If it has value, trade it. If it doesn't have value, cut it. Get a top five pick next year. Draft so many offensive linemen that the floorboards at Halas Hall buckle. Make me think you have a clue, Phil Emery.

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Fire Phil Emery

I like it!

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Reality is your friend, not your enemy. -- Seacrest

While like all smart fans I like Cutler if they do blow it up at least put feelers out there to see what you can get for him.

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

Great idea except everyone is saying this is such a weak draft class this year. Besides that though.

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Well I don't see what that has to do with anything, but good job, good effort.

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Fire Phil Emery

So we know what you want to happen, now tell us what you think will actually happen

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

We'll draft some safety out of the MAC and awkwardly transition to the 3-4 under new head coach Bill O'Brien.

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Fire Phil Emery

I doubt the bears pay the buyout for O'Brien. Unless he has some reduced buyout due to the NCAA sanctions.

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Not if the Bears have to outbid someone for him.

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Reality is your friend, not your enemy. -- Seacrest

Who would be the next head coach for the Bears in IB's world?

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

I've been thinking about that. I don't know, man. Chip Kelly makes me happy in my pants but I don't know that's a good fit for the personnel right now, and with this fan base if he had a bad first year Buffone and O'Bradovich will blow a spleen and he'll be run out of town. Obviously you kick the Cowher tires, but he'll say no.

This sounds positively goofy but if he wants out I'd take Rex Ryan. Amongst coordinators I'd have to think for a while. None of the names really amaze me but I could be missing one.

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Fire Phil Emery

Rex Ryan? Yeah that's goofy. What about him do you like?

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

His defenses are consistently legit, even this season and even with injuries. Assuming he wasn't the one behind the offensive talent decisions there, I think you can chalk up his failures there to circumstances outside of his control. But maybe I'm wrong and he has more input over offensive personnel decisions than I'm assuming.

NOTE I AM NOT SAYING REX RYAN IS BILL BELLICHECK. But, I could see his NYJ experience being a lot like Bellicheck's Browns experience. Sometimes a franchise is just rotted out from the foundations and a head coach isn't going to fix that. He's a first rate defensive mind.

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Fire Phil Emery

I want an offensive guy just for variety sake. 20 years of defensive coaches.

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Reality is your friend, not your enemy. -- Seacrest

I'm officially getting on the Bruce Arians bandwagon.

Why would you want another defensive guy for the Bears? If they are going to blow it all up, wouldn't it be wise to look offense with the hire?

Lovie's defenses have been pretty solid since he has been here.

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

I want the best coach available. I don't care what side of the ball he's on. If it's me, I hire Chip Kelly. But that'll never ever happen.

I will say that the really smart guys with defensive systems seem to have more staying power. The offensive guys seem way more dependent upon the talent they have. That is a 15 second observation and I'm sure there's a ton of counterexamples.

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Fire Phil Emery

The defense is getting blowed up too I reckon. I think you have some pieces on the defensive line that are worth keeping. That's about it. Whomever it is will have a completely clean slate, and whether you hire a really good offensive guy or a really good defensive guy makes no difference to me.

But we'll do neither and hire Jim Haslett.


You could do worse, and we probably will, but he's already 60 and even with Roethlisberger those offenses never really inspired that much confidence. He should probably get a chance somewhere though after this season.

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Fire Phil Emery

You have to think he's the #1 candidate. Did incredible stuff with a rebuilding team on short notice, won't cost as much as Gruden or Cowher.

EDIT: oh he's 60? n/m

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Didn't realize he was 60. hmmmm.

Good God, I had forgotten about Haslet. That would be bad. Also don't want to hear a mention of Todd Haley.

Blowing everything up would just be silly. While I'm disappointed that none of Lovie's staffs (I miss Ron Turner) have been able to figure out how to put a good offensive team on the field his defense is great every year. Even with injuries the next guy finds a way to step up. Lovie should be allowed to play out his contract and if he doesn't advance in the playoffs (making it is meaningless at this point) then he shouldn't get a new contract. The defense has 1 more year in them and I don't believe the offense is as far away as it appears. Besides firing a guy even though there isn't anyone available that is better is stupid.

Few changes I would like:

Mike Tice relieved of his duties as OC but retained as a line coach
Jeremy Bates promoted to OC (Cutler and Marshall love him)
Greg Jennings signed (open up the check book)
Devin Hester cut or traded
Address the line in trades or sign the top available free agent
Linebackers of the future
Bring Urlacher back for 1 year

It's remarkable that after nine years, the Lovie Smith Coaching Tree is....what, exactly? Ron Rivera? who isn't really a "Lovie Guy" anyway?

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Yeah, Cutler loved Mike Tice too. Tell him to pound sand. The Seattle offense and quarterback coaching seem to be doing pretty damn OK without Jeremy Bates's supposed geniusness.

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Fire Phil Emery

Nas, I would rather see them open their checkbook for a couple top OL. They have to address that area. Marshall, Jeffrey,and Bennett are fine. They need to address the TE position as well. They have to get someone who can be a threat down the field. And I would take the first two draft picks and get the two best lineman you can find

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

Jeremy Bates should be promoted to offensive coordinator because I love coaches whose names are simple yet grammatically complete sentences. This explains my similar affinity for Dean Pees and Gar Heard.

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I believe Cutler supported Tice because he wasn't Martz. It has been clear all season Tice was in over his head. Bates was solid in Denver and considering Lovie will be a lame duck you're not going to find better. There is no need to learn a new system in the last year.

I don't think it's crazy to roll the dice one more year, but I'd rather just get off the treadmill. Mixed metaphors ahoy.

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Fire Phil Emery

I wouldn't have an issue with them signing a couple top OL but those guys rarely make it to free agency. Cutler needs more weapons he can trust. Jennings would be one of those guys. Personally I wouldn't have a problem with going into the season with the 3 guys you mentioned above if the OL and TE were upgraded.

Well then get aboard the Chip Kelly train I'm driving. The you is understood, don't you know.

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Fire Phil Emery