment doesn't want to pay the contract off. Or Angelo is afraid to ask for it thusly admitting screwing it up. Maybe that's it... but I doubt it. If the GM picks the coach, why is he not responsible for that coach's productivity? Smith does not apepar to have the good. Get rid of him now, or we all suffer at least one more year if not 3. I'm over it. I'm pissed off. I want real football minds running this team. Smith has lost this team, he needs to be gone. Angelo, I could give 2 more years. (Giving his replacement coach a chance to show something...) But I'd also have no issue axing him too. Off with all their heads! Bring on the guillotine!

It's all relative. Smith was given a handsome contract becasue the media pressure at the time was huge. Also, it didn't seem completely inreasonable, and compared to other HC's, it's wasn't a bank breaker. However, I think they still are cheap when they can be. And that would include not paying out Lovie and bringing in a new high priced HC. Watch and see... I may be proven wrong, but I think that the next Bears HC is yet again another up and comer coordinator that we don't have to pay much... Regarding players, they have to pay them. There's a cap and ceiling in the league. Also, they have given control to the GM (which is good for the most part), and getting players signed, etc falls under that. Smith's fate lies in his own hands for the next 2 years and Angelo is tied to it. Angelo won't fire Lovie because of pressure from the top... Listen to me now, believe me later. Are the McCaskey's less cheap than they have been in the past? Yes. But are they still cheap? I believe they are when they can be.

I could not agree more chitownman. I just don't think we'll be so lucky., THe cheap owners would rather keep him on than pay him off. We've got him for at least one more year. Probably 2. Unless something really drastic happens.

I missed that! Must've happened when I went outside to vent and KO a beer and cigar!

Chile, You're thinking outside the box again! You kow that's not allowed with this staff!

I hear you. But you can't replace a 53 man roster. A new coaching staff's far easier...

I think there's some comparisso... Heck, on paper, Wanny even looked the better, more experienced hire having won Super Bowls as Dallas's DC. We all know what happened after that...but I don't necessarily fault the hire at the time. Jauron was just silliness after McCaskey botched the McGuinness hire. He did end up doing better than I thought, but faded fast adhering to lame duck coordinators... Lovie is kind of a mix of both. He had the pedigree of being a DC from a Super Bowl (like Wanny, except Wanny's teams won the SB's) and led the team to some early success (like Jauron, and actually won some playoff game unlike Jauron). However, he appears not to make any game-time adjustments like Wanny and Jauron, also seem loyal to "his" guys to a fault (like Jauron)... etc... It would appear Lovie is a better coach than those 2, but what exactly does that say? Kind of like saying a McD's cheeseburger is gourmet compared to a pile of dog poop?

So sad...so true.

You're too nice! F the Vikings! They are a bad team...they deserve to win our putrid division, but they are going to get bounced out of the first round so fast they won't know what hit 'em. This staff continually gets outcoached...

He did do a fatastic job for the Vikings last night!

Great read! I agree with all your points! Especially #3...Orton's got 4 games to make a statement.

THis team is just not good. The players have the ability, but aren't getting it done. To me, it's the coaches' responsibility to have this team ready to play. They were not ready to play. Another failure by Smith & staff... I eagerly await 2 years form now when we get a new staff.

McMahon (home) Butkus (home & away) Urlacher (home, away & alt orange) Singletary ( home) Ditka (home) Anthony Thomas (away) Sayers (home) Payton (home & away) Piccolo (home)

agreed. He was a true mastermind of the game...

Keep 'em comin' Noots! Like Pix hinted at...I feel like everyone here reads your material on a weekly basis! We just don't always express our appreciation all the time! Keep up the great work!

Name: Andy Hometown: Marquette Park Currently living in: Los Angeles Hobbies: Bears, NFL, travel, fine dining/cooking, cigars, music Job: accountant What College you go to/went to: Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Do you play video games? If so, which ones: PS3 Madden, Soul Calibur, Guitar Hero...some Wii Favorite Movie: Braveheart Favorite Teams (Non NFL): Bulls, Cubs, Blackhawks Favorite Food: filet mignon, rare Favorite Actor: Clint Eastwood/ Sean Connery Age: 38

It's called coaching and scheming...something our staff isn't as good at as Fisher and crew in TEN...

Actully, if we lose, the late season slide started more with GB and TEN... But I somehow think we'll pull this off.