MBM

What a POS press conference! JA may as well have walked up to me and kicked me square in the nads! NOTHING is going to change! Same old coaching staff, same group of players, trying to do the same stuff. Guess what?! The flipping result is going to be the same as well! This team can't do shit as an offense so the plan has to remain the same and captained by the same group of retards. God help us all! It doesn't get done like this anywhere else. Cling to the fragile, useless remnants of the past forever because they are the good part. Moving forward and changing--that's's bad stuff. I give up hope for this team until the whole crew from Angelo on down to Lovie Smith's personal waterboy goes the way of the dodo.

Here's a list of things I got from '07 that need correction in '08. Please add your thoughts. I'm sure I missed quite a few. Ron Turner needs to be saying "Do you want fries with that?" at work rather than "Hand the ball to Benson". That being said, I'll take a change in philosophy first, from running team to passing team. If he proves he can't make sound game plans and calls...I'm making the slitting motion with my right hand, index finger pointed, against my throat... Bob Babich didn't put 5 of 11 starters on IR. He earned a pass from me for '07, but he needs to know the leash is as short as it is for the rest of the guys. There's no honeymoon here. Alex Brown has earned the right to start for this and any other team that wants him. He put up with being demoted in favor of a 1st year sack specialist before training camp began. He waited his time on the bench, knew he was being paid to play and did what he was asked to do when called to do it. When he was asked to start for the team, he played for a team with nothing to play for at an All-Pro level. He defined the word "Professional" for me. I'm normally opposed to this, but if someone wants to throw him a bonus, I'd not be opposed at all. Lovie Smith took a giant leap down, in my estimation, on how a Head Coach should act. From talent evaluation to public relations, he appeared quite out of touch. I've met the man. I don't think he was that whacked then. I'll chalk it up to the fact that he may have read too many of his press clippings and enjoyed that extension too much. Again, 2008 is the acid test for him. The pass sets up the run, not the other way like I thought at the start of 2007. As I hinted in my last point, a QB with tangibles like mobility, accuracy, height, and a good release are golden. With good coaching, the rest can happen. Devin Hester's sh*t does not stink. Redo his contract ASAP so you can enjoy the benefit of seeing #23 jerseys sold everywhere, often. Related to the last point--and this came to me as I typed that point--redo Dave Toub's contract NOW! Show the world what you think of great coaching. His smarts are not diminishing unlike some other guys I've mentioned. Maybe some of these other guys will get the point, and you'll attract more bees with honey. Guys like Berrian, Briggs, Ayanbedejo...need to play for teams like New Orleans or KC even the NY Jets. They need to understand what it's like to play for a team that has no solid base in the history of the NFL and learn about tradition and show some respect for it. They'll play somewhere...get their paycheck...and retire. Even if they win a Super Bowl, earn their rights to the Hall of Fame, they still may not do it for the Chicago Bears. The Charter Franchise of the NFL. And that makes all the difference. If they are not getting that, then something's wrong...either with them or the people in charge.

Begging to differ...these two points are the responsibility of the OC. He is supposed to make the players execute and apply effort on all his plays. Those that can't or don't should sit or go somewhere else for a paycheck. I'm willing to give Turner a pass considering that changing is what the GM has promised. It's not Turner's fault the cupboard of starters appeared bare. 2008 is promised to have a restocking for us in both talent and workable game philosophy. If the offense falls short in '08, then someone should get the axe. I am concerned from Lovie's press conference and previous statements that he feels things are not too bad. While I don't think the team is a train wreck, I believe it needs a larger amount of rework than his "Pollyanna-ish" view can sustain. Keeping all the players and coaches will not yield better results. I fear too little will be done to make this team a contender for Champion in '08.

Go back further for the Bears. Sid Luckman in the 40s was the last successful QB at putting a defense on its heels. Hence, players set or tie records like this one: Consecutive 300 yard games-2 Brian Griese( 10/14-10/21) tied with Jim Miller, Bill Wade, George Blanda, and Sid Luckman That's right. Brian Griese managed to permanently etch his name in the Bears record books by doing the unthinkable...throwing for more than 300 yards in 2 consecutive games. 300 yards passing is comparable to having a 100 yd rushing game. And if you are a Bear QB you step into unchartered waters when you throw for 300 yds. in a 3rd straight game! Isn't this embarrassing to you guys? It's long been the time that this things should change and it starts with attitude. I read of others claiming that in swirly winds the passing game is ineffective. Swirling winds are the exception--not the rule. I don't live by exceptions, neither should the Bears. The passing game needs an upgrade. The pass sets up the run.

Last week, Jerry Angelo promised that the coming offseason would bring greater dedication to offensive talent and a close examination of the offensive game philosophy the Bears have displayed under this current regime and the previous 60+ years. Face it, Ron Turner ain't leavin'. But I can handle him sticking around if he can change his offensive scheme to be more aggressive and Lovie's "Get off the bus running" attitude has to bend more as well. The flavor of the day in the NFL is to be a "Pass first" offense. The top two teams in each conference (NE Pats, Indy Colts, Dallas Cowboys, and GB Packers) are ranked 1-4 in the league in passing. New England, the "Perfect" team set new records in passing and does not have a 1,000 yard rusher. Yes, being capable of rushing is a necessity. I think that if NE were to have played the Bears last week in Chicago, they may have gotten clipped! The elements took away the passing game. But you don't get elements that bad every year and you don't have that exposure for most of the season. The Bears MUST evolve! The passing game must be given greater scrutiny by the team and the fans than it traditionally has for the Bears to build a successful team. And I'm talking about a Super Bowl winning team, not just a playoff contender.

It also falls during that "Doldrums" period after the draft and before Training Camp. This looks to be a better time frame than what was held before.

I'm with you on your FA and draft moves. I believe there really is not a lot of work needed to get things turned around, but rather smart moves and continued work through the years. I'm thinking 4 new starters on OL should come from this draft and FA (maybe not starters in '08, but you get my point) Return with Berrian, Grossman, and R. Brown (1 year only) Draft a future QB again. Try developing him this time. Dump Griese. Try having QB competition for starting spot. Replace Muhammad with WR from AZ--Bryant Johnson. Play guys like Hass and Riddeau. Return with same corps on defense minus Briggs, Archuletta, and RMJ. Expect the guys who didn't start or play their positions to compete for positional work or hit the road. No one should stay because they are good at ST play. Get a new OC. Get Michael Turner in FA. The Packers will not be major players in FA. That is their MO per Ted Thompson a few years ago. They will get passed up by the smart FA players.

Thanks for the instruction!

The keepers have their names in bold. The ones to not return are in regular print, I've made some notes behind some of these guys names about why I'd cut or keep them.

What does Meh stand for?

I don't have any problem with how Barnett reacted in that case. I don't care for how he was during many other plays when he'd be pilling on late and holding Bear players (Wolfe) down late.. I just find it funny that a man in Depends put a Sleeper hold on him and he couldn't get out of it. Now he's acting like a biotch and the whole world gets to watch him get taken down over and over. Last thing I would have done was say anything to anyone. Here's a video of Barnett getting punked by Gramps.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mg4EQL5ubPI

He's just mad because a man old enough to be his grandfather took care of him. He should stick to beating up drunk women. http://mvn.com/nfl-packers/2007/06/20/pack...avre%E2%80%99s/ Here's an excerpt explaining what a "man" Nick Barnett is: "Early Sunday morning, June 17, Packers linebacker Nick Barnett was the most recent example of the inevitable consequences of the aforementioned scenario. Barnett was arrested by local police around 2 a.m. outside of WET nightclub on Appleton’s popular College Avenue after reportedly “shoving” a female to the ground inside the club."

I think you're right here. Have an anchor at NT to stuff the line and Harris or a quick DT pushing across the LOS seems to be a happy marriage of the two philosophies. I took a 2nd look at the INT Urlacher had on Sunday, and saw that one of the guys on the field was Toeaina. That left Url free to drop into coverage like Lovie wants.

It's not what some team wants to give up, it's what the Eagles want in return that makes this thing tick. They have him under contract already! No one offers up something good? So what? They keep him, Kolb gets more learning time, their cap hit goes down. You actually believe a team is going to: -trade their perrennial Pro Bowl QB -sit and eat a $6M cap hit -explain this away to their fan base. Have you seen Philly fans? Thay really ain't quite right! All this for a mere 2nd round selection! WOW! You're quite deluded. It's thinking like yours that gets me irked about this whole McNabb thing. A LOT of things have to work out PERFECTLY for him to end up in a Bears uniform! And I'm the crazy one for wanting the guy who signed a deal 2 months ago.

And likewise, the Bears should not mess with McNabb. Even though you don't get my sarcastic response, you prove my point. Keep in mind, though, I AM talking about the more VALUABLE of the two due to age, physical condition, and contract status. PS In your second response, you say the Bears will have to trade for McNabb. I'd agree. A 2nd rounder!? You are a White Sox fan! Keep believing that the world will bend over for your LAME trade scenarios. REAL talent will be sought for DM. Please join the rest of us in realityville if you're interested in trading for a perrennial Pro Bowler.