Whether it was Lovie's decision or not to stay with Grossman, it was the right call. He had a lights-out first half, and even had some good games in the second half in between the stinkers. He was supposed to be the franchise QB. He won the playoff games against Seattle and New Orleans. The backups were Griese and Orton.

I know I've lived in Chicago my whole life, but I've never bought the philosophy that the backup QB is always a savior in waiting.

If Lovie was not the coach of the Bears, he would easily get another job as a head coach in the NFL.

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

The NFL recycles as much crap as Chicago radio stations. He should get another coordinator position, but he's a terrible head coach. Those of you willing to give Smith so much credit for that Super Bowl-losing season, your grandmothers should have been able to coach that team to at minimum a playoff birth.

Yes a terrible coach with a career record 10 games over .500 with 2 NFC North titles and a Superbowl appearance. Just awful.

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

Who gets the credit, then?

Ron Rivera.

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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

The real indictment against Lovie is the frequency in which he loses close games that the Bears are leading, in the last 2 minutes. The Bears lost 3 games last year at the very end and all 3 loses were the direct result of Lovies Football retardedness.
As far as the 2006 Super Bowl goes, the Bears would have won that game if they stick to the running game, rather than airing it out in a major freaking rain storm! Even the Colts werent throwing the ball downfield...not in that rainstorm.
Lovie is Wanny & Jauron all over again folks...

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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

For that Super Bowl-losing season, I'd give credit to the players, Rivera, and the training staff (they were fairly healthy throughout).

Jouron 80 games with the bears 35-45

Wanny 96 games with the bears 40-56

Lovie 80 games with the bears 45-35

Lovie is a little better than those two John.

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team Mully & Hanley
team Meatpants

JohnKirk, did you make any of these complaints in '06? I doubt it. You rattle off a bunch of bad players Smith continued to play, but I ask you, who did he have to replace them? He's been dealt a bad hand at some positions (QB) and still has a winning record, two NFC Norths and an NFC Championship. (Archuletta was a bad move, yes.)

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Du hockey comme dans le temps

Look, there are valid criticisms and he's not a "great" coach. But, can you honestly say, today, that Singletary is better? Seriously? Dick Jauron? Mike McCarthy and Brad Childress? Jim Mora Jr?

Come on.

I didnt comment on the rest of the list. But this list does give you a perspective about what people in other cities think of Lovie...people who are perhaps more objective about Lovie as a coach. There is no Love ALS outside of Chicago.

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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

Lovie is not a great coach. Nor is he below average when compared against his peers. Jauron and Wannstedt were on the front lines of—and culpable in—an organizational failure since the Bears won one playoff game during their combined 11-year tenure. Wannstedt deserves more blame b/c of his player personnel mistakes.

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I distrust those people who know so well what God wants them to do, because I notice it always coincides with their own desires. -Susan B. Anthony

I had to look at the list a couple of times before registering an opinion on this topic. Even though he has very little, if any personality, Bears' head coach Lovie Smith should be ranked higher than #20 on the Sporting News survey. Is Lovie the best head coach in the NFL? No. Sorry for breaking into Lovie's boss, GM Jerry Angelo, but the Chargers' Norv Turner, the 49ers' Mike Singletary, the Cowboys' Wade Phillips, the Packers' Mike McCarthy, the Jaguars' Jack Del Rio, the Bills' Dick Jauron & the Seahawks' Jim Mora. Jr. ranked ahead of Lovie from #14-#19? You've got to be kidding me! You read it here, NFL fans. Phillips, Del Rio & Jauron are all on their teams' respective hot seats when they kick it off for real September 13th.

While I think Smith is a steaming pile, I must agree he's better than many of the coaches ranked above him. That's the sad state of the NFL.

Fellas...remember that this list was put together by ex-NFL scouts. This isn't just some poll of The Sporting News writers.

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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

Honestly, I didn't like the Lovie Smith hire when it happened.

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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

I actually think the Grossman handling in 06 was exactly what makes Lovie a good coach.

He knew who the best QB of the team was and he stuck with him despite pressure from the media and idiot fans to go with one of the 2 butt lickers on the team (Griese and Orton are media butt kissers that's why they liked them - when poopstain writers called Grossman a party boy when Griese was the one who missed time after being so drunk he tripped over his dog).



Simply put it's highly doubtful they make the Super Bowl in 06 with Griese and Orton. I don't think either beats the Seahawks.

How can you say Singletary is a better coach at this time? He's been a head coach for 9 games. I'm not saying he's either better or worse the jury is still out.

The simple fact is remind yourself that Lovie got to the Super Bowl with Rex as his quarterback.

The very definition of meatball fan is those that think Lovie is a horrible coach. Because they think so because they think because he doesn't jump up and down on the sidelines and handles things where they should be BEHIND CLOSED DOORS!

These idiots think the Bears won the super bowl 23 years ago because Ditka had the fire and the passion.

And sadly there are some fans that don't like Lovie Smith for one reason. And we all know what that is.

I find Ron Rivera love to be absolutely hilarious, considering all the crap he took during 2005 and 2006, especially in the two playoff losses.

To most football fans, the NFL is like a reverse lake Wobegon, where most GMs, head coaches, quarterbacks, etc. are below average. Everything used to be better in the day. Men were tougher. Coaches were smarter. Cheerleaders were better looking.

It's all rose-tinted bullshit, but one piece of evidence in Smith's (and Angelo's) favor: for approximately 15 years, the Bears were a laughingstock team with no more than very occasional success (and marginal success at that). The last time the Bears had three winning seasons in four years was 1988-1991. Before 1984, you have to go back to 1962-1965. The bears have 40 wins in the past four years, more than every team in the NFL except for Indianapolis (P. Manning- 51 wins), New England (Brady- 49 wins), San Diego (Brees, Rivers- 42 wins), Pittsburgh (Roethlisberger- 41 wins) and New York (E. Manning- 41 wins) and tied with Dallas. Think about that for a second; they've won more games than 25 teams in the NFL over the past four years despite playing a combination of Kyle Orton, Rex Grossman, and Brian Griese at QB.

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Fire Phil Emery

I think someone who writes paeans to the QB on their favorite football team should be a little less hasty in tossing around the word "meatball" so nonchalantly.

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Fire Phil Emery

So anyone who doesnt like Lovie is a Meatball? Whatever. I could say than everyone who likes Lovie is a mamber of the Bears / Lovie ALS. Take your blinders off, stop drinking the kool-aid and try to be objective.

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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

I don't give a shit whether he's showing emotion on the sideline or not. I care about his clock management, staffing decisions, and personnel decisions under his control. The Bears didn't win in 1986 because of Ditka - if anything, they won because they were stacked on defense.



Yeah, we realize he's not a good coach.

AGREE!

Lovie's next gig will be as a head coach in NFL.

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I distrust those people who know so well what God wants them to do, because I notice it always coincides with their own desires. -Susan B. Anthony

God help that team and its fans.

Maybe one more stop...like Wanny & Jauron...then he will end his career as eitherr a college head coach or a D coordinator in the NFL.

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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

I'm not saying it's good or bad. He'll be a head coach again after he parts with the Bears.

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I distrust those people who know so well what God wants them to do, because I notice it always coincides with their own desires. -Susan B. Anthony

I think he'll end up a coordinator first. He'll likely get a top position again, but after he takes a step down.

I just feel this needs to be repeated.

They have had a relatively easy schedule (division games and all) - yes. Bear wins often relied too heavily on Devin Hester - unfortunately true. Bear games don't exactly feature innovative/exciting football on their end - agreed. But, the guy HAS won with the marginal talent from a questionable franchise living on myth and legend.

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There are only two examples of infinity: The universe and human stupidity and I'm not sure about the universe.