Bears Fans: Lovie Smith

**cycloneworld** · 12-31-2012, 08:38 AM

Posted this in the coaching black monday thread but thought it deserves its own. Do you think Lovie Smith should return? I'm really torn. At a minimum, he better get rid of Tice. And if he is not willing to do that, he should be fired. Lovie has NEVER had a top 15 (ie. average or above average) offense in his tenure.

Also, he's now missed the playoffs in 5 of the last 6 seasons.

But he has the defense rolling and he did win 10 games this year. Really tough decision at Halas Hall today.

**gocubs2118** · 12-31-2012, 08:41 AM

Not a tough decision for me. See ya. I'm tired of him putting inept offenses on the field. He's only had one offense ranked higher than 20th during his tenure here. His defenses are great but how far has that gotten him? You need to be able to put points on the board in today's NFL and relying on your defense to do it isn't a recipe for success.

The Bears need to bring in an offensive mind as their new HC.

**chuckd4735** · 12-31-2012, 08:43 AM

I blame Angelo for a lot of the Bears problems, and I kind of want to see how Lovie does with Emery for a few years, but at the same time, I'm nervous it will be more of the same thing.

**CLONECONES** · 12-31-2012, 08:44 AM

I don't think the offense is 100% his fault, but there were so many times this season of general football ineptitude... like multiple timeouts within seconds of eachother. Things like that are ridiculous

**ISUFan22** · 12-31-2012, 08:47 AM

With some of the guys available - I think the coaching position in Chicago can be upgraded. Lovie has done a great job of improving the Bears organization - yet just like DMac at ISU - IMO, his ceiling has been reached.

Like in Dallas, unless the Bears start winning in the trenches - they'll continue to struggle.

**cycloneworld** · 12-31-2012, 08:47 AM

Originally Posted by gocubs2118

Not a tough decision for me. See ya. I'm tired of him putting inept offenses on the field. He's only had one offense ranked higher than 20th during his tenure here. His defenses are great but how far has that gotten him? You need to be able to put points on the board in today's NFL and relying on your defense to do it isn't a recipe for success.

The Bears need to bring in an offensive mind as their new HC.

Couldn't disagree more. Why change your identity when you have the best defense in the league? They need to work on getting younger but why change?

Put a slightly above average offense on the field and you are competing for division, conference, and the Super Bowl titles IMO. Follow the Steelers model.

As chuck said, I'd lean towards keeping him to see what he can do with Emery. With a new offensive coordinator.

**ISUCyclone06** · 12-31-2012, 08:49 AM

You don't fire someone after a 10 win season, doesn't matter if they made the playoffs or not.

**gocubs2118** · 12-31-2012, 08:52 AM

Originally Posted by cycloneworld

Couldn't disagree more. Why change your identity when you have the best defense in the league? They need to work on getting younger but why change?

Put a slightly above average offense on the field and you are competing for division, conference, and the Super Bowl titles IMO. Follow the Steelers model.

As chuck said, I'd lean towards keeping him to see what he can do with Emery. With a new offensive coordinator.

And you have faith that Lovie can put in the right system? Come on. He's failed in every coordinator hiring he's ever made. And he's most likely going to fire Tice if he keeps his job, making him 0-4 in hiring coordinators.

Sorry, but Lovie doesn't get another chance to fail again. I've seen enough of that.

**cycloneworld** · 12-31-2012, 08:55 AM

Originally Posted by gocubs2118

And you have faith that Lovie can put in the right system? Come on. He's failed in every coordinator hiring he's ever made. And he's most likely going to fire Tice if he keeps his job, making him 0-4 in hiring coordinators.

Sorry, but Lovie doesn't get another chance to fail again. I've seen enough of that.

I'd argue that Martz would have put this offense in the Top 15 this year. Cutler was throwing to Johnny Knox and Earl Bennett as his #1 receivers last year. The offensive talent is there (obviously need to address the o-line) with the Marshall addition and Jeffery starting to get comfortable.

**cybsball20** · 12-31-2012, 08:56 AM

Originally Posted by gocubs2118

And you have faith that Lovie can put in the right system? Come on. He's failed in every coordinator hiring he's ever made. And he's most likely going to fire Tice if he keeps his job, making him 0-4 in hiring coordinators.

Sorry, but Lovie doesn't get another chance to fail again. I've seen enough of that.

If Lovie had ANY input on rosters then I might agree with you, unfortunately Angel let Martz have more input than Lovie. I just can't see firing a coach who is consistntly dominating 2 of the 3 phases of the game. Not sure ANY coach could have had a Top 15 offense with the receivers and linemen that the Bears have had to work with. They are finally starting to get some skill peices, now then need to severely upgrade the offensive line, not the coach.

**gocubs2118** · 12-31-2012, 08:56 AM

Originally Posted by ISUCyclone06

You don't fire someone after a 10 win season, doesn't matter if they made the playoffs or not.

So it doesn't matter that this team has missed the playoffs 5 of 6 years now? I swear, this fan base more than any other loves to watch mediocre football.

**chuckd4735** · 12-31-2012, 08:57 AM

Originally Posted by ISUCyclone06

You don't fire someone after a 10 win season, doesn't matter if they made the playoffs or not.

Meh. . When you're 7-1 in week 9, and you don't make the playoffs, and the year before you were 7-3 in week 11, and the same thing happened, add that to the ineptitude that the Bears have had on offense and some of the horrible coaching that has taken place...if Lovie got fired, I wouldn't be surprised or upset.

**CLONECONES** · 12-31-2012, 08:57 AM

It's hard to believe, but despite finishing with a 10-6 record, the job status of Chicago Bears HC Lovie Smith is not secure right now; Bears GM Phil Emery has remained largely silent on the coach's future. Though the Bears won on Sunday, they turned a 7-1 start into that final 10-6 record, missing the playoffs on tiebreakers; accordingly, there will be some alterations to how the team functions heading into 2013, as Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune examined in a column Sunday night.

If Smith is fired, the job obviously becomes an attractive one for coaching candidates around the league; however, the team may also consider internal candidates, such as former NFL head coaches Rod Marinelli (the assistant coach/D-line coach) and Mike Tice (who coordinates the offense), as well as special teams coordinator Dave Toub, who's been mentioned as an HC candidate elsewhere.

The list of rising coordinator candidates around the league is long; should the Bears want to bring in a new offensive guru to work with Jay Cutler, there's men like Denver's Mike McCoy, Cincinnati's Jay Gruden, Indy's Bruce Arians, San Francisco's Greg Roman and Atlanta's Dirk Koetter. If they pick from the defensive side of the ball, Cincinnati's Mike Zimmer, Jacksonville's Mel Tucker and the Giants' Perry Fewell are possibilities. There are also the "big name" candidates -- Jon Gruden, Bill Cowher -- though it's unclear whether Chicago would go in that direction.
Could be an interesting week in Chicago.

This is on ESPN Rumors....

**chuckd4735** · 12-31-2012, 09:00 AM

Originally Posted by cycloneworld

I'd argue that Martz would have put this offense in the Top 15 this year. Cutler was throwing to Johnny Knox and Earl Bennett as his #1 receivers last year. The offensive talent is there (obviously need to address the o-line) with the Marshall addition and Jeffery starting to get comfortable.

Exactly...this is where I'm torn. The offensive line has been horrible for years, and until this year, the Bears #1 and 2 receivers wouldn't start for 85% of teams in the NFL. The offense has been dull, and I put most that on Angelo, but Lovie and his staff have done a **** poor job at managing what they have.

**gocubs2118** · 12-31-2012, 09:04 AM

Originally Posted by cycloneworld

I'd argue that Martz would have put this offense in the Top 15 this year. Cutler was throwing to Johnny Knox and Earl Bennett as his #1 receivers last year. The offensive talent is there (obviously need to address the o-line) with the Marshall addition and Jeffery starting to get comfortable.

I'd argue that Jay might of been killed with this O-line with Martz still calling the plays.

You're right, the offensive talent is there. So, why did the offense rank 29th this year? Because the coaching blows. Lovie's choices for coordinators are terrible. I just don't want to give him an opportunity to pick ANOTHER coordinator.