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Does the Chicago Media Hate John Fox?

By Bill Zimmerman

Oct 31, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bears head coach John Fox looks on during the second half against the Minnesota Vikings at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 31, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bears head coach John Fox looks on during the second half against the Minnesota Vikings at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports /
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John Fox never gives much information to the media, but that mentality might be rubbing Chicago’s media the wrong way.

John Fox has never been vociferous when it comes to his press conferences. He is a man of few words and has never given the media much of any information whether he was in Carolina, Denver, or now with the Chicago Bears.

There’s an ongoing joke among media members about Fox’s press conferences and how little information he gives about his players. Every injured player always seems to be day-to-day, press conferences are riddled with clichés and rarely does Fox give any type of opinion whatsoever.

But is Fox’s attitude towards the media starting to wear thin? That very well might be the case. Recently, during the World Series, SiriusXM’s Christopher “Mad Dog” Russo was interviewing Bruce Levine from WSCR 670 The Score on his Mad Dog Unleashed radio program on Mad Dog Sports Radio. Levine has been a part of the Chicago media landscape for thirty years and is currently on the Cubs beat. The Score is the top sports station in Chicago and also a CBS-owned station. WBBM is also a CBS-owned station and happens to be the Bears flagship station.

Russo was getting a landscape of Chicago sports, and asked Levine about John Fox. The exchange is below.

"Russo: I bet the happiest person in the city [of Chicago] right now is John Fox. Bears struggling, can’t win at home…Levine: Don’t bring that name up. He comes in here and he thinks he owns this city.Russo: Oh really?Levine: Yeah, and he hasn’t done a thing.Russo: So he’s kind of on the outs right now?Levine: Don’t ask any media members about John Fox right now because he thinks he came in here and he thinks there was no history to Bear football before he came in here.Russo: Oh really, Bruce? Interesting, I didn’t realize that.Levine: Forget about that guy. Let him do something in Chicago first."

Why does the opinion of a Cubs beat writer matter? Levine is plugged into the Chicago media scene. He’s been around forever and being he’s part of the CBS Chicago family, he definitely has casual conversations with the media guys that are around Fox on a regular basis.

Levine wouldn’t go on national radio and blast the Bears’ head coach unless he knew what he was saying was factual. Chicago sports has had plenty of success since the 1985 Chicago Bears. In fact, with the Chicago Cubs victory, every Chicago sports team has won a title since the Bears won one.

If Fox did indeed come in to the franchise and ignore the Bears’ history and think that he was the king of the Chicago sports’ roost just because he’s an NFL head coach, he really doesn’t understand the landscape of the city’s sports.

While Fox and the media don’t have to be buddies, it does give you some insight as to how Fox and possibly the Bears view themselves when in fact, right now the Chicago Cubs are driving the bus and the Blackhawks are in the front seat. Empty seats are starting to filter into the upper decks at Soldier Field. Perhaps Fox should understand where he and his team currently is in the pecking order and that he needs to respect the media, the fans, and the other franchises in the city a little more before he walks around like a proud peacock.

Bill Zimmerman is an editor and featured writer for FanSided‘s BearGogglesOn. Like his Facebook page or follow him on Twitter for more news and interaction.

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