Bears players react to firing of coach Lovie Smith

You can view the front page article by going to the homepage, or by going to http://dabears.com/content.php?142-B...vie-Smith&

It's all about "accountability" and yes, even coaches, have to be accountable for producing. Firing Lovie lets the players know that it's not about "being their buddy" but about results on the field. How can you hold the players to be accountable, if you let Lovie slide through & not being held to that same standard?

We're 3rd place in the NFC-N, again. Out of the playoffs, again. We had an epic late season collapse, again. If the Bears kept giving Lovie a free pass, and accepted his mediocrity, then the players know that mediocrity is just fine on the Chicago Bears.

Today the Bears organization sent a message - that mediocrity is not good enough. They want more. They want this to be a great franchise again, just like the one Papa Bear built.

Their reactions are understandable . Lovie is a good man . But he was also one with a flawed concept as to what truly MAKES a good all around team .

The angry reactions are understandable also .... but it's BEEN time ( for a while now ) to bring in a new boss and change a culture that had become just a little too comfortable with losing big games .

It's been said that the flip-side of anger is fear - and at it's root I think that's what we're hearing . The fear of change , of having to go thru the pain in the azz process of having to learn new schemes , of having to work a little harder again etc etc .

In the end , those who embrace it and are willing to adapt and get back to work have a shot at remaining . Those who resent it will be found out soon enough and should be sent packing .

They had their all-for-one and one for all time ( and did some great things with it ) . But that also has to be the attitude going forward - and only those who truly want to be Bears should be Bears .

What do people want the players to say, "Whew, glad he's gone! What took you so long, GM?". There's really no story concerning the player's comments, unless they came out talking about widespread discord, and problems. However, we all know Lovie was respected by the team, and should expect them to be saying the things they're saying now.

Hey, just so folks know. I am grateful for the good things Lovie Smith did for the Bears. He did a lot of good, but just couldn't get us over the last hurdle of getting Super Bowl wins in Chicago. I'm not happy he's been fired, in fact I'm sad to see him go.

But I recognize that the Bears needed to do this. I'm behind the organization 100% for doing the right thing here. I'm sad though that Lovie couldn't be the one to get us to where we ultimately needed to go. So I understand the players being upset. But in the end folks are accountable for their work product - coaches as well as players.

Player reactions?

Someone tell Urlacher that fans don't care about players or writers opinions. LOL