DABEARSDABOMB

The Bears went after him prior to hiring Marinelli as the DC. However, he ultimately felt that the situation in New York was more stable and a better fit for him. This was primarily because people wondered how much longer Lovie would be in Chicago.

Great analysis and I agree with what you talk about above. Clearly the oline is an important aspect and something the Bears need to improve. I know we've debated between how much it needs to be upgraded but I definitely agree with you 100% regarding the overall importance of the position.

Had the appearance? Appearance of what. It was a depth move and was always sold as that. Never did I see anyone in the front office say he was the starter or even insinuate such. It was a good solid signing and solid move but even than you find a way to complain about it.

One is still in the league. The other, unfortunately, as the result of injury is complete garbage. And I completely agree, TO was the better player and always was. The big difference in our opinions is the fact that TO is no longer healthy. He is slow and can't cut and that is why no one even considered signing him. Now maybe he's gotten better and will show that, but until he goes out and shows some sort of regained speed and cutting ability, he won't be an effective player and he most certainly isn't worth the risk of signing him. The other component I'd point out is that Ocho in 2010 had 800+ receiving yards in 14 games. Yes, it was less than Owen's but I'm not arguing that Johnson was better than Owen's that year, I'm arguing Ocho is better than the current post-injury TO. And I have read quite a few articles on the Pats talking about the fact that Johnson's issues in New England weren't related to talent and were related to his ability to be in the right spot. Given the minimal amount of practice time and the way the Pats offense work, I am not overly surprised that he wasn't able to make an impact. That isn't me saying he should have had 1000 yards, rather, that I think he can still be a productive NFL wide-out (as a solid red zone target and veteran #3 or #4 wideout).

I think it puts further emphasis on the point that the Bears should invest money in a guy like Mario Williams or Avril. A dominant pass rush can do a whole lot. I realize the Pats oline did a pretty good job most of the game, but the reality one of the big reasons the Giants made a run in the post-season was that pass rush (and obviously Eli Manning). As a whole, they were a very flawed team. They also had some luck go there way with Kyle Williams fumbles and the Pats receivers drops.

Which is valuable, especially when said back-up can come in and be decent enough at guard and center.

Spencer was never deemed the starter. It was a depth move and Spencer only started playing when other guys went down.

Ocho is better than TO. And I don't really want either guy, but there is a reason that Ocho was on a roster this year and TO wasn't. TO's tryout that you keep talking about was a giant laughing stock. Owens was slow as shit and couldn't cut worth a damn. Ocho is about 5 years younger and while TO was the better player over the career, Ocho's problem, which was well documented, was the fact that he couldn't figure out the Pats offense without a full training camp and as a result, he was just behind in the curve. I wouldn't at all be surprised to see him go somewhere and catch 5 or 6 TD's and 700 yards.

Garza came in and played good. There was no reason to move him. Cutler was happy and that was that.

If he was healthy, I'd make the trade. I love Briggs but Osi opposite Peppers would be a pretty impressive set of ends. And I think you can find decent lb'ers relatively easy. I said decent and it should be noted that I think Briggs is one of the best in the league.

From National Football Post; read the (laudatory) article here. Who is Phil Emery? An inside look at the new Bears GM. Greg Gabriel Just like a few weeks ago when the Indianapolis Colts named Ryan Grigson as their new general manager, the Chicago Bears have named a person who may not be well known as far as the media goes, but in the scouting world he carries a big name. Phil Emery is an excellent choice to lead the Bears. He has been a scout and a Scouting Director in the NFL since 1998. He started with the Bears in 1998 and worked there until after the 2004 Draft when he was hired by Atlanta to be the Director of College Scouting under general manager Rich McKay. He then went to Kansas City as the College Scouting Director under Scott Pioli. In his years in the league he has been able to learn the philosophies of Mark Hatley, Rich McKay, Jerry Angelo and of course Pioli, who formed his philosophy working in New England with Bill Belichick. That afforded him the opportunity to learn from some fairly good football people. Before becoming a scout, Emery was a strength coach at the Naval Academy for seven years and before that he was the strength coach at Tennessee. While a strength coach, Emery was known as a coach who was very scientific and innovative in his approach and the results were awesome. At Navy you don’t get 4 and 5 star recruits to work with, you get special people who are there preparing to serve their country and not make millions as a pro. Emery was able to help develop these kids into players who would compete from beginning to end. With scouting his approach was much the same way. When I came to Chicago in 2001 I was lucky enough to have Phil work with me as one of my area scouts. Phil’s area of responsibility was the southeast, easily the most productive area in the country. In the three years Phil worked with me we drafted nine players from his area, many if which had very good careers with the Bears. The players included defensive end Alex Brown, quarterback Rex Grossman, guard Terrance Metcalf, defensive tackle Ian Scott and running back/special teams player Adrian Peterson. While none of these players attained Pro Bowl status they all played an integral part in our success. Not only did he provide excellent information on players we drafted, but he also helped us make difficult decisions on players we didn’t draft. One thing I learned quickly about him was that he was a tireless worker. He left no stone unturned. He quickly grasped our system and gave us pertinent information and more. He knows how to find talent. There are many scouts who can grade tape and tell you if a prospect can play, but few do the in-depth work needed to find out about the intangibles and football character. I have written about football character before and it’s not the same as personal character. A prospect could be the greatest kid in the world but if he doesn’t possess great football character he will bust. Emery was and is excellent at differentiating between the two and finding players who will excel. I found Phil to be the leader of our scouts and he was highly respected by all his associates. He had two different nicknames that I know of, one was he was referred to by the other Bears scouts as “Doc.” This name came about because of the attention to detail that Phil paid to every assignment given. His other nickname was “Satan.” This nickname was given to him by some midshipmen who found Phil waiting for them at 5:30 a.m. for workouts during a snow storm. As the story goes, the Annapolis area was hit by a severe late winter storm. It was so severe that the Academy basically shut down and classes were canceled, something that rarely happens at the Naval Academy. Storm or not Phil felt an obligation to be at the training facility at the prescribed time. Emery lived close to 40 miles from the Academy so he left plenty early to be there on time. The midshipmen, thinking that there was no way Emery would be there, sent a couple of “scouts” to see if in fact the weight room was open. What they found was Emery sitting in his car having a cup of coffee waiting for his players. When they saw Phil waiting, they quickly informed the others that “Satan” was indeed there, the storm didn’t stop him! That’s being a leader. You don’t let obstacles hold you back. Having worked with Phil for the better part of three years, I have a tremendous amount of respect for him. When I saw the list of candidates the Bears were going to interview for the position, I knew he was by far the best choice. That’s not to say the other candidates weren’t well qualified -- they were -- it’s just that Emery is the right man at the right time to take the Bears to a championship. I have been in the scouting business for 30 years now and I know few who have the work ethic, character and talent of Phil Emery. In short, he “gets it.” Bears CEO Ted Phillips did an excellent job in the search process. He found a group of well-qualified individuals and then picked the best man. I have heard and read some snide remarks in the Chicago media since the hiring of Emery and frankly they are baseless, unfounded and uneducated remarks. Many in the media wanted the Bears to hire the “big” name similar to the Chicago Cubs hiring Theo Epstein as GM. One thing I know holds true in football: the biggest name isn’t always the best name. Phil Emery has spent a lifetime preparing for this situation and he will succeed.

I must have been listening to something different, but he sounded like a man with a plan. But I don't put much weight on press conferences either way. But he sounded to me like a guy who has led, knows how to led, and already has a plan and structure in place.

Agree with the above.

I was a little surprised this happened. I figured Emery would have been the one guy who would have kept Ruskell, given there past history together, but usually in instances where someone doesn't get a job they interview for, they tend to leave the organization (in professional sports). I'm curious to see who Phil brings in.

I really think this is a good hire. Emery is very good at identifying talent. It will be interesting to see how he does from a pro personell perspective and how he ultimately manages the roster but as a pure talent evaluator, he's proven himself to have a strong eye for talent.

This is what I expected and he would be a very good hire, imo.

No scout has been right all the time? Get over it people. Its about a track record. Every GM has had busts and you guys all harp on the various busts and fail to talk about the hits.

I had completely forgotten Colston. He's clearly better than Johnson. But Wayne and all others are different.

I agree with you. There is no way he isn't a top 5 wideout in this market. If it weren't for the fact he's stuck in Buffalo, he'd be getting more love. Bowe and Jackson are both better and I suppose you could say Desean Jackson is as well, but outside of that, I can't see anyone else on the level of a Johnson.

Agreed; Sorry by requoting you there, it probably looked like I was disagreeing with you. I was more or less agreeing with you while disagreeing with the others comments.

Emery's resume from a talent finding perspective is pretty impressive.

Sorry guys. Tice is being real. If a great LT prospect would be there in the draft or FA, maybe the Bears would go that route. But the fact of the matter is that option doesn't exist and as a result, we will likely see another year of Webb. But I bet you see the Bears continue to work with him and add new wrinkles to the protection scheme to put him in the best position to be solid.

Someone is guilty by association? That argument is pretty pathetic. Ruskell can't and shouldn't be judged because someone you don't like brought him in. As far as I'm concerned, Angelo had this team in a superbowl and an NFC Championship game and put together and maintained a well above average defense for years. People spout about how shitty he was but that is pure crap. Was he the best, no? But there is a reason he kept his job as long as he did and no, I don't buy that the Bears are the worst run organization in the league or anything even close to that. Look at all of the teams that have consistently sucked. The Bears were nothing but competitive during Angelo's run. Some seasons better than others, but they were perennial playoff contenders and at times, were legit superbowl contenders. That is pretty freaking decent.

I'd take him over trading for Marshall, mainly because I think he's pretty good and would be considered a significant upgrade.

I still think the Bears will hire Clyde Christensen as the passing game coordinator. He is still under contract with the Colts (currently the OC) but my guess is he will be fired now that they've hired their head coach.