DaBears - Chicago Bears Message Board and Fan Blog Site - Blogs - We Should Embrace Lovie Smith, Jerry Angelo by Dagan81 http://www.dabears.com/blog.php?u=2710 Chicago Bears Fan Blog and Message Board en Thu, 20 Jun 2013 01:25:01 GMT vBulletin 60 http://dabears.com/images/misc/rss.jpg DaBears - Chicago Bears Message Board and Fan Blog Site - Blogs - We Should Embrace Lovie Smith, Jerry Angelo by Dagan81 http://www.dabears.com/blog.php?u=2710 <![CDATA[The Chicago Bears' Drive Toward Another World Championship]]> http://www.dabears.com/entry.php?b=61 Sat, 28 Jan 2012 09:27:58 GMT *Introduction: How the Bears Got Where They Are Now* On January 26, 1986, Bears fans across the fruited plain and around the globe celebrated...
Introduction: How the Bears Got Where They Are Now


On January 26, 1986, Bears fans across the fruited plain and around the globe celebrated the franchise's ninth World Championship with a resounding 46-10 win over the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl. The Bears had the look of being a team of dynastic proportions; in fact, according to Dick Enberg during the broadcast of Super Bowl XX, the average Chicago Bear player's age was 25.1 years old, the youngest in the league at the time. However, mismanagement on the part of the front office that began soon after the death of the franchise's founder, former head coach of forty years, and founding father of the NFL, George Halas, led to the denouement and ultimate malaise of the franchise that has had but few pleasant moments since that fateful season of 1985. Michael McCaskey won awards as the President of the Bears in 1985 for what other league executives and owners termed as exemplary leadership in a defining season, but he had merely stood on the shoulders of giants to achieve those means, and instead of perpetuating the greatness that the ignited fires from the 1983 draft, the turnaround season of 1984, and so on and so forth brought to the enjoyment and pleasure of football fans everywhere, he poured water over the flame, effectively extinguishing those fires over the course of approximately fifteen years until the death knell was struck. By 2001, the Chicago Bears were one of the very worst franchises in the NFL.

During the winter of 2001, Bears owner and mother to Michael McCaskey, Virginia Halas-McCaskey, fired her son as President and CEO of the franchise. Pops Ed McCaskey only had two more years left to live, and was never a real barn-burner in the decision making processes anyway. In place of Michael McCaskey, who had served in the three-headed snake role of Chairman/CEO, President, and de facto General Manager, came Ted Phillips, an accountant who would see to the team's financial security, as President, and Jerry Angelo, a talent scout for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, as General Manager. Between 2001 and 2011, the Bears experienced an increase in winning that was only upset by the number of mediocre seasons mixed in with them. During Jerry Angelo's tenure as Bears' GM, the team won four division titles, appeared in two conference championship games, and were NFC Champions on one occasion (2006). However, Angelo could never secure a consistency with the Bears befitting of the proud heritage that comes with being a charter franchise. In 2002, 03, 04, 07, and 09, the Bears lost more games than they won. In two other seasons, 2008 and 2011, the team finish with a .500 or better record, but fell short of expectations by failing to make the playoffs. After so many seasons of missed expectations and cries for his forced departure from his post from both Bears fans and the Chicago media, it was time to cut bait. In January of 2012, George McCaskey, brother of Michael McCaskey and new Chairman/CEO of the Bears, and Phillips decided to pull the plug on the Jerry Angelo experiment. Years of frustration pending from poor draft picks and even worse free agent signings that came to a head with the disastrous finish to the Bears' 2011 season proved to be too much for Angelo to keep his job, who was perceived by many in the media and in the fan base as being arrogant and pompous.

The Bears have been coached by Lovie Smith since 2004. Smith has been the franchise's most successful coach since the days of Mike Ditka, who stormed the sidelines in Chicago from 1982 through 1992. He often gets the notoriety of being a poor coach. If records bear anything out, Smith has posted a 71-57 record over the course of his career as the team's head coach, good for a .555 winning percentage, which signifies that he has enjoyed some success. He coached the Bears to three division titles (2005, 2006, 2011), two NFC Championship Games (2006, 2011), and a berth as the NFC Champions in Super Bowl XLI (2006). He has been a positive influence on this team if for no other reasons than the following: 1) He has always gotten the most out of the talent he has had since he has coached the team, and 2) He has the respect of his players; none other than Brian Urlacher has said that he would retire if Lovie Smith were to be fired. In the regular season, Smith has an even .500 record against the Green Bay Packers, who had dominated the Bears for years while Brett Favre quarterbacked the franchise to two Super Bowls and several divsion championships from the early 1990s through the early 2000s.



In approximately a week, the world will know who George McCaskey and Ted Phillips will hire as the new general manager. The media speculates that Phil Emery, the director of college scouting for the Kansas City Chiefs, will be favored for the position due to his wealth of experience with several different franchises. While this may or may not be the wisest decision on the part of the Bears' brass, he will no doubt be an upgrade from Jerry Angelo. He has had a hand in some good draft picks, ranging from Pro Bowlers Eric Berry, Jamaal Charles, Roddy White, Justin Blalock, and even the Bears' very own Lance Briggs. While he worked for Michael McCaskey and Jerry Angelo in the past, he was part of some of McCaskey's and Angelo's better drafts, and had a positive effect on the Atlanta Falcons' picks as well. Time will tell about Emery or his competition for the job, Jason Licht of the New England Patriots, as to how they would fare as GM of the Bears. We will know more after the Super Bowl when free agency begins and on April 26, when the NFL Draft commences.


What The Bears Need to Do to Upgrade their Roster


All of the above has to do with one simple question: what do the Chicago Bears have to do to return to the summit of the NFL? The road to a championship is steep and will have many hurdles, but the cupboard is not bare. There is still plenty of talent on this team from last year that, had injuries to QB Jay Cutler and RB Matt Forte not ended their seasons, the Bears would have easily made the playoffs, and quite possibly could have advanced past the first round. The 2011 edition of the Bears was a better team than the 2010 version when all the pieces were in order. The first thing this team needs is depth, and lots of it, particularly at QB, RB, and WR. Josh McCown played admirably for Cutler, but because offensive coordinator Mike Martz, who was ceremoniously forced into resigning at season's end, insisted on using Caleb Hanie to run his complex offense, the team lost two games that a competent quarterback would have otherwise won. At least two of those losses in the final six games of the season were avoidable (Kansas City and Denver). To top that, Johnny Knox sustained a serious back injury, and it is not known whether he will ever be back to playing again.

Most definitely, the Bears need to upgrade the following positions in precisely this order: LT, WR, DE, CB, and FS/SS. There are a number of combinations that one could conjure up to use to acquire these missing pieces to the puzzle. Most likely, LT will be addressed in the first round unless new offensive coordinator Mike Tice remains adamant about sticking with the inconsistent J'Marcus Webb. One school of thought has the Bears trading up to somewhere between picks 10-13 and aiming for Stanford LT Jonathan Martin, who would bring smarts to the position; another has the Bears sticking at their present slot at number nineteen and drafting Ohio State's Mike Adams, a 6'8", 320 pound monster of a man who is turning heads at the Senior Bowl practices. DE and CB are also areas that the Bears will look to the draft for answers, as likely the first round will probably be one where the Bears draft based on best player available. That player could be Adams, or a player like Whitney Mercilus or Melvin Ingram at DE, or even a Dre' Kirkpatrick should the Bears feel brave enough to deal with his being busted for illegal marijuana possession. The Bears might look for a S in the draft; depending on where he is projected to be drafted, FS Harrison Smith out of Notre Dame might fit into the Bears plans.

The consensus for many Bears fans on how to address the problems at WR and S is to look toward free agency, but some also would like the team to look for a DE through this method as well, though that is less likely to happen than it being addressed in the draft. The field of WR's is vast and rich with talent on the free agent market, with such notable Pro Bowlers as Vincent Jackson, Dwayne Bowe, and Marques Colston; one source reported from the Senior Bowl practices stated that the Bears might be interested in acquiring the services of Stevie Jackson, who posted back-to-back 1,000 yard receiving seasons in 2010 and 2011 for the Buffalo Bills. As for a DE, Cliff Avril of the Detroit Lions comes to mind, but the Lions might be reticent to just let an end go to a division rival who put up eleven sacks in 2011 in spearheading the defense's charge toward the team's first playoff appearance in eleven years. There are sure to be safeties out on the market, and the Bears may decide to sign one via free agency so that they have a veteran as part of that group rather than having a cast of strictly young players.


Conclusion

In the 1964 Presidential Election pitting incumbent Democratic President Lyndon Johnson against the founder of the new Conservative movement in Republican challenger and former Senator from Arizona, Barry Goldwater, failed actor and former Democratic Party member Ronald Reagan stumped for his friend Goldwater. Out of this came a watershed moment in the life of Reagan, who was in need of self-reinvention. His chosen field was politics, and he delivered a speech that was broadcasted nationwide beginning on October 27 called, "A Time for Choosing." In it, he spoke with warmth and dedication to his friend Goldwater, and his most famous statement in the speech was this line: "You and I have a rendezvous with destiny." Though Goldwater went on to be defeated by Johnson in a landslide, Reagan successfully reinvented his image to the public from one of blithe and jocund actor to his being approached to run as the Republican nominee for Governor of the State of California, thus beginning a political career that would span two decades and a two-term presidency.

In a weird, roundabout way, this, too, is a time for choosing for the Chicago Bears. The franchise has the opportunity to reach out and touch its destiny. Regardless of who is picked to take the job as general manager, he will inherit a tall set of tasks in order to secure the future fortunes of the team. If the team fails to choose wisely, it could be met with devastating consequences. This piece is merely a warning, not an endorsement. The new general manager must be more proactive about securing the needs of the team than was Jerry Angelo, and he must relate to the public in a more humble fashion, as if he were a statesman addressing his constituents in a state of the union address. He must embrace the proud traditions that come with being associated with the Chicago Bears, and he must realize that above all else, winning championships and defeating the Packers are paramount to both the welfare of the franchise as well as his job security. Ted Phillips is not immune from this topic of conversation, for word has it that he is on a short leash with George McCaskey. The Bears are closer than most might realize to returning back to the playoffs and contending for a championship, but the franchise leadership must choose this course of action.

The Bears, indeed, have a rendezvous with destiny. The only question that now remains is if they are willing to choose wisely and accept greatness, or fall further into the black hole created by men who failed to represent the golden standard "Papa Bear" envisioned some ninety-two years ago. ]]> Dagan81 http://www.dabears.com/entry.php?b=61 Championships Missed: The Lost Years, Part 4 http://www.dabears.com/entry.php?b=56 Tue, 07 Jun 2011 09:24:49 GMT Championships Missed: The Lost Years, Part Four - The 1986-88 Seasons

by Jonathan Henderson, aka. "Dagan81"
30 May 2011


(The above title heading says it all. During the 1986 season, Jim McMahon was viciously taken down to the turf on his throwing shoulder by the Packers' Charles Martin, thus sustaining a season-ending shoulder separation. As a result of this blatant act of violence and hostility, Martin would be ejected from the contest and suspended for the next two games. The injury perhaps cost the Bears a chance at winning a second consecutive Super Bowl, as the defense in 1986 actually put up better numbers than did the one in 1985.)

Perhaps of all the disappointing seasons that were mentioned in the prior articles I wrote, none are more wrought with greater regret than the great Chicago teams of the mid-to-late 1980s. In this decade, America saw the reemergence of the Chicago Bears as a league powerhouse in much the same fashion as they were in the 1930s and 1940s. The Bears teams from 1963-1983 only saw three seasons in which the club managed to make the playoffs. These teams were often characterized by solid defenses, lead by the likes of Dick Butkus, Doug Atkins, Doug Buffone, Ed O'Bradovich, Ritchie Petitbon, Doug Plank, Dan Hampton, Steve McMichael, Gary Fencik, and later Mike Singletary, but lacked greatly on offense, with the only stars being Mike Ditka, Gale Sayers, and Walter Payton. The Bears traded away Atkins and Ditka after the 1966 season, while Gale Sayers suffered a career shortening knee injury in 1968 in a game against the San Francisco 49ers. Even more indicative of the Bears bad luck was losing the coin toss in the 1970 draft to the Pittsburgh Steelers for the right to pick first overall after Chicago had finished the season with a terrible 1-13 record. Had the Bears won the toss, it is very likely that they would have picked QB Terry Bradshaw with the number one overall pick out of Louisiana Tech University. However, in a big draft in 1983 that saw the Bears pick up such stalwart players as Jimbo Covert, Willie Gault, and Richard Dent, the Bears would bull rush their way back into the national spotlight. By 1984, Chicago would finish 10-6, win their first division championship in 21 years, and run all the way into the NFC Championship Game, where a more experienced San Francisco 49er team would bully the young Bears into a 23-0 defeat. The loss in the 1984's league championship game fueled Chicago's desire to be NFL Champions in 1985, as only the Miami Dolphins would get the better of these "Monsters of the Midway" on their way to triumph in Super Bowl XX. It looked like the Bears were on their way to a dynasty with such a young and talented team. They certainly had an aura of invincibility about them.

The 1986 Season

All seemed well during training camp in 1986, except that QB Jim McMahon reported to training camp at over 220 lbs as a result of excessive celebration from the Super Bowl championship. In the draft that year, the Bears made a steal with the pick of future Pro Bowl RB Neal Anderson with the final pick of the first round. He would come in handy some two years later when the great Walter Payton retired following the 1987 season.

In the 1986 opener on September 7, the Bears defeated the Cleveland Browns, 41-31, in a shootout in what was the first game in the history of the league to utilize instant replay. The initial usage went against the Bears, as Cleveland was awarded a touchdown. The following week saw former defensive coordinator Buddy Ryan bring his Philadelphia Eagles to town in an emotional game for the Bears. In what could not be expected as anything less than the norm between the once-Ryan led Bears and the current-Ryan coached Eagles, Chicago won, 13-10, in an overtime contest. Over the course of the next four weeks, the Bears bullied their opposition on their way to setting a record for fewest points in a 16 game schedule. Chicago had won their first 12 games in 1985, and had since won 12 more games without a defeat. Fans began to believe that their "beloveds" would run the table and finish the season with a perfect record. It was a false illusion, for the team lost a shocker in Minnesota, 20-7. Jim McMahon was injured again, and Steve Fuller proved to be inept at moving the team down the field.

After the Minnesota loss, McMahon was back, and wore black high-top shoes as a tribute to WR Ken Margerum, a good friend of his who had been released by the front office earlier in the week. The Bears then beat the Detroit Lions, 13-7, with another impressive defensive effort. The following week, the Bears would taste defeat again, as they would fall to the Los Angeles Rams on a late field goal, 20-17. No longer was there talk of an undefeated season, but rather now of whether or not the Bears would continue to lose more games.

After the two losses in three weeks, the Bears got back to what they had been doing best for the past two and a half seasons, and that was winning. Chicago made a trade with the Rams, sending Margerum to Los Angeles in return for QB Doug Flutie. While this proved to be controversial among the players on the team, it was hugely beneficial for the Bears, and a near-requirement with the oft-injured McMahon and Steve Fuller not being able to seriously play. On November 23rd, Green Bay rolled into the Windy City, looking for revenge after being defeated by the Bears twice in 1985. There was bad blood flowing between the two teams, which came to a head when Packers defensive lineman Charles Martin body slammed McMahon onto his throwing elbow. The injury separated McMahon's shoulder, and he would be lost for the rest of the season, along with hopes of returning to the Super Bowl.

The last four games in the regular season resulted in all Bear victories. Flutie, at 5'8" tall, was a "dwarf" by NFL QB standards, but he possessed a cannon for an arm. However, trying to teach him the ropes to the Bears' complex offense in a matter of a few weeks proved very costly, but the Bears still managed to hold on and win their remaining games, and that led them to a 14-2 mark, the number one seed out of the NFC, and a date with the conference's Wild Card team, the Washington Redskins.

The 1986 playoffs saw the Bears as heavy favorites to repeat as NFC Champions and thus make another run for the Super Bowl. However, the NFC Divisional Round versus the Washington Redskins, a team under the tutelage of coaching legend Joe Gibbs, would be where this great season's ride would end. Chicago entered the second half with a precarious 13-7 lead, but the Redskins would score 20 unanswered points, ten of which would come off Bear turnovers (the normally-reliable Walter Payton fumbled at the Washington 17 yard, which led to the Redskins scoring at touchdown on an 83 yard drive, while a muffed punt resulted in a 'Skins field goal). Washington QB Jay Schroeder shredded the Bears' blitz-happy, league-leading defense as he scrambled outside the pocket and completed passes. When the dust finally settled at Soldier Field, it saw the Redskins atop of the scoreboard by a final of 27-13. Washington would go on to play the New York Giants in the NFC Championship Game, only to lose in a defensive donnybrook. Meanwhile, the city of Chicago would take a nose dive into a feeling of depression, but most felt at that point that the dynasty would still be alive and kicking in 1987.

The 1987 Season

Entering the 1987 season, dark clouds were on the horizon. It appeared that there would be a strike, and so there would be one. In Platteville, WI, site of the Bears training camp back in '80s, the ever perpetuating question continued to pop up: would Jim McMahon play at all in 1987? The question lent itself to some serious explaining by the Chicago coaching staff, as the Bears had drafted quarterbacks in each of the previous two drafts and even took a quarterback in the first round of the 1987 draft (Jim Harbaugh). McMahon openly feuded with Ditka over this move.

The season opened with the Bears playing the defending Super Bowl champion New York Giants on Monday Night Football. Third year QB Mike Tomczak got the call to start for Chicago as McMahon and Steve Fuller were injured, Doug Flutie had been traded, and Jim Harbaugh was, in essence, sitting out his "red shirt" year in order to be groomed for the position down the line. Where some people saw doom and gloom in regard to this game, the Bears were prepared to make the best of it, and did they ever: Tomczak completed 20 of 34 passes for 292 yards, while Dennis McKinnon returned a punt 94 yards for a touchdown that led Chicago to a 31-19 victory over New York. The following week saw the Bears handle division rival Tampa Bay 20-3 before the strike would cancel all of Week 3's games, which would have seen Chicago play the Detroit Lions.

"The Strike of 1987" would drive a wedge between players as well as between those players and coaches. The league pondered what to do, and unlike the strike in 1982, there would not be half a season canceled. Replacements players, often called around the locker room in Chicago as "scabs" or "spare Bears", would take the place of the real players. Coach Ditka made his feelings about the strike known when he referenced the replacements as "real players." This phrasing did not sit well with many regulars, and would be a wound that would be difficult to heal over time.

After three games, the strike ended. The Bears' replacements finished at an admirable 2-1 record. In finishing the regular season, the Bears would stage the franchise's greatest come-from-behind victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 27-26, after training the Bucs 20-0 at the half. The following week saw just as inspiring an effort in a 26-24 win at Green Bay, which saw Jim McMahon lead the Bears down the field with less than a minute remaining. Kevin Butler sealed the game with a 55-yard field goal kick and, in perhaps the best homage he could possibly pay to Forrest Gregg after all the cheap shots the Packers took at the Bears the previous three seasons, he "flipped the bird" at him as if to say, "Adios!" (Note: As a result of another losing season, Gregg would be fired as head coach of the Green Bay Packers.) The next week, the Bears lost a heartbreaker to the Denver Broncos on Monday Night Football, followed by wins over Green Bay at home and the Minnesota Vikings on the road. At this point, the Bears were the owners of a 10-2 record with three games remaiing, but would struggle the rest of the way into the playoffs after a disastrous 41-0 shutout loss at San Francisco, in which Ditka threw his gum at a heckling fan that resulted in him being brought up on assault charges. The next week brought yet another defeat to the Bears in a 34-21 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. Mercifully, the regular season ended with the Bears defeating the Los Angeles Raiders, 6-3.

The Bears had emerged as champions of the NFC Central Division for the fourth consecutive season, but limped its way into the playoffs after struggling down the home stretch. Their opponents in the first round would be none other than their nemesis who eliminated them the season before in the Divisional Round: Joe Gibbs' Washington Redskins. Unfortunately, the game would go no better this year than the previous season. Though the Bears led 14-0 at one point, Redskins QB Doug Williams would lead his team to yet another upset of the Bears in the playoffs.on the team's way to a 21-17 win, perhaps made more painful to Bears fans by Washington CB Darrell Green's 52 yard punt return for a touchdown that sealed the Bears' fate. Williams, it should be noted, would go on to become the first black quarterback to start and win a Super Bowl.

After the fact, fans were left dumbfounded. It seemed that the great ride of 1985 was fading further and further into the background of the rear view mirror.

The 1988 Season

From 1985 to 1987, the Chicago Bears were THE TEAMto beat. In those years, the Bears were picked to win the Super Bowl, and in 1985, they did just that. However, one issue or another would pop up to thwart the Bears' quest to become champions in 1986 and 1987, most notably issues at the quarterback position, a problem that had for decades plagued the legendary franchise. But there were other worries for the Bears of '88 to deal with - the loss of four Pro Bowlers to either retirement (Walter Payton and Gary Fencik), or free agency (Wilbur Marshall and Willie Gault). In the instance of Wilbur Marshall, at the time one of the Bears' All-Pro linebackers along with Mike Singletary, the Washington Redskins, with the deep wallets of owner Jack Kent Cook, offered him a five year deal worth $6 million dollars, which the Bears refused to match. With Gault, he opted out of his contract to go play in Los Angeles with the Raiders in order to pursue an acting career. Thus, with the Bears getting compensated for the players lost with draft picks for the next few seasons (for back in the 1980s, teams were compensated with draft picks if their players were lured away via free agency), they would set off on their quest to win big in '88 on the coat tails of the previous four consecutive division titles the franchise had won. However, few pundits were giving the Bears a shot at winning the title, much less making the playoffs.

Thus, the 1988 season would kickoff against the Miami Dolphins and their All-Pro QB Dan Marino, the felons who thrashed Chicago in Week 13 of the 1985 season and dealt the team its only defeat that year. The results could not be more different, nor could the Bears have scripted a reply to all of its naysayers in a more dramatic fashion, as Chicago crushed the 'Phins beneath a 34-7 avalanche in a game that saw the Bears lead 28-7 at the half. RB Neal Anderson, now in his third season as Bears RB, answered all questions about his ability to take over for the legendary Walter Payton by rushing for 123 yards and a touchdown. The following week, the Bears beat the Indianapolis Colts, but then dropped the ball against the Minnesota Vikings in a 31-7 blowout loss, the team's worst loss at Soldier Field in 13 years, which prompted fans to believe that perhaps the preseason predictions were true, that the Bears were on their way down. Mike Ditka reverberated his thoughts on the matter to the press by stating, "There's no question, we'll be lucky to make the Wild-Card this year." This would prove to be Ditka at his best in terms of reverse psychology, for the Bears would rally and win the next five games. In the final game of that streak, the Bears hosted the San Francisco 49ers and Joe Montana at Soldier Field. The game originally did not look as if it would go according to plan, for Montana led the the 49ers on an 88 yard opening drive for a touchdown. However, the Bears would rally, and would hold San Francisco to 125 total yards for the final 3.5 quarters of the game. Final score: Bears 10, 49ers 9.

As with all good things, they usually come to an end. So they did when the Bears played the New England Patriots, who were led by former Bear, Doug Flutie. On the first play of the game, Flutie hit WR Irving Friar on an 80 yard play that spelled doom for Chicago for the rest of the game. But worse than the defeat against the Pats was Mike Ditka suffering a heart attack following the game. Vince Tobin was appointed interim coach for the next week's game, but within 11 days, "Iron Mike" was back at it again, this time mellower than what he was normally accustomed to being in overseeing a slight measure of revenge from the previous two seasons' playoff losses as the Bears defeated the Washington Redskins, 34-14, on November 13. Perhaps some of the extinguished fire in Ditka led to a malaise of sorts in the intensity of the Bears, for they finished their final five games with a 3-2 record, including a heartbreaking loss that could have been avoided versus the Minnesota Vikings in the last game of the season. In that game, instead of running out the clock with Anderson, who had rushed for 122 yards on the day, Mike Tomczak, that game's starting QB in the place of an ever-ailing Jim McMahon, threw a short screen pass that was intercepted and returned 94 yards for the game-winning touchdown by Walker Lee Ashley. Still, the Bears were division champions, and would get home field advantage throughout the playoffs.

The setting of the 1988 Divisional Playoffs, of course, would be Soldier Field, on New Years Eve of '88. The opponent? The Philadelphia Eagles, who were coached by former Bears defensive coordinator under Ditka from 1982-1985, Buddy Ryan. This was the third meeting between the two men, who openly despised each other and never minced words with regards to one another. This game would go on to be one of the most iconic games in the history of the Chicago Bears, for the game, which saw temperatures in the 30s throughout, was played through a very thick fog that would blanket the field and cause all sorts of visual difficulties throughout the game. The Bears led 17-9 at the half when the fog blew over Soldier Field, and that is when most all offense save for two field goals, one for each team, ceased. In the end, however, Chicago would prevail, 20-12, and it would be on to the NFC Championship Game for the third time in five seasons. Awaiting them were the upstart San Francisco 49ers, whom the Bears had defeated earlier in the season (See above).

The NFC Championship Game would be far more frigid than what was experienced in the Divisional Playoff game, but the visualization would be perfect. That being said, perhaps the Bears could have wished for another fog to overtake Soldier Field on this day, because their patented hardcore defense could do next to nothing to solve the 49ers offensive attack. Save for a field goal in the 2nd Quarter, the offense could generate nothing. Prior to the game, Mike Ditka opted to go with the experienced Jim McMahon as his quarterback instead of Mike Tomczak, who had won the Eagles game in the Divisional Round. That mistake proved costly, as the 49ers were the beneficiaries of one touchdown in every quarter of play and played perfect defense in routing Chicago by a score of 28-3. Once again, the Bears championship hopes were dashed by a Hall of Fame coaching legend, this time in Bill Walsh, who had gotten the best of the Bears in the 1984 NFC Championship Game. The 49ers would go on to win Super Bowl XXIII on a late touchdown from Joe Montana to Jerry Rice against the Cincinnati Bengals. Meanwhile, the Bears would fall to 6-10 in 1989 and fail to make the playoffs for the first time in seven seasons. They would win another division title in 1990, win a Wild Card playoff 16-6 over the stalwart defensive unit of the New Orleans Saints, but would be bludgeoned against the Giants in the Divisional Round. 1991 would be the last time "Da Coach" would lead the Bears to the playoffs as he would be fire the very next season.

Conclusion

The Bears are one of the most storied franchises in the history of the NFL and in North American sports, so it comes as no surprise to anyone that when their failures are brought up for discussion, they are just as epic as the franchise's triumphs. The Bears won five consecutive division titles in the 1980s, but only brought home "the bacon" once - that time being the fabled 1985 season that for those who are old enough to recall it, do so with a big smile and with visions of "The Chicago Bears Shufflin' Crew" bringing down the house, while those of us who were too young, read and hear stories about that season as if it were one of Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tales. What doomed the Bears in 1986, 1987, and 1988 was their lack of offense, which was caused by that position, that culprit, that Bears fans since the 1950s had long known about as being the downfall of their team: the quarterback position. Jim McMahon, for all of his success in 1985, could never duplicate that success in future seasons, as he battled injury after injury. The Bears tried trading for, or drafting, more quarterbacks - Doug Flutie, Mike Tomczak, and Jim Harbaugh, for example - but nothing ever stuck. The 1988 team, for example, only scored on average 19.5 points per game, which is only a little better than what the 2005 NFC North Division Championship team produced.

As I said at the beginning of the article, this stretch of seasons is probably the most difficult and frustrating to swallow for Bears fans who yearn for that elusive 10th World Championship that would put it in the company of such legendary franchises as the New York Yankees, the Boston Celtics, the Los Angeles Lakers, the St. Louis Cardinals, the Montreal Canadiens, the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Detroit Red Wings, and yes, the hated Green Bay Packers, as one of a select number of North American franchises with at least 10 league championships. The Bears came close to pulling it off one time since 1985 - in 2006, when they appeared in Super Bowl XLI - but were handily beaten by a better-prepared Indianapolis Colts team. The Bears just last season returned to the NFC Championship Game, but were defeated by arch rival Green Bay, who would go on to add to their collection of NFL titles and extending their lead over the Bears. The Bears, meanwhile, have drafted well and have a chance to win big in 2011 provided that there is a football season with the lockout in place. Until the next football season begins, Bears fans will be forced to feed off the left over energy of that shooting star that was the team and the aura of the 1985 season, as the rest of the 1980s and early 1990s failed to quench Chicago fans' thirst.

Tune in later, as I examine the 2006 team that went all the way to Super Bowl, only to fumble and stumble opportunities to cash in on the big stage. ]]> Dagan81 http://www.dabears.com/entry.php?b=56 We Should Embrace Lovie Smith, Jerry Angelo http://www.dabears.com/entry.php?b=51 Tue, 22 Feb 2011 03:14:21 GMT *We Should Embrace Lovie Smith, Jerry Angelo * Image:... We Should Embrace Lovie Smith, Jerry Angelo



(Above: Lovie Smith, head coach of the Chicago Bears; Below: Jerry Angelo, GM of the Chicago Bears)

Ever since I have been a contributing member of DaBears.com, I have noticed a growing trend in several of the members of this site. Many people who are key contributors to the forums believe that the Chicago Bears are in dire straits because of a lack of a good foundation that starts at the head coaching and general manager positions. Those positions are held by Lovie Smith, who has been the head coach since 2004, and Jerry Angelo, who has been the GM since 2001 . Coach Smith was brought here with two things in mind to achieve: to get us to a Super Bowl, and to reignite Chicago's fire in the long-running rivalry against the Packers. So far, those missions have been accomplished; in seven seasons, the Lovie Smith led Bears have been to one Super Bowl (Super Bowl XLI), and have amassed a record of 8-7 against the typically competitive Green Bay Packers, who had previously won 21 out of 24 contests during the bulk of the Brett Favre era. Yet, despite these results, and because the Bears experienced a three year period of mediocrity between the Super Bowl appearance of 2006 and this season's NFC Championship Game berth, some of the fans on this site continue to castigate and deliver harangues regarding his and, to at least an equal extent, general manager Jerry Angelo's, job performances. One poster on the site started a thread saying that he is ashamed of being a Bears fan in a knee jerk reaction to Chicago's loss to the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Championship Game. This behavior is disturbing, disgusting, and in my opinion, unforgivable.

I, for one, will never look upon this team with any degree of shame or ill-will. The Bears created a foundation upon which to build for next season's greater successes. We won the NFC North Division title, and made it back to the NFC Championship Game for the first time in four years. Could the season have gone better? There were perhaps three games in the regular season that the Bears threw away because of poor execution from the offensive line as well as poor playcalling from Mike Martz (Seattle, Washington, and Green Bay #2). If the Bears had won those games knowing about them what is known now, they would have finished with a sterling 14-2 record, and would have probably hosted the either the New York Giants or the Philadelphia Eagles in the Divisional Round. More over, the Bears would have been the #1 overall seed in the NFC, and who in the media would have dared criticize the team to the point of bordering on persecution? Sure, they would have been grilled over the losses to the Giants and the Patriots, but that is the life of the professional Monday Morning Quarterback. Still, we should remember what a ride this season was before losing all faith in the team.

What people do not realize is that in seven seasons, with less than an abundance of quality talent at the skill positions, Coach Smith has managed to guide the Bears to four winning records, three NFC North Division titles, two NFC Championship Game appearances, and a berth in Super Bowl XLI. In 2004, he inherited all the bad apples from the Dick Jauron regime and finished with a paltry 5-11 record. Out of that came a decent draft by Jerry Angelo, and the Bears finished with big seasons the next two years, though they still never had the big offenses that other successful teams in the playoffs enjoyed. In 2006, with arguably the worst starting quarterback in the league and in the history of the Super Bowl at the helm in Rex Grossman, Coach Smith led the Bears to the NFC Championship on the legs of his two stud runningbacks and the league's top defense and special teams. Though they lost in the Super Bowl, it was the most successful season the Bears had enjoyed since 1985, when the franchise won its only Super Bowl under coach Mike Ditka. With all of those things taken into consideration, we should give thanks and praise to Lovie Smith for all that we have enjoyed over the years.

Times were tough the following three seasons. Records of 7-9 (2007), 9-7 (2008), and 7-9 (2009) raised the ire of Bears fans all over the nation. Heck, even I questioned whether Lovie had lost his intensity since earning the huge pay raise in the days and weeks following Super Bowl XLI. However, one thing always redirected my mode of thinking when I thought of what Lovie Smith was as a coach: he could have Bob Babich and Ron Turner calling plays all he wanted, but the Bears defense and offense were only going to be as successful as the players' talent levels warranted. Finally, in 2009, Jerry Angelo decided to become more proactive in his dealing with the team, and he traded two years worth of 1st Round picks and QB Kyle Orton for the talented-but-raw Jay Cutler. Though Cutler struggled in his first season in Chicago, averaging an interception with every touchdown pass (26 TDs to 26 INTs), I never lost faith in the team, because I knew that he needed to get comfortable in an offensive scheme. When Angelo signed Julius Peppers, Chester Taylor, and Brandon Manumaleuna, it was a sign that the organization was committed to moving forward with building a team that would eventually compete to play in Super Bowls. When Lovie Smith and the front office conferred over the past two seasons to sign three coaches who were not only strong assistant coaches, but also were former head coaches (Rod Marinelli, Mike Martz, and Mike Tice), it was another indicator that this team did not intend to sit by idly and lose to the extent that they did from 1992-2004. All of this beared fruit in 2010; Chicago won its first division title in four years, and were a Caleb Hanie "pick-6" to B.J. Raji away from possibly winning the NFC Championship Game with a 17-14 score, should the Bears have driven the length of the field at the end of the game without faltering.

Know this: I fully expect that Jerry Angelo will make some big moves this offseason. He will get either a big 1st Round draft pick or a couple of big free agents to beef up the weak areas of this team. I fully expect that he will go after Logan Mankins and possibly even Nnamdi Asomugha if the price is well-within our range. I think he will confer more with Mike Martz, Mike Tice, and Rod Marinelli on the big positions that we need, and I think he will coordinate his efforts with Tim Ruskell on matters with the offensive line as well. Jerry Angelo and Lovie Smith are on the cusp of building some very strong teams here for the future if they maintain this kind of focus and intensity in the offseason. They cannot afford to be cheap in signing free agents when it is warranted, and they must do a better job in drafting players at skill positions on offense and defense in the higher rounds. If we do all of this, and I don't see why the precedent of being proactive will fade away from the levels we've seen over the past two offseasons this Spring and Summer, and provided that the creeks don't rise and we have a lock-out instead of business as usual, then I see no reason for us to not be back challenging the favored Packers for the division title next season.

All is not lost, people. You have to have faith in your team, else you are like the majority of University of Tennessee football fans are here in Knoxville when things are not going well: you become a fair-weathered fan. I cannot stand fair- weathered fans. Having faith in your team means having faith in Lovie Smith as your coach. He is the main reason we have won more often than not over the past six seasons. He is the tie that binds. To use a popular cliche thrown out by Baseball Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson, Coach Smith is "the straw that stirs the drink." While Jerry Angelo is in no way a perfect general manager - his track record for drafting quality talent in the first few rounds is putrid to say the least - what talent he has managed to amass in his time as the Bears' GM, especially in the lower rounds, is no doubt impressive. He has made deals the past two years that have taken the Bears light years ahead of where they were from 2007-09, when the team was aging. To doubt that Jerry Angelo does not have the team's best interests at heart is a blatant act of tomfoolery. Keep in mind that all of these teams the Bears have produced that won division and conference championships in recent years were part of Angelo's careful planning. I do not mean to echo the voice of Larry Mayer as I write this. ]]> Dagan81 http://www.dabears.com/entry.php?b=51 My Life as a Chicago Bears Fan http://www.dabears.com/entry.php?b=40 Sat, 06 Nov 2010 07:40:39 GMT I have only been a Chicago Bears fan now for about five years, four years if you count my closely keeping up with them. It seems to me that unless... I have only been a Chicago Bears fan now for about five years, four years if you count my closely keeping up with them. It seems to me that unless you have been through some really dark periods in your life, you can't appreciate what a sports team means to you. That can be stated in my case with the Bears. Let me tell you about my relationship and love affair with the franchise.

I began to "keep my eyes and ears open" to the Bears in 2005 when they made their run to a division title. I knew that the team had its struggles with the offense, but I also was aware that it had a great defense, much like this team has (only better), and that it probably was only a year away from breaking out and becoming a real force to be reckoned with in the NFL. Luckily, this was proven correct, for in the Summer of 2006, I suffered my third nervous breakdown in over a four-year span. I needed something to latch on to in the worst way, and what better timing would the Bears have of becoming a championship contender than to do so at a time I was most in need? Dad told me about knowing DE Doug Atkins as a kid growing up in Knoxville, TN, (I live in the suburb of Knoxville called Powell), and I grew even more interested in the team. I didn't have NFL Sunday Ticket, but I clearly remember watching NBC's Football Night in America on the opening Sunday night game of the year and hearing about the Bears shutting out the Packers, 26-0. That caught my attention; for I believe it was Cris Collinsworth who made the comment, "If the Bears can somehow manage to score more than 21 points a game, they will be contenders again with their defense." Using sheer logical deduction, I knew that, come hell or high water, the Bears had what it took to score that amount, and that their defense was back atop of the NFL.

The first game I watch during the season was also a Sunday Night Football match up, against the Seattle Seahawks. The Bears skewered them, 37-6, as I can recall very vividly a beautiful Rex Grossman bomb to Bernard Berrian in the end zone. I knew i was in love with the team then. They had captured my imagination, and the next morning, as I was unemployed due to losing my job when I became sick as well as not in school because of my health, I started hunting for "Bear Down, Chicago Bears." I must have listened to that song untold numbers of times over a period of weeks.

Perhaps the defining moment for me was the game at Arizona. Somehow, with the offense not clicking and Rex Grossman just being, well, GROSS, MAN, the combination of the offense and the defense produced all the scoring necessary to lead the Bears to an improbable 24-23 victory.

Another high point for me was the game at the Meadowlands against the Giants. The Bears get down 10-0 to the big blue bullies before Rex Grossman showed that he wasn't completely inept all the time. Before I know it, a 108 yard Devin Hester kick return for a touchdown put the icing on the cake in a 38-20 Bears victory. I was in absolute hog heaven, and no, not of the Washington Redskins variety.

Some low points during the regular season were the losses to Miami, New England, and the rematch with the Packers. By those games, injuries as well as inconsistencies by Rex Grossman began taking their toll. But then, just like my Bipolar Disorder tends to do, the rollercoaster continue with its wild ups and downs. The game against Minnesota was thrilling as it was won in traditional Monsters of the Midway fashion: special teams and a hard core defense. It was also the game where Tommie Harris injured his knee and was lost for the season, thus having a dramatic effect on the Bears defense. Their run defense was affected adversely, nearly costing Chicago game against St. Louis, Tampa Bay, and Detroit while losing in the process to Green Bay. Thus, the Bears stumbled and hobbled into the playoffs.

For Christmas in 2006, I asked my family to buy me a brand new official Brian Urlacher jersey. We got a sweet deal on my size 56 off of E-bay, paying only about $50 because of its large size. I was officially ready for the playoffs.

I watched every single postseason game the Bears played with great fervor. The rematch with Seattle made me nervous before hand because I knew that they would be out for blood against us, especially now that the Bears were sans three All-Pro defenders (Mike Brown, Tommie Frazier, and Nathan Vasher), yet somehow pulled it out in OT. Then there was the beautiful NFC Championship Game, where Grossman, not at his best but definitely not at his worst either, guided the Bears to a 39-14 thanks to over 200 rushing yards put up on the legs of Thomas Jones (who we should NEVER have let go) and Cedric Benson. The defense was masterful at keeping the best offense in the NFC out of the end zone, and silenced any doubt as to which team deserved to go to Miami for Super Bowl XLI.

However, my season would end in heartbreak because of Rex Grossman's fumbling, stumbling, and throwing two interceptions, one of which was returned by Bob Sanders for a touchdown that put the Colts out in front to stay; it ended in a 29-17 Colts victory. The game got off to a fast start, with Devin Hester returning the opening kick off for a touchdown, the first time that had ever happened in the history of the Super Bowl. Manning looked shaky all game, but managed to, well, "manage" the offense just enough to guide his team to victory, along with help from Rex Grossman. (Should someone have investigated Grossman for collusion with our various opponents?)

That, in a nutshell, is the story of how I became a lover of Chicago Bears football. It's a bit mushy, I know, but if you really believe that the world of sports can make a difference in the lives of people, my story is a sticking testament to that account. I will never again align myself with another NFL franchise, as I was once a Cowboys fan during the Jimmy Johnson era of the early-to-mid 1990s. The reason I lost interest in the Cowboys was because I wasn't mature enough to remain a part of their fan base despite all the hard times they have incurred since their last championship. I wanted instant gratification, wins, championships, and when I wasn't getting that anymore, I bolted. However, I have since grown up enough to see that loyalty to one's team goes deeper than simply wins and losses; it's a matter of blood. The Bears are now coursing deep through my veins, and I look forward to every Sunday that they are on. Even though they have struggled since the '06 Super Bowl season, I will always find time periodically to pop in the DVD set of The History of the Chicago Bears and watch the 1985 championship season in review. Recently, I have suffered through a severe depression, and sometimes that's the only thing that will make me "un-sad". They really are therapeutic, even for crazy folks like me! ]]> Dagan81 http://www.dabears.com/entry.php?b=40 My Life as a Chicago Bears Fan http://www.dabears.com/entry.php?b=39 Sat, 06 Nov 2010 07:40:16 GMT I have only been a Chicago Bears fan now for about five years, four years if you count my closely keeping up with them. It seems to me that unless... I have only been a Chicago Bears fan now for about five years, four years if you count my closely keeping up with them. It seems to me that unless you have been through some really dark periods in your life, you can't appreciate what a sports team means to you. That can be stated in my case with the Bears. Let me tell you about my relationship and love affair with the franchise.

I began to "keep my eyes and ears open" to the Bears in 2005 when they made their run to a division title. I knew that the team had its struggles with the offense, but I also was aware that it had a great defense, much like this team has (only better), and that it probably was only a year away from breaking out and becoming a real force to be reckoned with in the NFL. Luckily, this was proven correct, for in the Summer of 2006, I suffered my third nervous breakdown in over a four-year span. I needed something to latch on to in the worst way, and what better timing would the Bears have of becoming a championship contender than to do so at a time I was most in need? Dad told me about knowing DE Doug Atkins as a kid growing up in Knoxville, TN, (I live in the suburb of Knoxville called Powell), and I grew even more interested in the team. I didn't have NFL Sunday Ticket, but I clearly remember watching NBC's Football Night in America on the opening Sunday night game of the year and hearing about the Bears shutting out the Packers, 26-0. That caught my attention; for I believe it was Cris Collinsworth who made the comment, "If the Bears can somehow manage to score more than 21 points a game, they will be contenders again with their defense." Using sheer logical deduction, I knew that, come hell or high water, the Bears had what it took to score that amount, and that their defense was back atop of the NFL.

The first game I watch during the season was also a Sunday Night Football match up, against the Seattle Seahawks. The Bears skewered them, 37-6, as I can recall very vividly a beautiful Rex Grossman bomb to Bernard Berrian in the end zone. I knew i was in love with the team then. They had captured my imagination, and the next morning, as I was unemployed due to losing my job when I became sick as well as not in school because of my health, I started hunting for "Bear Down, Chicago Bears." I must have listened to that song untold numbers of times over a period of weeks.

Perhaps the defining moment for me was the game at Arizona. Somehow, with the offense not clicking and Rex Grossman just being, well, GROSS, MAN, the combination of the offense and the defense produced all the scoring necessary to lead the Bears to an improbable 24-23 victory.

Another high point for me was the game at the Meadowlands against the Giants. The Bears get down 10-0 to the big blue bullies before Rex Grossman showed that he wasn't completely inept all the time. Before I know it, a 108 yard Devin Hester kick return for a touchdown put the icing on the cake in a 38-20 Bears victory. I was in absolute hog heaven, and no, not of the Washington Redskins variety.

Some low points during the regular season were the losses to Miami, New England, and the rematch with the Packers. By those games, injuries as well as inconsistencies by Rex Grossman began taking their toll. But then, just like my Bipolar Disorder tends to do, the rollercoaster continue with its wild ups and downs. The game against Minnesota was thrilling as it was won in traditional Monsters of the Midway fashion: special teams and a hard core defense. It was also the game where Tommie Harris injured his knee and was lost for the season, thus having a dramatic effect on the Bears defense. Their run defense was affected adversely, nearly costing Chicago game against St. Louis, Tampa Bay, and Detroit while losing in the process to Green Bay. Thus, the Bears stumbled and hobbled into the playoffs.

For Christmas in 2006, I asked my family to buy me a brand new official Brian Urlacher jersey. We got a sweet deal on my size 56 off of E-bay, paying only about $50 because of its large size. I was officially ready for the playoffs.

I watched every single postseason game the Bears played with great fervor. The rematch with Seattle made me nervous before hand because I knew that they would be out for blood against us, especially now that the Bears were sans three All-Pro defenders (Mike Brown, Tommie Frazier, and Nathan Vasher), yet somehow pulled it out in OT. Then there was the beautiful NFC Championship Game, where Grossman, not at his best but definitely not at his worst either, guided the Bears to a 39-14 thanks to over 200 rushing yards put up on the legs of Thomas Jones (who we should NEVER have let go) and Cedric Benson. The defense was masterful at keeping the best offense in the NFC out of the end zone, and silenced any doubt as to which team deserved to go to Miami for Super Bowl XLI.

However, my season would end in heartbreak because of Rex Grossman's fumbling, stumbling, and throwing two interceptions, one of which was returned by Bob Sanders for a touchdown that put the Colts out in front to stay; it ended in a 29-17 Colts victory. The game got off to a fast start, with Devin Hester returning the opening kick off for a touchdown, the first time that had ever happened in the history of the Super Bowl. Manning looked shaky all game, but managed to, well, "manage" the offense just enough to guide his team to victory, along with help from Rex Grossman. (Should someone have investigated Grossman for collusion with our various opponents?)

That, in a nutshell, is the story of how I became a lover of Chicago Bears football. It's a bit mushy, I know, but if you really believe that the world of sports can make a difference in the lives of people, my story is a sticking testament to that account. I will never again align myself with another NFL franchise, as I was once a Cowboys fan during the Jimmy Johnson era of the early-to-mid 1990s. The reason I lost interest in the Cowboys was because I wasn't mature enough to remain a part of their fan base despite all the hard times they have incurred since their last championship. I wanted instant gratification, wins, championships, and when I wasn't getting that anymore, I bolted. However, I have since grown up enough to see that loyalty to one's team goes deeper than simply wins and losses; it's a matter of blood. The Bears are now coursing deep through my veins, and I look forward to every Sunday that they are on. Even though they have struggled since the '06 Super Bowl season, I will always find time periodically to pop in the DVD set of The History of the Chicago Bears and watch the 1985 championship season in review. Recently, I have suffered through a severe depression, and sometimes that's the only thing that will make me "un-sad". They really are therapeutic, even for crazy folks like me! ]]> Dagan81 http://www.dabears.com/entry.php?b=39