see more Epic Fails
by Jason Collins
Let me start with a question...How undesirable is working for the Chicago Bears and Lovie Smith that you CHOOSE to coach in Oakland? For the Raiders. For Al Davis. With Tom Cable. Ummmmmmm...Wow!
Hue Jackson, former Ravens Quarterbacks coach, did just that. He said "His heart was in California." And apparently his brain in Indonesia. Hue was scheduled to interview with the Bears for their Offensive Coordinator position, but instead decided to agree to coach the Raiders in the same capacity.
I hope that the rumors are true, and the Bears are just going through the motions as so that they can inquire on the availability of Saints Offensive Coordinator Pete Carmichael after the Superbowl.
Candidates such as Jeremy Bates, Ken Zampese, and Rob Chudzinski have been ruled out. Mike Martz must feel good that he's the only guy who openly expressed interest in working with Lovie, Jay, and the Bears, but has been religated to "in case of emergency" choice. Quarterbacks love Mike Martz. Just ask John Kitna how much he was helped by being coached by Martz. "I've learned more from Mike Martz in a year then I have my whole career," he was quoted as saying.
The only explanation is that they're going after Carmichael, who actually doesn't call the plays during the game, but obviously has brought out the most in all of his
offensive players. They have a bunch of young, unrecognized receivers who can play with the best of them. When Lance Moore is the one who spends the most time on your bench...You're deep at receiver. Another feather in his cap is the offensive line and tight ends. Who here has heard of tight end David Thomas before this season??? Exactly. This kid has been making big plays since coming from New England. The Saints offensive line keeps Brees clean, and we know how dangerous Jay Cutler is when he has time to throw.
In short...I hope this search ends soon. And the Bears can do waaaaaaay worse than Mike Martz. Wait, they already have...Ron Turner.
P.S. I do love the choice of Mike Tice as Offensive Line coach.
On to defense. Same story. Ineptitude. Perry Fewell, a great choice, allowed to be wooed to New York. Not even an attempt to get Mike Nolan. Really??? Maybe here too, there will be a candidate that will come free that we didn't expect to, and they will make their move. But I doubt it. I really think Fewell was an obvious choice, and they blew it.
Who does that leave? Got me. Maybe an unproven position coach on one of the top defensive teams this year? Jerry Angelo should be ashamed. They should've locked down Fewell or Nolan when the opportunity presented itself.
Then again, their is absolutely no job security with this gig (even less than normal). You're only guaranteed one year...That's a tough one to commit to.
Let me start with a question...How undesirable is working for the Chicago Bears and Lovie Smith that you CHOOSE to coach in Oakland? For the Raiders. For Al Davis. With Tom Cable. Ummmmmmm...Wow!
Hue Jackson, former Ravens Quarterbacks coach, did just that. He said "His heart was in California." And apparently his brain in Indonesia. Hue was scheduled to interview with the Bears for their Offensive Coordinator position, but instead decided to agree to coach the Raiders in the same capacity. I hope that the rumors are true, and the Bears are just going through the motions as so that they can inquire on the availability of Saints Offensive Coordinator Pete Carmichael after the Superbowl.
Candidates such as Jeremy Bates, Ken Zampese, and Rob Chudzinski have been ruled out. Mike Martz must feel good that he's the only guy who openly expressed interest in working with Lovie, Jay, and the Bears, but has been religated to "in case of emergency" choice. Quarterbacks love Mike Martz. Just ask John Kitna how much he was helped by being coached by Martz. "I've learned more from Mike Martz in a year then I have my whole career," he was quoted as saying.
The only explanation is that they're going after Carmichael, who actually doesn't call the plays during the game, but obviously has brought out the most in all of his offensive players. They have a bunch of young, unrecognized receivers who can play with the best of them. When Lance Moore is the one who spends the most time on your bench...You're deep at receiver. Another feather in his cap is the offensive line and tight ends. Who here has heard of tight end David Thomas before this season??? Exactly. This kid has been making big plays since coming from New England. The Saints offensive line keeps Brees clean, and we know how dangerous Jay Cutler is when he has time to throw.
In short...I hope this search ends soon. And the Bears can do waaaaaaay worse than Mike Martz. Wait, they already have...Ron Turner.
P.S. I do love the choice of Mike Tice as Offensive Line coach.
On to defense. Same story. Ineptitude. Perry Fewell, a great choice, allowed to be wooed to New York. Not even an attempt to get Mike Nolan. Really??? Maybe here too, there will be a candidate that will come free that we didn't expect to, and they will make their move. But I doubt it. I really think Fewell was an obvious choice, and they blew it.Who does that leave? Got me. Maybe an unproven position coach on one of the top defensive teams this year? Jerry Angelo should be ashamed. They should've locked down Fewell or Nolan when the opportunity presented itself.
Then again, their is absolutely no job security with this gig (even less than normal). You're only guaranteed one year...That's a tough one to commit to.
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Out with the old
If they want to improve, Bears need to part ways with Smith and mediocrity
By Gene Wojciechowski
ESPNChicago.com
The Chicago Bears are stuck between a rock and a Lovie. They are so mind-numbingly mediocre that it's almost impossible to figure out who's to blame for this latest in a trilogy of lost Bears seasons.
Is it their charisma-challenged coach, Lovie Smith, who has been living off that 2006 Super Bowl appearance (and loss) for years? Smith did the impossible: He reached a Super Bowl with Rex Grossman and missed the playoffs with Jay Cutler. Smith's Bears wouldn't recognize the postseason if you had it in a one-person police lineup.
Is it their general manager, Jerry Angelo, who conspicuously distanced himself from all things Lovie by recently saying the Bears' roster -- his roster -- was good enough to win? Translation: It must be the coaching.
Is it the wildly inconsistent Cutler, who now has taken the playoff oh-fer with two franchises? Or defensive tackle Tommie Harris, who phoned it in enough that AT&T ought to pair him with Luke Wilson?
Is it something as simple as injuries, which cost the Bears the likes of Brian Urlacher?
Sometimes you just know a guy is history. Jim Zorn of the Washington Redskins ... gone. Raheem Morris of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers ... gone. Perry Fewell of the Buffalo Bills ... gone. Eric Mangini of the Cleveland Browns ... all but gone.
Smith? If you go by his past three playoff-less seasons (22-25 overall, 15-20 in the conference, 8-9 in the division, 7-16 on the road, four blowout losses in 2009), he's dead coach walking. But if you go by his total record (46-33), that Super Bowl cameo and the conventional wisdom (however ridiculous) that the Bears won't spend the $11 million to make Smith's contract go away, he's back in 2010.
I've seen enough of this Bears movie to know it's time for a cast change. Doesn't mean Smith is a bad guy or even a bad coach; he isn't. But to go from the Super Bowl to sub-.500 in three years' time is unacceptable -- or at least, it should be.
Smith has played the defensive coordinator card. He got rid of Ron Rivera and then neutered whatever real responsibilities Bob Babich had. Babich kept the D-coordinator title, but if you dust the Bears' defense for prints, you find Smith's thumbmarks everywhere.
OK, so if you deep-six your coordinator and take over the defense -- because that's how you made your rep in this league -- you better deliver the goods. Smith didn't deliver. The Bears are 17th in total defense and 21st in scoring defense. Injuries were a factor. But so was Smith's inability to press the right buttons. Example A: Harris.
If Smith stays, offensive coordinator Ron Turner goes. Someone has to take the fall, right?
But blaming Turner for this mess is like blaming closets and sheds for Mike Leach. This is Smith's staff, Smith's record and Smith's watch. I mean, how many coordinators can Smith go through before something is his fault?
I can live with the Smith monotone, the say-nothing comments and the seemingly total indifference to revealing any part of his personality (or maybe that is his personality). Smith doesn't need to be Jon Stewart.
But coaching in denial is another thing. Only Smith, when assessing his 6-9 team, could say, "We've been disappointed in our play this year, but we've been a good football team for a long time. We're doing things the right way. Better days will be ahead of us.''
Disappointed? That's it?
A good football team for a long time? Or did he mean a long time ago?
Better days ahead? Why? Because Smith says so?
That's what this all comes down to. Bears management can hide behind its historic cheapness, but the tipping point isn't money; it's trust. Angelo (if he doesn't get whacked himself), team president Ted Phillips and owner Virginia McCaskey have to decide whether Smith is the problem or the solution.
Sorry, but I can't find an obvious reason why a Year 6 of Lovie would be any different than Year 5 or 4 or 3. And if you can't come up with an obvious reason, the other little reasons don't matter.
The Bears are going to suffer injuries next season. It happens to every team. They couldn't overcome them under Smith in 2009, so why would it be any different in 2010?
Of the Bears' six wins this season, four of them came against bottom-feeders Seattle, Detroit, Cleveland and St. Louis. Only one win came against a team with a guaranteed playoff spot -- Minnesota. The Bears were swept by Green Bay, humiliated by Cincinnati, and embarrassed by Arizona, Baltimore and the Vikings.
And it isn't as if Smith has the Bears making a late-season recovery. They've lost two of their past three games, six of their past eight. Yes, they beat the Vikings this past Monday night, but it means nothing if they don't crush the two-win Detroit Lions on Sunday at Ford Field.
Bears management and Bears fans have been more than patient with Smith. Loyalty isn't an issue, either. Smith has received every benefit of the doubt -- and there's been plenty of it.
Smith's 2006 Super Bowl coupon has officially expired. Despite what Smith says, the Bears aren't a good football team. Worse yet, they're getting worse under Smith.
Angelo, Phillips and McCaskey -- or some combination of the three -- have a choice to make. They can choose fiscally convenient, safe and familiar (Smith), or they can choose costly and bold (Bill Cowher?). You tell me which one would energize that franchise.
Smith has had his moments, just not enough of them. Time for mediocrity to find a new mailing address.
Gene Wojciechowski is a columnist for ESPN.com.
If they want to improve, Bears need to part ways with Smith and mediocrity
By Gene Wojciechowski
ESPNChicago.com
The Chicago Bears are stuck between a rock and a Lovie. They are so mind-numbingly mediocre that it's almost impossible to figure out who's to blame for this latest in a trilogy of lost Bears seasons.
Is it their charisma-challenged coach, Lovie Smith, who has been living off that 2006 Super Bowl appearance (and loss) for years? Smith did the impossible: He reached a Super Bowl with Rex Grossman and missed the playoffs with Jay Cutler. Smith's Bears wouldn't recognize the postseason if you had it in a one-person police lineup.
Is it their general manager, Jerry Angelo, who conspicuously distanced himself from all things Lovie by recently saying the Bears' roster -- his roster -- was good enough to win? Translation: It must be the coaching.
Is it the wildly inconsistent Cutler, who now has taken the playoff oh-fer with two franchises? Or defensive tackle Tommie Harris, who phoned it in enough that AT&T ought to pair him with Luke Wilson?
Is it something as simple as injuries, which cost the Bears the likes of Brian Urlacher?
Sometimes you just know a guy is history. Jim Zorn of the Washington Redskins ... gone. Raheem Morris of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers ... gone. Perry Fewell of the Buffalo Bills ... gone. Eric Mangini of the Cleveland Browns ... all but gone.
Smith? If you go by his past three playoff-less seasons (22-25 overall, 15-20 in the conference, 8-9 in the division, 7-16 on the road, four blowout losses in 2009), he's dead coach walking. But if you go by his total record (46-33), that Super Bowl cameo and the conventional wisdom (however ridiculous) that the Bears won't spend the $11 million to make Smith's contract go away, he's back in 2010.
I've seen enough of this Bears movie to know it's time for a cast change. Doesn't mean Smith is a bad guy or even a bad coach; he isn't. But to go from the Super Bowl to sub-.500 in three years' time is unacceptable -- or at least, it should be.
Smith has played the defensive coordinator card. He got rid of Ron Rivera and then neutered whatever real responsibilities Bob Babich had. Babich kept the D-coordinator title, but if you dust the Bears' defense for prints, you find Smith's thumbmarks everywhere.
OK, so if you deep-six your coordinator and take over the defense -- because that's how you made your rep in this league -- you better deliver the goods. Smith didn't deliver. The Bears are 17th in total defense and 21st in scoring defense. Injuries were a factor. But so was Smith's inability to press the right buttons. Example A: Harris.
If Smith stays, offensive coordinator Ron Turner goes. Someone has to take the fall, right?
But blaming Turner for this mess is like blaming closets and sheds for Mike Leach. This is Smith's staff, Smith's record and Smith's watch. I mean, how many coordinators can Smith go through before something is his fault?
I can live with the Smith monotone, the say-nothing comments and the seemingly total indifference to revealing any part of his personality (or maybe that is his personality). Smith doesn't need to be Jon Stewart.
But coaching in denial is another thing. Only Smith, when assessing his 6-9 team, could say, "We've been disappointed in our play this year, but we've been a good football team for a long time. We're doing things the right way. Better days will be ahead of us.''
Disappointed? That's it?
A good football team for a long time? Or did he mean a long time ago?
Better days ahead? Why? Because Smith says so?
That's what this all comes down to. Bears management can hide behind its historic cheapness, but the tipping point isn't money; it's trust. Angelo (if he doesn't get whacked himself), team president Ted Phillips and owner Virginia McCaskey have to decide whether Smith is the problem or the solution.
Sorry, but I can't find an obvious reason why a Year 6 of Lovie would be any different than Year 5 or 4 or 3. And if you can't come up with an obvious reason, the other little reasons don't matter.
The Bears are going to suffer injuries next season. It happens to every team. They couldn't overcome them under Smith in 2009, so why would it be any different in 2010?
Of the Bears' six wins this season, four of them came against bottom-feeders Seattle, Detroit, Cleveland and St. Louis. Only one win came against a team with a guaranteed playoff spot -- Minnesota. The Bears were swept by Green Bay, humiliated by Cincinnati, and embarrassed by Arizona, Baltimore and the Vikings.
And it isn't as if Smith has the Bears making a late-season recovery. They've lost two of their past three games, six of their past eight. Yes, they beat the Vikings this past Monday night, but it means nothing if they don't crush the two-win Detroit Lions on Sunday at Ford Field.
Bears management and Bears fans have been more than patient with Smith. Loyalty isn't an issue, either. Smith has received every benefit of the doubt -- and there's been plenty of it.
Smith's 2006 Super Bowl coupon has officially expired. Despite what Smith says, the Bears aren't a good football team. Worse yet, they're getting worse under Smith.
Angelo, Phillips and McCaskey -- or some combination of the three -- have a choice to make. They can choose fiscally convenient, safe and familiar (Smith), or they can choose costly and bold (Bill Cowher?). You tell me which one would energize that franchise.
Smith has had his moments, just not enough of them. Time for mediocrity to find a new mailing address.
Gene Wojciechowski is a columnist for ESPN.com.
