How The Chicago Bears Can Fix The Season Now And More Seasons To Come

“This is a tricky situation;
I've only got myself to blame.
It's just a simple fact of life;
It can happen to anyone.
You win - you lose;
It's a chance you have to take with love.
Oh yeah - I fell in love;
And now you say it's over and I'm falling apart…”

--Freddie Mercury of Queen.


First, let me say, I LOVE the Chicago Bears. I plan my week around the game; I have spent numerous dollars on Bears paraphernalia. I encourage my students to follow the examples of players with positive actions and moral stature. Now, however, I feel betrayed.

My God, the BEARS SUCK!

OK, I feel better.

What a wretched and apathetic team. They have no fire, they have no sense of the game plan, and they have no sense of the team’s history.

Who do I blame? Lovie Smith, and it is time to fire him now.

Now I am fully aware that Lovie is not playing the game. I am further aware that yelling at players (ala Ditka) has long since his departure lost an appeal to the players, and I understand that Lovie is only as good as his players, buts let’s be fair.

Who calls the once formidable Defense? Lovie. Is cover two working anyone? Why no, it is not. Short mid-range passes will beat the Bears every time because they do not have a good safety. In fact, they let their best one go in Mike Brown. Without a good safety, the cover two does not work. Using it when it does not work and losing Mike Brown, that is the fault of Lovie. I will not even mention how Lovie’s ego could not handle Ron Rivera, who was also let get so “good buddy” Bruce Babich could come in and stink it up. Further on the Defense, the Bears and Lovie brought in another “good buddy” in Rod Maraneleli (sp?); a guy whose team went 0 and 16 last season. With friends like these, Lovie need not worry about his come-uppitence; and the fans just drudge through. I have many friends, that does not mean I would recommend all of them to do my job with me.

Ultimately the coaching staff rests on the decisions of the head coach.

Speaking of which, Ron Turner should be let go as well. I ca predict and figure out the offensive schemes within the first five minutes. Jen laughs at me when I call the offensive plays, just by looking at the alignments or when I predict with amazing accuracy (about 80%) of who will get the pass from Cutler. The predictability factor squarely rests on OC Ron Turner, yet Lovie refuses to let him go. Lovie does not even ask him to mix it up. The Screen Left play with three receivers bunched up DOES NOT WORK. The “reverse” DOES NOT WORK. The Tight end “over the shoulder catch in the end zone” worked the first week, has not since.

The Offensive line looms as the Bears largest and most obvious problem after not having a safety. Frank Omiyell cannot play, Orlando Pace, is too old and too fat, they messed with Beekman’s head and now he doubts himself, and Garza is always good for a hold every two games or so. Mike Gandy, who Lovie released, played well against them two weeks ago—so much for Lovie’s ability to judge talent. Not bringing in capable talent at core positions is the fault of Lovie’s as well. We have all seen what a wasted draft pick Chris Williams is, but watch the San Fran game for yourself if you do not believe; he was whipped like a drunken mule the entire game. This is the main reason why Forte is looking so poor. He does not have holes created and he does not trust his line. The offensive line is the reason for the interceptions as well. Cutler is running for his life and does not have time for the plays to develop as he heaves the ball downfield.

As far as the “not-so” Special Teams, has anyone noticed that since the experiment of Hester as the “go-to” receiver, he has not scored? Hester’s lack of scoring reminds me of my high school career at dating, which is funny, but not very productive or satisfying. I believe Hester WANTS to score, but he cannot find a good opening to charge through (I will not stop with the analogy, as you get the idea). That decision to move Hester to the “go-to” receiver was Lovie’s as Turner argued they needed to keep Berrian and Lovie said “no.”

Lastly, and psychologically, Lovie needs to be fired because no one on that team respects him. That is the main job of the coach, to pump the players up and earn their respect. Again, look at the all-too telling San Francisco game. At the end, Mike Singletary calls a timeout to pump his players up to stop the Bears in the last twelve seconds. Lovie is looking up at the clouds. There is no pumping anyone up, there is just “we’ll be OK” Lovie looking as if his mind is wandering. I had more passion when I “coached” a volunteer game for charity a month ago. Seriously, I did.

I think almost as telling was Lovie’s lack of attention or lack of reprimand about Tommy Harris’s ejection the week before. The inmates are running this asylum and Lovie has lost the authority and mutual respect he once had.

Even if we give credit to Lovie for brining in Jay Cutler, my argument is the same: if you put a prom dress on a pig, you still have a pig. Cutler is the prom dress, the rest of the team is that pig.

This week’s tirade is not personal against Lovie Smith. He is a nice guy and has served the Chicago Bears well. His service, however, is no longer doing the job and for the Bears to reach a better position sooner rather than later, Lovie must be shown the door and a new coach should be brought in to clean house; just as Ditka was. I suggest Mike Shanihan as that coach and he and Cutler can light up the Chicago skyline with some excitement of their own.

Thanks for sticking with me this far, now I must find my meds….