Bear-Arms
Mentor
Fractured line
Their attempts at secrecy gave way to statements on Monday, with both Fred Miller and Olin Kreutz publicly admitting to their roles in a fight Nov. 7 that featured Kreutz fracturing Miller's jaw with a punch.
Lovie Smith, visibly upset that he had been lied to since Miller first claimed the injury happened in a fall at home, also addressed the incident. The Bears' coach made clear in an emphatic tone that while neither player would be suspended, internal discipline would be meted out.
"I have an option to deal with anything related to our football team that I'd like to," Smith said. "And that's how we'll do it. Everything that happens, from a guy being late to anything that affects our football team, I have a right to deal with that. I do. And I will."
Smith is expected to fine both players, if he hasn't done so already. He added that the fact the incident occurred on a day off for players and away from team property would have no bearing on his disciplinary decision.
According to sources familiar with the incident, Miller and Kreutz spent the off day at an FBI shooting range in North Chicago. Tension percolated throughout the day and escalated, sources said, as more alcohol was consumed.
Kreutz, a source said, repeatedly warned Miller to stop agitating him. They eventually went to a drinking establishment with other linemen.
According to two people with knowledge of the incident, the fracas began when one player threw a drink at the other. It's unclear if Miller, who is 6 feet 7 inches and 320 pounds, first swung at Kreutz. But Kreutz landed the only punch, making Miller's mouth fill with blood when his braces cut his gums. Miller also lost a tooth.
Miller, according to one source, then "lost it," rushing Kreutz and either throwing an unknown object or striking him in the head with it. One source said it was a 5-pound weight. Another said it was a board. Kreutz, who is 6-2 and 292 pounds, suffered a cut that, according to one source, required double-digit stitches.
The center has worn headgear since the incident, although he didn't acknowledge the cut when asked directly about it Monday. "I don't have an injury," Kreutz said.
Perhaps tellingly in terms of culpability, Millerâ€â€the one with the broken jawâ€â€apologized to Kreutz in his statements. Kreutz didn't directly return the gesture.
"I would like to apologize to Olin, my teammates and to my family," Miller said. "I realize that this is something that was very stupid on both of our parts. It's not going to happen again. We're going to move on."
Said Kreutz: "Obviously we didn't want it to happen. Things went too far. Like Fred [said], we've talked about it. We're pretty much over it. It's pretty much a done issue for us."
The players did agree about trying to cover up the incident. Both said this was done in an attempt to place the team first.
Miller also was said to be sensitive to the team possibly asking Kreutz to address anger management issues if the incident became public. Kreutz was ordered to undergo counseling in college after fracturing a teammate's jaw at the University of Washington.
"Olin and I, we don't have a problem with each other," Miller said. "We're still going to work together. We're still going to go out on our regular nights and have dinner together as an offensive line and as a unit."
Kreutz was less committal when asked if the incident could have lasting scars.
"I don't know if it will ever be completely gone," he said after a long pause. "But we're over it. The team is the No. 1 thing. And we're going to try to move on."
Smith and other players, including fellow offensive lineman John Tait, insisted the incident wouldn't be a distraction. The Bears have a five-game winning streak for the first time in four years and team chemistry has been cited as a strength.
"There's a lot of chemistry on the offensive line," cornerback Jerry Azumah said. "There has to be in order for it to work, and I don't think it's going to stop."
Various sources confirmed the Bears had no knowledge of the fight details until the weekend. Smith took exception when asked if the Bears lied to the media about the incident.
"We for sure didn't lie to you [reporters] or to anyone else," Smith said. "I found out about it later in the week and then I started dealing with it. Guys make mistakes. Sometimes you ... try to cover up something. Most of the time the truth comes out, which it did."
Miller underwent surgery to repair the hairline fracture and will miss his second game Sunday against Carolina. He said he hopes to return for the Nov. 27 game in Tampa Bay.
Smith made the decision not to suspend the players and has told others the fact they placed the team first could be a unifying thing. But he clearly was upset about the lies.
"The big deal is that we didn't report what really happened right away," he said. "And that's what we're trying to clear up. From there, our football team has moved on.
"I have a brother. Sometimes brothers fight. No more than that and you move on."
Their attempts at secrecy gave way to statements on Monday, with both Fred Miller and Olin Kreutz publicly admitting to their roles in a fight Nov. 7 that featured Kreutz fracturing Miller's jaw with a punch.
Lovie Smith, visibly upset that he had been lied to since Miller first claimed the injury happened in a fall at home, also addressed the incident. The Bears' coach made clear in an emphatic tone that while neither player would be suspended, internal discipline would be meted out.
"I have an option to deal with anything related to our football team that I'd like to," Smith said. "And that's how we'll do it. Everything that happens, from a guy being late to anything that affects our football team, I have a right to deal with that. I do. And I will."
Smith is expected to fine both players, if he hasn't done so already. He added that the fact the incident occurred on a day off for players and away from team property would have no bearing on his disciplinary decision.
According to sources familiar with the incident, Miller and Kreutz spent the off day at an FBI shooting range in North Chicago. Tension percolated throughout the day and escalated, sources said, as more alcohol was consumed.
Kreutz, a source said, repeatedly warned Miller to stop agitating him. They eventually went to a drinking establishment with other linemen.
According to two people with knowledge of the incident, the fracas began when one player threw a drink at the other. It's unclear if Miller, who is 6 feet 7 inches and 320 pounds, first swung at Kreutz. But Kreutz landed the only punch, making Miller's mouth fill with blood when his braces cut his gums. Miller also lost a tooth.
Miller, according to one source, then "lost it," rushing Kreutz and either throwing an unknown object or striking him in the head with it. One source said it was a 5-pound weight. Another said it was a board. Kreutz, who is 6-2 and 292 pounds, suffered a cut that, according to one source, required double-digit stitches.
The center has worn headgear since the incident, although he didn't acknowledge the cut when asked directly about it Monday. "I don't have an injury," Kreutz said.
Perhaps tellingly in terms of culpability, Millerâ€â€the one with the broken jawâ€â€apologized to Kreutz in his statements. Kreutz didn't directly return the gesture.
"I would like to apologize to Olin, my teammates and to my family," Miller said. "I realize that this is something that was very stupid on both of our parts. It's not going to happen again. We're going to move on."
Said Kreutz: "Obviously we didn't want it to happen. Things went too far. Like Fred [said], we've talked about it. We're pretty much over it. It's pretty much a done issue for us."
The players did agree about trying to cover up the incident. Both said this was done in an attempt to place the team first.
Miller also was said to be sensitive to the team possibly asking Kreutz to address anger management issues if the incident became public. Kreutz was ordered to undergo counseling in college after fracturing a teammate's jaw at the University of Washington.
"Olin and I, we don't have a problem with each other," Miller said. "We're still going to work together. We're still going to go out on our regular nights and have dinner together as an offensive line and as a unit."
Kreutz was less committal when asked if the incident could have lasting scars.
"I don't know if it will ever be completely gone," he said after a long pause. "But we're over it. The team is the No. 1 thing. And we're going to try to move on."
Smith and other players, including fellow offensive lineman John Tait, insisted the incident wouldn't be a distraction. The Bears have a five-game winning streak for the first time in four years and team chemistry has been cited as a strength.
"There's a lot of chemistry on the offensive line," cornerback Jerry Azumah said. "There has to be in order for it to work, and I don't think it's going to stop."
Various sources confirmed the Bears had no knowledge of the fight details until the weekend. Smith took exception when asked if the Bears lied to the media about the incident.
"We for sure didn't lie to you [reporters] or to anyone else," Smith said. "I found out about it later in the week and then I started dealing with it. Guys make mistakes. Sometimes you ... try to cover up something. Most of the time the truth comes out, which it did."
Miller underwent surgery to repair the hairline fracture and will miss his second game Sunday against Carolina. He said he hopes to return for the Nov. 27 game in Tampa Bay.
Smith made the decision not to suspend the players and has told others the fact they placed the team first could be a unifying thing. But he clearly was upset about the lies.
"The big deal is that we didn't report what really happened right away," he said. "And that's what we're trying to clear up. From there, our football team has moved on.
"I have a brother. Sometimes brothers fight. No more than that and you move on."
