The Bears Den: January 4, 2012

The more I think that Reggie McKenzie guy sounds like the best choice; knows Lovie and has been a part of a successful front office.

By the same token, the more I read, the less I want Bill Polian; sounds like he’s stuck in his ways, somewhat inflexible, uses nepotism, hasn’t had a lot of recent success.

Ted Phillips said all the right things, even though his decision to keep Lovie Smith and essentially give him more power is questionable at best. Anyway he certainly seems to understand something Jerry Angelo never understood, and that is making an effort to build around Jay Cutler, not simply sticking him in there watching him get his teeth knocked out while making some good plays. Bill Polian would be a great hire, so would this gentleman named McKenzie from Green Bay.

I believe Mike Tice will become the new OC, because they seek continuity with the offense in terms of scheme, and Tice has always been wanting a chance to become an OC. He has worked with some great offensive minded coaches throughout his NFL career, let’s see where this could take us. Granted, he has never called plays before, but every OC has to start sometime.

i would like to think our FO and George sits back, let the dust settle and if they did not have anyone in mind before the sackings and the leavings just hang fire approach the likes of Mc Kenzie when it is suitable to do so and get who is right with a Bears franchise perspective ie the MO of this historied team.

Love them cause they take me back to the 90s music scene. Such a unique voice and sound. Made my morning!

For GM- either McKenzie or DeCosta; I love what both these guys have contributed to their team’s stacked rosters.

I NEVER want to see the pictures of Virginia and Ted Phillips that Lovie, obviously, has.

or Maybe Ted Phillips could do a double up as President/GM?

Ted Phillips clearly made a point in saying the Bears have made the playoffs once in 5 years. Lovie said once in 2 years the day before. Phillips point is obviously that Lovie has only made the playoffs 1 in 5 years and that’s not acceptable. Phillips also clearly said Lovie will be the coach in 2012. Not 2013 or beyond. His contract is through the 2013 season. Lovie is clearly on notice that after this next season the new GM (who will probably have a 4-6 year contract) will be free to replace Lovie if he doesn’t perform. How is that winning a power struggle? He’s got 1 year to turn things around or he’s gone. That’s not very powerful if you ask me.

Phillips clearly made a point in saying that the coach reports to GM who reports to him. Nowhere is it stated or implied that Lovie has any personnel power that he didn’t previously have. So where is this new power that Lovie supposedly has? He doesn’t have any additional responsibilities w personnel, he didn’t get a contract extension. He’s back for 2012. That’s it. There’s no extra “power” there.

Some are arguing that hamstringing the new GM with Lovie for 1 year is a mistake, but I disagree. The Bears’ faults this season & last lie with a dearth of talent on the offensive line and in Mike Martz’s crazy obsession with 7-step drops and inability to call a coherent game that meshes with the talents he does have. Martz is gone. Angelo is gone. Lovie still has control of the Bears locker room. I think he should stay too. Phillips and the McCaskey’s think he should stay. The new GM will have to think that too, for just 1 season. For a new GM to come in and find a new coach and deal with all the talent evaluations, both pro and college, is a lot to ask if you want immediate success. This way, the new GM will concentrate on free agency and the draft this off-season and have a year to evaluate Lovie and Lovie’s staff. That makes sense to me.

Agree with you on Lovie

I expect to hear a lot from the 50% that want Lovie gone after reading Haugh & Mulligan.

Keeping Lovie makes sense if you want to make one more run at it with the core you have now.
That 7-3 team looked pretty good, so a little help from F/A and the draft and one more go at it
before going into rebuild mold with a new coach and staff.

If you think that 7-3 team was smoke and mirrors and would have fell on it’s face even without
Cutler and Forte going down it would make sense to start the rebuilding now, the longer you wait
the longer it is going to take.

Personally I don’t think you tie the hands of a new GM by telling him he has to keep Lovie.
but I am encouraged that they are willing to give Jerry the Axe and leave no doubt that they
expect this team to win or else next year.

*The draft and off season aquisitions *, will tell us if the new GM will keep Lovie on , or get rid of him next year.

*Who then will take the job *, there might not be too many Lovie fans. Now , what you suggest makes no sense.

This stupid tablet drives me nuts.

The new GM then was Angelo and the incumbent HC was Jauron.

Does he think the second time will work?

The problem that I see here, has to do more with the philosophical approach towards the game. You have to get someone that still believes in our Tampa 2 system, and draft accordingly, then somehow preserve Martz’s offense ( somewhat ), and help Cutler have some continuity. Though.

One of the top GM prospects is reported to have interest with the Bears GM job:

But according to NFL.com, [Eric] DeCosta would be open to leaving Baltimore now and that the Bears’ job could "entice" him.

Also, there has already been a short list reportedly published by the Bears front office, and it goes as such:

Fritz Pollard Alliance chairman John Wooten shared the organization’s "short list" with the Sun-Times on Tuesday.

It included [Reggie] McKenzie, [Sheldon] White, Marc Ross (college scouting director for the Giants), Ray Farmer (director of pro personnel for the Chiefs), Will Lewis (vice president of player personnel for the Seahawks), Louis Reddick (director of pro personnel for the Eagles), Lake Dawson (vice president of football operations for the Titans) and Morocco Brown (director of pro personnel for the Redskins).

Other names to consider appear to be Vikes’ PPD George Patton, Packers’ CSD John Dorsey, and of course Bill Polian. Information all provided by this link from the Chicago Sun-Times.

McKenzie as GM. He brings in Tom Clements the QB coach as the new OC.

Because you get 2 Wolves for the price of one . You get Eliot Wolf along with McKenzie & Ron Wolf by default . I think thats the move we need at this point .

For many reasons, but especially if they both bring family members. McKenzie’s twin brother is Rallo McKenzie from the old Redskins Hogs OLine. And I’m pretty sure we could find a job for him.

I want McKenzie just based on what GB was able to achieve, with so many injuries. Which btw highlighted our shortcomings, in a lot of areas.

He might not want to come here, just based on our rivalry , which is not what the old man Halas did for them. Way back.

According to John “Moon” Mullen, Reggie McKenzie appears to be perhaps the Bears’ top choice to become their new GM:

The name on the front-burner there is Green Bay football operations director Reggie McKenzie, who is a leading name in the Bears’ deliberations, sources have confirmed for CSNChicago.com.

And a little more as to why McKenzie may have interviewed the Ravens first:

One take is that McKenzie has been slow to move toward the Oakland job because of interest in Chicago. But the Bears’ job only opened on Tuesday, and that was a huge surprise around the league, so McKenzie may only now be taking his long look at Chicago.

Anyway if this all is true, that not only is Reggie McKenzie interested in taking the job with the Bears, but the Bears happen to have declared him their top choice, then we may very well be addressing him as GM Reggie McKenzie.

Rick Reiprish of the Saints would be a great fit as Bears GM. He has a tremendous amount of scouting experience and organizing the Saints draft room for draft day. As far as the OC, Todd Haley would be a good choice in order to keep a Martz type of offense in Chicago. He ran a similar offense in Arizona and was Dick Jauron’s Receivers coach 2001-2003; Which Marty Booker ended up as a pro-bowler in one of those years.