Lame Duck
by Lester A. Wiltfong Jr. on Jan 19, 2010 9:33 AM CST
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Printlame-duck~ lame'-duck' (lâm'dŭk')
In the sporting vernacular, the term "Lame Duck" is usually used when describing a Head Coach about to enter his final year his contract. Lovie Smith was a Lame Duck after the Bears Super Bowl in 2006 because he was only signed through 2007. Pressure was put on management by Lovie, his agent, many fans, and many media outlets... so he was given a 4 year extension through 2011. An extension that most fans were glad he received.
Now we have the Chicago Bears just a few short years later, still trying to get back to the playoffs after losing the Super Bowl, and with the same problems seemingly every year, a flux in the assistant coaching staff.
These days Lovie Smith is being described as a Lame Duck coach every where I turn, and it may be a pet peeve of mine, but technically he isn't a Lame Duck. If the reasoning behind him getting that unflattering adjective thrown on him every chance is because there is an aura of uncertainty surrounding his job status after 2010, then why not use the same phrase on all head coaches? Because...
There is no such thing as job security in the sporting world, or anywhere for that matter, but especially surrounding Head Coaches. If a head coach lasts more than 3 or 4 years it's surprising, more than 5 or 6 years is rare. Is anyone surprised when a coach is fired after only one season? The reasons an owner or GM will fire a coach are many. His "guy" happens to become available, "You're Fired!", miss the playoffs "You're Fired!", not winning a championship, "You're Fired!", make a media misstep, "You're Fired!", have an unruly team, "You're Fired!", have a mild mannered team, "You're Fired!"... Life's not fair...
Lovie Smith is signed through 2011. If he misses the playoff next year he could be fired, but that could be said if he had 3 more years on his deal (well... maybe not with the Bears management, but you get my point). But if he makes the playoffs in 2010, then what do the Bears do? Let him play out his current deal and see what 2011 holds, let him essentially be a Lame Duck coach in 2011. Or, extend him again?
If it plays out that way I hope Chicago management would let him finish up 2011 with no extension. Just to see what the team can do. If they get caught up in a bidding war for his services after the season ends then so be it. It sure beats the alternative of being stuck with a contract on a guy you just aren't sure of.
* This is a repost from my 1-14-10 blog on the Sporting News
This FanPost was written by a Windy City Gridiron member, and does not necessarily reflect the ideas or opinions of its staff or community.
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Sending condolences and peaceful thoughts to the family and community of Gaines Adams.
by Dane Noble on Jan 19, 2010 9:46 AM CST reply actions 2 recs
Lame duck
is also perception based on past performance and job security. Lovie’s past performance, last three seasons, have been nothing short of a disaster. The perception is that he won’t make it to the final year of his contract. The caveat being, if he makes the playoffs he might just get to exercise his final season of his contract.
"But it doesn't matter what I do, what I choose. I'm what's wrong. This is fate" - Dexter season 4....I mean Lovie season 6.
Because there has been no CBA reached
I would call Chan Gailey a Lame Duck coach and he was just hired!
That's not the only meaning...
It also refers to someone who is weak or inefficient. Obviously, Lovie falls into that category.
yeah...
I’m just going with what the term has become to be used for in the sporting world, but I like your thinking!
by Lester A. Wiltfong Jr. on Jan 19, 2010 2:46 PM CST up reply actions
how bout, "broken chicken" or "disabled turkey"?
I will trade you three pretzel's, two bologna sandwiches, and one Lovie Smith for your pudding.
by Bears fan 4-ever!!! on Jan 19, 2010 4:32 PM CST up reply actions
Headless chicken comes to mind....
the way its run
(Asshole Sr) "If you learn one thing here, NEVER pass out in Ohio."
by definition, wilt is right
But here is where we come to thinking outside the box and diverging from a strict interpretation of the dictionary.
Lovie is a lame duck IF you believe that he will be fired after next season if he does not get the Bears into the playoffs – or if the teams otherwise sucks as much as they did this year. In my opinion.
Granted, if you go by his contract, then we have nothing to talk about here.
It’s not just a sporting world term, it is big in the political arena as well.
A lame duck in the political world is an office holder who can’t run for office again because he has reached his term limit or because he was defeated at the polls.
The lame duck tag is appropriate for Lovie because of the possible perception that OC and DC candidates may have that he is all but gone from the Bears, so why would they want to come here and work for him – that he is a defacto lame duck.
"I am not an animal!" - Merrick
then so is every coach coaching right now...
In this day and age any losing season could get you a pink slip.
by Lester A. Wiltfong Jr. on Jan 20, 2010 9:00 AM CST up reply actions
Well...
…not every coach coaching, they didn’t all have losing seasons, and some losing seasons are so god-awful that everyone knows the end is near. There is a difference here, but not quantifiable and clearly subjective. That Smith is a lame duck wasn’t predicated on one bad season, it’s his whole body of work, as well as stupid moves during a game and his inability to adjust, or to admit faults. He’s got the whole package. Granted, any coach can lose his job at any given time, but we can be struck by lightning at any given time too…just that its more likely if you play out in a thunderstorm.
"I am not an animal!" - Merrick
How many head coaches in the NFL operate on 1 year contracts?
None. If you have 2 years on your contract and aren’t getting renewed/resigned you are on the proverbial last year of your contract. Hence Lame Duck.
If you can't laugh at yourself you must not be very funny.
Why are so many of the staff on this sight becoming Lovie/Angelo apologists?
Is this sight becoming an “official Bears” sight so everyone must sound like Larry Mayer?
If you can't laugh at yourself you must not be very funny.
Not to speak for anyone else...
But, just because I don’t agree with every single negative thought that roams these halls, doesn’t make me an apologist. They both have, without a doubt, done some (quite a few) idiotic things in their tenures with the Bears. But I’m not, however, going to agree with someone’s view just because. Especially when the numbers are misleading, the stats don’t back it up or when that view is based off pure speculation. I apologize if that upsets, somehow.
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"Newbie, if the next two words out of your mouth aren't 'See ya' then the third word will be 'Oh my god. My crotch. You've punched me in my crotch." - Dr. Percival Ulysses Cox
by David Taylor on Jan 22, 2010 6:18 AM CST up reply actions
I wanted them to clean house...
So pointing out that the term Lame Duck Coach is usually dropped when a coach is going into his final year on his deal makes me an apologist?
OK
by Lester A. Wiltfong Jr. on Jan 22, 2010 8:53 AM CST up reply actions
Just seems like some staff are quick to jump on posters who criticize our current coaching staff.
Interesting that you two replied. If the word “apologist” is too strong I retract it. This trend was an observation I’ve noticed since the lack of a “house cleaning”. Almost like, “Well we’re stuck with them so let’s make the best out of it.” Like making lemonade from lemons. I have a hard time with optimism I guess.
If you can't laugh at yourself you must not be very funny.
I replied because it's my initial post
I’m not making excuses for Lovie, but it is what it is.
by Lester A. Wiltfong Jr. on Jan 22, 2010 1:01 PM CST up reply actions
Call him what you will... his presence is undermining the Bears ability to improve
I think the term lame duck is appropriate because this is, without a doubt, a do or die year for him. Irregardles of what you call it, the perception is that new coordinators hired by Lovie will be fired with Lovie a year from now. To most outsiders, a house cleaning after next year is very likely. No respectable coordinators would want to enter that kind of situation especially if they have another option (i.e. Bates, Fewell, Fisch, the next guy, etc). Assistants can not be encouraged by this situation and players don’t rally around these types of situations. Expect to get coordinators that have no other options or experience which in turn will seal Lovie’s fate.
-normally optimistic bears fan
this is, without a doubt, a do or die year for him.
Is it?
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"Newbie, if the next two words out of your mouth aren't 'See ya' then the third word will be 'Oh my god. My crotch. You've punched me in my crotch." - Dr. Percival Ulysses Cox
by David Taylor on Jan 20, 2010 10:21 AM CST up reply actions
haha!
Isn’t that what we all thought last season? That if the Bears didn’t make the playoff in 2009 he’d be fired…
by Lester A. Wiltfong Jr. on Jan 20, 2010 10:29 AM CST up reply actions
The big difference is that they'd probably be willing to eat 1 year of contract
and the situation with the CBA will, most likely, be resolved by then. I can’t believe that, if not for those two issues, he wouldn’t have been dumped a few weeks ago.
you know it doesn't really matter what we think
but assistants are not scrambling to come work here. why?
Lester,
this is a great post, and you know how I love to clear things up. Lol. But obviously some people just aren’t going to listen to your reasoning without feeling like they know more and are right, even if they aren’t.
I appreciate the post, and how well you’ve handled the rebuttals. :] Keep it up!
"A lot of fans were drawn to me because they knew that whatever the score was, I was going to run as hard as I could on every play. You don't have that now, you have guys waiting for next week or even next year." - Walter Payton
Thanks
It’s simply a pet peeve of mine. I’ll give you Hot Seat all day, cuz Lovies @$$ is burning up!
by Lester A. Wiltfong Jr. on Jan 21, 2010 9:52 AM CST up reply actions
HBear
It’s got absolutely nothing to do with not listening to Wilt’s reasoning, at least on my part. As I said above, if you go by Lovie’s contract, then we have nothing to talk about here, and I did say Wilt was right if that is all you look at, but clearly there is more to it than that. We can all look in a dictionary and cut and paste definitions, but the reality of the situation goes beyond that. It ventures into the arena of human perceptions and how it is possible that candidates for jobs under Lovie perceive him and his situation. Clearly there aren’t droves of qualified candidates beating down the doors to work for Lovie. They are going elsewhere. I feel that many of us have listened to Wilt’s reasoning and understand how to read a dictionary, however, it should work both ways.
"I am not an animal!" - Merrick
I wasn't directly aiming
it at you. Don’t worry. It was a group shot. Lol. But again, he said that even though we might think that Lovie is going to be fired next year, no one knows for sure, so then every coach would be a lame duck – who knows who will get fired next? Some people will not listen to that reasoning, and I don’t necessarily mean you specifically.
"A lot of fans were drawn to me because they knew that whatever the score was, I was going to run as hard as I could on every play. You don't have that now, you have guys waiting for next week or even next year." - Walter Payton
by Ashley Czuba on Jan 21, 2010 3:15 PM CST up reply actions
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