Thread: NFL.com: "Lovie Smith needs to win now in Chicago"

Originally Posted by 4DaBERS

I respect your opinion here 99, but at what point WOULD you make a change? Of course the change will set you back some, but if we were to miss the playoffs yet again, that would make him 1 for 6 over the last six years. I personally don't accept that from a coach that has supposedly "gotten better" over the last few years. While he has been getting better, his record is getting worse. He actually did better in his first few years. Of course, that corresponds directly to the period where the NFCN was one of the weakest Divisions in football. Now that our Division has improved, we can't seem to keep up. And I wont go into the whole "Lovie hasn't had much to work with" blame on Angelo because Lovie has been a part of that. My opinion is, he is not a bad coach at all, but he's not great. I don't even consider him much above average. I think he's a good leader, but he's teflon. For all the bad things that have happened during his tenure, when has he ever been blamed? It's always either those above him or those below him, but everyone gives him a pass. I have never been able to understand how the Head Coach gets away with that. In most other cities, it's the head coach who gets the blame or credit; in Chicago, he gets the credit for good things, but none of the blame for the bad.

Those are all good points. I'm probably an overly positive person, always hoping for the best. That's why I'm hoping that Lovie has evolved and learned enough that he now is a solid coach for us. I don't blame everything on him or for that matter on Jerry Angelo. I'm just hoping with Emery being a better talent evaluator, and Lovie (hopefully) being a better head coach now, that we can do some serious winning over the next few years - including a Super Bowl win. We are now in a powerful division. Lovie is going to have to coach his tail off to have success now that the NFC-N has great talent.

Like a lot of Bears fans, I come from a family that has been backing Chicago for generations. Forever it seems. I don't claim to know squat, but I do know it's been sickening to have to go through coaching changes. Other than Ditka and Halas, they've been crap for the most part. I've been a fan for a bit over 50 years now, and there have been horrific seasons at times. Seasons that make Lovie's tenure seem pretty good (some years 8-8 would have seemed like heaven).

That doesn't mean Lovie is "The Guy" moving forward. If he struggles now, then yes, replace him. I have no problem with that. But wouldn't it be nice if he could be the guy that finally gets us a Super Bowl win THIS year or even next?

Originally Posted by short faced bear

I believe Lovie has a two year window to produce period. A non-winning record this year would make him ripe for being sacked the following year. If Emery does replace him I would like to see Toub get a interview for HC. Lovie has had a decent run, it's not like he wasn't given time or tools to produce.

I'm thinking more along these lines too shorty. Unless this team really falls flat on it's face, and I don't see that happening, I think they'd give him and his staff the last year of their contracts to get it worked out. Those deal are guaranteed and it's not like Ted Phillips to throw that much money away. They'd be paying out more than $10 mil in 2013 salaries to a coaching staff that no longer existed.

I agree with BossK too. I don't see the Bear as having the 3rd best personnel in the NFCN. Not when you take into consideration our ST's and the offensive additions that were made. Everybody wants to score us lower because of the Oline but the forget that they got us to the NFCC game two years ago and we'd have surely made the playoffs again last year if Cutler hadn't gone down.

I don't see how anyone can blame Lovie for that. For that you need to look to Martz whose job is was to make certain he had a backup QB prepared or to JA whose job it was to make certain Martz was doing his job and that he was correct in his assessment of Hanie. I'll lay most of that blame at Martz feet because if he would have altered his game plans to accommodate Hanie we may still have won at least two of those games we lost. One we lost came from freak fumble in overtime. And there were other errors made that weren't exactly Hanie's fault either but that's yesterdays news.

I also don't buy off on the fact the the Bears defense is overrated. One of our biggest problems has been the lack of stability at Safety which is a pretty important position in Lovies defense and the lack of a great pas rush. There too many draft picks were wasted on guy who never played a down of football during the regular season.

I'd say 90% of the tools are in place now so I think this is a playoff caliber team that may surprise beyond that. We were ranked as the 5th best team in the NFL when Cutler went down but now after all the additions we're only 3rd in our own conference? Sorry but I don't buy his opinion.

Originally Posted by soulman

We were ranked as the 5th best team in the NFL when Cutler went down but now after all the additions we're only 3rd in our own conference? Sorry but I don't buy his opinion.

I hope we come right out of the gate this season absolutely crushing teams. We have a tough schedule, and it sure would be great to see this offense come out with all weapons blazing away. In 1985 the sports media dissed us in the beginning, like the Bears were just a fluke and would soon fold and become a joke again. When we crushed "America's Team" 44-0 the sports media began jumping on the bandwagon like their lives depended on it.

There are a lot of vets on this team hungry for a ring. There won't ever be a better opportunity than these next two years to do it. Most of the offensive deficiencies have been repaired and the defense has add some youth at some key spots so all we need to do is keep the "big dogs" healthy and the defense should do fine. Especially if they don't have to spend as much time on the field as they usually do.

I think the stuff is there and this is by far the most talented and experienced team Lovie has had in his entire tenure as HC. If he can't win and win big with this group during the next two seasons then a change needs to be made.

Originally Posted by motownbear

there are allot of players on defense with short term contracts that coincide with lovie window. So whether he is successful post JA or not we are set up to retain Lovie's guys or open now to go in a different direction with another coach if need be

That's a great observation. I've noticed the short term contracts but never thought about why they were doing them. Half the reason is probably to see if they are worth keeping, but you could be right about them not wanting to saddle a new coach with players not fitting a new scheme.

It just looks like they have a "win now" attitude with the team, and I like that.

Originally Posted by motownbear

there are allot of players on defense with short term contracts that coincide with lovie window. So whether he is successful post JA or not we are set up to retain Lovie's guys or open now to go in a different direction with another coach if need be

There has to be some focus on getting younger on the defense. We added youth at DE, LB, and SS but we still need somebody to understudy Urlacher and Briggs. Sure would be nice if that Oline turns itself around and we don't need to draft too heavily for that.

If CWill can capture LT and turn Webb into the swing tackle we'll be in pretty good shape on the outside but that's a big if. OG's and OC's we can get past the first round but it's unlikely we'll get top LB talent outside the first or early second.

This is also about Lovie's tenure:

LINK to the article
Chicago Bears' Lovie Smith on the Hot Seat Again: Fan's Opinion

By Brian Davis | Yahoo! Contributor Network – 4 hours ago




"With great power comes great responsibility."



Whether you attribute that quote to comic book mastermind Stan Lee, or the French philosopher Voltaire, it is a perfect quote for what Lovie Smith is going to be dealing with in Chicago this season.



Lovie Smith has been coach of the Chicago Bears for eight years already. And despite some pretty decent success from the soft-spoken, class act coach, the man is perpetually on the "hot seat." It seems that every season Smith is in a "win or bust" position regardless of what transpired the year before, and what personnel is on the field. Despite some ups and downs, I've come to the decision (like it matters) that Lovie Smith is a pretty darn good football coach. Generally, I think his record speaks for itself -- 71-57, two NFC Championship appearances, one Super Bowl appearance, three division titles. Unfortunately for Lovie Smith, this upcoming season is going to be the hottest of hot seats.


While the Bears are poised to have a successful campaign next season, the expectations of winning are a double-edged sword for a coaching staff. The Bears unquestionably have more talent than I've seen them possess in what seems like forever, but it also means that they are going to be expected to perform to that talent level. If they don't, general manager Phil Emery might continue putting his stamp on the organization via the coaching staff --about the only area of the team that he hasn't done so yet.



It's really too bad it has to be like that, but to lament that reality is like complaining that the field is 100 yards --it's just how it is. I don't know if Smith is all the way to a "Super-Bowl-Or-Bust" position yet, but if the Bears don't find their way into the playoffs and have at least some success while there, Smith's time in Chicago could be limited. I hope not, but it's a possibility.

I wonder if Voltaire would have been a good football coach?



Brian is a lifelong Chicago Bears fan, having lived in Illinois his entire life and having followed the NFL throughout.