The Bears Den: February 9, 2012

by Pete Dixon on Feb 9, 2012 7:02 AM CST in The Bears Den

"...where we drop f-bombs like they were perfectly thrown spirals."

Bears hire Holt as offensive line coach Mayer: Possessing all the qualities that Lovie Smith was seeking in an offensive line coach, Tim Holt was hired Wednesday by the Bears to fill that position.

Rosenbloom: Cutler likes Bates hire Good news: No Cutler F-bombs at new QB coach.

Bears GM Phil Emery was a leader among Midshipmen Jensen: Despite a nontraditional route to his current position, Emery’s past is highlighted with distinctions.

Follow WCG on Twitter and Tweet to us what is buried beneath your sofa cushions. Seriously. Do it. Dig in there and tell us what you find!

Tice as offensive coordinator a risky call CSN's Kip Lewis thinks having Mike Tice in as offensive coordinator is a risky move considering he has never been involved in an NFL passing game before. CTL: Are the Bears trending upward?

Bernstein: Solving The Mystery Of The Disappearing Coach Sources tell WSCR that Tice was unhappy about the team’s public position that he needed so much help to do his job, and made his feelings known to Lovie Smith.

Offseason position outlook: Receivers Michael C. Wright continues his series with a look at the Bears receivers.

Aaron Rodgers to 'Saturday Night Live?' Seifert: Could the Discount Double Check lead to national television stardom for Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers?

Report: Brady played second half injured According to a report Wednesday in the Boston Herald, speculation is growing that Brady was playing hurt for much of the second half.

A Response To Roger Goodell’s Letter To Fans Tim Baffoe received a copy of the Commissioner's letter to the fans. It must have arrived postage due.

Under the Microscope Bechta: Today’s high profile NFL Combine is more about sterile medical and measurement data collection than character evaluations.

Ranking the NFL’s announce teams Chris Burke takes a look back at the best and worst announcing jobs of the 2011 NFL season.

Super Bowl Rings A story behind every Super Bowl ring. What's hidden in your couch?

"Look Around":

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Comments

That Bernstein article is pretty interesting. Seems to me that Lovie isn't starting off on the right foot with his new hand-picked coordinator or his new boss.

Then again Lovie and his buddy Phillips have a tendency to make mountains out of mole hills.

by frenchbears113 on Feb 9, 2012 7:16 AM CST reply actions

Yep, this makes me very uneasy about Lovie's leadership.

Like when he lied when he mentioned that Bates was the one he was looking for and this was AFTER he offered a passing coordinator job to Olson who then turned him down. And now we know that Tice was pissed off over the whole thing.

But let’s face it, Lovie is a lame duck since his back is to the wall so he had to upgrade Tice to OC simply because nobody else would have wanted the job and Bates was a fast hire since he was unemployed.

by Gaak on Feb 9, 2012 9:27 AM CST up reply actions

I actually think it's a good thing...

People acting like adults, not just fuming secretly.

Lovie had it in his mind that it’d be a good idea, Tice eventually petitioned for a reversal of position, instead of being a hardheaded idiot, Lovie reversed his decision based on the information presented. Sure, the way the Bears handle the media is always a bit awkward, but, I have no problem with this and the position that Tice, Lovie, Bates, Emery & Co. are in.

Five foot three seems to thrive on his misery...

by awfullyquiet on Feb 9, 2012 10:41 AM CST up reply actions

Any time I hear berstein and boers

Talk about their sources I tend to worry about that…..Cause I have not heard anything like that from the other Bears beat writers…..Usually that stuff spills out to all the beat writers…..Yet when ever bnb make claims from their sources I can never find another Bears beat writer mentioning it…..

Who knows maybe its true but I tend to take what they have to say with a pinch of salt….

"In an infinite universe where reality is interpreted through our continuously fluctuating perception, providing absolute definitive proof of anything becomes a little more than speculation based on random data....."

- NEW Bears GM Phil Emery on evaluating NFL talent

by CloudyFuture on Feb 9, 2012 11:00 AM CST up reply actions

I completely agree.

Boers is worse though. I generally enjoy the show, but Terry still thinks he is a columnist despite not working on any kind of beat since 92, and often says “his sources” and then refuses to reveal the source. It takes away a ton of actual credibility from him.

by Jim Ribs on Feb 9, 2012 11:10 AM CST up reply actions

Well to be fair

media people will be very protective of their sources so I can understand that somewhat….But when they tell their stories / reports I hardly ever see them pop up any where else….Thats my concern more than anything else….

- NEW Bears GM Phil Emery on evaluating NFL talent

by CloudyFuture on Feb 9, 2012 11:59 AM CST up reply actions

BnB haven't been close to the beat for years. I don't much value the information coming from their sources, unlike the actual beat writers whose job it is to stay on top of every little thing.

"With all due respect, and I mean with ALL due respect...that idea ain't worth a velvet paintin' of a whale and a dolphin gettin' it on."

by CurtisEnisFan on Feb 9, 2012 12:07 PM CST up reply actions

I read the rosenbloom article

and now I feel dirty.

by weepingbear on Feb 9, 2012 7:20 AM CST reply actions

It was good until the second half.

And then it went downhill.

Five foot three seems to thrive on his misery...

by awfullyquiet on Feb 9, 2012 10:46 AM CST up reply actions

This.

"With all due respect, and I mean with ALL due respect...that idea ain't worth a velvet paintin' of a whale and a dolphin gettin' it on."

by CurtisEnisFan on Feb 9, 2012 12:04 PM CST up reply actions

Priceless

The left tackle is a right tackle, the left guard is a tackle, the center is a guard, the right guard is a center, and the right rackle is a guard.

I think he repeated this from an earlier article but its still funny as hell.

by Gaak on Feb 9, 2012 12:15 PM CST up reply actions

Me too

I almost spit up my coffee when reading this, cause its true.

"I'm sore and I'm pissed off. I'm a baller. I want to feel the leather. I love thumb wars. 6-8 weeks? 6. follow me for healing, Jay Cutler does" - Jaysthumb twitter acct

by propheteer on Feb 9, 2012 9:48 PM CST via iPhone app up reply actions

and that's why

Kip Lewis usually holds a microphone and smiles. Please Kip, do us a favor and stick to that.

by Jim Ribs on Feb 9, 2012 7:53 AM CST reply actions

Brady is hurt

Because REW was playing with them on the final drive

"Violence is not always the answer."
"Violence is the question, and the answers always YES!"

by T.Moore on Feb 9, 2012 8:02 AM CST reply actions

Bunch of legos, some crushed doritos, and seventeen cents.

Above all; keep 'em guessing, never let them lose their sense of confusion.

by Just Dave on Feb 9, 2012 9:08 AM CST reply actions

My bad.

I’ll tweet this later. Tweet, tweet!

Above all; keep 'em guessing, never let them lose their sense of confusion.

by Just Dave on Feb 9, 2012 9:08 AM CST up reply actions

reading the emery article

I wonder if emery could also double up as the bears strength coach as well :D

by beartopia on Feb 9, 2012 9:33 AM CST via mobile reply actions

That would be amusing...

Your new incentives for your contract are as follows:

1.) survive 12 hour stress weight lifting session with Emery
2.) Pass Emery’s version of a physical
3.) Pass Emery’s off seasoning condition program

heh. I see Urlacher and Peppers as one of few passing.

Cacti are prickly.

by crackedcactus on Feb 9, 2012 11:18 AM CST up reply actions

Oh boy, Kip.

A good coordinator in the NFL MUST have a great feel for the passing game. We can all call runs to the right, and runs to the left.

What? Really? So Kip Lewis knows the difference between blocking an Over/Under look in a 4-3 when a team plays cover two, three and man? Kip Lewis probably sucks at Madden.

Play design: knowing the looks your offense will get in each area and situation on the field, coming out of end zone, middle of field, red zone and goal line.

Kip Lewis is obviously not aware that each play is broken down on team software, using all angles, and split into tendencies for each and every situation. Kip Lewis is not aware that this stuff is poured over by coaches, who then assign interns and film staff to make cheat sheets for players, who then memorize said information.

Now what play will work against any anticipated look? Will you get straight man, zone or a combo coverage or one of any other hundred looks?

Is Kip Lewis trying to use as much technical football terms as he can to sound somewhat knowledgeable? Probably.

The Bears are betting Mike Tice can win in the chess game, even though it’s not how he made his name as a coach.

CSN is betting that Kip Lewis can produce something other than crap. Bad bet.

"With all due respect, and I mean with ALL due respect...that idea ain't worth a velvet paintin' of a whale and a dolphin gettin' it on."

by CurtisEnisFan on Feb 9, 2012 12:26 PM CST reply actions

Did he not read Tice's bio

College QB, NFL TE… worked alongside some good offensive minds… I think he’ll be ok.

When Mike Ditka calculates pi it's decimal representation ends. | @wiltfongjr

by Lester A. Wiltfong Jr. on Feb 9, 2012 12:32 PM CST up reply actions

I dont know why Tice's past keep getting over looked.

by Ryan21 on Feb 9, 2012 3:06 PM CST via Android app up reply actions

Because it isn't clear how much effect he had on any of the successes/failures of his teams

and his offensive lines with the Bears were really bad.

by BusterK on Feb 9, 2012 3:39 PM CST up reply actions

Hmmm...

His offensive line talent has been really bad. I think he’s done a decent job with what he’s had to work with.

WILDCARD BITCHES!!! YEEEEHHHAAAAA!!!!!

by Acreman20 on Feb 9, 2012 7:21 PM CST via mobile up reply actions

He's not a bad coach, he's a bad judge of talent?

by BusterK on Feb 9, 2012 7:41 PM CST up reply actions

He's proven himself

To be a good OL coach in the past and, IMO, what he’s been able to do with the extreme lack of quality talent he’s been forced to work with here in Chicago.

I don’t think he’s a bad judge of talent. He just hasn’t had much to work with at all here. Whether or not his faith in Webb, Louis and EW has true validity should be proven this yr. Considering they are all 7th rd picks/UDFA speaks more to Angelo’s drafting than Tice’s coaching.

WILDCARD BITCHES!!! YEEEEHHHAAAAA!!!!!

by Acreman20 on Feb 9, 2012 8:23 PM CST via mobile up reply actions

How much of a talent gap are we talking?

Is the Bears offensive line the least talented unit in the NFL? Should they cut everyone, and just start over?

I don’t think we’ll ever know just how much input Tice had on what players he had available, but he has said he didn’t want veterans (which makes it difficult to close the talent gap), and we know he was high on Webb before they drafted him. He made his bed, he slept in it, but it was all Angelo’s fault.

I wish I could get away with as much as Teflon Tice.

He thinks these guys are elite, you think they are one of the worst in the league. If the talent is the problem, which 3 of these guys should the Bears cut, Omiyale, Louis, Webb, EW, CW, Garza, Spencer? (Carimi gets a pass because he barely played.)

by BusterK on Feb 9, 2012 8:50 PM CST up reply actions

He had a lot to do with the offensive game plans when he was head coach in Minnesota

and he went stretches where he was calling the plays there

When Mike Ditka calculates pi it's decimal representation ends. | @wiltfongjr

by Lester A. Wiltfong Jr. on Feb 9, 2012 3:41 PM CST up reply actions

But who deserves the credit for the offense in Minnesota?

Tice was head coach from 2002-2005, the offense was rated:
2002 – #2 Total Yards, #8 points
2003 – #1 Total Yards, #6 points
2004 – #4 Total Yards, #6 points
2005 – #25 Total Yards, #19 points

The offensive coordinator between 2002 and 2004 was Scott Linehan. In 2005 Steve Loney was the offensive coordinator, and I believe it is in this period that Tice was doing some of the playcalling. The Vikings lost Randy Moss before the 2005 season began, and Culpepper was put on the IR midway through the season, so it is not as if Linehan’s departure is the only factor in the rapid decline of the Vikings offense, but I don’t know how much credit Tice deserves for that 2002-2004 stretch (or how much we can say he learned from Linehan’s offensive mind).

In 2006, the Tice-less Vikings were rated #23 in Total Yards and #26 in Total Points. I don’t think his absence was felt.

by BusterK on Feb 9, 2012 4:31 PM CST up reply actions

2005 was a bad year for Tice

trading Randy Moss for napoleon dynamite, the love boat, culpepper playing like crap and getting hurt, finished off with a crushing defeat to Lovie and theBears.

. "Most football teams are temperamental. That's 90% temper and 10% mental."
--Doug Plank

by ed_brown on Feb 9, 2012 8:38 PM CST up reply actions