No Love Lost For Lovie Smith
Our old friend Lovie Smith is having a rough time coaching the Bears this season. His regime is headed the wrong direction fast.
The football world saw that Thursday night when quarterback Jay Cutler threw five interceptions, leading Chicago to a dreary 10-6 loss at San Francisco. That dropped a team with postseason aspirations below .500 and made made Bears fans wonder if they really do have a franchise quarterback in the Windy City.
“It was tough. I have to apologize to the defense,” Cutler said during his postgame media session. “I think the offense as a whole has to apologize. They played a great game and kept us in there even through all the turnovers.”
As you can imagine, Lovie stock is not trading night in Chicago. Here is how some pundits up there see the situation:
Rick Morrissey, Chicago Tribune: ‘Everybody was in a firing mood after the debacle against the Cardinals. If it wasn’t Smith whom the people wanted, it was general manager Jerry Angelo. This game? I’m guessing people were too drowsy to get their ire up. That might change Friday morning when the blood starts pumping again, but the truth is that this is not a good team. It doesn’t seem to be in position to be a good one next year either. Or the year after that. Other than that, things are warm and sunny in Bearland.”
Neil Hayes, Chicago Sun-Times: “It drips with irony but isn’t often mentioned. Bears coach Lovie Smith built his defensive philosophy around forcing turnovers, but his offense generates them in alarming numbers, which has been a troubling trend regardless of who plays quarterback. Throw in a slew of penalties, which have become increasingly common for the Bears this season, and other shot-in-the-foot moments, and you’ve got a recipe for a game that all but seals the Bears’ third straight season without a playoff berth.”
Steve Rosenbloom, ChicagoTribune.com: “I gave up ‘The Office’ and ‘30 Rock’ for that? I mean, Michael Scott and Liz Lemon could’ve executed better than Jay Cutler and Devin Hester. Bears-49ers Thursday night might’ve been the worst football game ever. Bad and stupid plays. Bad and stupid coaching moves.”
MYSTERIES OF THE UNIVERSE
Questions to ponder while wondering why the Blues offense shut down again Thursday night?
- Why is it about “your season is in the balance” that the Blues don’t get?
- Doesn’t this team need Keith Tkachuk and Paul Kariya to assume larger roles to get this team moving again?
- Isn’t this franchise paying them too much to play on the third and fourth line?
- Is this the week the Rams actually complete several passes down the field? Or will they just try to run out the clock Sunday and cut their losses against New Orleans?
- Will the Houston Texans get their running game organized this week?
- Are the Tennessee Vols taking their “Wild Boys mantra too literally these days?
- isn’t it nice when a pro athlete actually reaches out to the public and does good things?
- On the other hand, will Mike Tyson ever get a handle on his personal life?
THE HORNETS’ NEST
Somebody named Jeff Bower is general manager of the New Orleans Hornets. And now he is coach, too, after the team canned Byron Scott just nine games into the NBA season.
“I told Jeff, ‘The genie’s out of the bottle,’” Hornets chief operating officer Hugh Weber said, according to the Associated Press. “Nobody can say he doesn’t have the right players . . . Jeff has hand-selected this team, and we like the idea that now he’ll be held accountable for the results.
“Our expectations are high. Our sense of urgency is high. Our patience is low and we hope that translates into results quickly.”
Bower hired former USC coach Tim Floyd as his top assistant. After resigning that gig amid allegations of egregious NCAA rules violations, Floyd was most recently seen breaking up a casino fight.
AN IDEA FOR CHRIS LONG
Embrace the mullet! It works for all-world Vikings defensive end Jared Allen.
MEGAPHONE
“Hey, this is his show, it’s not mine. It’s his show, it’s not my show. Not anybody else around here’s show. We’re just the crop. You’ve got to take care of your crop. If you don’t take care of your crop, when it comes time to harvest, you’re not going to make no money because the crop ain’t no good.”
Browns running back Jamal Lewis, on Cleveland coach Eric Mangini
INBOX
From the electronic mail bin:
“I think this is a fundamental difference between how journalists view things and how real people/fans view things, though. Why does Mark McGwire need to ‘come clean’? Everyone knows he used, and what you’re asking for would require him to admit an illegal act, which is neither necessary nor smart.”
Kameron Murphy
Some fans are clamoring for a confession – although I agree that the media goes overboard on this issue. McGwire should outline his performance-enhancing drug history in general terms, offer his support for baseball’s current drug policy and move on. The media will hound him for the gory details, but I don’t think he needs to open a vein the way Andre Agassi did with his book. Not only would this deflect most media criticism over his hiring, it would satisfy most fans hoping for a mea culpa.
ELSEWHERE ON STLTODAY
Despite moving many prospects in rental deals last summer, the Cards still have prospects to retool with.
I was afraid the Blues scored a week-and-a-half worth of goals the other night.
The Bears never seem to have a good or adequate quarterback. Who was their last good quarterback…Jim McMahon?
It is time for a change. The Blues are not playing for Murray.
We are playing sub .500, and looking bad doing it. The Vancouver game…we beat a back up for 4 goals and a #1 who is coming off the IR.
Davidson better do something now. Even if it means him getting behind the bench.
The effort has been pathetic.
After watching Cutler last night I suddenly have tons of admiration for our wonderful quarterback who just tucks it under and gets creamed. Our guy is definitely better.
“Coach” Stinkel must be trying out for Last Comic Standing. Now he has the stones to say that halftime adjustments are overrated. What?? This from a guy who is 1-34 when tied or trialing at halftime – the only stat needed really. A direct reflection on his ability or lack thereof. I don’t think anyone is confusing him with Urban Meyer anytime soon. It really is unbelievable at this point. That is a statement from someone who is totally defiant on every level.
Only a backwoods program run by a hillbilly AD (who can’t pronounce Missouri by the way) would allow this to go on for NINE years. What is the excuse going to be when this team finishes at or near the bottom in an awful Big 12 North? Continue with that who farted look on the sidelines “Coach”, maybe you will finally figure it out by year 12 or 15 or 18 or 20. Look out Meineke Car Care Bowl – here come the Tigers!! (maybe) What a joke.
Can you imagine the outrage if Bulger threw 5 INTS in a game? Bulger was almost ran out of town by the “fans” and Bernie for throwing just 1 INT in a victory.
Can we seriously get over the fact that McGwire is not going to talk about steriods. Why should he? He owes the media and fans nothing. Why the outrage over Mac when Sosa, A-Rod, Big Pappi, Palmerio, and Man Ram were essentially given free passes. Sure Man Ram was suspended, but the media simply played the Manny being Manny game. Ortiz admitted then kind of retracted and said that it was the testers mistake. Big Mac holds no records, so why the outrage? Lets get angry over the fact that the Sox won a Series while their best 2 players tested positive.
As a known “hater” of all Chicago sports teams, I am happy today. However, anyone who thinks Bulger is better than Cutler are the same people who ran my man Kurt Warner out of town. Bulger for Cutler, anyday and twice on Sunday.
Cutler, twice as good as Bulger. Orton 1/2 as good as Bulger. Yet Denver wins, and Bears lose. Maybe there’s more to football than just Quarterbacks.
What a bonus — you wake up Friday morning and find out the Bears lost! How wonderfule is THAT? Cutler is vastly overrated, but it’s not all his fault. Just like the clown show in Columbia is not al Pinky’s fault. Punk organizations are punk organizations, period, and the smell runs from top to bottom. Sorry, no playoffs for the Bears and it’s the Sani-Flush Tidy Bowl one more time for the “Missou-ruh” (rhymes with “duh”) Tiggers.
Now, about this website’s horrific lack of proofreading:
“Lovie stock is not trading night in Chicago.” Maybe it trades better in the day…
“Why is it about “your season is in the balance” that the Blues don’t get?” I don’t know. Why is it about the English Language and its correct usage that somebody at the P-D website doesn’t get?
Again, and with feeling…..Sheesh.
Hell. Sheesh squared.
Rich Sielaff was right about me…………
boyd-
agree the grammar was particularly horrible.
have a “wonderfule” weekend as you might say.
(tongue in cheek)