Lovie Smithers, Virginia Burns.

Like I said, Emery could affirm his power with the fanbase if he fires Lovie if they get leliminated before week 17.

Emery has full control if they lose, after year 1 and if he does something drastic, he will need permission!

If anyone thinks he could have fired Lovie, NO way! Without a written note from 'Ginny

What about releasing Urlacher? While I think he has the power to do so, he will need to tell someone first.

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"That's what the internet is for. Slandering others anonymously." Banky
“Been that way since one monkey looked at the sun and told the other monkey ‘He said for you to give me your fuckin’ share.’”

Anyone starting a 12/11 thread?

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-- source

I can start one.

1. If the Bears don't make the playoff and Lovie remains it will prove that Emery had to keep him. That Bernstein's source was wrong. That the source lied to protect the image of the team cuz...HE'S A PR GUY AND THAT'S HIS JOB. No doubt about it.

2. Dan said Emery will resign if his hand is forced. No. Why? This was his first shot at a GM position. He's pushing 60 years old. If he resigns, he'll never get a 2nd shot with another team. An owner wouldn't want somebody that finally gets his dream gig and quits after a year. He'd also forfeit millions of dollars by resigning. I assume he signed a 4 or 5 year deal. I'm assuming that a first time GM gets at least 2 million a year. You only get that money if fired. Not if you resign. It's not like he was making millions as a scout. Somebody like him doesn't walk away from that type of money. You might try to force them to fire you. But you wouldn't resign.

Here's another thing that Boers has to answer. Boers reported that they were talking extension with Lovie just 2 months ago. So if he does fire him, why the change. Obvious to say the collapse. But if you liked him 2 months ago, you should still like him if you're a GM that has a say and knows what he wants. Unless the collapse provided you an out to do what you want to do. That would prove that he won because of back to back collapses. But it would also prove that Virginia ordered the contract talk extension. Unless, of course, Boers made that up.

Why would Emery want to extend him after only 8 games? Why wouldn't he say let the season play out cuz you have Lovie for one more year anyway?

I don't think Boers was making that extension story up, but the Bears immediately denied the story from Terry's "guy" at Halas Hall. Besides, Hub Arkush added that the Bears shouldn't offer Lovie an extension.

It's all a moot point now that the Bears are in danger of not making the NFL Playoffs after a 7-1 start and that a 9-7 finish might keep the Bears home for the holidays.

ding ding ding

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The Bulls haven't done anything wrong, and they're not going to do anything wrong.

Doesn't make sense. Why not give him attribution since somebody in this section said Hub was reporting this anyway. If Hub isn't hiding, just say "according to our NFL insider, Hub Arkush." The entire station could use it and give their so called NFL expert the credit.

It's a fair point. One answer would be that "league insider" or "Bears source" sounds a lot more authoritative than "Hub."

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The Bulls haven't done anything wrong, and they're not going to do anything wrong.

And of course a "source" with the Bears is going to say that Emery has full control. It makes them look like they're trying to be a big boy football organization.

Guys, who would be "B & B's" NFL national "insider" anyway? Besides, I thought ZZ was their "Bears source", but he's en route to Tempe, AZ for a DePaul/Arizona State basketball game on The SCORE tomorrow night...

It's not Hub.

While Danny B was not at an event I attended at Halas Hall, Hagel was the originator of guys in the media he invited to play football in the dome at Halas Hall. All guys Bernstein knows, so I think it is safe to say Hagel is his guy.

Hub and Boers have the same guy...Clyde Emrich

Yet great point by Beardown.....Boers reporting extension talks by the Bears? Boers now saying Emery can fire Lovie? Pick a lane

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"That's what the internet is for. Slandering others anonymously." Banky
“Been that way since one monkey looked at the sun and told the other monkey ‘He said for you to give me your fuckin’ share.’”

as long as dan bernstein is hosting a show in chicago there will never be another super bowl title in this town

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the world will always the world. your entire existence is defined by your response.

Those alleged contract talks are significant to this story.

If they engaged in contract extension talks it clearly means Emery agreed to have Lovie back according to what B&B are saying about his authority. Or does it? Of course it doesn't. Cuz after losing 4 out of 5 games now there is talk of firing him. He was Emery's coach 5 weeks ago and not now? No. No good GM changes his mind on a coaching decision in 5 weeks. Not a good one. Emery never wanted him back but he thought he'd be forced into it after a 7-1 start cuz he knew that his old lady boss was fond of Lovie and how could he fire a coach that was on his way to what looked like 11 or 12 wins. He now has an out with this collapse and Emery wants to play that card. It would then prove that the contract talks weren't authorized by Emery and thus prove B&B wrong about his full control power.

How you like me now? I solved another one.

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Git on back there.

I'd like to have known who was there watching the "Kicker Kick-A-Lotta-Thon" and decided on Mare.
Was it Lovies choice? Did he have a say?
This would be important information.
But our fawning media doesn't really get that kind of info.

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"Play until it hurts, then play until it hurts to not play."
http://soundcloud.com/darkside124 HOF 2013, MM Champion 2014

Phil Emery can not fire Lovie without talking with Phillips & the McClaskeys. No business allows a key senior Manager to be terminated without discussions with his superiors first.

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CSFMB 2014 Nascar Pick 'em Champion

We don’t have a trillion-dollar debt because we haven’t taxed enough; we have a trillion-dollar debt because we spend too much. — Ronald Reagan

Plenty of GM's can fire their coaches without talking to the owner. Jerry Reese could fire two time super bowl winner Tom Coughlin tomorrow without checking with the owner and his job would be safe until at least the end of next season.

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Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

Decisions on upper management in every organization get run up the flag pole. Even a CEO might have to check with the board of directors before letting a CFO go if nothing else than to give a heads up. This whole thing is stupid and a classic B&B straw man argument.

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Elections have consequences.

I do think it was made up. Who is really telling Boers anything? Do we seriously believe that he's got sources amongst all of the local teams providing him with information that nobody else has?

I think Bernstein's sources is his twitter feed.

I don't think that's true. I'd be surprised if any GM could do this without at least having a conversation with the owner unless that owner is completely checked out on his own organization and I doubt any of them are.

The conversation with the owner would have to take place. Now, if the owner wants to veto that decision, then I think there would be a problem in many cases. But, the conversation would still need to be had before the GM does the actual firing.

Same deal with the hiring, where I think an owner would be more likely to veto a decision without much consequence from the GM, unless that GM has a very good track record.

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You know me like that.

Agreed

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But that's why I specifically mentioned Jerry Reese. Let's say he fires Tom Coughlin today without talking to the owner about it. You really think they fire him? I'm sure they would scold him for it and be pretty pissed, but Reese has earned that trust and it would be a terrible football decision to fire him. I dont think they would, therefore I think he has the power to fire the coach without talking to the owner.

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

It may not get him fired but it's probably not a good career move either. If you're doing something that is going to piss off your owner, then you likely did something you weren't authorized to do.

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You know me like that.

Telling the owner before it's announced is one thing. Asking your owner, what Doc is talking about, is another thing. Of course you have to tell them before it hits twitter.

Another factor. Ginny and the other McCaskey's don't like the wild coaches. After Ditka, they wanted church-going, nice people. Calm people. People who don't swear. People with no personality. Guys that won't embarrass them by being rude, lewd and crude. Jauron and Lovie are examples of that. Even Wannie went to mass every week.

Hiring a Gruden type would not be something Ginny and the rest of the McCaskey's would want. Not to mention that he'll demand 6 million per year. If he's hired, you'll know that Emery is in complete control.

But like I said, contract talks were in place with Lovie 6 weeks ago according to Boers. So either he decided on Lovie or was guilted into allowing contract talks cuz of the 7-1 start. Ginny might have ordered contract talks to start. Emery said, "Alright, can't fight it with a 7-1 start." That's not being in control.

I would say a communication between GM and owner has to occur for any decision that has a significant impact on the budget. Firing a coach in mid contract would be one of those decisions.

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O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

Nope. There isn't a GM is professional sports who can fire a head coach without consulting with senior management & ownership first. Its no different that any other business.

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CSFMB 2014 Nascar Pick 'em Champion

We don’t have a trillion-dollar debt because we haven’t taxed enough; we have a trillion-dollar debt because we spend too much. — Ronald Reagan