Thread: Tim Ruskell FIRED [Emery 1-0]

Well that's not saying anything to those who understand how the game works they don't already know. It's far less expensive to build through the draft and develop your own talent than to buy it or rent it on the open market, especially with the changes in rookie contracts dictated by the new CBA.

One question on everyone's mind should be. "was the talent that bad or did the coaching staff fall down on the job developing some of these guys"? Or in other words how much of the blame goes to Angelo vs how much goes to Lovie and his crew?

I don't really have the answer to that but in my opinion neither Lovie or Jerry Angelo are very good evaluators of talent. Their habit of drafting "athletes" as opposed to good football players brought in a lot of disappointing prospects who never made an impact at all. The list is lengthy.

Originally Posted by soulman

Well that's not saying anything to those who understand how the game works they don't already know. It's far less expensive to build through the draft and develop your own talent than to buy it or rent it on the open market, especially with the changes in rookie contracts dictated by the new CBA.

One question on everyone's mind should be. "was the talent that bad or did the coaching staff fall down on the job developing some of these guys"? Or in other words how much of the blame goes to Angelo vs how much goes to Lovie and his crew?

I don't really have the answer to that but in my opinion neither Lovie or Jerry Angelo are very good evaluators of talent. Their habit of drafting "athletes" as opposed to good football players brought in a lot of disappointing prospects who never made an impact at all. The list is lengthy.

If one notices anything peculiar about the Bears's draft picks from 1998-2011, most of the good players who came along in the system through the draft did so during the time Emery was scouting in Chicago. Think about it: Olin Kreutz, Brian Urlacher, Mike Brown, Anthony Thomas, Charles Tillman, Tommie Harris, Lance Briggs, Nathan Vasher, etc. All of those players came along before or in the first year of the Lovie Smith era of football with the Bears. I think you're right about Lovie's lack of ability in judging talented players, soul. Outside of 2008 and 2011, the 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, and 2010 drafts were all kind of mediocre. I don't know if it was all on Angelo or what, but Lovie has to throw in a mea culpa there someplace since when he took over as coach, even the defensive talent dropped off in the draft.

Bears Tim Ruskell Out Before Bears Even Introduce Phil Emery

Chicago will reorganize front office under new GM Brad Biggs
Print This January 30, 2012, 02:48 PM EST
1 Comment




The Chicago Bears didn’t get around to introducing Phil Emery as their new general manager Monday afternoon before his first move was clear.


Tim Ruskell is out. The club’s director of player personnel, who was one of five candidates interviewed to replace Jerry Angelo, has left the organization. The Bears classified it as a “mutual decision,” but Ruskell had one year remaining on his contract and it’s unlikely he would just walk away from a pay check for more than 12 months. Emery is expected to hire two men to replace Ruskell – a director of college scouting and a director of pro personnel. Ruskell, the former Seattle Seahawks general manager, came on board two years ago when Angelo reshuffled the deck.


The departure of Ruskell should dispel the notion Emery might consider a good ol’ boy network. That is because when Emery was hired as the director of college scouting for the Atlanta Falcons in 2004, Ruskell was the man who hired him.


Follow me on Twitter: @BradBiggs
Brad Biggs covers the Bears for the Chicago Tribune

Originally Posted by soulman

Bears Tim Ruskell Out Before Bears Even Introduce Phil Emery

Chicago will reorganize front office under new GM Brad Biggs
Print This January 30, 2012, 02:48 PM EST
1 Comment




The Chicago Bears didn’t get around to introducing Phil Emery as their new general manager Monday afternoon before his first move was clear.


Tim Ruskell is out. The club’s director of player personnel, who was one of five candidates interviewed to replace Jerry Angelo, has left the organization. The Bears classified it as a “mutual decision,” but Ruskell had one year remaining on his contract and it’s unlikely he would just walk away from a pay check for more than 12 months. Emery is expected to hire two men to replace Ruskell – a director of college scouting and a director of pro personnel. Ruskell, the former Seattle Seahawks general manager, came on board two years ago when Angelo reshuffled the deck.


The departure of Ruskell should dispel the notion Emery might consider a good ol’ boy network. That is because when Emery was hired as the director of college scouting for the Atlanta Falcons in 2004, Ruskell was the man who hired him.


Follow me on Twitter: @BradBiggs
Brad Biggs covers the Bears for the Chicago Tribune

This is old, but so very sweet, news. I could relive this over and over for days. Weeks even.

I have always believed and continue to believe that Lovie and his coaching staff has had far too much say in personnel decisions since the Superbowl year, and they gave themselves far too much credit to think that they were all good enough to mold good players out of great athletes with mediocre talent. That is partly on Jerry Angelo for allowing more say from the coaches and not recognizing their limitations, but it also shows that Lovie and Co. are inadequate in evaluating the talent of their own players and themselves. Prior to the Superbowl, Angelo had assembled a relatively good offensive line (John Tait, Reuben Brown, Olin Kreutz, Roberto Garz and Fred Miller). A group that was far from great, but very respectable. Angelo found all those guys except for Kreutz. Once we made it to the Superbowl and Lovie received his first extension (and arguably more say in personnel), the O-Line began to fall into disarray as did other parts of the team.

I have never been one to point the finger at one or the other, as none of these guys work in a vaccuum. They evaluate and consult together and arrive at a concensus. As a result, I think its disingenuous to look at the personnel decisions since 2006, put the blame of our failures on a lack of talent, and excuse the head coach for the result. Jerry and Lovie should share all the credit that was due and all the blame as well. I hope that when Mr. Emery talks of giving Lovie great say in the war room, that he is doing so as a diplomat and remains cognizant of what happened to Angelo. While we do not know the whole story of what has been happening at Halas Hall over the past few years, I'm sure Phil Emery has a pretty good idea.

With that said, I think Lovie is an outstanding person and at least an average to slightly above average coach. I just think he should be a bit more limited in personnel choices.