Thread: Do you believe in Lovie?

Originally Posted by BigBadPapaBear

I believe in Lovie's ability to get this team to play up to its full potential and to win a SB, just based on what he's done over the past 2 years. You know it took a lot of guts to reign Martz in last year and I think Lovie has improved tremendously as a coach. He isn't given the credit that he should for that 5 game win streak last year. I think in a lot of ways he's evolved as a coach like Coughlin did with the Giants.

Yes, yes, yes. Glad you brought that up. I had thoughts along those lines that I forgot to include. I see a much different guy than the on who lost the Super Bowl to the Colts. Some of the same old stubbornness is still there but I think he's holding both himself and his players and coaches to a higher standard than he has in the past.

I think that shows in the respect that team leaders like Urlacher and Cutler have for him. I obvious Urlacher would walk through a wall of fire for him and I also don't think we'll have any problems keeping Cutler around because of that as well. Cutler wanted out of Denver because he was disrespected and lied to. He knows that's not the case now and he also knows the team is listening to what he has to say and making the improvements which need to be made. Jay is an extremely loyal person and I think his personal relationships prove that in so many ways.

This is Lovies team and if they get rid of him it will be time to rebuild. They won't necessarily play as well for another coach.

Wow, a lot of love for a coach that has had this team in the playoffs once in the last 5 years and many admit that the one year that we did make it, there were several fortuitous breaks. Especially considering there is a lot of hate for the GM that oversaw the exact same record. Especially considering the HC had a lot more say in the personnel issues in the last 5 years than he had in the first 3, which is exactly what got said GM fired.

I like Lovie, I think he is a good man and a great "leader", but I'm not so sure he is a better than "average" football coach and I am not sure I fully believe he can take us all the way.

I'm also not saying there are any other available options, but as stated above, we may as well ride this thing out.

It's stepping forward and handling some communication with his players that sets Lovie apart from others at times. This was a smart move all things considered and maybe it will help to grease the skids.

Lovie Smith talked to Matt Forte


Updated: March 25, 2012, 8:11 PM ET

ESPNChicago.com


Chicago Bears coach Lovie Smith said he has spoken to Matt Forte since the running back's angry reaction to the signing of Michael Bush. While Smith didn't say the situation had been resolved, he seemed confident that it would be.

"We love him, he's going to rush for a lot of yards for us," Smith told ESPN's Rachel Nichols. "It's going to work out fine."

After the Bears signed Bush, an Oakland Raiders free agent, on Thursday, Forte took to the internet to voice his displeasure that his own contract extension hasn't been completed yet.

"There's only so many times a man that has done everything he's been asked to do can be disrespected!" read a post on Forte's Twitter account early Thursday afternoon. "Guess the GOOD GUYS do finish last ..."

He later clarified, "for the record I'm not mad at the signing of another running back. This is 4th time that's happened. I embrace competition as well as help." He added, "But as for not taking care of ur own and undervaluing a player under his market value is another story! #twitterrant"

Bush signed a four-year contract worth up to $14 million, including $7 million in guaranteed money, according to a source.

Forte recently was designated the club's franchise player as the sides continue to work on a long-term deal. The signing of Bush could be viewed as somewhat of an insurance policy for the Bears in the event Forte decides to hold out. The sides have until July 16 to come to an agreement on a multiyear extension. After that date, Forte must play under the tag, which comes with a salary of $7.74 million.

Originally Posted by 4DaBERS

Wow, a lot of love for a coach that has had this team in the playoffs once in the last 5 years and many admit that the one year that we did make it, there were several fortuitous breaks. Especially considering there is a lot of hate for the GM that oversaw the exact same record. Especially considering the HC had a lot more say in the personnel issues in the last 5 years than he had in the first 3, which is exactly what got said GM fired.

I like Lovie, I think he is a good man and a great "leader", but I'm not so sure he is a better than "average" football coach and I am not sure I fully believe he can take us all the way.

I'm also not saying there are any other available options, but as stated above, we may as well ride this thing out.

Well one question I would ask is whether or not he's actually had much better than an average team throughout most of his career here. Until Cutler came along we really didn't have a QB with the talent and composure Jay does and Orton is about in that same category. Like I told the Bronco Faithful out here when they got him is that he can win you games but he'll never take you to a SB.

I think the earmark of the Angelo/Lovie era was that the team was always left short of critical talent. Case in point. Angelo trades for Cutler but makes Devin Hester the #1 WR?????? How many more instances were there were he insisted that a certain player would make everyone around him better so I guess his assumption was we're gonna pay this guy big money and expect him to do it all which is what's happened with Cutler and Pep at any rate and was beginning to happen with Forte too only the big money hadn't gotten there yet.

As a GM Jerry Angelo played too much on hopes and dreams and used his resources poorly at times. Lovie did what he could with what he had to work with. Nowwwwwwww things are different and the gaps are being filled. For the first time in I don't know how long I'm not sitting around trying to figure out how we'll hold every team we play to 20 points or less per game. Maybe the D finally get a break because it looks like we finally got an offense by cracky.

There are coaching styles I like a lot more than Lovies but he has the respect and trust of his players and the entire organization. We could do worse is the way I see it I guess.

First of all, let me just say that I think Lovie Smith is a great human being, probably better than myself. I also believe that he is a very good leader which is why his players respect him so much. Allow me a short story to emphasize my point. I took my son to training camp a couple years back, and we stuck around to get a number of autographs (my avitar shows son with John Tait). While we were waiting for Lovie's autograph, you just got this sense about him. As a former enlisted man in the Army, I liken it to the sense that certain superior officers had. I served under some Colonel's that you could tell were A-Holes from the word "GO", but I also served under some Captains that you knew every troop under them would follow them to hell and back. Some guys have it, some guys don't. I think Lovie has that, and if that's all it takes, then we're good.

Unfortunately, whenever I share my honest opinion of Lovie, I get the same thing: "Well he hasn't had a lot to work with". First of all, I don't think that's true. While we have had QB and WR problems throughout his time here, he started out with a pretty decent O-Line (Tait, Brown, Kreutz, Garza, Miller) early in his Chicago career. He has also had one of the best LB corp's in all of football for most of his duration, and early on he had pretty good Safety's. He also had Tommie Harris to go along with Ogun (who did not pan out to be as good as thought, but was still solid). He has also had the most prolific return men in the history of the league, without whom, we probably would not have even made it to the SB in 2006. While many did not like running Thomas Jones out, that was a promise that JA made to him, and many said that Cedric Benson was Lovie's choice, not JA's. Which leads me to the next thing. If Lovie has not had much to work with, he cannot lay all that blame on JA. Especially after the 2006 season, when Lovie got his extension, he had much more clout in personnel decisions; enter FA acquisitions like Adam Archuletta and Orlando Pace. Gaines Adams was also said to be a Lovie favorite, and while no one could see the future with his untimely demise (RIP Gaines), he certainly wasn't worth a second round pick. J'Marcus Webb and Gabe Carimi were reported to be the favorites of Lovie's O-Line coach (Tice) and while I hope Carimi works out, would Angelo have pulled the trigger on another option if Tice had not Lobbied so hard for Webb? Lovie, Marinelli, Tice, and all Lovie's Coordinators before them have always been active in the scouting process, just as they are now. Everyone is spread out going to pro-days, bringing in players to Halas Hall for interviews and work-outs, Attending the Senior Bowl and Combine. Why, because they have say. Lovie Smith Has had significant say in the personnel decisions since 2006 and if you don't think so, there have been several reports in sports media over the past month that have suggested this just as I have been for the last couple of years. Furthermore, it is Lovie and his coaching staff that are responsible for evaluating their own talent at the end of the year and working with the GM to determine needs for the coming year. You know, stuff like evaluating the Offensive line to see if some of the reserves have progressed, etc. Coaches and GM's do not operate in a vacuum, and if there is one thing I could blame Angelo for, it is probably listening to Lovie TOO MUCH and not doing the job he himself was hired to do.

I had a discussion with a friend of mine not long ago who tried to make the same arguments "Lovie can't be blamed for personnel stuff, that is on JA and company" My response was that Angelo was the GM and was ultimately responsible for personnel, Lovie is the HEAD COACH, who do you thing the "and Company" is. He is also on his 4th OC, which IS his call (not a good average), and he is loyal to a fault with some of his coaching selections.

So, if you assume for a minute that Lovie has had at least 50% of the personnel say in this team since 2006, and as many have suggested, he is not the greatest as TO's (clock management), challenges, and other in-game decisions, then I'll ask, is his "leadership" enough to maintain faith in his ability?

I myself will answer that I don't know, but I just have a hard time blaming the GM for all this teams flaws over the past few years while giving the guy that is the coaching face of the franchise and the very next guy down the list from the GM in charge of the success of this team a pass. I think he's such a good guy that people just want to believe in him, and I'm not saying he should have been fired yet. I just don't think he is as great as many think. My opinion.

I believe Lovie does well in his position. With the addition of Bates I believe that might improve some of his tactical decisions (challenge flag is one) from the booth.

It's difficult to compare say if he were with another team as the dynamic is completely different. However, skill set wise if it were transferable I think he would be a slightly better than average HC.

We don't necessarily need a visionary, innovator, genius, or a brimstone and hellfire type of guy we just need one that can win and that players can play for.

And we have that.