DABEARSDABOMB

Saban wasn't bad, he just ran back to college. He is an elite coach and I believe (purely a belief) that if he wanted to, he'd be very successful in the pro ranks.

When Pete Carrol failed the 1st time he wasn't coming from the college ranks. He was a pro assistant that failed as a HC, IIRC. It was after that failure that he went into the college ranks.

Jerry Angelo gets a lot of credit as well for that. Or at least everything I've heard and read about his tenure in Tampa indicates he was very instrumental in that development.

I have no issue with Marinelli sticking around and am very open to Clements. Good post.

If he's the right guy, i have no issue. He's the only in-house guy that should be interviewed. If they hired Tice or Marinelli, I'd flip. Toub is an interesting guy. He's been outstanding as a special teams guy but I also wonder how he'd be since he isn't an offensive or defensive expert.

A good boss doesn't need to yell. I don't ever yell at my staff. The reality is the defense loved playing for Lovie and they were very productive under Lovie. Problem is he couldn't get the right guy for the offense.

Kaplan indicates the following names on the Bears list (I don't have an issue with any of the below names): Denver OC Mike McCoy Wash OC Kyle Shanahan Saints OC Pete Carmichael PSU HC Bill O'Brien

I would absolutely love Norv. Great offensive mind. I assume if Norv is hired, it would be because the Bears hired a defensive minded coach. I hope one thing...I hope whomever the Bears hire is as classy as Lovie was. I will puke if they hire someone like Rex Ryan to be the HC. Another guy I wouldn't be surprised about would be Brian Billick. I know one thing, Bears need to get a proven guy to help out this offense. That could be Norv Turner or Cam Cameron as OC (or a HC like Billick that knows offense). They need to make sure their is a voice Cutler will listen to and respect. That is one thing Martz was able to get out of Jay. It just didn't work cause it got Jay killed. I wonder in hindsight if Jay would have liked to still have Martz. I also wonder if Jay had issues with Tice or not. I know recently he said he wanted Tice to stick around, however, Jay's comment was pretty damning about hiring good assistants. Daryl Drake is a failure that has stuck around way too long.

Probably a decent chance Bates might stick around.

Cutler is the one guy that doesn't seem as irritated. Defensive guys are mad...offensive players aren't. Seems like a lot of offensive players were very frustrated. Cutler's quote was telling about the type of guy the Bears should hire as the head coach ("one who can hire good assistants"). I think the Bears would be wise to sign Cutler to a couple year deal (although they could wait a year). Reality is, they should bring in a real good offensive guy and let him work with Jay. Give him 2 years...if it doesn't, our new head coach gets a chance to bring in a new guy as QB (and we kind of start over there).

Agree. I also think Ditka robbed us of some superbowls. His ego got in the way of things.

Of all the expereinced guys (which is what i prefer)....Chucky scares me the most. On one hand, he won with journeymen like Gannon (Oakland) and Brad Johnson, on the other hand, the Bucs were ran into the ground and he took over one hell of a talented team. Dungy was a great great coach.

What matters is how they handle this. Will they spend the money...will they get the top guy. Will it matter? They once did get the top guy and we ended up with Wanny (who people may forget, was the guy).

I'm intrigued. He's young, talented, great personality, very good defensive mind. Plus, he has a lot of good connections from his collegiate coaching tree. You could also go out and hire a guy like Norv and say...run my offense. I don't cringe at this idea.

Haven't seen Pix in a bit. Welcome back!!! Hope all is well I'm intrigued with McCoy. He seemed to do a good job adjusting to Tebow a year ago but its hard to evaluate anyone when you have Manning. I could like good as an OC with Peyton as my QB. That said he made Delhomme look solid for a while and seems to have other good experience. I'm kind of intrigued by Muschamp. Not a name I had ever thought about and he's a defensive guy but if you bring in a guy like Norv to be the OC, could be interesting. I wonder if the Bears look at the Falcons OC (Koetter). I was so bummed when we lost out on hiring him last off-season (and really...that is why Lovie is gone...no one wanted to come be his OC and thats why we got Martz/Tice).

I find this very interesting and telling. Assuming this was the case, then the Bears should already have a pretty good idea of who they are targeting. Of realistic candidates, Bill O'Brien would be my preferred hire. I know there is no way Emery is hiring a proven head coach. I'm also warming up to Mike Holmgren. I must be crazy but don't want Jon Gruden. I have a hard time forgetting how bad the Bucs got as he got power happy. That said they aged and lost a lot of talent.

David Kaplan Tremendously well connected source tells me this AM that even had GB won Smith would have been fired if Bears did not make deep playoff run

Now the hard work begins. Finding a good coach isn't easy. Bears better be willing to pay and they better be prepared to move quickly. Their are a lot of teams trying to hire guys and on paper, Bears have one of the best roster (if not the best roster) of all these teams with vacancies.

Couldn't disagree more. If we won the superbowl and lost to the Packers twice, I could give two shits. To be frank, all I care about is winning. If we lose every game to the Packers and make the playoffs and do good in the playoffs, freak it. I'll take it. And going 2-14 is downright brutual any way you put it. I don't care if both wins are to the Packers...two wins is pathetic.

Marshall came out in support of Cutler, Bates, and Lovie. No mention of Mike Tice.

What makes anyone say he was told you have to keep Lovie just for 2012. I think people forget how much the McCaskeys like Lovie, especially the owner, Virginia.

And I'm not going to pretend that Emery is gods gift to GM's yet. I don't necessarily trust him to make the right hire. I think he'd be more likely to hire an unproven guy as it providers him with more security. Hiring a proven guy puts more pressure on him as a proven guy will no matter what get more authority then an unproven guy. I hope I'm wrong but I really don't think of Emery as a GM. I think of him as a pro football operation guy. Angelo was about the only GM this franchise ever had and even he stopped being that when Lovie got his fat extension after the superbowl.

The problem is, many insiders indicated Lovie really had no idea what he wanted (when they hired Martz and again with Tice) so they ended up getting stuck in a tough position. Bears missed out on some pretty darn good candidates too and I think Lovie was a large reason why. I could live with Norv Turner as our OC with Lovie staying but there is zero chance that Norv comes to play for Lovie (after Jay and Ron's difficulties and Lovie/Ron's issues).

He wants in. And Phllly fans still really really really like Reid. That says something.

98% of new HC's would be lucky to ever have the success that Reid/Lovie have had. We aren't replacing some bum, we are replacing a pretty good coach (I know I know..Bears fans think otherwise but the rest of the league respects the hell out of Lovie and he'll be hired to another HC job and probably get paid pretty well too). Grass is always greener. If we were replacing a total turd, I'd be more then willing to take a total shot in the dark, but reality is, we are in a win now situation and there aren't many excellent coordinator candidates out their. Andy Reid has done wonders with some mediocre QB's and has been very very successful. Much like Lovie, they could benefit a lot from a change in scenery.