Gap Between Players and Management Effect Morale.............

**soulman** · 10-19-2011, 11:46 AM

Briggs: Bears players, management not on same page

Lance Briggs leaves the field after losing to the Lions at Ford Field. (Chris Sweda, Chicago Tribune / October 10, 2011)

Staff report 8:00 a.m. CDT, October 19, 2011

Lance Briggs did nothing Tuesday night to dispel the notion that the gap seems wider than ever between Bears players and management and team morale has suffered as a result.

Taping his CSN show "Countdown to Kickoff," two days earlier due to the Bears' London trip, Briggs suggested the unusual amount of bickering over player contracts since training camp "takes away from wanting to go out on the field and just play."

Briggs lobbied for a raise before the season, Chris Harris requested a trade after being benched and having his preseason request for a contract extension ignored and Matt Forte has been open and vocal about his desire for a new deal. Those are just the contract disputes made public.

Asked by CSN host Pat Boyle if this year was different at Halas Hall in that regard, Briggs concurred.

"I don’t know about where we are right now, in the past things worked themselves out," Briggs said. "There’s a transition going on right now in Chicago, players and management not seeing eye to eye. I don’t know where it’s going to go or pan out, especially for a guy like Matt Forte."

Forte, who makes $600,000 this season in the last year of his contract, has acknowledged that he's "human" but tries to limit distractions over not getting a contract extension. Briggs made it sound like an issue that has crept into the heads of several key Bears.

"I think it takes away from wanting to go out on the field and just play,’’ Briggs said. "Football careers are not like normal careers. Very short, could end on any given day. It's a league about what have you done for me lately. And for (players) it's about getting what you can while you can."

**soulman** · 10-19-2011, 11:58 AM

If it's creeping into Matt Forte's head I hope it stays there. It's certainly not affecting his performance of comittment to being one of the best RB in the NFL. I just hope for his sake that he doesn't get injured. He's running harder and with more power this year than I've ever seen him run before.

Lance Briggs really shouldn't be the one to be speaking out over the distractions these contract squabbles have created. The crap he pulled right before the season began was a much bigger deal than Forte's in my opinion. Forte is in the final year of a lower paying rookie deal that he has significantly outperformed. He's entitled to a lucrative extension.

Lance you're under a contract you agree to three year ago that has three more years to go. As a free agent you were able to market yourself to other teams in order to get the bext deal. You didn't get a better offer than what the Bears were willing to give and you got top dollar then in consideration of your pro-bowl level talents. You have not outperformed your contract. It's only your a$$hole agent who's trying to convince you that you have.

Now sit down, shut up, and figure out how not to let runners gore you guys for 88 yard runs and spend some time watching film to find out how you can cover TE's better.

**Bantam50** · 10-19-2011, 01:51 PM

There was a comment in a couple articles that I've read in the last week that a 'unnamed player' had approached JA about the teams lack of off-season success bringing in help for the O-line. Can't help but wonder if this is what has the players questioning what the front-office is doing. They didn't spend money to make the team better and won't spend money to resign Forte.

**Quickerthanu** · 10-19-2011, 02:34 PM

I agree 100%!!!

**claymore58** · 10-19-2011, 08:13 PM

Geez,can the Bears hire some solid football people,and close the clown show once and for all?
Quite frankly,I thought the embarrassment of being a Bears fan was over,apparently not.
They have to be the laughing stock in many front offices and lockerrooms.
JA is a tool,a dull one at that. His hires and his drafts have been mostly manure.
He's probably old enough to cash out and live very comfortably.
Lovie prides himself on his defense,I wonder what the voices in his head are saying now?

**4th and 26** · 10-19-2011, 08:15 PM

The gap between Angelo's ass and Lovies head is closing at a rapid rate.

**soulman** · 10-19-2011, 08:50 PM

Originally Posted by Bantam50

There was a comment in a couple articles that I've read in the last week that a 'unnamed player' had approached JA about the teams lack of off-season success bringing in help for the O-line. Can't help but wonder if this is what has the players questioning what the front-office is doing. They didn't spend money to make the team better and won't spend money to resign Forte.

If it's affecting us and probably every other Bears fan on the planet it's got to be affecting them too. It goes beyond just Forte, Briggs and Harris. The Harris/Meriweather thing is what causes them grief. Harris is and has been a starter, a great leader, and a 2nd team All-Pro. He makes $1.5 mil this year and we bring in Mike "so what I got fined aqain" Meriweather, pay him $3.5 mil and he gets benched 5 games into the season just like he was at NE. Remind you of the signing of Chester Taylor last year?

**soulman** · 10-19-2011, 08:53 PM

Originally Posted by 4th and 26

The gap between Angelo's ass and Lovies head is closing at a rapid rate.

Lovie likes a little foreplay before full cranial penetration though.

**Bantam50** · 10-20-2011, 09:32 AM

Here's my problem with the Chester Taylor thing. I don't think that the Bears know how to effectively use two RB's like every other team in the league does. And the issues with the OL didn't lead to sustained drives where two RB's could be rotated. And we seemed to use the smaller Chester Taylor mostly in short-yardage situations, which makes no sense. Am I saying that Chester Taylor is a great player and we should have over-paid him like we did? No. But since we did pay him I would think more of a effort would have been made to use him.

**soulman** · 10-20-2011, 09:43 AM

Originally Posted by Bantam50

Here's my problem with the Chester Taylor thing. I don't think that the Bears know how to effectively use two RB's like every other team in the league does. And the issues with the OL didn't lead to sustained drives where two RB's could be rotated. And we seemed to use the smaller Chester Taylor mostly in short-yardage situations, which makes no sense. Am I saying that Chester Taylor is a great player and we should have over-paid him like we did? No. But since we did pay him I would think more of a effort would have been made to use him.

Somewhat like this year when Matt Forte is playing so well he's tough to get off the field. Even his short yardage carries look better than they ever have before so that limits Barber's carries too. I think initially Taylor was signed as a precaution against Forte being injured again as he was during the 2009 season even though he played. When he showed no lingering signs of that injury and got his game back Taylor's opportunity to play lessened and he ended up becoming a 3rd down and short yardage back.

Unlike Barber who only outweighs Taylor by about 10lbs Taylor is not a power runner and he's ill suited to be a power back. In his prime Taylor was a good all purpose back and a good receiver so he was and ideal 3rd down back but his days were numbered when he arrived and after scoring his big contract his toughness and deisire seemed to vanish.

Despite the Oline problems I think you or I could have averaged more than 2.4 yards per carry. Hell my couch is longer than that.

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