The Weekend Bears Dumpster Fire: December 13, 2014 - Week 15 Chicago Bears news & notes

Bears buried in avalanche of self-inflicted distractions - Rich Campbell: Losing triggers self-preservation instincts that challenges team cohesion and exposes weaknesses. Trestman formulated his program to survive such adversity, but, despite Cutler's willingness to forgive Kromer, it might be too late.

Bears have much bigger problems than OC - Barry Rozner: Should Bears ownership be involved in the hiring and firing of GMs, coaches and QBs, beyond putting in place a team president qualified to handle all of those matters himself? That's the real issue.

Bears need to fire Trestman and Kromer - Is-Hub Arkush: If Marc Trestman and Aaron Kromer are still in their jobs with the Bears by the end of the day Friday, all hope is lost for the George McCaskey-Phil Emery regime.  Dan Bernstein: Bears staff must be shown door.

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Aaron Kromer controversy

Aaron Kromer, Jay Cutler speak out on Halas Hall turmoil - Dan Wiederer with highlights of what Kromer, Cutler and Marc Trestman had to say in Friday's regularly scheduled weekly news conferences.

Aaron Kromer tearfully apologizes for criticizing Cutler - Michael C. Wright: Latest revelation highlights the lack of trust throughout the organization, and the breach of trust between coach and QB could lead to the entire staff being let go.

Trestman 'clearly disappointed' Kromer criticized Cutler to reporter - Michael C. Wright: Jay Cutler sees the potential for the team's latest distraction to become a galvanizing force; Marc Trestman, meanwhile, appeared more disappointed than Cutler was.

Under Marc Trestman definition of accountable, no one is - David Haugh: This was a familiar game plan of the Bears OC and head coach for the latest crisis of dysfunction: Ignore, evade and obfuscate.

Trestman spoke while Bears upper management silent on Kromer - Is-Hub Arkush: Apparently the official mission statement of the Bears is "If we ignore it, maybe it will go away."

Cutler says he’s OK with Kromer’s ‘sincere apology’ - Adam L. Jahns: Kromer’s decision to come clean is curious because it rarely, if ever, happens. It raises the notion that the Bears somehow became aware of his transgression before Kromer informed Trestman.

Bears say they're moving on from Kromer's comments on Cutler - Dan Wiederer: The Bears play the Saints on Monday night at Soldier Field, yet the game itself increasingly has become irrelevant for a team trying to survive a powerful undertow of disorder.

Kromer apology intensifies firestorm around Bears’ lost season - Moon Mullin: Losing games alone was likely not enough to get Trestman fired after two years of his four-year contract. But losing control of the team, players and now coaches, creates a climate in which hiring replacements is hard to imagine.

Cutler-Kromer drama only adds to disastrous season - Jon Greenberg: This whole story shows how discombobulated this organization has become and all this incident proves is, once again, there needs to be a sea change of football operations, from the top down.

Bad Bears situation perversely makes Jay Cutler look good - Brad Biggs: Jay Cutler won the day during a series of news conferences Friday, but the Bears need to win Sundays instead.

Cutler wins the day for Bears with maturity - Not-Hub Fishbain: Of the three members of the Bears who spoke to the media about "The Kromer Apology," only Jay Cutler seemed to have no problem discussing it.

Jay Cutler composed amid Bears’ fire - Chris Emma: It seems as if the Bears do have a little leadership. Cutler was prepared and poised, taking a tough subject in stride. His demeanor was exceptional. If only his coaches carried themselves with such control.

Thank you, Aaron Kromer - Steve Rosenbloom wants the Bears to ditch Cutler despite the cost. If there's ever a sign that this is not necessarily the best idea, it's that Steve Rosenbloom is advocating it.

Kromer latest victim of Cutler's wreckage - Mike Imrem: Jay Cutler is the antichrist and eats live babies for breakfast.

Kromer's message wasn't wrong, his delivery was - Michael C. Wright: Firing Aaron Kromer for his criticism of Jay Cutler wouldn't solve the problems that continue to plague the Bears.

[Video] ESPN - Brian Billick: 'It's an unforgivable sin'.

[Video] View from the Moon - Moon Mullin and Chris Boden break down Bears' latest fiasco.

[Video] - Reaction to Bears mess and Kromer apology on The Kap and Haugh Show. [Well worth a listen, particularly the second half of the discussion when they consider systemic failures in Bears coaching & management. - Den]

[Video] SportsTalk Live - Kromer's apology to Cutler makes waves. [KAPCON: 5]

The Chicago Bears, the joke that doesn’t quit - Tim Baffoe: This is Chicago, damn it, and we don’t appreciate clean or easy or comfortable. And that’s why these Bears deserve so much credit for never stopping the joke and working so hard to become the surreal profanity we call our own.

Former Bears players react to Kromer fiasco on Twitter - David Just rounds up comments from four guys (not counting Spice Adams plugging his work on Inside The Bears).  Doug Buffone, Patrick Mannelly weigh in.

[Video] - Jim McMahon: 'To see what's going on now, it's a shame.'

Ex-Bears GM Jerry Vainisi: Team has been in worse shape - Neil Hayes: Believe him when he says that as disappointing as this season has been, it’s not the nuclear winter many are making it out to be.

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Oh yeah, and Bears-Saints is happening on Monday

Game preview - Michael C. Wright, Mike Triplett: The Saints and Bears have underachieved this season, but Monday night's matchup remains an intriguing one.

Game preview - Dan Durkin's five matchups to watch. Marc Trestman vs Bears dumpster fire isn't one of them.

[Video] ESPN - Jeff Dickerson and Tom Waddle discuss the team issues going on Chicago and hope the Bears can play up to their potential despite the drama.

Injury news - Jeff Dickerson: Bears dealing with injury woes as they prepare to face Saints, with Robbie Gould and Chris Conte remaining sidelined and Jeremiah Ratliff still limited.

Know thy enemy - ChicagoBears.com with a photo gallery preview of the Saints' starters.

Photos - ChicagoBears.com's photos from practice this week at Halas Hall as the team prepares for Monday's game against the Saints.

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Bearsss

LB shuffle not a simple case of moving bodies around - Moon Mullin: Despite the 5-8 record, the situation is worth a little closer look because in the middle of working to win now, the Bears may be positioning themselves for the future.

Jay Cutler says all is good with Brandon Marshall - Adam L. Jahns: Cutler said he isn’t "discounting what [Marshall] says by any means" but his relationship with the outspoken receiver isn’t a problem.

Team notes - Dan Wiederer: If Aaron Kromer apologized for speaking out of turn, why hasn't Brandon Marshall?  Plus, injury updates.  (CBS): Marshall puts blame on players, not Kromer?

Joniak's Journal - Jeff Joniak: Young players get opportunity to step up in linebacking corps; Bears are 1-4 when Jeremiah Ratliff has missed games this season; Josh Bellamy helping Bears receivers by preparing scouting reports on opposing DBs.

[Video] ChicagoBears.com - Jeff Joniak, Tom Thayer, and Larry Mayer are joined by former Bears TE Emery Moorehead on Bears Roundtable to discuss his career and other Bears topics (parts 2, 3, 4, 5).

Ex-Bear news - Fred Mitchell catches up with Neal Anderson, who is now a businessman in Florida.

George Halas a real pro in fostering NFL-media relationship - Don Pierson: George Halas was his own press agent, writing articles in the 1920s for newspapers that thought the college game was the only pure and true football worth covering.

A couple of articles I saved from three weeks ago and then forgot about:

Ex-Bear news - Dan McGrath: Life’s no breeze for ’85 Bears star Keith Van Horne.

Honey Bears still cheering each other on - Neil Hayes: It has been 29 years since the Bears’ cheerleading squad disbanded, but the memories remain vivid and the friendships stronger than ever.

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Polish sausage

Know thy enemy: Packers - Rob Demovsky, Mike Rodak preview the 10-3 Packers' visit to the 7-6 Bills, who need a win in their home finale Sunday to stay in the playoff picture ... Kyle Orton has the attention of Packers' defense ... Bills-Packers is NFL at its smallest.

Know thy enemy: Packers - Mark Potash: Packers’ success can be traced to hiring of former GM Ron Wolf in 1991.

Know thy enemies - Michael Rothstein, Ben Goessling break down Detroit's regular-season home finale as the Vikings come to visit ... Players-only meetings have aided Lions secondary.

NSFW - NFL team logos re-imagined as phalluses to delight your inner 12-year-old.  Tee hee!

Cheerleaders - The best of week 14, from NFL.com ... potential future Mrs Spongie from SI.com.

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"That's horrific. That's horrific. 10/10 horrific. Like spinach gone off. Horrific. You could shave with it."