Re: Bears Offseason Thread

[UMFan83]

but isn't it more than that? my understanding is the old guys whose bodies are all beaten up but who didn't make hundreds of thousands or millions don't feel they're adequately taken care of by the league that made a ton of money off of them in their younger days. he does sound like a bitter a-hole, but he has a point.

 

Can't he do something about it? I'm sure someone out there is willing to pay him money to pitch a product. I mean it sucks that he grew up in the wrong time period, but he also didn't play in a time period where football was 24/7/365. He probably used training camp to get in shape, when nowadays players show off how buff they got during their offseason training programs. I'm sure Sayers would have been happy to work year round to make the big bucks, but I'm just stating what a different game it is today. Walking around moping isn't going to help him.

[Tracer Bullet]

but isn't it more than that? my understanding is the old guys whose bodies are all beaten up but who didn't make hundreds of thousands or millions don't feel they're adequately taken care of by the league that made a ton of money off of them in their younger days. he does sound like a bitter a-hole, but he has a point.

 

Can't he do something about it? I'm sure someone out there is willing to pay him money to pitch a product. I mean it sucks that he grew up in the wrong time period, but he also didn't play in a time period where football was 24/7/365. He probably used training camp to get in shape, when nowadays players show off how buff they got during their offseason training programs. I'm sure Sayers would have been happy to work year round to make the big bucks, but I'm just stating what a different game it is today. Walking around moping isn't going to help him.

 

I don't think either of us can speak with any degree of certainty about what Gale Sayers has really been doing with his life since he retired. Assuming he's "walking around moping" and hasn't done anything else is a pretty big leap.

 

I don't know anything about the guy. For all I know he's a whiney little ass. But he's also a famous former Bear that probably gets a mike shoved in his face all the time and he's bitter about how the NFL takes care of its veterans. Would I prefer that he not come off like this so much? sure. But there might be a whole lot to him that I just don't see.

[UMFan83]

but isn't it more than that? my understanding is the old guys whose bodies are all beaten up but who didn't make hundreds of thousands or millions don't feel they're adequately taken care of by the league that made a ton of money off of them in their younger days. he does sound like a bitter a-hole, but he has a point.

 

Can't he do something about it? I'm sure someone out there is willing to pay him money to pitch a product. I mean it sucks that he grew up in the wrong time period, but he also didn't play in a time period where football was 24/7/365. He probably used training camp to get in shape, when nowadays players show off how buff they got during their offseason training programs. I'm sure Sayers would have been happy to work year round to make the big bucks, but I'm just stating what a different game it is today. Walking around moping isn't going to help him.

 

I don't think either of us can speak with any degree of certainty about what Gale Sayers has really been doing with his life since he retired. Assuming he's "walking around moping" and hasn't done anything else is a pretty big leap.

 

I don't know anything about the guy. For all I know he's a whiney little ass. But he's also a famous former Bear that probably gets a mike shoved in his face all the time and he's bitter about how the NFL takes care of its veterans. Would I prefer that he not come off like this so much? sure. But there might be a whole lot to him that I just don't see.

 

You act like he's being forced to talk. I see him on Bears postgame live, or appearing on Chicago Tribune live or various media outlets. If he's pissed about how the NFL takes care of its vets, I haven't heard him complain about it once (maybe I just missed it). It's one thing to be bitter about that, and its another to always be down on the Bears for seemingly no reason. I wish I could make a more compelling argument but I can't recall specifics as to what he's been negative about in the past, but it seems like every time I hear about him he's complaining about one thing or another.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

I don't think either of us can speak with any degree of certainty about what Gale Sayers has really been doing with his life since he retired.

Owning car dealerships, for one. He had one in Iowa City for years that was bought out a couple of years ago. I'm not sure how much the deal was worth, but I don't believe he's necessarily hurting for money.

[jersey cubs fan]

http://www.chicagobreakingsports.com/2010/05/new-offense-means-new-life-for-bears-davis.html

 

Despite the title's suggestion that Davis should get new life under Martz, the story doesn't really promote the idea all that well. I often forget the guy is still on the team.

 

Since the Bears' misguided effort to make Rashied Davis a starting wide receiver, the veteran has been forced to bide his time for an opportunity on offense.

 

The promotion of Earl Bennett last season and development of Johnny Knox took away chances that would have gone to the senior member of the Bears' wide-receiver corps, and entering the final year of his contract, Davis is in an interesting position.

 

New offensive coordinator Mike Martz always has made productive use of slots receivers and there is little doubt that is where Davis is best suited. That was the problem with the ill-conceived plan to start Davis on the outside in 2008 -- his best skills were not being utilized. Lost in the shuffle, Davis had only 86 snaps on offense last season (8.6 percent) and caught just five passes for 35 yards, his fewest since 2005 when he played cornerback and special teams.

[Soul]

I don't think either of us can speak with any degree of certainty about what Gale Sayers has really been doing with his life since he retired.

Owning car dealerships, for one. He had one in Iowa City for years that was bought out a couple of years ago. I'm not sure how much the deal was worth, but I don't believe he's necessarily hurting for money.

 

I believe he also owns a technology consulting firm, which is successful.

 

Sometimes he likes to pop off. I think he's just like that. I don't think it necessarily means he spends every moment of his life being bitter. Some guys just like to go off on a rant sometimes.

[Cubswin11]

I don't think either of us can speak with any degree of certainty about what Gale Sayers has really been doing with his life since he retired.

Owning car dealerships, for one. He had one in Iowa City for years that was bought out a couple of years ago. I'm not sure how much the deal was worth, but I don't believe he's necessarily hurting for money.

 

I believe he also owns a technology consulting firm, which is successful.

 

Sometimes he likes to pop off. I think he's just like that. I don't think it necessarily means he spends every moment of his life being bitter. Some guys just like to go off on a rant sometimes.

He does, I know a guy who works there.

[illiniguy]

Gale is also working with the University of Kansas Athletic Department at this point. I believe he raises money for the teams.

[tfarks]

The guy does a lot of speaking appearances. Hell he even came to my high school to talk to our football team. I remember he said the only way to get in the NFL is if you weigh 400 pounds. We actually did have a 400+ pounder there, the younger brother of Aaron Gibson.

[Soul]

That just sounds like another off-the-cuff remark that he probably doesn't even really believe.

 

It would be nice if he got a handle on that kind of stuff because many times people won't interpret or consider hyperbole. They'll just take what you say literally and assume that it's at the core of your beliefs.

[jersey cubs fan]

Who cares about the grumpy old man story?

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/don_banks/05/06/troubled-teams/index.html?eref=sihp

 

So which clubs seem headed for setbacks and disappointment in 2010?

2. Chicago

REASON TO WORRY: Honest question: When's the last time a true make-or-break year went the right way for a team? I suppose you could say Dallas and Wade Phillips fit the bill last season, although almost every year feels like it's Super Bowl-or-bust for the Cowboys. But that's what embattled head coach Lovie Smith, general manager Jerry Angelo and the Bears are up against in 2010: Win enough to shoo the wolves away from their doors, or close out their Windy City tenures with a fourth consecutive non-playoff season. Working under that kind of pressure rarely brings the best out of anyone, or results in smiles and backslaps all around.

 

As if that's not enough of an omen, the Bears went out and dominated early in free agency this year, signing the likes of Julius Peppers and Chester Taylor. There's not really a long track record of pace-setting free-agent success leading to on-field success in the same year -- a lesson teams like Washington, Oakland and Denver have learned the hard way.

 

REASON NOT TO PANIC: The Bears (7-9) weren't bad from start to finish last season. They started 3-1, and finished 3-2. It was that 1-6 stretch in the middle that killed Smith's team. On paper, Peppers, Taylor and offensive coordinator Mike Martz are all upgrades at their positions. And Year 2 of the Jay Cutler era can't possibly be as much of a rollercoaster ride.

Not a big fan of his reasoning. He insinuates that the Bears have to win the SB or Lovie and Angelo are out the door. I doubt that very much. My guess is a 10 win season would be plenty to guarantee they return. That sort of thing happens all the time. Cowher faced a couple situations where he needed to win to stem the tide of getting canned, and they won. A lot of people have said the 2008 season saved John Fox, while 2007 almost certainly saved Coughlin in NY. Fisher was starting to take heat after three disappointing years until they rebounded. Andy Reid's job continues to be threatened but he keeps making the playoffs when he most needs to succeed. Just this year Childress was almost certainly in a win or your out situation, and he won.

[NCCubFan]

Gale is also working with the University of Kansas Athletic Department at this point. I believe he raises money for the teams.

I know he was AD at Kansas several years ago.

[illiniguy]

Gale is also working with the University of Kansas Athletic Department at this point. I believe he raises money for the teams.

I know he was AD at Kansas several years ago.

He's there in some capacity again. When they introduced Turner Gill he was there as well. I spoke to him a bit that night. Nice guy.

[snoodmonger]

Gale is also working with the University of Kansas Athletic Department at this point. I believe he raises money for the teams.

I know he was AD at Kansas several years ago.

He's there in some capacity again. When they introduced Turner Gill he was there as well. I spoke to him a bit that night. Nice guy.

 

He's a fundraiser. He's supposed to be a super nice guy. His public speaking skills leave a little to be desired, though. They brought him on for part of a broadcast last season, and it was rough to sit through.

[NCCubFan]

His public speaking skills leave a little to be desired, though.

Not really surprising if the way he was portrayed in Brian's Song was at all accurate.

[WrigleyField 22]

http://www.chicagobreakingsports.com/2010/05/new-offense-means-new-life-for-bears-davis.html

 

Despite the title's suggestion that Davis should get new life under Martz, the story doesn't really promote the idea all that well. I often forget the guy is still on the team.

 

Since the Bears' misguided effort to make Rashied Davis a starting wide receiver, the veteran has been forced to bide his time for an opportunity on offense.

 

The promotion of Earl Bennett last season and development of Johnny Knox took away chances that would have gone to the senior member of the Bears' wide-receiver corps, and entering the final year of his contract, Davis is in an interesting position.

 

New offensive coordinator Mike Martz always has made productive use of slots receivers and there is little doubt that is where Davis is best suited. That was the problem with the ill-conceived plan to start Davis on the outside in 2008 -- his best skills were not being utilized. Lost in the shuffle, Davis had only 86 snaps on offense last season (8.6 percent) and caught just five passes for 35 yards, his fewest since 2005 when he played cornerback and special teams.

I liked that this actual stuff about current Bears has been looked past because of the Sayers stuff...

 

Anyways, Davis can go for all I care, but knowing Lovie and his staff, anyone who wants to replace him is gonna have to contribute on ST (since he's basically a #5/6 receiver right now). Also, most shocking part of this snippet for me was reading that he played CB... I never knew that. I thought he came as a WR from Arena league.

[Soul]

Who cares about the grumpy old man story?

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/don_banks/05/06/troubled-teams/index.html?eref=sihp

 

So which clubs seem headed for setbacks and disappointment in 2010?

2. Chicago

REASON TO WORRY: Honest question: When's the last time a true make-or-break year went the right way for a team? I suppose you could say Dallas and Wade Phillips fit the bill last season, although almost every year feels like it's Super Bowl-or-bust for the Cowboys. But that's what embattled head coach Lovie Smith, general manager Jerry Angelo and the Bears are up against in 2010: Win enough to shoo the wolves away from their doors, or close out their Windy City tenures with a fourth consecutive non-playoff season. Working under that kind of pressure rarely brings the best out of anyone, or results in smiles and backslaps all around.

 

As if that's not enough of an omen, the Bears went out and dominated early in free agency this year, signing the likes of Julius Peppers and Chester Taylor. There's not really a long track record of pace-setting free-agent success leading to on-field success in the same year -- a lesson teams like Washington, Oakland and Denver have learned the hard way.

 

REASON NOT TO PANIC: The Bears (7-9) weren't bad from start to finish last season. They started 3-1, and finished 3-2. It was that 1-6 stretch in the middle that killed Smith's team. On paper, Peppers, Taylor and offensive coordinator Mike Martz are all upgrades at their positions. And Year 2 of the Jay Cutler era can't possibly be as much of a rollercoaster ride.

Not a big fan of his reasoning. He insinuates that the Bears have to win the SB or Lovie and Angelo are out the door. I doubt that very much. My guess is a 10 win season would be plenty to guarantee they return. That sort of thing happens all the time. Cowher faced a couple situations where he needed to win to stem the tide of getting canned, and they won. A lot of people have said the 2008 season saved John Fox, while 2007 almost certainly saved Coughlin in NY. Fisher was starting to take heat after three disappointing years until they rebounded. Andy Reid's job continues to be threatened but he keeps making the playoffs when he most needs to succeed. Just this year Childress was almost certainly in a win or your out situation, and he won.

 

I'm with you. He's leaving out some recent cases where it has worked out, and I agree -- SB run is not necessary. A solid winning season and a playoff berth will save Lovie & crew for the time being.

[soapy]

Who cares about the grumpy old man story?

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/don_banks/05/06/troubled-teams/index.html?eref=sihp

 

So which clubs seem headed for setbacks and disappointment in 2010?

2. Chicago

REASON TO WORRY: Honest question: When's the last time a true make-or-break year went the right way for a team? I suppose you could say Dallas and Wade Phillips fit the bill last season, although almost every year feels like it's Super Bowl-or-bust for the Cowboys. But that's what embattled head coach Lovie Smith, general manager Jerry Angelo and the Bears are up against in 2010: Win enough to shoo the wolves away from their doors, or close out their Windy City tenures with a fourth consecutive non-playoff season. Working under that kind of pressure rarely brings the best out of anyone, or results in smiles and backslaps all around.

 

As if that's not enough of an omen, the Bears went out and dominated early in free agency this year, signing the likes of Julius Peppers and Chester Taylor. There's not really a long track record of pace-setting free-agent success leading to on-field success in the same year -- a lesson teams like Washington, Oakland and Denver have learned the hard way.

 

REASON NOT TO PANIC: The Bears (7-9) weren't bad from start to finish last season. They started 3-1, and finished 3-2. It was that 1-6 stretch in the middle that killed Smith's team. On paper, Peppers, Taylor and offensive coordinator Mike Martz are all upgrades at their positions. And Year 2 of the Jay Cutler era can't possibly be as much of a rollercoaster ride.

Not a big fan of his reasoning. He insinuates that the Bears have to win the SB or Lovie and Angelo are out the door. I doubt that very much. My guess is a 10 win season would be plenty to guarantee they return. That sort of thing happens all the time. Cowher faced a couple situations where he needed to win to stem the tide of getting canned, and they won. A lot of people have said the 2008 season saved John Fox, while 2007 almost certainly saved Coughlin in NY. Fisher was starting to take heat after three disappointing years until they rebounded. Andy Reid's job continues to be threatened but he keeps making the playoffs when he most needs to succeed. Just this year Childress was almost certainly in a win or your out situation, and he won.

 

I'm with you. He's leaving out some recent cases where it has worked out, and I agree -- SB run is not necessary. A solid winning season and a playoff berth will save Lovie & crew for the time being.

 

There is plenty of reason to think that the Bears might be poor this season, but this guy's reasoning is stupid. Just look at the talent on the field (or lackof in some areas) instead of some stupid conjured up reasoning about how coaches/teams in make-or-break situations never succeed.

[Soul]

Exactly. You can easily make the case that it won't work out for the Bears based on the individual factors on this team.

 

There's no Galactic Alignment that causes free agency based efforts to fail every time, or some unknown force that conspires to cause any coach in a make-or-break situation to always fail no matter what. That's just lazy reasoning.

[rawaction]

Exactly. You can easily make the case that it won't work out for the Bears based on the individual factors on this team.

 

There's no Galactic Alignment that causes free agency based efforts to fail every time, or some unknown force that conspires to cause any coach in a make-or-break situation to always fail no matter what. That's just lazy reasoning.

 

But it makes him sound smart. He at least could have put more research into it and gave some compelling examples to support his argument.

[Guest]

His public speaking skills leave a little to be desired, though.

Not really surprising if the way he was portrayed in Brian's Song was at all accurate.

 

Are you referring to the original? I never saw the remake.

[NCCubFan]

His public speaking skills leave a little to be desired, though.

Not really surprising if the way he was portrayed in Brian's Song was at all accurate.

 

Are you referring to the original? I never saw the remake.

Yes, the one with James Caan as Brian and Billy Dee Williams as Gale. I did see the remake, and that was a mistake.

[mul21]

Who cares about the grumpy old man story?

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/don_banks/05/06/troubled-teams/index.html?eref=sihp

 

So which clubs seem headed for setbacks and disappointment in 2010?

2. Chicago

REASON TO WORRY: Honest question: When's the last time a true make-or-break year went the right way for a team? I suppose you could say Dallas and Wade Phillips fit the bill last season, although almost every year feels like it's Super Bowl-or-bust for the Cowboys. But that's what embattled head coach Lovie Smith, general manager Jerry Angelo and the Bears are up against in 2010: Win enough to shoo the wolves away from their doors, or close out their Windy City tenures with a fourth consecutive non-playoff season. Working under that kind of pressure rarely brings the best out of anyone, or results in smiles and backslaps all around.

 

As if that's not enough of an omen, the Bears went out and dominated early in free agency this year, signing the likes of Julius Peppers and Chester Taylor. There's not really a long track record of pace-setting free-agent success leading to on-field success in the same year -- a lesson teams like Washington, Oakland and Denver have learned the hard way.

 

REASON NOT TO PANIC: The Bears (7-9) weren't bad from start to finish last season. They started 3-1, and finished 3-2. It was that 1-6 stretch in the middle that killed Smith's team. On paper, Peppers, Taylor and offensive coordinator Mike Martz are all upgrades at their positions. And Year 2 of the Jay Cutler era can't possibly be as much of a rollercoaster ride.

Not a big fan of his reasoning. He insinuates that the Bears have to win the SB or Lovie and Angelo are out the door. I doubt that very much. My guess is a 10 win season would be plenty to guarantee they return. That sort of thing happens all the time. Cowher faced a couple situations where he needed to win to stem the tide of getting canned, and they won. A lot of people have said the 2008 season saved John Fox, while 2007 almost certainly saved Coughlin in NY. Fisher was starting to take heat after three disappointing years until they rebounded. Andy Reid's job continues to be threatened but he keeps making the playoffs when he most needs to succeed. Just this year Childress was almost certainly in a win or your out situation, and he won.

 

He doesn't even come close to saying that. He specifically says they "have to win enough to shoo the wolves away from their doors", which is nothing close to saying they have to win the SB.

 

I will agree that his reasoning elsewhere is terrible though.

[jersey cubs fan]

He doesn't even come close to saying that. He specifically says they "have to win enough to shoo the wolves away from their doors", which is nothing close to saying they have to win the SB.

 

I will agree that his reasoning elsewhere is terrible though.

 

He absolutely does come extremely close to saying that. The first thing he does is compare it to the Cowboys and Wade Phillips being a super bowl or bust team every year, and says that is what Lovie is up against. That is why I said he insinuates.

 

But thanks for trying to read.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

You're reading it wrong.

 

He's saying that teams who need to win enough to save their coach's jobs rarely succeed, and the Bears fit that bill. He says the Cowboys did succeed under that last season, but even then it feels like they didn't because they need the Super Bowl every year, whereas most teams (like the Bears) just need to make the playoffs.