Originally Posted by
purplejokr
I am not here to defend Mike Tice.
However, does anyone else find it peculiar that he was a FINE O-Line coach UNTIL he arrived in Chicago?
A head coach he is not.
An offensive coordinator he is not.
His record as an O-Line coach BEFORE he was hired in Chicago is very good. From 1997-2001, the Viking offense under Brian Billick, Ray Sherman, & Sherman Lewis was solid and in some cases, AMAZING. This is a list of the major contributors of the O-Line players in order of the round they were selected...
Round 1:
Todd Steussie - No. 19 - Drafted by Minnesota in 1994
Randall McDaniel - No. 19 - Drafted by Minnesota in 1988
Korey Stringer - No. 24 - Drafted by Minnesota in 1995
Round 4:
Jeff Christy - No. 91 - Signed as a FA by Minnesota in 1993
Round 5:
Brad Badger - No. 162 - Signed as a FA by Minnesota in 2000
Round 6:
Corbin Lacina - No. 167 - Signed as a FA by Minnesota in 1999
Matt Birk - No. 173 - Drafted by Minnesota in 1998
Round 7:
Chris Liwienski - No. 207 - Signed as a FA by Minnesota in 1999
Round 9:
David Dixon - No. 232 - Signed as a FA by Minnesota in 1994
Someone draft a list of the Bears' 1st round picks and find 3 great offensive linemen. Once you've done that find me some time along the Bears' draft history where they drafted two O-Linemen in consecutive years like Steussie and Stringer. Outside of the three 1st rounders the majority of those guys were drafted in later rounds by other teams. So, that would indicate that Mike Tice CAN coach offensive linemen.For some reason, many of you have these great expectations from this team because there are a handful of very good skill players on the offense like Cutler, Forte, & Marshall. Even with all of the talent that those three possess their destinies are tied to the five guys up front. The five guys up front just aren't that good. Ultimately, if you don't commit to improving a part of your team with talented players that part of your team will suffer.
Please spare me from the talk about if Tice said he could win with those five guys that they should be better. Had he said anything else, most of you would've bashed Tice for diminishing the very guys he was supposed to coach up! There is not one of us that views Bears practice consistently, works in the Bears front office, or knows 10% as much about football as Mike Tice does. From our standpoint, there is just no way to KNOW why each decision was made by anyone on the coaching staff. Maybe Tice did voice concern about his line but was told that he would make it work. Maybe Tice ranted and raved up and down Halas Hall that he could make that line work. We will NEVER KNOW.
A chef is only as good as his ingredients.