As the chants of Cowher, Shanahan, Gruden are echoing through the WCG, possibilities of these guys coming to Chicago seem far fetched considering Lovie's contract and the McCaskey wallet history.

Although the Bears organization continues to deny the rumors, the WCG has had links showing Bears contact with one of these 3. And a mysterious statement of coaching the Bears "would excite" this man, I thought we could take a look at Mr. William Laird "Bill" Cowher in this discussion.

Record as a head coach:

Regular Season 149-90-1 (.623)  [The highest % of a non-Hall of Fame coach]

Post Season 12-9 (.571)

Cowher began his coaching career in 1985 under Marty Schottenheimer as the special teams coach for the Cleveland Browns. He was the Browns' special teams coach in 1985-86 and secondary coach in 1987-88 before following Schottenheimer to the Kansas City Chiefs in 1989-91 as defensive coordinator.

In Cowher's 15 seasons, the Steelers captured eight division titles, earned ten postseason playoff berths, played in 21 playoff games, advanced to six AFC Championship games and made two Super Bowl appearances. He is one of only six coaches in NFL history to claim at least seven division titles.

Year        W-L          Division                             Result

1992       11 -5       1st in AFC Central             Lost to Buffalo Bills in AFC Divisional Game.

1993       9-7          2nd in AFC Central           Lost to Kansas City Chiefs in AFC Wild-Card Game.

1994       12-4        1st in AFC Central             Lost to San Diego Chargers in AFC Championship Game.

1995       11-5        1st in AFC Central             Lost to Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowl XXX.

1996       10-6        1st in AFC Central             Lost to New England Patriots in AFC Divisional Game.

1997       11-5        1st in AFC Central             Lost to Denver Broncos in AFC Championship Game.

1998       7-9           3rd in AFC Central           

1999       6-10        4th in AFC Central           

2000       9-7           3rd in AFC Central           

2001       13-3         1st in AFC Central             Lost to New England Patriots in AFC Championship Game.

2002       10-5-1     1st in AFC North                 Lost to Tennessee Titans in AFC Divisional Game.

2003       6-10         3rd in AFC North

2004       15-1         1st in AFC North                 Lost to New England Patriots in AFC Championship Game.

2005       11-5         2nd in AFC North               Super Bowl XL Champions.

2006       8-8           3rd in AFC North              

Some additional thoughts to ponder:

> Cowher was a very good coach for 15 years in Pittsburgh. But did anyone outside of a few partisans in the Steel City ever consider him to be some kind of cerebral sideline genius? Whichever owner gives him the many millions and full personnel authority is going to be saying such. Will Angelo allow that much power be given to a new HC?

> It wasn't so long ago when Cowher was viewed as the guy who couldn't win the big one. Cowher did win the big one...but frankly, that 2005 Pittsburgh team was a one-year wonder that got hot late and stayed hot when it mattered. It wasn't the start or culmination of a dynasty.

> You might also consider it something of an indictment of the Cowher regime that the Steelers passed over two of his most-trusted advisors, assistant head coach Russ Grimm and offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt, when the head coaching chair was empty early in 2007. If Cowher was so great, why weren't teams cherry-picking his assistants, the way they have Parcells' or Bill Walsh's or Bill Belichick's in the past?

>Cowher played in the AFC division, Central and North which were historically considered weaker divisions during Cowhers tenure. Cowher won the division but his teams seemed to not "finish" to clinch the AFC titles or Superbowls.

> None of this is to say that Cowher can't or won't be successful in his next job. He'll probably be a lot like his mentor, Marty Schottenheimer: A coach who will make an organization better but won't necessarily instill any sustained greatness. Will those types of results be worth the financial and organizational commitment that Cowher has reportedly demanded - multi-year, 10 million/year contract?

Cowher is a proven winner but are his sit on the clock strategies enough to compete in the high scoring, fast paced games of today and tomorrow? Can his fiery disposition and spit showers be the element that rejuvenates the Bears team? Will he be able to make the transition from AFC to NFC?

With Lovie's approval rating dropping faster than crumbs off Santa's cookies and a Bears team that looks like it is just plain lost, there is no wonder why the rumors are flying.

So as rumors fly and Bears fans ask for a new HC for Christmas, we will have to wait and see if there will be a Santa this year Virginia (McCaskey)?