Thread: A Reminder For Those Of Us Who Think We Know More Than Emery.............

Originally Posted by soulman

Some writers think they know more about prospects than GM's

Is Kalil or Claiborne the better choice for Minnesota? Greg Gabriel

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Print This March 20, 2012, 01:30 PM EST





While scanning the Internet early today I came across a story in the St. Paul Pioneer-Press by Bob Sansavere telling a story about how Vikings GM Rick Spielman got a little upset with him because he wrote that Spielman would need a CAT Scan if he passed on USC tackle Matt Kalil. The question I have is when did Sansavere become a scout?


Just because he has read that most of the draftniks feel that Kalil should be the third pick in the draft doesn’t mean that they’re right. Draftniks don’t get paid to make choices in the draft. They have an opinion and write it but like I have said many times, their opinions aren’t always theirs. They are not professional scouts nor do they have the qualifications to be one. If any of these guys had to make a real choice and were held accountable for that choice they would be vomiting in an instant. They couldn’t stand up to the pressure.


I feel the same way towards newspaper writers who write opinions about something they know nothing about. How does Sansavere know that Kalil is the 3rd best player in the draft? He doesn’t, and I’m sure that he hasn’t watched five minutes of tape. I like Kalil and think he will be a good pro, but I’m not sold that he is even the best tackle in this darft let alone the third best player. In the tapes I have watched I like the physical way he plays the game, but he is also a straight-legged player who has trouble with wide speed and counter moves. He’s a tough kid, but he sure as hell isn’t going to be in the Pro Bowl any time soon.


When Spielman seemed to suggest that LSU corner Mo Claiborne may be a better choice, Sansavere got all worked up. How could Spielman think that way? Does Sansavere know what division the Vikings play in? In the NFC North, Green Bay's passing offense is a machine, Detroit has Megatron and Chicago just got Brandon Marshall. The Vikings better have some people who can cover.


I don’t have a clue who Spielman wants to take and frankly it’s none of my business. I have known Rick since he came into scouting and he is very capable. He will do what he feels is right for the Vikings. If that means taking Kalil he will. If it means passing on Kalil and taking Claiborne he will do that. It might mean he tries to trade down and get some extra picks. Whatever it is, he will be doing what he thinks is best. What he doesn’t need to hear is some writer who knows nothing about scouting telling him he needs a brain scan if he doesn’t take the guy the writer suggests.

The ones who need the brain scan are the media writers / talking heads. They put out spew just to sell advertising or get ratings. Nothing more. Very few are qualified to even put pen to paper in the first place.

I posted this primarily to remind myself that I'm not Phil Emery and no one at Halas Hall is depending on me to do his job for him even though I may see it that way from time to time. In fact Phil hasn't called me even once in this last week to get my opinion on one damn thing even though I've offered him unsolicited advice almost daily. Thank God Greg Gabriel doesn't follow my posts here or it might have been me he'd be writing about, LOL.

Everyday I have ideas of what the Bears should be doing and often express my unhappiness or impatience with what's been done. I freely admit my feelings that we lost out on a almost sure Super Bowl win in 2013 by not signing MWill even though competing with Buffalo's offer may have thrown our salary structure completely out of whack. I still don't think it was a bad idea but maybe not as crucial a move as I made it out to be.

I looked over a few more articles from others who looked at what he's accomplished so far but without my usual bias and I guess it doesn't look so bad after all. The main reason we missed out on a playoff spot last year had far more to do with the lack of a competent backup QB than it had to do with who was playing LDE. Emery made is a point not to make the same mistake that got his predecessor fired. In fact, for good measure, he even made it a point twice so I guess if we fail to make it to the playoffs this year at least that won't be the reason why.

Brandon Marshall wasn't a FA but getting him has to rank as the biggest difference maker we acquired on offense since we traded for Cutler and it leaves me wondering now why we didn't just give Denver those two 2nds Miami did and we could have had him two years sooner. So now Jay is happy and that's a very good thing for all of us.

We've lost three of our top ST coverage guys from last year, Iwuh, Graham, and Bowman and our KR may not be able to even play WR again let alone risk himself on KR so Emery went out and got two of the best ST guys he could find. Given his annual success at fielding top coverage team I guess Dave Toub deserved some attention there and it's not as if we spent a fortune on either. Adam Podlesh, our punter, makes more than both Weems and Costanzo do.

We resigned every key FA of our own so far except Okoye and there's been nothing written about his visiting or getting multiple offers from other teams so I guess we're still in the picture there. It would be nice to get the Forte deal done but since none of us have the foggiest idea of what the holdup is there I guess we'll just have to ride it out. They say they want him signed long term so I guess until something indicates otherwise we'll just have to wait it out.

I guess the one article that hit home more than anything was the one that talked about how those that move farthest fastest when FA begins always pay "retail price" for their acquisitions. It doesn't take much to look over some of the deals that were handed out to #2 and #3 WR's to see the truth in that and $100 mil contracts for DE's don't come around very year either. We were up against some pretty deep pockets so maybe it's just as well we conserved a bit for the second wave of signings. I don't think we're done yet.

I have my ideas on what we should do with our first two or three draft picks but not so much the who's. It's fun to speculate and debate but when it comes right down to it I do trust Phil Emery with his hand on the throttle far more than I ended up doing with Jerry Angelo. I won't stop lobbying for my picks but I'm also not going to be unhappy or ultra critical of who we do take. I know we'll come away from this off-season with a better team than we had going into it. But if Phil does want my input I'm only a phone call away.

Soul, you are right of course, but those at Halas Hall should also keep in mind that we, as fans and consumers of their product have the right to express our opinions as well. Actually, I will echo some of the sentiments in here regarding sports writers as I think their egos are almost as big (if not bigger in some cases) as the athletes they cover. I'm all for giving Emery his opportunity to prove himself, but that doesn't mean I wont share my opinions. Personally, I don't think we can judge Emery yet and I remain concerned that Lovie is still calling the majority of the shots when it comes to personnel. If Lovie has as much say in personnel as I happen to believe he did/does, Mr. Emery would be well served to keep in mind where that got his predecessor. It's never a good idea to cede authority to another, when the results of that authority can get you canned. It's one thing to delegate, but it's another to allow someone else to do your job when that is your most critical responsibility.

Aren't honeymoons grand...none of us knew more than JA...just sayin'...

Originally Posted by 4DaBERS

Soul, you are right of course, but those at Halas Hall should also keep in mind that we, as fans and consumers of their product have the right to express our opinions as well. Actually, I will echo some of the sentiments in here regarding sports writers as I think their egos are almost as big (if not bigger in some cases) as the athletes they cover. I'm all for giving Emery his opportunity to prove himself, but that doesn't mean I wont share my opinions. Personally, I don't think we can judge Emery yet and I remain concerned that Lovie is still calling the majority of the shots when it comes to personnel. If Lovie has as much say in personnel as I happen to believe he did/does, Mr. Emery would be well served to keep in mind where that got his predecessor. It's never a good idea to cede authority to another, when the results of that authority can get you canned. It's one thing to delegate, but it's another to allow someone else to do your job when that is your most critical responsibility.

While we can't judge him on a large body of work yet I think Emery has taken the bull by the horns with his off season moves so far and while he has input from the staff I don't believe for a minute that Lovie is running the show in any way regarding personnel.

I'm was kinda laughing at myself more than anyone else as I wrote this. It seems to me I may have been a bit over opinionated about certain things but that's just me looking at myself in the mirror. Not anyone else. In other cases just wear the shoe if and where it fits.

I think what struck me most was the article I read that talked about how many teams overpay for talent that first day or two and I could see exactly what he was saying by looking at the $40 mil deals being handed out to #2 and sometimes #3 WR's. That's about what the Vikes gave BB a few years back to pry him away from us even though we only offered him about $25 mil. How that work out for you Ziggy?

All I was getting at it that we don't know the overall plan and until we let it play out and step from it to view it at a distance when all is said and done our biases will usually influence our opinions to a great extent. All I did was step away from my own opinions for a minute to look at it the way a non Bears fan might and ask the question has he improved this team?

It's not that more isn't needed but if it all ended today I think we'd still have to say that the Bears are in better shape now than they were at the beginning of last season and before Cutler went down we were a playoff caliber team and we still are. Just a little higher caliber now than before. JMHO.

Originally Posted by omc1969

While we can't judge him on a large body of work yet I think Emery has taken the bull by the horns with his off season moves so far and while he has input from the staff I don't believe for a minute that Lovie is running the show in any way regarding personnel.

I'm not convinced of that in any way, but I guess we can only go by what we all "hear" from the "insiders".

Originally Posted by soulman

I'm was kinda laughing at myself more than anyone else as I wrote this. It seems to me I may have been a bit over opinionated about certain things but that's just me looking at myself in the mirror. Not anyone else. In other cases just wear the shoe if and where it fits.

I think what struck me most was the article I read that talked about how many teams overpay for talent that first day or two and I could see exactly what he was saying by looking at the $40 mil deals being handed out to #2 and sometimes #3 WR's. That's about what the Vikes gave BB a few years back to pry him away from us even though we only offered him about $25 mil. How that work out for you Ziggy?

All I was getting at it that we don't know the overall plan and until we let it play out and step from it to view it at a distance when all is said and done our biases will usually influence our opinions to a great extent. All I did was step away from my own opinions for a minute to look at it the way a non Bears fan might and ask the question has he improved this team?

It's not that more isn't needed but if it all ended today I think we'd still have to say that the Bears are in better shape now than they were at the beginning of last season and before Cutler went down we were a playoff caliber team and we still are. Just a little higher caliber now than before. JMHO.

Sounds reasonable. I certainly have to look in the mirror occasionally too. Hopefully your mirror has a better view than mine.

Originally Posted by 4DaBERS

Sounds reasonable. I certainly have to look in the mirror occasionally too. Hopefully your mirror has a better view than mine.

I don't know about that. The one in mine needs less grey hair, more of it in front, and to either lose about 15lbs or grow 2" taller.