It’s Time for the Bears to Clean House
After Monday’s loss to the Lions, I suggested that I needed to sleep on the loss and see what revelations come to me. After a couple of restless nights sleep, it’s come to me. It’s time to CLEAN HOUSE.
Why wait until April to do spring cleaning? Why wait until January after another season has been completely wasted? It’s time for George McCaskey and the Chicago Bears to clean house from top to bottom. I’m talking about Ted Phillips, Jerry Angelo, Tim Ruskell, Lovie Smith, Mike Martz – the whole stinkin’ lot of ’em!
It’s time to hold these clowns accountable for years of neglect and mismanagement. It’s time for someone to take the controls and pull the founding franchise out of a certain tailspin. After an infuriating loss to a Lions team that was begging to be upset at home under the bright lights of Monday Night Football and the national stage, where glaring holes were exposed in all phases of football operations on and off the field, it’s time to set a new course for the Chicago Bears.
I’ll make my case in order of priority and let you decide where the ax should fall after the jump.
Jerry Angelo
Jerry is Public Enemy #1 in my book. If no one else were to go, this is a MUST. He is the root cause of a vast majority of problems that the Bears face. Successful football organizations build through the draft. Look at teams that are consistently good – the Patriots, Steelers, and Packers. They don’t usually go on giant free agent shopping sprees or make blockbuster trades. They build their teams through the draft.
The Bears thought they had a buyer for Greg Olsen a couple of years ago in the Pats. But rather than trade away a draft pick ,they drafter Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski, a pair of tight ends whose production has already exceeded that of Olsen.
When these teams face an injury, there is a player in line to step in and play. If the Bears get an injury, it’s an automatic excuse. Winners don’t make excuses.
Angelo inherited Urlacher and hit big on Briggs. Tillman is solid, but he’s never been to a Pro Bowl. Hester and Knox are special in the return game, but they are getting legislated out of the game and into irrelevance. Who else does Jerry have to hang his hat on? Trading for Cutler was a no-brainer and yet the brainless Angelo didn’t have the foresight to put Jay in a position to succeed, leaving him to flounder without any wide receiver or offensive line help. As Steve Rosenbloom would say, “Jerry, your plane is boarding.”
Lovie Smith
Where to begin with Lovie? I used to write a blog for ChicagoNow called FIRE LOVIE SMITH, so this could get pretty in depth. Whether you look at clock mismanagement, his piss poor record on challenges, basic in-game strategy, there are plenty of reasons to jettison Smith.
His defensive philosophy, the much maligned Cover-2 is outdated and every high school team knows how to beat it. It requires immense talent from key positions at all levels and if players at those key positions don’t get their jobs done at a high level, the defense falls apart like a house of cards. That’s how Steve Smith constantly beats the Bears up. It’s how they keep giving up huge plays, plays the defense is specifically designed to prevent.
But for me, the #1 reason to get rid of Lovie is lack of player development. A friend of mine brought this up a while ago and it’s stuck with me. Name a player who has gotten better under Lovie Smith? Any of the revolving door safeties? Did he mold any of the draft pick busts that he’s been handed into anything more than a fry guy for McDonalds?
Mike Martz
Things don’t usually end well for Martz wherever he goes. It didn’t end well in St. Louis as the head coach. It didn’t last too long in Detroit or San Francisco as offensive coordinator. Don’t forget, he took the job when no one else wanted to work for a lame duck Lovie.
His offensive system worked in one specific instance with a Hall of Fame quarterback, running back and most importantly a HOF left tackle. It’s predicated on precision and timing, things that are hard to achieve on the slop they call turf at Soldier Field.
He can’t get plays in on time and when he does they’re the wrong ones. He has proven that he’s not adaptable and can’t find a scheme to put one of the most talented quarterbacks in the NFL in a position to succeed.
He is the guy who brought you Brandon Manumaleuna, sent Greg Olsen packing and insisted that Roy Williams is a #1 wide receiver who would have “70-80 catches” this season. He’s more on pace for 17 rather than 70.
He turned down a contract extension, virtually ensuring he won’t be here next season anyway, so give him a head start for the unemployment line.
Ted Phillips
Let’s get this on the table first. Ted is an accountant; he’s not a football guy. Many believe that he was put in charge because the McCaskeys couldn’t get a stadium deal done with the city. Phillips worked with then mayor Daley to get the deal done, the Mistake by the Lake known as the new Soldier Field. Anyone who needs a search firm to find Jerry Angelo should update his resume and get it to that search firm. I heard there’s a minor league roller hockey league that needs a CEO.
Tim Ruskell
He’s been hand picked by Jerry Angelo as his replacement. If he picks his successor as well as he picks in the draft, I rest my case. Seattle Seahawks fans will tell you he didn’t do anything to help their team coming off a Super Bowl appearance.
Keep in mind, these revelations came to me in a dream. Then I woke up. I understand, no one is going anywhere, but a guy can dream can’t he? What do you think?