:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/44424064/usa-today-8296516.0.jpg)
Accountability finally present at Halas Hall as Emery, Trestman get fired - Adam Hoge: Ultimately, George McCaskey did what Trestman and Emery failed to do all season: he held someone accountable for their mistakes.
15 reasons why Marc Trestman's ouster was inevitable - Michael C. Wright: Uneven discipline from the head coach created a lack of trust in the locker room.
Can the Bears turn into the Hawks of the NFL? - Paul Sullivan: Blackhawks and Cubs provide different blueprints for Bears to consider; can the Bears change the culture without real change at the top?
Follow WCG on Twitter; like us on Facebook (& click on 'Follow'). Oy vey. Den pic in hi-res.
----------
Chicago Bears fire Phil Emery, Marc Trestman
Bears fire GM Emery, coach Trestman - Larry Mayer: One day after concluding their most disappointing season in recent memory, the Bears on Monday fired Phil Emery and Marc Trestman. McCaskey, Phillips discuss changes.
Bears fire Phil Emery, Marc Trestman - Jeff Dickerson: The Bears fired their GM and head coach on Monday after a 5-11 season.
After 'painful' season, Bears fire Emery, Trestman - Brad Biggs, Rich Campbell, Dan Wiederer: Departure of Marc Trestman and Phil Emery is the predictable result of a season marred by dysfunction.
Bears move forward without Emery, Trestman - Bob LeGere: George McCasky[sic] had plenty of reasons to make the move, from a disappointing product on the field and a lack of talent to a disconnect between players and coaches.
Bears fire Phil Emery, Marc Trestman - Andrew Seligman: Fans were fed up, and so was the team's matriarch, of the Bears missing the playoffs for the seventh time in eight years.
Bears fire Emery, Trestman - Dan Durkin: The Bears fell woefully short of expectations in 2014, and the team’s leaders have suffered the consequences for the dismal season.
Bears make sweeping changes at Halas Hall - Moon Mullin with a rundown of Phil Emery time as GM, including the decision to hire Marc Trestman over Bruce Arians that caused Rod Marinelli to resign in anger.
Bears confirm firing of Marc Trestman - Not-Hub Fishbain: Trestman is the first coach the franchise fired after only two years since Paddy Driscoll in 1958. He went 13-19 in his two seasons.
Emery fired as Bears GM - Not-Hub Fishbain: Phil Emery's time in Chicago will be most known for his biggest draft bust (Shea McClellin) and biggest contract (Jay Cutler). [And, um, hiring Marc Trestman? - Den]
Virginia McCaskey drives son to make sweeping changes - David Haugh: "We understand the magnitude of this decision,'' George McCaskey said. "We understand Bears fans are counting on us to get it right.'' The most influential one he calls Mom.
‘Pissed-off’ McCaskeys bring end to Bears’ dysfunction - Chris Emma: Each loss brought more shame on the orange and blue, but Trestman continued his acts of ignorance, Emery refused to hold his hand-picked hire accountable. Only one man could put an end to this.
Quick hook for Emery, Trestman: 'We didn't win enough games' - Mark Potash: With Virginia McCaskey not getting any younger and the non-playoff seasons adding up, the Bears just don’t have the time to keep people just because they like them.
Emery era as GM of the Bears lasts a rocky 3 years - Dan Wiederer: A quick look back on the key moments of Phil Emery's stint as GM. Virginia McCaskey supportive of Bears' push for change. Rich Campbell: Phil Emery makes short statement thanking Bears for opportunity.
Aaron Kromer fired - Dan Durkin: Bears assistants under contract were told to start looking for new work, a source told Dan Bernstein, while Kromer's firing was announced specifically because they were mad at him. Not-Hub Fishbain: Held final meeting with O-linemen at home, not at Halas.
Black Monday notes - Larry Mayer: Bears matriarch Virginia McCaskey ‘fed up’ with losing; remaining money for GM, head coach not an issue in decision; talent gap grows with NFC North rivals; remaining staff retained for now.
Black Monday notes - Rich Campbell: Aaron Kromer the only assistant fired; Cutler will play no part in new coach's hiring; Bears leaning on experience of consultant Ernie Accorsi.
Black Monday notes - Bob LeGere: Bears single out Aaron Kromer from other coaches; no single tipping point in decisions, says George McCaskey; Bears expected to maintain same chain of command.
Black Monday notes - Adam Hoge with 10 things you need to know about the GM/head coach hiring process: Unlike Trestman, McCaskey and Phillips held Aaron Kromer accountable and sent a clear message that they couldn’t stand for the betrayal of trust Kromer displayed.
----------
Ernie Accorsi to act as consultant in front office search
Bears name consultant Ernie Accorsi to aid search - Patrick Finley: Ted Phillips said bringing in Accorsi will make a "huge difference," compared to the search that produced Phil Emery.
Same Bears duo doing the selecting again - Bob LeGere: If Accorsi is so smart, why not allow him to make the most important decision that has been made at Halas Hall so far in this millennium?
Bears shouldn’t need consultant to help make decisions - Rick Telander steals two minutes of my life, goes down the "This isn't what George Halas did back in the day" route. Moon Mullin: Consultant approach to GM makes more sense for Bears than firm.
George McCaskey got it right - Is-Hub Arkush: Ernie Accorsi is practically guaranteed to provide a far superior choice of candidates for both jobs than before, but will Ted Phillips get a chance to screw it up again.?
Next Bears head coach? - Hub-or-not-Hub.com's list of potential candidates to replace Marc Trestman.
11 potential candidates to be the next Bears GM - Brad Biggs with thumbnail sketches of 11 potential candidates, several with ties to the organization. PostGameLive crew's 11.
[Video] ESPN - Michael C. Wright and Jeff Dickerson discuss the Bears' decision to bring in Ernie Accorsi as a consultant, and to not have Jay Cutler meet with potential coaches.
----------
Further reaction to Black Monday
McCaskeys get serious about restoring pride - Jeff Dickerson: Even for a historically conservative NFL franchise, the 2014 Bears proved too dysfunctional for the McCaskey family to handle.
Once-patient Bears organization now expects excellence in a hurry - Brad Biggs: A departure from the way the family business has operated is a good thing if it sparks a turnaround for the NFC North last-place finisher.
George McCaskey making a statement with decisive moves - Moon Mullin: Every indication from George McCaskey is that he continues to view the Bears as a public trust, meaning "long term."
Emery, Trestman never had a chance - Is-Hub Arkush: The firings of Phil Emery and Marc Trestman are regrettable mostly because neither one ever really had a chance.
Bears prove Peter Principle - Dan Durkin: Expecting elite results from over-promoted people is imprudent and the Bears suffered the consequences.
Virginia a chip off Papa Bear's block - Mike Imrem: When Virginia McCaskey gets ticked off, things change quickly.
Virginia McCaskey shines on Bears' Black Monday - Rick Morrissey: If her son is to be believed, the 91-year-old owner of the team has more fire in her belly than any of the last four head coaches.
McCaskeys make a popular decision on firings - Melissa Isaacson: Monday's decision to fire GM Phil Emery and coach Marc Trestman wasn't solely reactionary as it was also reasonable.
Bears' firings only part of solution - Barry Rozner: No long-term solution to a decades-old problem can be found without ownership getting out of the way and putting in charge a legitimate football brain that knows how to build toward long-term success.
It’s all about George McCaskey - Tim Baffoe:For all the bad local reputation the McCaskeys have, it’s looking more and more like George McCaskey isn’t going to fit that label.
Mood mixed, but hope returns to Halas Pall - Mike Imrem: Halas Hall will remain Halas Pall [I don't get it, but it's Imrem so it's got to be witty - Den] unless the McCaskeys become as successful at hiring as they have been at firing.
What's different this time for Bears? - Jon Greenberg: For fans having trouble trusting their team's future to management this time around, here are some suggestions.
Defense need to reclaim identity under next staff - Jon Greenberg: In the last two years, the Bears have made a mockery of the one thing the team has traditionally done well as a franchise.
----------
Black Monday: from the locker room
Bears players react to change - Mini-Larry: Bears players cleaned out their lockers on Monday, after learning that the team had relieved Phil Emery and Marc Trestman of their duties.
Bears players: 'We didn't get the job done' - Dan Wiederer: Bears players offered thoughts about the disappointing season and the changes at the top. Rich Campbell: Bears didn't respond to Trestman's changes, says Brandon Marshall.
Bears players react to team's changes - Bob LeGere: Bears players lamented the Monday firing of Marc Trestman, but were resigned to accepting the business side of the game and the ramifications of a 5-11 season.
Player reaction - Not-Hub Arkush: Kyle Long, Martellus Bennett grateful for time with Trestman and Emery, but optimistic about Bears' future. Not-Hub Arnold: Tim Jennings: Focus has to get back on defense.
Bears players not surprised to say goodbye to Marc Trestman - Dan Wiederer: Brandon Marshall, one of Trestman's most vocal supporters, admitted the coach failed to reach "some" veterans who had been fiercely loyal to Lovie Smith.
Bears players want new coach to bring team an identity - Patrick Finley: George McCaskey repeatedly said Monday a fiery personality was not a prerequisite, but his own impassioned answers hinted otherwise.
Was Marc Trestman too nice to coach Bears? - Chris Hine: The NFL is a results-driven business that sometimes requires a coach with a demanding, sometimes angry personality to succeed. But is it possible for someone to be a nice guy and a successful NFL coach?
[Video] - Charles Tillman breaks down what went wrong with Bears in 2014.
[Video] - Robbie Gould on the firing of Phil Emery and Marc Trestman and what it means for the future of the team, Jay Cutler and himself.
----------
Jay Cutler's future with the Bears unclear
Cutler's Bears future will be tied to new GM, coach - Adam L. Jahns: A complete clean sweep of the Emery/Trestman era may mean getting rid of its highest-paid player.
Cutler's Bears tenure marked by changes in coaching staff - Brad Biggs: Jay Cutler kills coaches and eats babies raw.
Finish the deal, George, and fire Jay Cutler, too - Steve Rosenbloom: Cutler is Damien from "The Omen.’’ [Not in italics; he wrote that, albeit in somewhat tongue in cheek manner. - Den]
Until a coach and QB align, little else matters - Don Pierson: There is no need to analyze the McCaskey family or team structure any more than it is necessary to analyze why George Halas won only one title after Sid Luckman retired in 1951.
[Video] SportsTalk Live - Charles Tillman, on Jay Cutler's future.
[Video] - Mike Florio [almost certainly stirring up his usual dilf; I didn't bother to click - Den] on how Jay Cutler will affect the Bears' coaching search.
----------
Black Monday: multimedia
[Video] ESPN - Jeff Dickerson breaks down what went wrong for the Bears and examines the front-office changes within the organization.
[Video] ESPN - Michael C. Wright reacts to the team's firings of Marc Trestman and Phil Emery.
[Video] ESPN - Adam Schefter breaks down the Bears' decision to fire Marc Trestman and Phil Emery.
[Video] - Dave Wannstedt, on where the Bears go from here.
[Audio] - Olin Kreutz talks about changes within Bears organization.
[Audio] - Dan Hampton's thoughts on Bears firing Trestman, Emery.
[Video] - Adam Hoge: What's next for the Bears?
[Video] - Adam L. Jahns weighs in on shake up at Halas Hall.
[Video] SportsTalk Live - Recapping the Black Monday craziness at Halas Hall.
[Video] - Dan Pompei breaks down Black Monday at Halas Hall.
[Video] - Kip Lewis, Moon Mullin break down all the Bears insanity from Halas Hall.
[Video] - PGL crew analyzes Bears firings on Monday.
[Video] SportsTalk Live - Charles Tillman, on changes that may be coming.
Photo - The Daily Herald: Phil Emery and Marc Trestman through the years.
----------
Chicago Bears 9, Minnesota Vikings 13
...OK, seems like reporters covering the Bears had better things to write about.
Photos - From ChicagoBears.com: From the sideline ... in the locker room ... photo journal.
----------
Bearsss
Larry Mayer's Chalk Talk - Larry discusses where the Bears will pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, which teams they'll play next season, and where they ranked on offense and defense in 2014.
Bears schedule - Moon Mullin: Finishing last allows Bears to face other NFL 'worsts' in 2015.
Brandon Marshall gets into verbal exchange with ESPN host - (CSNChicago): But by the end of the show, the Bears wide receiver eventually apologized for getting "sensitive" and challenging the host to a boxing match.
----------
Polish sausage
...no sausage for you! Back tomorrow.
----------
"To borrow a lyric or a line from Carrie Newcomer: 'We stand breathless on the clean edge of change.' So it’s time to change and to move forward. Go Bears! Thanks for your time." - Phil Emery