This Is The End For Lovie Smith and Company
Published by Nicholas Fisch on September 5, 2010
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Chicago Bears
Head coach Lovie Smith, general manager Jerry Angelo and CEO Ted Phillips have failed the fans of this organization, with nothing done to upgrade the roster since their appearance in the Super Bowl in 2006.
Fans should be avoiding Solider Field like the plague if they have not bought tickets already.
As the Bears recover one week before the regular season starts, CEO Ted Phillips has made a win or else mandate this year, especially after spending $100 million on the first day of free agency in 2010.
Roster cuts are never easy to make as thoughts and opinions are gathered from everyone in the organization, but when the top two picks of the 2009 draft for the Bears are cut before the 2010 season, fans should be upset at the way this organization has gone from a 9-7 team in 2008, to a potentially 3-13 team in 2010.
Jerry Angelo makes remarks about how he’s looking to solidify the quarterback position. As March rolls around, Denver QB Jay Cutler is furious that he is being shopped by new coach Josh McDaniels.
On April 2, Jay Cutler and Johnny Knox are acquired for Kyle Orton and Robert Ayers. Hopes are high that Cutler was the missing piece to the Bears returning to Super Bowl. Few fans failed to notice after the Cutler trade, that nothing was done to improve the young core of wide receivers or bolster Cutler’s protection. We were led to believe that Cutler was supposed to guide this team without a true receiver and less than two seconds to make a decision.
Orlando Pace was signed on the same day as Jay Cutler, the oft-injured left tackle of the St. Louis Rams was signed for three years and $15 million.
He ended his year on the bench after failing to stop the Minnesota Vikings pass rush in Minnesota. If this was considered an upgrade, an aging tackle protecting the future face of the franchise, many would be out of work. Not Smith or Angelo. Instead OL coach Harry Hiestand gets the axe.
In training camp and in preseason, Cutler makes no secret that Devin Aromashodu’s combination of size speed and hands, makes for Cutler’s favorite target. Though he was injured with a strained quad before the regular season, everyone was wondering why it took 14 weeks for the quad to completely heal.
He emerged on Monday Night Football, with eight catches for 136 yards and the game winning touchdown. Again, Smith and Angelo make the decisions who to start, yet if the future of the franchise asks for a player, you give it to him.
They should have been fired on this offense, but instead offensive coordinator Ron Turner spares them the axe.
Brian Urlacher’s season ending injury in the opener against Green Bay ended his season, and the defense lost the intelligence of Urlacher and his coverage skills. With Derrick Brooks sitting in free agency, the Bears do not offer a contract.Though Hunter Hillenmeyer filled in adequately, Angelo should have been dismissed after the season, instead college scouts are dismissed, for his failures to consistently evaluate talent.
Tim Shaw took Urlacher’s place on the roster. Shaw emerged as a special teams star with 30 tackles in 15 games. He was released on September 4th and signed by the Titans. Dan Lefevour was drafted as the quarterback of the future in 2010, but he was released and picked up by the Bengals.
With the season a week away, expect a long year, but a light is at the end of the tunnel, as Lovie and company should be relieved of their duties for 2011.
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