WrigleyField 22

They used to be. I think that was one of the main areas they invested in once Pace came on. From what I've looked around (whatever is listed on Wikipedia) they seem competetive size wise now. Handy link: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_current_National_Football_League_staffs Those looks a lot more pared down than what you see when you google each team individually and see what they post on their website. From what I've seen I know it pared down scouts and I think non player personnel related roles. I thought it did a good job of capturing all the director level roles, but maybe I'm mistaken.

They used to be. I think that was one of the main areas they invested in once Pace came on. From what I've looked around (whatever is listed on Wikipedia) they seem competetive size wise now. Handy link: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_current_National_Football_League_staffs

i mean if it weren't ted, that line ultimately ends at the mccaskeys (just like it would with PTR on the cubs hiring the head baseball guy) so what are we really arguing about here? this ownership is always going to determine who the hires are, so we better just hope they get lucky at some point. We're arguing about Ted not being held to any level of accountability and about bringing in a new team president. This "it's always been that way so it's going to be that way forever" attitude is bizarre. There's no point in talking about whether ownership should sell, what you can argue for is change in management and there is a clear need for a change at the top of the Bears management. It's a mismanaged football organization. Its all well and good to say they lack sophisticated football intelligence. But that is basically just to say they need to hire a different GM. It's highly unlikely they find some fit where there's some brilliant football mind who just advises and makes the decisions on a different GM or coach. To this point, I mentioned last night, but their best bet once they pull the plug on Pace/Nagy is probably to give someone the Bellicheck/Carrol/Gruden role. Simplify the evaluation for themselves. Its probably more efficient and higher chance of success than trying to identify a different president to run the biz. And once Ted does retire they'll prob just promote from within.

Further to that. The only person who's opinion actually matters is the owner. Look at the Blackhawks. They hired a baseball marketing man to run a hockey org. At the end of the day when he wanted to go one direction and the owner disagreed, the GM won out. The major difference here is the Blackhawks moved on after a decade despite massive success, the Bears are doubling down with the same dope who has been in charge for 30 years. The Bears also don't have a Scotty Bowman type in house advising George directly. George is a kindly grandpa type who leans heavily on Ted for football decisions. That's a problem. McDonough was there for obvious business upgrades. The Bears aren't in a position where they need some business wiz to run things. They are on cruise control. Ted has had far greater input into the product on the field than any similar prez in Chicago sports. I think there was a time Ted did have greater impact. That was basically up to the point that they had gone like a decade+ with no GM. Ever since they finally got with the times and hired a GM, I've never heard real examples of that actually being the case. The McCakseys are also probably the least impressive ownership group of any Chicago sports team. They need that strong business person, even if the NFL is a cash cow. Once whatever tailwinds from Finks finally gave out, the McCaskeys were disastrous running the business on their own.

Further to that. The only person who's opinion actually matters is the owner. Look at the Blackhawks. They hired a baseball marketing man to run a hockey org. At the end of the day when he wanted to go one direction and the owner disagreed, the GM won out.

With all the contract stuff, I'm thinking that rumor from a few weeks ago that Pace already has an unannounced contract extension is true. Probably did it once the Halas hall renovations were completed. I kind of get that they make a practice of not formally commenting on contracts, but they seem insistent on not letting any info have leaked either. Maybe consider letting it leak after that lol.

Well they could but it's like throwing a dart at a dartboard and hoping you got bullseye without really knowing what they're doing.

That's more or less what it is though. The problem is Crane Kenney has no input on who runs the baseball department, Ted Phillips, for some reason, has a lot of input on who runs the football department. Ted should not have input on that matter. Well that's the "more or less" part. You could basically have Pace report direct to McCaskey would be the only change. I'm not sure how much actual say Phillips has in these decisions. If you read through the lines I think you can argue he's just the business-capable extension of McCaskey to carry out his vision.

That's more or less what it is though.

Matt is tense. You can see him shaking the chair behind him lol

The journalists are all doing a pretty good job tailoring their questions to put their feet to the fire.

AFC North had 3 playoff teams this year. NFC West had 2 and another team the Bears tied with them. So, on paper that's 6 teams equal or better than the Bears, not including GB x 2, and Tampa, and potentially whatever AFC team they get for the 17th game. That being said, I don't pay attention to projections. 6-8 new teams make the playoffs every year. Granted, the Bears could be 1 of the, but odds are 3-4 of these teams aren't very good next year. next year is a 17 game schedule? Yup.

This is one of the few days of the year I'll listen to a little talk radio and laugh to myself about all the guys who have listened to press conferences their entire life and then call in and complain that it was all fluff or spin or whatever.

Feels like the Bears constantly are facing a tough schedule like the ebbs and flows of other divisions is perfectly lined up with the Bears rotation haha. 8th easiest schedule this year. Well I was thinking more in terms of "projected" SOS. That always seems high, whether or not it ranks that way at the end or the year. I may also just be making it up completely.

Feels like the Bears constantly are facing a tough schedule like the ebbs and flows of other divisions is perfectly lined up with the Bears rotation haha.

Not big enough IMO. Doesn't seem like they're maximizing revenue at that size. Can we just go full soccer and replace the Indian head logo with the big United U? (that logo is gonna be short lived anyways, let's get ahead of the curve)

Trying to do my best, "compete in 2021 without totally leveraging the future" offseason plan and damn this is tough. Which doesn't give me tons of confidence about what's coming the next 5 months.

I feel like if there's a Phillips announcement it will be of the retirement kind of move and won't be announced right away. I don't know why, I just feel like they'd want to delay it to make clear this is Pace and Nagy's ship to run for 2021 and not make it seem like the President hire is somehow an important part of the football operations.

Part of me wonders if the past two days was Pace pitching a plan for 2021 that didn't require any crazy trades of future assets, extreme contract backloading, or overdrafting a QB. Hopefully it's that or they have a vote of confidence to retool, but had to pitch the retool plan. If its, "win in 2021 at all costs", things are about to get dumb. As to QB, I 100% want one QB drafted, ideally 1st or 2nd round, and within top 100 at least, though if they draft like a 6th rounder I'll just have to latch on and hope they somehow got the next Tom Brady. And then I want a QB drafted in 2022. And 2023, and every year until they fall ass backwards into at least like a Ben Roethlisberger caliber QB. Then they can go to drafting one every 3 to 4 years.

Well I never wavered from the two being in a package deal. So I still prefer this toit having only been one or the other, even if I probably would have gone with a restart. Some questions still remain. Will they have a win now mandate? Might there still be an announcement about Ted Phillips future at a later date?

Leak number 1

You're making quite the case for no changes. Eta or fire both and give someone the Belichik/Carroll role. It's at least a differentiator role for a candidate then. Actually that may be the McCaskeys best move. Put all your eggs in one basket rather than having to evaluate some combo of coaching and GMing.

They're definitely behind Jax in both, either way. I suppose where they rank among the rest partially depends on if it's both that are out or just one of Nagy/Pace, and potentially Phillips role as well.

I dont necessarily mind, but I'm also now just impatient and want the slightest scoop haha. Like is it Nagy v Pace in there right now, battling for George's affection? Are they trying to decide what role Ted plays? sometimes a good game of monopoly can take a loooooong horsefeathering time Clearly Champ Kelley has asserted his authority and bought up all the houses and refuses to buy hotels and Pace is arguing how he's ruined the game, but he refused to concede the game and now they're just going turn by turn until Pace has been bled dry becuas he doesn't understand economics.