http://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/n ... /17864249/

The Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda club is full of bitterness. Members live in the past. Regret is the only requirement for admission.

Fortunately, Cardinals fans no longer apply.

Arizona's NFL team has won 12 of its past 15 games. A franchise-defining mistake (drafting Levi Brown over Adrian Peterson in 2007) no longer seems so egregious, given the running back's current off-field troubles.

Meanwhile, the hiring of Bruce Arians might represent the best stroke of fortune in recent memory. For that, maybe we owe a debt of gratitude to former head coach Ken Whisenhunt.

"The hard thing about coming here was that I had a lot of friends on the (former) staff: Kevin Spencer, Russ Grimm, a lot of guys I won a Super Bowl with," Arians said. "It was very, very hard for me to even take that interview because I knew I was going to have to let them go.

"Finally, I called Kenny, Whisenhunt, who is a dear friend. I said, 'Hey man, they want me to come out there.' He said, 'You need to.' He really talked me into taking it."


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The story of Arians keeps resonating, and not just in the desert. With Marc Trestman under fire in Chicago, Bears fans are currently wondering how their organization passed on an impact coach like Arians, who rose to stardom a few hours away in Indianapolis, who is cast in the George Halas-Mike Ditka archetype that Chicagoans adore.

So how did a perfect marriage never happen?

"It seemed awkward in Chicago because they wanted me to keep some of their (assistant coaches), which wasn't going to happen," Arians said.

According to multiple sources, there were many forces at work.

The Bears wanted Arians to do one thing: fix quarterback Jay Cutler. They desperately wanted to keep Rod Marinelli as defensive coordinator, believing that side of that ball needed no reform. That was a pipe dream from the start, as Marinelli was extremely close to the fired Lovie Smith and wasn't going to remain in Chicago under any circumstance.

Along the way, a high-ranking Bears official fell in love with Trestman, who kept two members of Smith's staff: defensive backs coach Jon Hoke and defensive line coach Mike Phair, who was fired after last season.

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Some 1,500 miles away in Tempe, the Cardinals were plotting their own reform, making a move that would change their own history. They hired Steve Keim, an aggressive, hugely competent football man and a big fan of Arians. He texted the coach's agent the next morning, while Arians was interviewing with the Bears.

Keim wanted to know if it was too late to schedule an interview. The reply?

He hasn't signed anywhere yet.

"After Chicago made their decision — we got that call about one o'clock in the morning — my agent and I were talking," Arians said. "He said, 'You've got to take this thing in Arizona. Go out there and talk to them.' I said, 'You know, I really don't want to because of my friends (on the Cardinals' staff).' "

Eventually, Arians called Whisenhunt, and here we are.

Maybe it's not surprising that Arians has rapidly ascended near the top of his profession. He has great experience, served under great coaches and has a great record developing young quarterbacks.

Arians is not one to burn the midnight oil. He keeps a weekly date night with his wife. Yet somehow, he and his staff are always prepared and never out-schemed. That's a tribute to their knowledge, their efficiency and the balance they strike in their lives.

He's assembled a diverse staff of great teachers, full of youthful exuberance and wise old men. He has assistants born in six different decades ranging from 1930-1980. He believes in more teachers and smaller classrooms, employing 23 assistants to the 16 that served under Whisenhunt. The results speak for themselves.

"We're not grinders," Arians said. "We're not going to be here until midnight on Tuesday. I want my guys fresh to teach on Wednesday morning."

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The popular head coach is fast becoming the face of franchise, taking the torch from Larry Fitzgerald. Since taking over as interim coach in Indianapolis, his record is 24-10. That is simply amazing, and the other day, a media member from Seattle wondered if Arians is the best coach in the NFL.

This much is certain: When it comes to lucky bounces, Arians ranks among the best in team history, along with signing Kurt Warner off the scrap heap and hosting the 2009 NFC Championship game.

Reach Bickley at dan.bickley@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-8253. Follow him at twitter.com/danbickley. Listen to "Bickley and Marotta," weekdays from 12-2 p.m. on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM.



Great call, high-ranking Bears official dumb ass.

It's the NFL. A year from now,Arians may be 2-6 and Treastman 6-2. Who knows?

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favrefan said:"Chris Coghlan isn't gonna pay your rent, Jimmy."

Arians is 86 years old.

Who gives a shit how old he is?

Actually sounds like a competent NFL head coach. Not some coordinator wanna be spouting executive HR words.

Of course, the Bears always have to have some sort of caveat when hiring somebody.

I would have taken him. But I think he dated Virginia back in grade school and they thought it would lead to uncomfortable situations.

Did he use a dustbuster before sex?

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favrefan said:"Chris Coghlan isn't gonna pay your rent, Jimmy."

He's only 4 years older than Trestman.

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Since Bruce Arians had become hospitalized and missed his last Colts game prior to his interviews for head coach, I wonder if concerns about his health factored in the decision by the Bears at the time.

"It seemed awkward in Chicago because they wanted me to keep some of their (assistant coaches), which wasn't going to happen," Arians said.

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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.’”

Halas Hall = Clusterfuck, USA.

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

Easy to look back now and say Arians was a better choice.

But I don't think we know enough about Arians to say he would not be having similar issues right now.

As others have pointed out, the Bears problems go much deeper than just who the Head Coach is.

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

Lots of people said it at the time. I preferred Arians, I think dolphin and TM did too.

It was easy to say it then too.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

That is great. You missed my bigger point.

Arians was a better choice, but he still would probably be having similar issues.

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

Even the Bears know he's broken

I doubt it.

Someone said, maybe Biggs?, that Arians knows this is his last shot and he's going to do it his way.

Halas Hall isn't big on that kind of attitude. It's all about consensus building, not my way or the highway.

There was a report that Emery had already decided Trestman was the guy before he even interviewed anyone else.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

What a dumb ass.

Edit: Not you, BRick. Emery.

Terry claimed his guy sent him that text. really, he did.

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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.’”

Oh....

Well, it could be true.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

This is the same Bears organization that approached the hiring process for GM with a non-negotiable condition that the head coach had to be retained for at least the following season. So why would it be a surprise that this kind of backwards approach trickles down to the hiring process for head coach?

And Sweaty Teddy only considered GMs who would keep Lovie with 1 more year. I think that's the reason why Baltimore's Asst. GM Costa withdrew his name and extended his deal with Baltimore.

What organization gives a huge raise to a broken employee? It is just unbelievable that they made a broken guy the highest paid player in tne NFL. Dumbfucks.

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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

That's just stupid writing. Levi Brown was lucky to make it for three years in the league. Adrian Peterson is/was putting up some of the best numbers the league has ever seen. Levi Brown over Marshawn Lynch looks stupid. Levi Brown over Derrelle Revis looks stupid. Over Lawrence Timmons. Over 5th rounder Brent Celek. It was bad.

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"All crowds boycotting football games shouldn't care who sings or takes a knee because they aren't watching." - Nas

110% correct! Everyone knew Marinelli was not going to take Lovies job! Yet alone even stay on after they fired Lovie! And somehow, the McFuckseys, Phillips and Emery thought it was a real shot????

Emery basically has the same scouts that have been there since Greg Gabriel was fucking shit up there and making bad reports and suggestions!

This organization is so FUCKED with the deals they signed for the next 2 years!

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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.’”

Did any assistants of note even return when Trestman took over? It would be hilarious if the condition on retaining assistant coaches was so unappealing to prospective coaches that it resulted in the hiring of someone who drove those very same assistants away.

Didn't stand a chance after the Bears let Furrer go

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Proud member of the white guy grievance committee

It aint the six minutes. Its what happens in those six minutes.