Family night cancellation couldn’t be avoided
Family night cancellation couldn’t be avoided
By Steve Soucie, on August 6th, 2011
It took all of about two seconds for Chicago Bears coach Lovie Smith to express regret in regards to the cancellation of Family Night at Soldier Field on Friday night.
“We feel terrible about having to cancel our fan night down at Soldier Field,” Smith said. “It’s a special night for our fans, but for our players too to play on our home turf. It’s always a good break from camp.”
But practice was simply not an option at Soldier Field, where the playing surface was damaged to the point where player injuries might have been a possibility.
“The field was just not in the condition where I could allow the team to go out and practice,” Smith said. “Everything we are doing is to get ready for the Falcons (the regular season opener) and we feel like we couldn’t do that.”
Instead, the Bears returned to Olivet Nazarene where the team conducted a closed practice that wrapped up around 11 p.m.
“We had to leave as soon as we possibly could because we had to get a practice in,” Smith said.
Many wondered if the natural grass surface would be up to standards for next Saturday’s preseason opener against the Buffalo Bills, but Smith was certain the playing surface would not be an issue come next week.
“I’m sure it will be ready for the next time,” Smith said. “Over the course of the season, we are going to play on natural surfaces and we’re going to play on artificial surfaces too. I’m sure the turf will be in great shape and the guys won’t be able to tell if its natural or artificial.”
The Smurfs
Veteran wide receiver Roy Williams is trying to inject a few smiles amongst his fellow receivers.
“I’m also trying to loosen these guys up are really uptight. They don’t talk,” Williams said. “Sam (Hurd) and I have come in here and let them know that this game is fun and try to put some smiles on their faces while you’re playing.”
Williams, the elder statesman of a very young receiving group, welcomes serving up advice and information about a complicated offense engineered by offensive coordinator Mike Martz. But admits that the team has a long way to go to catch up with all of the complexities of a Martz offense.
“We’re not even close,” Williams said. ““This man (Martz), I think he just makes up stuff. But he knows what he’s doing. He’s big on details that’s what a lot of people don’t understand.”
At 6-foot-3, Williams is easily the tallest of the receivers expected to make the roster, but he bristles at the notion that the team definitely needed a big target for the unit.
“This team did a great job, with what I call them The Smurfs out there,” Williams said. “They didn’t have to have a big guy out there to get the ball and they still made it to the NFC Championship.”
One of those “Smurfs” Johnny Knox, sat out his second consecutive practice with what he termed a minor back ailment.
“It is nothing major, little bumps and bruises,” Knox said. “I just can’t wait to get back out here with the guys. The preseason counts. But I’d rather wait until the regular season to really go.”
Knox has added some bulk to his frame and is adjusting to the different feel it has led to. He does not feel the decision to add the bulk and strength will slow him down however.
“My legs are still going to be able to run,” Knox said. “I played in college at about 190, but my goal was to get bigger. Catching a 5 yard pass and breaking it for a longer one, that’s pretty much why I tried to get a little bit stronger.”
Quick hits
Offensive coordinator Mike Martz was absent from Saturday’s practice as he was attending the Hall of Fame induction of one of his all-time best pupils, running back Marshall Faulk….Defensive tackle Marcus Harrison was finally in uniform and expressed disappointment that he was unable to get on the field until this somewhat late date: “I was disappointed, I worked out real hard, but not as hard as I guess I was expected.” Harrison has fallen well behind Henry Melton in the race for playing time at defensive tackle and has to deal with newcomers Amobi Okoye and Vernon Gholston biting into even more potential repetitions……Former Bears quarterback Jim Miller (1998-2002) was on the premises during work on his Sirius Network NFL show and United States Congressman Adam Kinzinger also took in the festivities at Bears camp.
