Must Read Article - Why the Marc Trestman Experiment Failed

[DABEARSDABOMB]

http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2014/12/16/gab...g-hasnt-worked/

 

Fantastic article with a lot of insight he has collected from his contacts in the organization. I highlighted a couple key quotes below but this really is a must read and Gabriel hits everything right on the head. I keep saying, a lot of stories are going to come out when the Trestman era ends and they aren't going to be flattering.

 

In 2013, Trestman’s offense did a very good job, but in 2014, defenses adapted and adjusted. The result has been an underachieving offense. Trestman didn’t have an answer to the adjustments.

 

In talking to Bears players and former players, I keep hearing the same thing. They don’t respect Trestman as coach and a leader. They feel he worries too much about the little things that have nothing to do with football and not the most important thing, which is their performance on the field.

 

Another worry I have heard from players is the lack of accountability. While the players were told they were going to be held accountable for their off-field issues, they weren’t even held accountable for their on-field performance.

 

The players also had a leadership structure within the locker room. (Pre Trestman). When Trestman came in, Urlacher was phased out and, according to the players, Briggs and Tillman were more or less pushed aside as the team leaders. This didn’t sit well with Briggs, Tillman or others.

 

Little joys that the players had come to like were taken away for a time. For instance, there was always music blaring in the locker room. That was cut out. It wasn’t until both Tillman and Briggs pleaded with Trestman that music was brought back.

 

In all my years in football, I have never seen a coach thrown under the bus like Kromer was. It should have been handled strictly by Trestman in house. Having Kromer apologize to the players was a disaster. Kromer and the rest of the staff have lost all credibility and ability to lead the players.

 

 

[madlithuanian]

wow...

 

http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2014/12/16/gab...g-hasnt-worked/

 

Fantastic article with a lot of insight he has collected from his contacts in the organization. I highlighted a couple key quotes below but this really is a must read and Gabriel hits everything right on the head. I keep saying, a lot of stories are going to come out when the Trestman era ends and they aren't going to be flattering.

 

[ASHKUM BEAR]

The one about Briggs and Tillman! Lovie had so much respect from his players and the loss of Urlacher destroyed any small chance respect would be won over by anyone that replaced him. The thought Marinelli, Lovies pal, would stay to be the bridge showed it was going to be a tough sell.

 

Goes to show you when you change a regime, do it completely. Any player that you think will resist change needs to be released. Peppers had a terrible year and was not going to lay it out. Briggs half arsed it and used injury. Tillman I won't question and have respect for. Emery gambled on an unknown QB guru and retaining a respected Tampa coach and failed. Hopefully he learned If he is given another chance.

[Alaskan Grizzly]

The one about Briggs and Tillman! Lovie had so much respect from his players and the loss of Urlacher destroyed any small chance respect would be won over by anyone that replaced him. The thought Marinelli, Lovies pal, would stay to be the bridge showed it was going to be a tough sell.

 

Goes to show you when you change a regime, do it completely. Any player that you think will resist change needs to be released. Peppers had a terrible year and was not going to lay it out. Briggs half arsed it and used injury. Tillman I won't question and have respect for. Emery gambled on an unknown QB guru and retaining a respected Tampa coach and failed. Hopefully he learned If he is given another chance.

 

Or treat some of your current leaders with better respect. Like in the dealings with Urlacher. Rather than give him an ultimatum of a deal, actually negotiate and see what it would take to keep him around. IMHO, that would have gone a lot further in the keeping the defense intact than would have much else. I identified that Emery was an egotistical fanatic early on by recognizing many of his moves as self-serving and putting his mark on the team. As this article pointed out the trend for both Emery and Trestman was to ignore conventional wisdom and tread on the institution of defense that defined this team for so long. And that started with the ouster of not only Urlacher but Lovie too. And continued by essentially ignoring the other established leaders of the defense in Tillman and Briggs. Do you think that Marinelli would have stayed to be the defensive coordinator had he known that Emery and Trestman were going to give the team its due diligence? But since they did not, he instead took a less titled position with the Dallas Cowboys. That should have spoke volumes of where this team was headed.

 

If you choose to 'clean house' be ready for what we saw this year. A team that is truly the definition of re-building.

[madlithuanian]

Yet more damning evidence that Emery is not the right guy...

 

Or treat some of your current leaders with better respect. Like in the dealings with Urlacher. Rather than give him an ultimatum of a deal, actually negotiate and see what it would take to keep him around. IMHO, that would have gone a lot further in the keeping the defense intact than would have much else. I identified that Emery was an egotistical fanatic early on by recognizing many of his moves as self-serving and putting his mark on the team. As this article pointed out the trend for both Emery and Trestman was to ignore conventional wisdom and tread on the institution of defense that defined this team for so long. And that started with the ouster of not only Urlacher but Lovie too. And continued by essentially ignoring the other established leaders of the defense in Tillman and Briggs. Do you think that Marinelli would have stayed to be the defensive coordinator had he known that Emery and Trestman were going to give the team its due diligence? But since they did not, he instead took a less titled position with the Dallas Cowboys. That should have spoke volumes of where this team was headed.

 

If you choose to 'clean house' be ready for what we saw this year. A team that is truly the definition of re-building.

 

[Chitownhustla]

Or treat some of your current leaders with better respect. Like in the dealings with Urlacher. Rather than give him an ultimatum of a deal, actually negotiate and see what it would take to keep him around. IMHO, that would have gone a lot further in the keeping the defense intact than would have much else. I identified that Emery was an egotistical fanatic early on by recognizing many of his moves as self-serving and putting his mark on the team. As this article pointed out the trend for both Emery and Trestman was to ignore conventional wisdom and tread on the institution of defense that defined this team for so long. And that started with the ouster of not only Urlacher but Lovie too. And continued by essentially ignoring the other established leaders of the defense in Tillman and Briggs. Do you think that Marinelli would have stayed to be the defensive coordinator had he known that Emery and Trestman were going to give the team its due diligence? But since they did not, he instead took a less titled position with the Dallas Cowboys. That should have spoke volumes of where this team was headed.

 

If you choose to 'clean house' be ready for what we saw this year. A team that is truly the definition of re-building.

 

 

First big mistake was not dealing with Urlacher correct. Does that go on Emery or Trestman, either way they should have dealt with it better. Lets say Urlacher would not have been as productive last years years past, a less productive Urlacher would have been most likely been as productive as his replacements and would have given the new coaches a leader bridge the changeover. A happy Urlacher would have made Tillman and Briggs happy, instead of negative these guys would have been positive.

 

I think Emery and Trestman learned from this and that's why they offered Tillman 3.5 million to come back. If they could offer Tillman 3.5 why not Urlacher.

 

 

[DABEARSDABOMB]

First big mistake was not dealing with Urlacher correct. Does that go on Emery or Trestman, either way they should have dealt with it better. Lets say Urlacher would not have been as productive last years years past, a less productive Urlacher would have been most likely been as productive as his replacements and would have given the new coaches a leader bridge the changeover. A happy Urlacher would have made Tillman and Briggs happy, instead of negative these guys would have been positive.

 

I think Emery and Trestman learned from this and that's why they offered Tillman 3.5 million to come back. If they could offer Tillman 3.5 why not Urlacher.

Honestly...I don't know that I can give the Bears that much grief over Urlacher. I think in hindsight we should have done the same thing with our other veterans too. I think having Urlacher around might have only been worse (unless of course he was entirely bought in to the new scheme, etc). I also will still point out that no other team in the league thought he was worth it as well. Love the dude and he was clearly a great leader and controlled our lockeroom and did amazing things but when it is near the end, not much to be done.

 

We probably could have handled the seperation with more class though.

[madlithuanian]

Bingo!

 

We probably could have handled the seperation with more class though.

 

[Chitownhustla]

Honestly...I don't know that I can give the Bears that much grief over Urlacher. I think in hindsight we should have done the same thing with our other veterans too. I think having Urlacher around might have only been worse (unless of course he was entirely bought in to the new scheme, etc). I also will still point out that no other team in the league thought he was worth it as well. Love the dude and he was clearly a great leader and controlled our lockeroom and did amazing things but when it is near the end, not much to be done.

 

We probably could have handled the seperation with more class though.

 

 

With how pissed Urlacher was for not being resigned I would think he would have been a positive influence on the locker room. He would have gotten his farewell tour, Briggs and all of his boys would have been happy.

 

IT would have created a happy locker room. A happy locker room in the first year would have meant Tillman, Jennings, Hester and Briggs would not be questioning what the Bears were going to do with them as much.

 

If the Bears treat Urlacher in this manner the rest of the guys have to be asking how are they going to treat me.. Change for some guys is easy, hard for others. Having Urlacher would have probably kept a lot of key guys in the right frame of mind.

 

To get guys to buy in you need the group to be positive, clearly there were guys that were not positive after the Bears treated Urlacher the right way.

 

 

Also you could be right, if the Bears had handled the separation better maybe that would have bought some goodwill with some of the older players.

[DABEARSDABOMB]

With how pissed Urlacher was for not being resigned I would think he would have been a positive influence on the locker room. He would have gotten his farewell tour, Briggs and all of his boys would have been happy.

 

IT would have created a happy locker room. A happy locker room in the first year would have meant Tillman, Jennings, Hester and Briggs would not be questioning what the Bears were going to do with them as much.

 

If the Bears treat Urlacher in this manner the rest of the guys have to be asking how are they going to treat me.. Change for some guys is easy, hard for others. Having Urlacher would have probably kept a lot of key guys in the right frame of mind.

 

To get guys to buy in you need the group to be positive, clearly there were guys that were not positive after the Bears treated Urlacher the right way.

 

 

Also you could be right, if the Bears had handled the separation better maybe that would have bought some goodwill with some of the older players.

It seems to be that if anything, we should have taken more of a hard line stance and done the same to Briggs / Tillman / Peppers and basically cleaned house so the new coaching scheme had their chance to put a stamp on things without veterans already placing blame. That seems to be what a lot of experts would think would be the right approach. To me I think there is a fine line between that and you need to know the character of those leaders and how they respond to change / handle change and also the personality of the coaches and track records of winning players over, etc, to better make that decision.