Lovie Smith .... Great Job ...

[jaxvid]

You take Jerry Angelo, Brian Urlacher, Tommie Harris,the Bears special teams and Rex Grossmans "Good games" away from him and the Bears are a middle of the road team. 

 


You could easily say that about any coach. If you take away the best players you obviously will not do as good.

No you couldn't say that about any coach. As I pointed out, the difference in an average coach like Lovie and  great coaches like Bellichick ,Parcells, Walsh etc is how competitive their teams are when they aren't filled with superstarstars.  The Patriots are prime example of teams that have been able to win consistently over the years despite never having a star studded roster with the exception of Tom Brady.  The Bears are a team that live and die on the athleticism of a few certain players in Lovie Smiths cover 2 system.  Take those players away as with the case of Tommie Harris, and the Bears lost their ability to successfully put pressure on the quarterback. The NFC championship game against the Saints was the first time that the Bears were able to get to the quarterback consistently since Harris went down.  Likewise, remove Urlacher from that defense and it easily become exploitable in the gaps created by the cover 2.  Likewise on offense take out Grossmans 7 game league high 100 QB rating games and without their dominant Defensive based on their top stars, the Bears are probably a team that struggles to get to .500. There is nothing particulary extraordinary about the Bears gameplanning or coaching that doesn't take into account extraordinary performances by their "top" talent.   With a team like the Patriots, you can't pin their success on individual performances like that beause it is very much a more system oriented success where pieces aren't as important as the whole picture.  With the exception of  maybeTom Brady there really isn't one key in the puzzle guy on that squad that can nearly wreck the whole system as is the case in Chicago with, Urlacher, Harris, Grossman or Hester.The reason is because there is nothing spectacular about the system or coaching but the talent. Thank God for Jerry "Slick" Angelo.


Furthermore Lovie Smith is a branch of the Marty Schottenheimer tree which I have never been impressed with.  Now we have two Marty Ball coaches who are competing for the Superbowl which will give hope to it's inferior philosophy.

Bear Backer, good stuff. What do you think about Rex Grossman, you mention how important he is to the team, yet the media has been calling for him to be benched since about mid-season. What's up with that??

 

[White Shogun]

Excellent assessment of the situation in Chicago, Bear Backer. Welcome to the board.

 

[PitBull]

Bear Backer is absolutely right about Bellichek vis a vis Lovie Smith. And the
proof of it is that Bellichek's system is one geared toward making use of the
unpredictable free agent system, while the Bears success is overly
dependent on high draft picks. Urlacher, Harris, Grossman, Devon Hester,
and Cedric Benson are all draft picks, which means the success of teh team
is really based on Jerry Angelo's work, not Lovie Smith's.

Good post Bear Backer! Welcome aboard!

 

[Bear Backer]

[/QUOTE]

Bear Backer, good stuff. What do you think about Rex Grossman, you mention how important he is to the team, yet the media has been calling for him to be benched since about mid-season. What's up with that??

[/QUOTE]





Honestly Grossman scares me. He certainly has shown great aptitude for the big play. That is as much a part of Grossmans game than anything. When he is hot he is great, but when he struggles it can get ugly quick. The thing I like about him is his arm strength and accuracy when he has time to make the good throw. He is head and shoulders above any Bear quarterback in that department that I have ever seen in my lifetime. On the bad side he seems to be rattled easily and when he gets off to a bad start it usually gets worse. His mechanics go crazy when he has pressure and as a result he tends to throw off his back foot which causes his passes to sail and get picked off. Grossman is definitely a gunslinger like a Brett Favre and you live and die by his streaks. I suspect he will mature some and rectify some of his problems, but he seems like he will always be one of those guys who will either be really great for you, or hurt your team really bad when he is off. Hopefully as he matures in the league those really bad games become fewer and far in between his good ones.


As far as the media calling for him to be benched, I really don't pay much attention to them. At the start of the season during his first 5 game hot streak,they were hailing him as the next Brett Favre and a surefire pro bowler. The mediaare all just a bunch of hucksters as far as I am concerned. The Media in Chicago is alsojust nuts when it comes to Quarterbacks. We are really not used to much when it comes to quarterbacks. Around these parts Jim McMahons, and Erik Kramers are about the closest thing we havecome to real stars. You would think that the media and fans would be more appreciative when it comes to a young QB like Rex who have shown some real skills, but surprisingly just the opposite is true. The Chicago media and many Bears fans seem to have developed unrealistic expectations over the years for Bears Quarterbacks, that I really doubt anyone short of a Peyton Manning or Tom Brady could satisfy. It seems like the Bears fans and Chicagomedia are always looking for that next great savior around the cornerwhich alwaysturns out to bejust anotherflavor of the month. We sacked Jim Harbaugh who went on to have a fewpretty respectable years in Indy in favor of No talents like Peter Tom Willis and Will Furrer. Then came Erik Kramer who was the new savior, in the long run that didn't pan out so Rick Mirer was supposed to realize his potential for the Bears. That didn't work either so more no talents like Steve Stenstrom, Moses Moreno and Shane Mathews were going to be saviors. Then it was the pint sizedGolden Boy Cade McNown who was hailed by the Bears as the messiah. After Cade was run out of town on a rail, it was everyman Jim Miller who was going to lead the Bears to glory. I have to think it was partly because most Bear Fans and the media just liked Saying Miller Time. Kordell Stewart was then going to be the missing piece of the puzzle, but the only puzzle was what in h_ll were the Bears smoking when they singed him? Then it was the Leftwich bandwagon for Bears fans, when we didn't get him, Rex was the guy , but after his back to back injury ending seasons, Bears fans fell in love with the often inebriated Kyle Orton. Then when Griese signed, the media and fans forgot about Orton and were on the Griese bandwagon. All I can say is if I were a quarterback I would not want to come to Chicago and put up with all theinsanity and baggage that Bears quarterbacks have to face.Rest assured if the Bears did bench Grossman the first time that Griese had a bad game, question marks would come up and many would question if Orton should be the guy, or if the Bears need to make a move to get Brady Quinn or someonein the draft. As a result we always have revolving door for quarterbacks that no one seems to be able to overcome. I have hopes for Rex but it wouldn't surprise me in the least if the Chicago media and the fans eventually get him run out. If the Bears don't win the superbowl or he doesn't atleast play out of his skullit is assured that calls for his head by manywill resume.





BTW Thanks all for the welcome. Just another point I wanted to make about Lovie Smith. We have Standout WR Mike Hass rotting on the practice squad right now while perennial disappointment Justin Gage still has a roster spot. Given Lovie's past treatment of Brock Forsey if Hass isnt given a chance next season and Gage or Arena leaguer Rashied Davies are automatically given spots, it is pretty obvious that the NFL caste system talked about on the this site is definitely true, at least in Chicago.Edited by: Bear Backer

 

[screamingeagle]

Lovie is from Texas. Which brings up another point. Lovie's contract ends this year. He is the lowest paid coach in the league. Dallas has an opening and you know they must interview at least one black coach. Could we see Lovie in Dallas next year?

 

[LabMan]

WoW!,Great stuff,Bearbacker! Glad that you are here!Will look forward to your coverage as super bowl nears.And by all means,please be considering an overall opinion of the game itself!

Now if only an "indyman" would sign on to the board!

 

[jaxvid]

 

Bear Backer, good stuff. What do you think about Rex Grossman, you mention how important he is to the team, yet the media has been calling for him to be benched since about mid-season. What's up with that?? [/QUOTE]


 


Honestly Grossman scares me.  He certainly has shown great aptitude for the big play. That is as much a part of Grossmans game than anything.  When he is hot he is great, but when he struggles it can get ugly quick.  The thing I like about him is his arm strength and accuracy when he has time to make the good throw.  He is head and shoulders above any Bear quarterback in that department that I have ever seen in my lifetime.  On the bad side he seems to be rattled easily and when he gets off to a bad start it usually gets worse. His mechanics go crazy when he has pressure and as a result he tends to throw off his back foot which causes his passes to sail and get picked off.  Grossman is definitely a gunslinger like a Brett Favre and you live and die by his streaks.  I suspect he will mature some and rectify some of his problems, but he seems like he will always be one of those guys who will either be really great for you, or hurt your team really bad when he is off.  Hopefully as he matures in the league those really bad games become fewer and far in between his good ones.  


As far as the media calling for him to be benched, I really don't pay much attention to them.  At the start of the season during his first 5 game hot streak, they were hailing him as the next Brett Favre and a surefire pro bowler.  The media are all just a bunch of hucksters as far as I am concerned.  The Media in Chicago is also just nuts when it comes to Quarterbacks.  We are really not used to much when it comes to quarterbacks.  Around these parts Jim McMahons, and Erik Kramers are about the closest thing we have come to real stars.  You would think that the media and fans would be more appreciative when it comes to a young QB like Rex who have shown some real skills, but surprisingly just the opposite is true.  The Chicago media and many Bears fans seem to have developed unrealistic expectations over the years for Bears Quarterbacks, that I really doubt anyone short of a Peyton Manning or Tom Brady could satisfy.  It seems like the Bears fans and Chicago media are always looking for that next great savior around the corner which always turns out to be just another flavor of the month.  We sacked Jim Harbaugh who went on to have a few pretty respectable years in Indy in favor of No talents like Peter Tom Willis and Will Furrer. Then came Erik Kramer who was the new savior, in the long run that didn't pan out so Rick Mirer was supposed to realize his potential for the Bears. That didn't work either so more no talents like Steve Stenstrom, Moses Moreno and Shane Mathews were going to be saviors.  Then it was the pint sized Golden Boy Cade McNown who was hailed by the Bears as the messiah. After Cade was run out of town on a rail, it was everyman Jim Miller who was going to lead the Bears to glory. I have to think it was partly because most Bear Fans and the media just liked Saying Miller Time. Kordell Stewart was then going to be the missing piece of the puzzle, but the only puzzle was what in h_ll were the Bears smoking when they singed him? Then it was the Leftwich bandwagon for Bears fans, when we didn't get him, Rex was the guy , but after his back to back injury ending seasons, Bears fans fell in love with the often inebriated Kyle Orton. Then when Griese signed, the media and fans forgot about Orton and were on the Griese bandwagon.  All I can say is if I were a quarterback I would not want to come to Chicago and put up with all the insanity and baggage that Bears quarterbacks have to face.  Rest assured if the Bears did bench Grossman the first time that Griese had a bad game, question marks would come up and many would question if Orton should be the guy, or if the Bears need to make a move to get Brady Quinn or someone in the draft.  As a result we always have revolving door for quarterbacks that no one seems to be able to overcome.  I have hopes for Rex but it wouldn't surprise me in the least if the Chicago media and the fans eventually get him run out.  If the Bears don't win the superbowl or he doesn't at least play out of his skull it is assured that calls for his head by many will resume. 


 


BTW Thanks all for the welcome.  Just another point I wanted to make about Lovie Smith.  We have Standout WR Mike Hass rotting on the practice squad right now while perennial disappointment Justin Gage still has a roster spot. Given Lovie's past treatment of Brock Forsey if Hass isnt given a chance next season and Gage or Arena leaguer Rashied Davies are automatically given spots, it is pretty obvious that the NFL caste system talked about on the this site is definitely true, at least in Chicago.[/QUOTE]

Pretty standard QB treatment as in most cities. The old saying that the most popular QB on the team is the back up holds true for most places (not named Green Bay). I think you were spot on about most of the former Bear QB's except Cade McNown, I felt he got treated unfair in Chicago.

I would give Lovie credit for sticking with Grossman. You can't argue with the results, the Bears WIN when he plays.

I of course agree with you on Hass, imagine a team with the Biletnikoff winner, who led the PAC 10 in receiving for several years, and burying him on the practice squad. What is it about the guy that rates him that kind of treatment......? Hmmmmm let me think, there must be something DIFFERENT about him.

 

[ToughJ.Riggins]

First off I'd like to say that I think Dungy is a good coach. He was the one most responsible for putting the Tampa Championship team together not Gruden. He got fired b/c the Bucs wanted Parcells. Parcells declined to take the job due to a messy divorce he was going through with his wife. Gruden got all the credit in his first season but Dungy was the one most responsible.

Speaking of black coaches and the superbowl Dungy almost made the superbowl in the 2001 season. I think it was his last with the Bucs, but Burt Emanuel if I recall was cited for a dropped pass that was vitally important in making them lose. However, I believe that he caught the pass even though it was ruled a trap against the turf.

Dennis Green would have made the Superbowl but Cunningham fumbled the ball right before half time for the Vikings when they were up two TD's against the Falcons and the Falcons returned the fumble for a TD which was a big momentum switch. The Falcons put forth an anemic effort against the prevailing Broncos in the big game. You could blame Green for not calling to kneel down to end the half, but I think a lot of coaches would have done the same with their team approaching midfield with almost a minute left.Edited by: ToughJ.Riggins

 

[ToughJ.Riggins]

Now I'd like to make the point that all of us on this board should be cheering for Dungy against Lovie. Dungy has been one of the fairest coaches in the league to white players. He's had a white runner in Alstott. He has had white recievers in Stockly, Prohl, and has even given Standeford a chance which other coaches did not. He has had John Lynch at saftey. When asked why there are not more white RB's he said something like this. "I think it is because of racial slotting. Guys are told starting at a young age that this is a black position and this is a white one. The white RBs probably feel they have a better chance to make it by converting to LB." Do you think Lovie would ever say something like that? He said that Forsey looked like a team manager! Dungy is also a good natured man with a deep faith in God. Although I am not very religious I think the guy is a person of integrity. I feel very bad for him that he lost his son...So on Feb 4th GO Peyton and go Dungy!

 

[Jimmy Chitwood]

i agree completely with TJR. Dungy has given lots of white players opportunities at the "forbidden positions," even signing Kevin McDougal to play running back (although McDougal's injury bug shot down his opportunity to break the caste system). Dungy, and without a doubt Bill Polian as well (maybe more so), have given numerous white guys a chance.

they signed Ricky Proehl this year. they stayed with Stokley despite his fragile body. they haven't been ideal, certainly (Trevor Insley and John Standeford's poor treatment come to mind), but they have been less un-fair.

in my mind, it's a no-brainer. i'm rooting for the Colts big time!

i hope "Manning to Clark" is said over and over and over and, well, you get the idea.

Edited by: Jimmy Chitwood

 

[White Shogun]

I might have missed something but I think most of us here are absolutely rooting for the Colts over the Bears, for many of the reasons mentioned by Riggins and Chitwood, not to mention Peyton's potential legacy as one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time. In an era absolutely inundated with hype and praise for black quarterbacks, it's encouraging to see a white player like Manning take over the game and the position the way he has.

And Riggins? You had me convinced that Dungy was a good coach til you compared him to Denny Green.

Edited by: White Shogun

 

[WHITE NOISE]

Dung heap would be sh*te without Peyton Manning period end of story.

 

[White Mike]

Regardless of who wins the game, the first thing reporters will acknowledge is the firstspook to ever win... blah blah. Peyton is the NFL's poster boy. We need Manning to win to secure his legacy, as well to support the movement. But then again, there was this one quarterback in Miami who neverwon a ring, and his legacy is fine. Personaly I'm hoping to see a good game. Urlacher vs Manning. BTW anyone see Deon Sanders at the barber shop on NFL Total Access Thursday night?Edited by: White Mike

 

[JD074]

FSU thinks that teams only care about winning, and that they field the
best players possible. In other words, only merit counts.

But then on the other hand, he thinks that white coaches are hired only
due to their race, and that winning is now not the most important thing.
Somehow, the priorities got changed.

Which is it?

Excellent post, PitBull.

 

[son of Radovan]

Rooney Rule still needed says first black Super Bowl coach

From the article:
"'I would like to think owners would hire the best coach but I'm here because of the Rooney Rule," Smith told reporters during a news conference on Monday. "I definitely think we have to keep it in place.'"


So Smith admits that he wouldn't be in the NFL without the Rooney Rule (I could make a joke with the word "Rooney" but I'll refrain

). Damn right, Lovie, and anyone who thinks he did such a "great job" keep in mind what he himself has said

 

[Don Wassall]

Here's an interesting perspective of what blacks consider a "level playing field" to be. According to the latest column by Woody Paige

, he's supposedly hanging at a bar in Miami with his posse of three black NFL players (sounds morelike a McDonald's commercial than something that actually happened), when one of the brothers announces, "Now the playing field is level. . . What it is, is there are two black coaches in the Super Bowl for the first time, and if you notice, the majority of the players in the Super Bowl are black. We're finally level as level can be."


Adds another: "Back in the day, we were not equal. This Super Bowl we are. As Doctor King said, 'Free at last'."


"Back in the day" is what, the 1970s, when blacks were "only" 40 or 50 percent of the players instead of today's 70 percent?


Blacks are 12 percent of the population, but a "level playing field" for the Super Bowl is one hundred percent of the coaches and 70 percent of the players, including about 90 percent of the star players. Anything less is "racism."


An interesting stat from this article: The NFL has 197 black assistant coaches!! That's about 6 1/2 per team. How many does the average NFL team have, 12 or 13? So blacks now compose roughly half of the coaching ranks, on the way to whatever a "level playing field" will be for coaches -- 75 percent, 98 percent?


http://test.denverpost.com/sports/ci_5140320

 

[screamingeagle]

In about 36 hours, we will find out who will be the first black coach to lose a super bowl. Its garenteeded!

Meanwhile, enjoy the rest of black history month.

 

[Bart]

[url]http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070203/ap_on_sp_fo_ne/super_bow l_black_fans;_ylt=AistNbmudQJL88LUpQSNou3MWM0F;_ylu=X3oDMTA3 b2NibDltBHNlYwM3MTY[/url]-


ATLANTA - With two black coaches in the Super Bowl for the first time, the historic accomplishment presents a welcome dilemma for many black fans: For whom to root?


...We can't lose," said New York University history professor Jeffrey Sammons, who studies sports and race.


Black coaches led two of the four teams that reached the NFL's conference title games, so the odds were good that one would make history and become the first black coach in the Super Bowl. Many black fans without team allegiances prepared to root for either Dungy or Smith over a white rival.


..."I like to see black people do well," Wiggins said.


Colleague Mike Holley said he will be looking farther down the sidelines to see which coach has the most blacks on his coaching staff. (Nine of the Colts' 17 coaches are black; seven of the Bears' 19 are black.)


Radio personality Ryan Cameron brought up the topic on Atlanta's V-103 last week after hearing two black women discussing the issue in an elevator. On the show, Cameron said the callers â€â€￾ mostly black women â€â€￾ were very passionate about the subject, whether or not they were football fans.


"For somebody who's not a sports fan, they've got to have a reason to root," said Cameron, host of the Ryan Cameron Show. "In today's society, race is still an issue, even though we try to say it's not as big a deal anymore."


Reggie Green, a 30-year-old architect, said he will cheer for Chicago, but said he's just out for a good name for blacks.


"It's always a black thing for me, even if it's ice skating," he said.


Tyrone Buckner, a 37-year-old accountant in Atlanta, said the issue in this year's Super Bowl is one of black pride.


"We know that a black man's gonna win the Super Bowl," he said.

 

[Triad]

Sounds like they feel the same way we do on this site, but we're racists?

 

[Run Stuffing LB]

Only whites can be racist. That's all you need to know.