Alaskan Grizzly

"Marshall - I don't think he is going to be an UFA, and we don't have the ammo to trade for him, even if we wanted to." Actually I believe Marshall will be an RFA and regardless I hear Seattle is making a push for him. With Carroll now there, things could get challenging for a team like the Bears to go into a bidding war. And as far as "ammo" I would offer up a player like Urlacher or even Hester in trade talks and entertain whatever the team the Bears talk to in regards to other players. The Bears are most definitely in the "beggas can't be choosers" role this next year. "Cribbs - Um, not a WR. Hester is more of a WR than Cribbs. We already tries to take an elite return man and make him into something he is not. You really want to try and do this again?" Cribbs is actually listed as WR even though he played QB in college (compared to Hester's prior experience at CB). And his size (6'1" 215) versus Hester (5'11" 190) makes him a much more targetable WR. Especially given his speed and weight. He would be a great over the middle type receiver. He is more along the size of Aromashadu who I definitely hope the Bears keep around. As far as the rest; Knox - maybe one to two years left with speed being his main attribute (and depending on his later season injury), Bennett - I like him as a #3 in most cases. Beyond that they can all go. "Harrison - Seriously. His game was going downhill fast. Not a team in the league wanted him last year, and now he is simply a year older and further removed." All the more reason to consider him. The Bears won't have a lot in the way of bargaining chips to offer up so why not try him out for one year? Think Muhammad. He was a great pick up for the Bears who did OK (probably due to Orton running the offense) but when he returned to Carolina he turned out to be a pretty good utility receiver behind Steve Smith. Another few notables that I totally forgot about; Anquan Boldin will probably be looking for a new home and next to Cutler I would be willing just about to give anything to bring him in as a #1 WR. Since Angelo tried once already maybe Boldin will appreciate that fact and appreciate that he would be the man at WR if he came to Chicago. The list continues: Antonio Bryant, Steve Breaston, Braylon Edwards (probably too much money and depends on how far the Jets make it), Josh Reed and Troy Williamson - once a first rounder who recently was heard to say that he would like to "duke it out with Brad Childress". That would be fun to see especially since he could see him twice in the same year. One other notable RB to consider is Leon Washington. He will probably be the odd man out with the Jets with TJ being the perrenial 1,000 yard back and the surge of the rookie Green. Washington definitely has the game breaker ability and has shown he could play alongside another showcase RB, in this case Forte. "I am not saying that we should not even consider adding a WR, but I sure don't want to put any legit amount of money there. IMHO, there are 4 areas of top ticket need (OL, DL, FS, CB). I doubt we can afford DL or CB, as those two units are simply so expensive. I think we should be able to afford OL and FS though." Agreed. But in the long run a lot of what comes down the pike in regards to eventually signing players depends on who is chosen as the new OC.

I think (hope) the Bears learned their lesson after the Thomas Jones / Cedric Benson affair from a few years ago. If you recall, Benson was labeled the whiner as he didn't get the ball enough (especially as a number 4 overall pick) so off went TJ. Then a bit later off went Benson. I think leaving things as they are, in the RB dept, is the best course of action. Forte will get better and I think there is something there with Bell. And I believe that Wolfe offers a different angle with his size and Sproles - like ability. I think upsetting the apple cart at this point would prove detrimental, especially with a malcontent like McGahee. If it came down to it and the Bears thought they HAD to have another back then I'd say go with Taylor. He's a real decent player and person. Reminds me a lot of TJ in fact. I say the money needs to go toward a WR (Marshall, Cribbs or even Harrison) and OL.

I have to also agree. Not sure what all the excitement is about not hurrying the process. There are plenty of viable candidates out there that are on teams that are in the playoffs that could be interviewed. Leslie Frazier is one that comes to mind. He is currently the DC at Minnesota and being looked at for a few HC spots but what's to say that he wouldn't think about coming to the Bears staff as the DC knowing that Lovie may not be around after next year? He does have ties to Chicago after all. Who knows? Speaking of "who knows", what happens if Lovie does get the team into the playoffs next year? Is he a repeat of Marvin Lewis: who was in a similar status this time last year, and was just voted the AFC coach of the year? What then?? In the meantime: GO CARDINALS!!!!

I'll cut to the chase, if Warner can stay healthy it'll be Arizona vs Indianapolis in the SB this year with Peyton winning his second ring.

For some reason my vote won't register but if it did, I would go with the second pick. I am one of the few that would like to see Lovie stay where he is for one more year. I wasn't so sure a few weeks ago that would happen but have more confidence after these last few weeks. As far as the OC and DC go, I am all for the expulsion of Babich and Turner. Who instead? We shall see. However things work out I would like to congratulate Lovie and the team in these last two wins especially with the defense missing as many starters as they were. Here's to an improved 2010.

"Shoulda, coulda, didn't" is what I hear. Wasn't Turner also the one that missed an opportunity to get Cutler on the roster at University of Illinois when he was coaching there? I'm not saying he doesn't know how to judge (or use) talent but... http://blogs.suntimes.com/bears/2009/04/be..._by_m.html#more And with as much nepotism as there are in sports, makes you wonder why it is Ron's brother doesn't have him helping out in San Diego? Turner needs to go away and stop talking. HERE'S TO A SAFE AND AWESOME 2010!!!!

I'm all for keeping Tinosomoa. The few games he did play in (Preseason included) he showed some nice speed and solid hitting and tackling ability. He is the type of player that I like; one that enjoys the team he is on and is a veteran where younger players can benefit from. That and he has the skills I mentioned before. Now, if he could just stay healthy then the Bears might have something. As mentioned before, if for some reason he weren't able to make it back then I still say the Bears need to look at signing someone like Derrick Brooks as he too has a lot of potential left. And before someone assumes incorrectly, I am not advocating for the Bears to stay with the Cover 2. Especially given the advanced age of the aforementioned players and Urlacher. In fact, what seemed to be working pretty well last Monday was more the traditional 4-3 defense. Seemed to keep Favre off balance especially early on.

Consider the source first off, Huffington Post (of hotel magnate Arianna Huffington) is a place for controversial topic speak usually in the political arena. Things probably are slow in that category so this sounded like a story to follow up on. And even if he did...so what??? Was it not all that long ago that Chicago had Iron Mike pacing the sidelines cussing, spitting, grabbing himself (and occasionally players - McMahon) throwing gum at fans etc? Chicago is the city with "broad shoulders" right? As the guys on ESPN would say, "C'mon man!!!"

My best, and uneducated, guess would be that to analyze talent in "gametime" situations. That and they are "depleted" at the CB position for the one. With Basanez, I think that since he is the #3 QB they probably need to assess what sort of trade value, if any, that he may have. Remember the Bears are going into the offseason with no picks for rounds 1 and 2. Not that he would garner that type of attention but he could be a potential cog in negotiations. I mean after all who knew Denver would be willing to accept Orton part of the Cutler deal? And the last game of the season is a good time to give someone like that (Basanez) a chance to play and showcase him.

As an advocate for not necessarily "cleaning house" I think I would actually be ok with this one. I am a fan of Lovie's but have a pretty strong suspicion that his days in Chicago are numbered. (Is it possibly I am out of touch....being in Alaska and all?). I considered drawing comparisons to what would have happened to teams like Philadelphia and Cinncinati had they expunged their coaches after not instantly returning to the Super Bowl (Philly) or at all (Cincy)? Yet in both cases Reid, who was just re-signed and Lewis, who appears on resurgence have their teams showing strong signs of life after a few minor tweaks here and there. Another thing that I am really resiliant to is that "BIG NAME" especially the money that would be involved and for what? What happens in a few years if the Bears still haven't made it to a Super Bowl or *gasp* not even a playoff game? Again, this is my arguement to keep the likes of Cowher and Shannahan at bay. And I believe it was Pix that made the case for how a lot of what ills Chicago is not the fault of Angelo. In fact he has done quite a bit for the team but the other parts of the staff has been unable to use the tools provided. Believe me a few years ago I would have been great with Angelo leaving but now am glad he did not. Then I started to think about the restructuring aspect and still keeping Lovie. I mentioned a while back that I liked the idea of Fisher or Tony Dungy coming to Chicago as the HC and thought that the Bears could leave Lovie in Chicago as the DC and maybe someone like Martz as the OC. However circumstances as they are, none of that seems plausible any longer. But with this article I have restored hope. I didn't know a lot about this Heimerdinger but with this article not only do I know more about him I now am pretty satisfied he could be exactly what the Bears need. Especially given all the roots and ties he has to Cutler and Illinois. Just seems logical and right. Besides that I just got a really nice Cutler jersey for Christmas. Apparently the shop owners where my wife picked it up, who are all from Chicago, were incredulous to the fact that I really wanted one. I will probably be wearing it on Monday night when I go into work, sans the bag on head. In the meantime....Merry Christmas to everyone and Happy New Year. Dave

I couldn't help but see the other sub-headline regarding the players "rallying around Lovie". Will have to see about that story. Meanwhile it is good if not refreshing to see someone like Hester make a candid comment regarding what he sees is ailing the Bears. That primarily being Turner and his inabilities.

Darn, here I was envisioning Kreutz at Center with Incognito and Joe Runyan (who was a FA not long ago) on one side with Williams and Garza on the other. That one side alone would be scary for sure, if not physically then psychologically. Of course there would be about 200 yards in penalties from just the OL by itself each game but Oh well....

I can only imagine a fist fight between Kreutz and Icognito, while at the range, with Kreutz getting the broken jaw this time.

Ok 'MadLith McCaskey', my first question would be what type of contract would you be offering Shannahan? You say you are going to give him not just OC but GM too. You're talking Parcell money here which I would imagine is a bit more than Lovie is making right now. Secondly, in relation to this 'contract' how long and are there incentives? I mean i would guess he would need at least three years (maybe longer) to turn things around and implement all these changes you suggest. And considering the impatience already expressed by the fans here and out there how long do you and he have to get things on the right track? A lot of what ifs??? One being what if Cutler is lost (God forbid) for part or all the season? Is Hanie a Cutler-like QB that will fit the bill for that patch? You are talking ALOT of money in FA aquisitions alone. Don't forget 2011 is looming and the do or die CBA. Just a few questions to ponder. I'm looking forward to your reply.

First I would like to recognize the class that is Pixote. He worded my sentiments exactly in how he (ergo I) feels about the team and their performance this year. I admit at times I don't feel like walking in public after some losses but not because I am ashamed but instead it's that I just don't want to hear anyone else's comments on how they think the Bears suck etc. (Alaska is full of GB and Seattle fans). Regardless, I go out after "pouting" for a little bit and look forward to watching the Bears play next week. And if they lose again and again ... Guess i'll just keep watching again and again. If the season goes in the tank I still can't wait for next season to start. I would feel the same way if the Bears won the Super Bowl this year by the way. By the by, those of you with season tickets that would like to give or sell them to a "sucker" such as myself, I'm willing to negotiate. I guarantee you that I won't be wearing a bag. Terra Tor: The only counter I have to your rant is that in the article that was cited Urlacher was mentioned to be "fiercely loyal to Lovie Smith" so in consequence could not necessarily be calling the "team" out as much as perhaps his expressing his frustration with not being able to play. And although I don't always agree with your "rants" and what is said at least I know where your loyalties lie.

It isn't that far fetched and could happen. Just ask either Cleveland and / or Pittsburgh (depending on the angle). I mean really, the Bears didn't play that badly against the Packers the last time they met. Rodgers is prone to mucho sacks and the occasional safety ( thanks Danieal) because of his own porous line. Ne'er the less the factors RME mentioned. Mad Lith: I know you want change at the end of the season and may have missed it elsewhere but what would your solution be to fixing what ills the Bears?

Sorry but you kinda contradict yourself here. You compare both Manning and Cutler in regards to tenure (past and future) not skill. With that in mind wouldn't you want instead to cater to a QB that for all intent and purpose is the new face of the Franchise? If not just for the Offense alone?

MadLith: you make for compelling counterpoints without insult. For that, thank you. And from what I sense you read through my post about Tomlin as a bit cynical on my part. For that I thank you again. Funny thing though, I have a good friend (make that 2) that love the Steelers and when Tomlin was picked to succeed Cowher their first reply was "who" then I heard how much he sucked as a pick. Of course after last year their tunes changed. Now I would be willing to bet that they have again started to cross that line back to the negative. Pittsburgh fans are much like Bears fans; fiercely loyal, football savvy and not fickle. But...very impatient for anything less than winning. So what happens IF Smith gets the team to win out the rest of the season? The Bears are then 9-7 and above .500. Does he then deserve a reprieve? A few days ago I cited an article from the Trib where the writer noted how there is a very infrequent occurence of a Super Bowl winning coach repeating with a second team. (Funny: don't think they mentioned Ditka's inability in NO). Anyhow it didn't fare well for the likes of Cowher, Shannahan or Gruden (names I have seen mentioned here several times). In my 21 years in the military I liked to apply the "bird in the hand vs in the bush" theory. Every few years a new CO would come and go through normal rotations etc. Some good some not so. Just as you got used to one it would seem another would come along and change everything. Most times I would chafe at the idea of change then sometimes it was good. Anyhow in relation to this and going with the idea that I don't think the Bears are anywhere near having to rebuild, especially after adding a player like Cutler. I still strongly think that some philosophies need to change. Lovie believes that Chicago is a run first team (which they are, can't convince me otherwise) and surprisingly enough, Cutler does too. Not so sure Turner does or is capable of balancing Cutler into the Bears "traditional" formula. Lovie's strong suit is in Defense and there too needs to be some change but in all fairness he has lost not the team but instead key players at key positions due to injury. Angelo hasn't helped much there for sure. Babich??? Forget it, he is nothing more than wasting O2 on the sideline. So in closing I have a hard time accepting a wholesale change for many reasons. I say first let's see how the rest of this year plays out then go from there. With regards to the "Madden Curse" I agree with in that I would too have to decline the opportunity to grace the cover if I were ever in that situation.

I probably wasn't the first but I do recall making a comment about trading Hester shortly after he had some sort of knee injury (appeared to be minor) and he was sitting on the sideline pouting for some reason. I recall being frustrated with his attitude and said he needed to quit snivling and get on the field. I can't exactly recollect but it seems it was either right before or after the Bears had discussed upping his pay and some mention of a holdout had come around. My thought at the time was trade him while "the iron was hot". He hadn't yet started the morph to WR and had viable commodity. Now and a few years removed from his WOW days he is much more the "average" player. Yes the Bears do have a new X factor in Knox but I don't think Hester has the value he once had. If the Bears were lucky they might be able to swing for a third rounder or late second rounder.

I think it's a little early to be calling out Tomlin. Maybe, but a downward trend no doubt. But they can still make a wild card.. So can the Bears, in pure numbers alone and some of the "if" factor. "It ain't over till it's over.". And, they did contend with the Madden curse!. Uhm...didn't Arizona's Fitzgerald share that cover?? Overall reply, I'm just sayin'.

I like the article. Very well thought out. And me being a "traditionalist", the idea of bringing in someone like Fisher is very appealing. Although I would personally choose Weis over Heimerdinger at OC. Nevertheless something tells me unless Virginia makes a hard sell, none of this is but a pipe dream. And for all those Lovie haters out there; how about Mike Tomlin as the new HC? 1 year removed from a SB (and a win no less) and he has the Steelers at 6-6 (after a loss to the lowly Raiders and two losses to the division leading "Who Deys"). Hmmmm...

Ok MadLith... You forced my hand. I'll go C or D as that was what I meant in the first place. Thanks. I'll still stand by my original comments. Lovie Smith is the Head Coach of the Chicago Bears. And Rockford: (speaking of sore losers). How's this for positive? He (Lovie) is the Head Coach for the team you and I both love. Not you not me and on top of that, he's making millions while he's doing it. I'll say it again; Lovie Smith is the Head Coach of the Chicago Bears. Go Huskers!!!!!

I am pulled to either "B" or "C" since the question is about Lovie as a HC. If he can put aside his so called loyalties and replace some ineffective parts (Turner and Babich) then I think things will get back on track.

Simply put, Cutler is not getting the same opportunities as he did in Denver (passing, receivers or blocking). They all sorta effect the other. This I blame solely on coaching and entirely on the OC. There has been no creative thinking whatsoever. Another knock people have is about this lack of running game, normally a staple of Bears football. But in Denver, and when Shanahan was there, you could quite literally put anyone in the backfield and make them a 1000 yard back (see Peyton Hillis for proof and a FB no less). That was a result of blocking schemes and the OL makeup. They were the smalles line on average in the NFL for the longest time but were the most effective. So of the OL is "repaired" I think all the rest of the pieces will fall into place to include getting Cutler back to Pro Bowl quality, something Orton has not done. With regards to the Defense, I still believe getting Derrick Brooks back earlier in the season would have fixed alot of the problems on Defense. He knows the system and is no doubt a quality leader.

http://mobile.suntimes.com/suntimes/db_215...AGc&src=cat The article lays out many reasons why the Bears need not consider "cleaning house" just to get another coach with a Super Bowl win in their pocket. I personally grow tired of those that want to get Cowher as if you put the record of Smith and Cowher side by side it really isn't all that different. Realistically, and as Bowlingtwig and a few others mentioned, Shannahan might be the better option. Mostly due to his familiarity to Cutler. And really that is what the Bears need to concern themselves with, making Cutler better and more comfortable. Would Weis be a good OC?? Most definitely. Would he come to Chicago??? Probably not. The bottom line is none of us are either Ted Phillips, Jerry Angelo or in the McCaskey family so get used to seeing Lovie for at least another year. I for one am good with it.