Reality

by Dominique Blanton on Oct 27, 2009 3:36 PM CDT

A lost like last Sunday definitely make fans sit back and wonder if Lovie Smith can ever get this franchise a Super Bowl championship. Last week lost to the Falcons showed that as long as this team coach by Lovie Smith, it will always be .500 or worst team. Sunday embarrassing lost added the unnecessary sprinkles on top of the cake. Lovie put himself on the hot seat by taking over the defensive play calling. Angelo put even more pressure on Lovie by finally delivering him a franchise quarterback. The moves that Angelo has been making lately has indicated that he is in a win now mode. Another 9-7 record or worse can mark the end of Lovie tenure here in Chicago, especially when there is a great opportunity for the Bears to go after a more accomplish coach like a Mike Shanahan, Mike Holmgren, or Brian Billick.

Reality this season is that the Bears are the 3rd best team in this division, which is not an enough for them to make the playoffs. Can you honestly look at this team top to bottom, and say with a straight face that this is a playoff team? The offensive line is abysmal, yet Lovie like what he see in this group and will give you the excuse that "they just need time to gel". This team had all training camp and preseason to gel and know each other tendencies; fans have come to the conclusion that this is not a good group of Lineman. The Frank Omiyale LG experiment needs to stop right now. Coaches need to get the picture that he is not best suited to be an interior lineman. His skills are best suited to play outside specifically at RT. Chris Williams is a LT and has no business at RT. His athletic ability and finesse blocking best suited at his natural position LT. Olin Kreutz has had a fine career here in Chicago, but he's has lost more then a step and the coaches need to strongly look at Beekman taking over at Center next season. Orlando Pace well over his prime, I really expect this guy to retire once the season is over. He has nothing else to prove in his stellar career as a LT.

Fans need to look at the big picture and that is Jerry Angelo is not going to accept mediocrity. The man wants to win and if Lovie cannot get the job done he will be shown the door. The only thing that could save Lovie is his contract, but all of that won't matter if Angelo makes case to Ted Phillips on why they need to go in a different direction.

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i share your wishful thinking

but it’s just that. besides, angelo is part of the problem too. he’s the one who hired lovie to begin with.

by genetic on Oct 27, 2009 4:18 PM CDT reply actions

I am not a Lovie fan and never have been, but there was nothing wrong in hiring him at the time.

He was one of the hottest commodities in the NFL when the Bears brought him on and apparently said all the right things in the interview, so I can’t fault Angelo for hiring him. Just like Wanny, they are decent coordinators but don’t seem to have what it takes to be a head coach. I have a bigger issue with the extension they signed him to. You would think any team, not just the Bears, would have learned by now that a lot of Super Bowl teams fall off the next season, if I were a GM I’d like to see how my HC holds the team together the next season. If he gets them to the playoffs, great, extend him, otherwise re-evaluate. Lovie was threatening to leave because he was one of the lowest paid coaches at that time, which was good business for him and his agent, but I would have still waited him out because if he would have had good results and chosen not to re-sign, you would have had your pick of coaches who would have gladly taken over a playoff quality team.

Now that I think about it, isn’t that an interesting pattern that several of Lovie’s players who get extended have their performance fall off after the big payday (Harris, Vasher, etc., Briggs the exception) and Lovie did the same thing? Coincidence?

by BearFan611 on Oct 27, 2009 4:58 PM CDT up reply actions

the thing about Briggs

is that with all the players that are funneled to him, he’d really, really have to try, to not have a pro bowl season.

"I'm sorry Josh, I'm with Chicago now, you need to stop calling me" -JerBear50 as Jay Cutler
"No offense intended" does not jive with posting in the heat of the moment.

by BearNecessities on Oct 27, 2009 5:11 PM CDT up reply actions

I can't agree there, he still plays hard and shows up every game

which is much more than you can say about Tommie and Vasher.

by BearFan611 on Oct 27, 2009 5:33 PM CDT up reply actions

I agree about the funneling

I think that Briggs does show up every game and play hard, but I also think that his overall limitations have been exposed this season. He lacks leadership skills.

"Chance favors the prepared mind." - Pasteur

by Maelvampyre on Oct 27, 2009 8:49 PM CDT up reply actions

BF611

You are one of the few here that understand this simple concept:

they are decent coordinators but don’t seem to have what it takes to be a head coach.

It simply amazes me that so few others understand this simple concept.

by GeoMak on Oct 27, 2009 9:38 PM CDT up reply actions

Some coaches are not meant to be head coaches.

See Mike Nolan as a great example. Wonderful coordinator, terrible head coach.

John Clayton is the head Dean at Fail University (known as F.U. in short)

by Joe Medina on Oct 28, 2009 3:36 AM CDT up reply actions

ill give you another norv turner

no business as head coach
but a wonderful offensive coordinator

by Bear Lovin 21 on Oct 28, 2009 9:22 PM CDT up reply actions

Yup. another prime example.

But, on the flip side, some coordinators/other coaches just fit perfectly as HC’s.

Mike Singletary (although I don’t remember if he was a coordinator or not)
Mike Tomlin…

the examples go on and on, but ultimately the point is the same. Some coordinators just can’t hang as HC’s.

John Clayton is the head Dean at Fail University (known as F.U. in short)

by Joe Medina on Oct 29, 2009 12:25 AM CDT up reply actions

Singletary has yet to prove himself as a HC

unlike Tomlin

I always turn to the sports section first. The sports page records people's accomplishments; the front page has nothing but man's failures.
~Earl Warren

by lookingdeadred on Oct 29, 2009 10:33 AM CDT up reply actions

umm, who's coordinating the D this year?

by genetic on Oct 28, 2009 10:22 AM CDT up reply actions

Reality is

that I would more than happy with a 9-7 from what I’ve seen so far this year. But I think that might be a stretch. Another Bears fan and I had a nice conversation just yesterday about our schedule. They think it gets easier from here on out… I’m not too sure about that though.

by ArmyCubFan on Oct 27, 2009 4:36 PM CDT reply actions

I would consider Angelo's

quest for mediocrity the big problem!

by Jhitt81 on Oct 27, 2009 6:22 PM CDT reply actions

He is an horrible talent evalutator up and down!

by Jhitt81 on Oct 27, 2009 6:23 PM CDT reply actions

Not really

The Bill Belichick/Scott Pioli regime was commonly thought to be one of best in the NFL.

Leave out last years draft (2009) and look at the previous four seasons (2005-06-07-08).
There are 11 players drafted by the Patriots on their roster.

Those 11 players are no better (and probably worse) than the players Jerry Angelo and the Bears drafted during those same four seasons.

The bigger difference? Coaching.

by GeoMak on Oct 27, 2009 9:35 PM CDT up reply actions

The only success he has had was with dick jauron's team.

by Jhitt81 on Oct 27, 2009 6:29 PM CDT reply actions

Bears should bring in Shanny

The Villyn

by The Villyn on Oct 27, 2009 7:24 PM CDT reply actions

Get it into your skulls ....

….. Lovie’s here for the duration of his contract. The ownership is not going to eat 11 million dollars of contract. Won’t happen. Can’t be done. Period.

by Irish Bears Fan on Oct 28, 2009 3:52 AM CDT reply actions

Can we trade a coaching staff?... ;>P

…or is there an out clause in this contract? Maybe if they buy him out for 3-4 million. How about breach of contract? Are there any situations where the contract can be voided or reduced for performance metrics? IMO, it’s not that Lovie is such a bad coach, it’s more that he seems to have lost this team, both players and even some coaches. This is where the DC vs. HC argument s make so much sense. A DC position is about strategy and teaching and HC is about vision, leadership, and delegation. Maybe Lovie is just better at the teacher thing.

There are no stupid questions, but there are a LOT of inquisitive idiots.

by LostInSTL on Oct 28, 2009 7:20 AM CDT up reply actions

Well said LostInSTL

A DC position is about strategy and teaching and HC is about vision, leadership, and delegation. Maybe Lovie is just better at the teacher thing.

by GeoMak on Oct 28, 2009 11:11 AM CDT up reply actions

Agreed

Lovie Smith isn’t going anywhere short of him showing up in compromising photos with Rod Marinelli and a chimpaneze.

"Cubs will win 79 to 83 games." BLou (7/21/09)

by BLou on Oct 29, 2009 6:12 PM CDT up reply actions

First 3 years as HC

is usually when teams win SBs within a coach’s tenure. I can’t remember where I’ve read or seen it, but if it doesn’t happen early it won’t happen at all.

"Repetition is only good when you've been winning." - Valet

by propheteer on Oct 28, 2009 4:46 PM CDT reply actions

Lovie SB in 3
Ditka SB in 3
Jauron Playoffs in 3… i think.

so yeah, 3 years is about average

"I'm sorry Josh, I'm with Chicago now, you need to stop calling me" -JerBear50 as Jay Cutler
"No offense intended" does not jive with posting in the heat of the moment.

by BearNecessities on Oct 28, 2009 4:54 PM CDT up reply actions

Within his first three years

i thought he was our guy for the long haul. i mean think of it he came in with a a 7-9 team after jauron left…..he took them down to 5-11 but beat green bay like he promised….then 11-5 won the division but were one in done in the playoffs……then 13-3 won the conference but not the superbowl.
call me optimistic but i still beleive in lovie but sometimes he sticks with players too long we all remember the calls for orton greise when we had rex. now we all see omiyale is not cut out for guard.
Coach Ditka wanna leave espn?

by Bear Lovin 21 on Oct 28, 2009 9:32 PM CDT reply actions

Reality is the overall level of talent on the club is not good

You can rip Lovie, Turner and Babich to shreds all you want. But that doesn’t take away from the fact that the number one problem on this football team is a lack of talent. Look at the seconday, defensive line, o-line and running back. Look at the zero depth at running back too.

This thing has turned into a clusterfu*k. You could ressurect Vince Lombardi from the grave and he wouldn’t be able to do much better with this group. Is Lovie to blame for the level of talent on this team on some level? Sure he is. But the problem starts and mostly stops with Jerry Angelo and his scouting department.

"Cubs will win 79 to 83 games." BLou (7/21/09)

by BLou on Oct 29, 2009 6:10 PM CDT reply actions

still

The lack of preparedness (getting whooped by unbalanced lines, no huddle, obvious personnel mismatches), lack of leadership, and the general confusion and lack of focus this team has shown lately is enough to tell me Lovie is not doing his job this year. Having more talent would help, but I feel like he doesn’t get the best out of what he has.

by TrialsBass on Oct 29, 2009 10:21 PM CDT up reply actions

As you can tell,

many of the comments from this thread have been removed. Please be able to debate with other members without name-calling, without throwing out insults, etc.