Saints Dennis Allen is a likely DC

[BearFan PHX]

1 hour ago, AZ54 said:

Remember the rules require at least 2 minorities be interviewed for all coordinator positions.  

i thought it was 2 for HC and 1 for coordinators, but i could well be wrong

EDIT: just googled, so yes you are right. Hopefully this means Allen is coming to Chicago.

[Mongo3451]

2 hours ago, AZ54 said:

Remember the rules require at least 2 minorities be interviewed for all coordinator positions.  

This crap has to be demeaning to black people.  This token shit has to stop.  Hire the best, period.  That's what makes everyone better.

[BearFan PHX]

16 minutes ago, Mongo3451 said:

This crap has to be demeaning to black people.  This token shit has to stop.  Hire the best, period.  That's what makes everyone better.

I can understand when there once was a need for it. To get people who werent getting chances in front of decision makers, and to give them a chance to meet them and get their name out there. When there were no and then very few successful black coaches.

But now, you have Brian Flores actually suing the league because the Rooney Rule interviews he got, he claims were not serious interviews, but just to satisfy the rule. Which is crazy because the intent of the rule was to get people who wouldn't have gotten an interview a chance to meet.

And it's not like Flores didn't get a head coaching job either. He DID.

Now there are lots of great coaches in the league, and some may even feel that having a black coach gives them an advantage in dealing with players, of which more than half are black.

The real damage with affirmative action type hiring, college acceptance etc is that it does two things. 1) if the candidate was already qualified, then it demeans them and people may suspect that they got some extra boost when in fact they would have gotten the job on their own merit, or into that college etc and 2) it may promote people who are not qualified to positions over their heads where they will not succeed, and fulfill racist stereotypes of not being good enough. FWIW, most people of any color are not good enough to be head coaches in the NFL, myself obviously included.

For example, a large percentage of black students who are admitted to Harvard with lower SAT scores than the average white SAT scores at Harvard eventually drop out, while Black students who did have competitive SAT scores, not surprisingly, perform on average at the same level as their other race counterparts. And of course exceptional individuals will come in any color, sex etc.

If we want to take a look at the quality of schools in poor areas to provide better competitive outcomes, that's great. But taking an 18 year old kid, who has the SATs they have, and just pretending they are more capable than they are doesnt help anyone. helping kids achieve so that they can get those SAT scores is awesome, but creating false outcomes that arent based on reality is a terrible idea.

I understood the need for it at one time, now I feel like it diminishes the excellent candidates, and makes others, like Flores, feel like tokens.

In a league where owners would sell their own grandmothers to win (are you listening Bears? lol) I don't think racism is really an issue in the hiring of coaches anymore.

The Rooney rule is not helping anyone at this point in my opinion.

[Stinger226]

1 hour ago, BearFan PHX said:

I can understand when there once was a need for it. To get people who werent getting chances in front of decision makers, and to give them a chance to meet them and get their name out there. When there were no and then very few successful black coaches.

But now, you have Brian Flores actually suing the league because the Rooney Rule interviews he got, he claims were not serious interviews, but just to satisfy the rule. Which is crazy because the intent of the rule was to get people who wouldn't have gotten an interview a chance to meet.

And it's not like Flores didn't get a head coaching job either. He DID.

Now there are lots of great coaches in the league, and some may even feel that having a black coach gives them an advantage in dealing with players, of which more than half are black.

The real damage with affirmative action type hiring, college acceptance etc is that it does two things. 1) if the candidate was already qualified, then it demeans them and people may suspect that they got some extra boost when in fact they would have gotten the job on their own merit, or into that college etc and 2) it may promote people who are not qualified to positions over their heads where they will not succeed, and fulfill racist stereotypes of not being good enough. FWIW, most people of any color are not good enough to be head coaches in the NFL, myself obviously included.

For example, a large percentage of black students who are admitted to Harvard with lower SAT scores than the average white SAT scores at Harvard eventually drop out, while Black students who did have competitive SAT scores, not surprisingly, perform on average at the same level as their other race counterparts. And of course exceptional individuals will come in any color, sex etc.

If we want to take a look at the quality of schools in poor areas to provide better competitive outcomes, that's great. But taking an 18 year old kid, who has the SATs they have, and just pretending they are more capable than they are doesnt help anyone. helping kids achieve so that they can get those SAT scores is awesome, but creating false outcomes that arent based on reality is a terrible idea.

I understood the need for it at one time, now I feel like it diminishes the excellent candidates, and makes others, like Flores, feel like tokens.

In a league where owners would sell their own grandmothers to win (are you listening Bears? lol) I don't think racism is really an issue in the hiring of coaches anymore.

The Rooney rule is not helping anyone at this point in my opinion.

It's just for looks but I think you're right,it gets names out there for hire, if not now later. If a black coach had the creed that Johnson has, he would be the hire. I get it is imbalanced but if you look at rosters in the league, there is an unbalance for white players. Players are based on merit not color, coaches should be also. 

The bears have a Black president, Black GM and black assistant GM, the inequality narrative no longer applies in the NFL anymore.

[BearFan PHX]

3 hours ago, Stinger226 said:

It's just for looks but I think you're right,it gets names out there for hire, if not now later. If a black coach had the creed that Johnson has, he would be the hire. I get it is imbalanced but if you look at rosters in the league, there is an unbalance for white players. Players are based on merit not color, coaches should be also. 

The bears have a Black president, Black GM and black assistant GM, the inequality narrative no longer applies in the NFL anymore.

I agree, and you actually have a coach, Flores, suing the NFL to stop the Rooney rule, well I mean, i think he is suing to say every Rooney Rule interview has to be a real interview, but how can you mandate that or police it?

Affirmative action was just discontinued this week, maybe it's time.

But yeah, winning is everything, and no one is going to pass over whoever they think the best coach or player is because of race.

[BearFan PHX]

So we just hired Al Harris (not that one!) from the Cowboys to be defensive pass coordinator.

Seems to me you wouldnt be hiring assistants until you had your DC in place. Given that no signing has been announced, I think this adds some weight to the idea that Dennis Allen is already decided and agreed, and we are waiting for Rooney Rule fulfillment. otherwise, youd figure if they had chosen a DC it would be announced. No reason not to except the RR, and it's unlikely they are going to saddle and incoming DC with a hire he didnt agree to.

Then again, it would be so Bears to do that?

Still I think this lends some credence to the idea that Allen will be our DC, especially since  we arent hearing hes having more interviews anywhere else?

[AZ54]

2 hours ago, BearFan PHX said:

So we just hired Al Harris (not that one!) from the Cowboys to be defensive pass coordinator.

Seems to me you wouldnt be hiring assistants until you had your DC in place. Given that no signing has been announced, I think this adds some weight to the idea that Dennis Allen is already decided and agreed, and we are waiting for Rooney Rule fulfillment. otherwise, youd figure if they had chosen a DC it would be announced. No reason not to except the RR, and it's unlikely they are going to saddle and incoming DC with a hire he didnt agree to.

Then again, it would be so Bears to do that?

Still I think this lends some credence to the idea that Allen will be our DC, especially since  we arent hearing hes having more interviews anywhere else?

Agreed.  Some future DC signed off on this hire (of a former Packer). 

 https://www.dallasnews.com/sports/cowboys/2025/01/24/cowboys-defensive-backs-coach-al-harris-joining-chicago-bears-staff-per-report/

[BearFan PHX]

15 minutes ago, AZ54 said:

Agreed.  Some future DC signed off on this hire (of a former Packer). 

 https://www.dallasnews.com/sports/cowboys/2025/01/24/cowboys-defensive-backs-coach-al-harris-joining-chicago-bears-staff-per-report/

feels like it. I just hate screwing around while someone else might poach him.

Look at Liam Coen, and how he told the Bucs he was taking care of a sick child, having already made an agreement, and suddenly, he's in Jacksonville.

[AZ54]

36 minutes ago, BearFan PHX said:

feels like it. I just hate screwing around while someone else might poach him.

Look at Liam Coen, and how he told the Bucs he was taking care of a sick child, having already made an agreement, and suddenly, he's in Jacksonville.

Of course Allen does have the right to refuse any job offer.  I would say however that if he gave his word to the Bears and Johnson and went back on it, then we don't really want him here.  The NFL world is a very small community.  These guys all know each other, or know someone who knows that coach.  With veteran coaches at most there are 2 degrees of separation.  Possibly 3 degrees when you get down to some newer position coaches.  They're all chatting around with each other each offseason trying to help their friends get jobs.  Its like hanging out at the smoking area at work.  The smokers always know what is really going on.  

Ben Johnson was asked...for someone who had been vocal (picky?) about what he wanted in an organization why did he decide to come to Chicago and work with Ryan Poles when he had never even met him in person nor visited the facility.  What gave him confidence this was going to work?  Ben simply said they have had a lot of common connections in their careers and there were plenty of people he knew and trusted who told him all about Poles.   That didn't happen the day after the Lions lost.  Ben had to have been doing his research on the team and organization for weeks in advance.   I'm sure he did the same with the other job openings he had interest in.  From the Zoom interview he was able to confirm what he'd been told and then asked a few other questions such as is George going to be meddling in football decisions.        

[Stinger226]

1 hour ago, AZ54 said:

Agreed.  Some future DC signed off on this hire (of a former Packer). 

 https://www.dallasnews.com/sports/cowboys/2025/01/24/cowboys-defensive-backs-coach-al-harris-joining-chicago-bears-staff-per-report/

I'm not sure OC and DC get the same creed Head coaches get with hiring assistants. If you had to wait for a DC or OC to go thru hiring assistants, the process would take to long to get who you wanted.  Also, I think they know who will be DC and OC are to get okays to hire someone they would be able to work with. It just may be finalizing money to make the announcement. He came here with a plan and backup plan for assembling a team 

[BearFan PHX]

3 hours ago, Stinger226 said:

I'm not sure OC and DC get the same creed Head coaches get with hiring assistants. If you had to wait for a DC or OC to go thru hiring assistants, the process would take to long to get who you wanted.  Also, I think they know who will be DC and OC are to get okays to hire someone they would be able to work with. It just may be finalizing money to make the announcement. He came here with a plan and backup plan for assembling a team 

I disagree, especially if your head coach is a first time HC from the offensive side of the ball, and you're talking about a guy like Dennis Allen. You might be prohibited by the rules for asking "hey were gonna hire this guy is that OK?" but you can always ask him or his agent "we're thinking about signing this guy, what can you tell me about him?"

You dont want to hire a passing game coordinator (whatever that is) without the DC wanting that flavor of pass coordination (lol) Then again, Thomas Brown was our passing game coordinator and apparently when he was in that role, he was forbidden to talk to Caleb LOL so who knows what any of it is.

Still, I think our future DC probably said OK about Harris. And that really only makes sense if it's Allen. Otherwise, it's a little weird. And the only reason Allen wouldnt already be official is the RR. So I think we are watching this whole dance for no real good reason at all if Allen is the choice and the RR is driving this.

And you have to dance well and convincingly and carefully, because Flores is suing the league already! Your lawyers tell you it has to be this certain dance.

And that's when it gets ridiculous. If it is Allen and he is announced soon after the two interviews occur, then we will know we were probably right. And if it's someone else, then we are arranging marriages again. My guess is it's Allen.

[BearFan PHX]

Looks like it's Allen. A bunch of reports have surfaced in the last hour that he's the choice. It all adds up.

I'll await the official announcement, but it looks like we were right about the RR holding back a decision that was already made before we signed Al Harris.

He is going to be great to watch - we will get burned by being too aggressive sometimes, but no more sitting back in a zone on 3rd down as a matter of course. Thank goodness.

The secondary will be able to eat now.

[AZ54]

1 hour ago, BearFan PHX said:

Looks like it's Allen. A bunch of reports have surfaced in the last hour that he's the choice. It all adds up.

I'll await the official announcement, but it looks like we were right about the RR holding back a decision that was already made before we signed Al Harris.

He is going to be great to watch - we will get burned by being too aggressive sometimes, but no more sitting back in a zone on 3rd down as a matter of course. Thank goodness.

The secondary will be able to eat now.

Only if the Dline is eating first.  

[Stinger226]

18 hours ago, BearFan PHX said:

I disagree, especially if your head coach is a first time HC from the offensive side of the ball, and you're talking about a guy like Dennis Allen. You might be prohibited by the rules for asking "hey were gonna hire this guy is that OK?" but you can always ask him or his agent "we're thinking about signing this guy, what can you tell me about him?"

You dont want to hire a passing game coordinator (whatever that is) without the DC wanting that flavor of pass coordination (lol) Then again, Thomas Brown was our passing game coordinator and apparently when he was in that role, he was forbidden to talk to Caleb LOL so who knows what any of it is.

Still, I think our future DC probably said OK about Harris. And that really only makes sense if it's Allen. Otherwise, it's a little weird. And the only reason Allen wouldnt already be official is the RR. So I think we are watching this whole dance for no real good reason at all if Allen is the choice and the RR is driving this.

And you have to dance well and convincingly and carefully, because Flores is suing the league already! Your lawyers tell you it has to be this certain dance.

And that's when it gets ridiculous. If it is Allen and he is announced soon after the two interviews occur, then we will know we were probably right. And if it's someone else, then we are arranging marriages again. My guess is it's Allen.

They talked to Allen first and appears to be signing him. Anyone they added before Allen signed is probably already with his approval. They talked to all these HC candidates before and I think all both knew Johnson was the guy. I think all decisions were already discussed before these assistants were hired. I think they are in lockstep.

[BearFan PHX]

4 hours ago, AZ54 said:

Only if the Dline is eating first.  

or the blitz schemes are getting pressure, but yes, the DBs will eat because the defense is not going to sit back, we are going to let the DBs hunt, and try to make the QBs uncomfortable while they do that.

We definitely need a serious edge.

[BearFan PHX]

OK, this is too funny.

Based on a Brad Biggs article in the Tribune today about David Shaw interviewing, which has a single line about mutliple inside sources believing the Bears will sign Allen, which isnt really new, and one poster on some Bears talk type board Ive never heard of, who has tracked the Bears private plane, some posters on that board have decided that this is proof of Allen coming to Chicago.

Here's the funny part - based on THAT, someone has changed Dennis Allen's Wikipedia page to reflect him as Defensive Coordinator, and it cites the poster on that board as the source, even though he isnt a reporter and has just requoted Biggs; stale quote hahaha

I think they are trolling the guy, but there is it on Wikipedia which is both hilarious and lets you know how much of a trusted source Wiki is (it's not!)

From Wiki: "Terry Billingsley has confirmed Allen and the Chicago Bears have agreed to terms to become the defensive coordinator of the Chicago Bears."

Too funny.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dennis_Allen_(American_football)

[BearFan PHX]

FWIW, private jet N503GQ, which is supposedly the Bears or McCaskeys private plane did in fact fly to New Orleans this afternoon, and then return to Chicago.

https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/n503qf

does anyone know whats in Cincinnati? Where is David Shaw right now?

EDIT: It doesnt seem McCaskey has his own plane, these are chartered flights (BJ, McCarthy etc), so who knows who might be on that plane from New Orleans, and the previous and subsequent flights are irrelevant, other clients.

When you try to shake out meaning from nothing but noise, you get nothing

[Stinger226]

I tend not to believe rumors but I do trust Biggs. He seems not to jump on just any rumor.

[BearFan PHX]

14 minutes ago, Stinger226 said:

I tend not to believe rumors but I do trust Biggs. He seems not to jump on just any rumor.

right but the comment from Biggs was pretty clear - that he doesnt KNOW anything, but hes heard from insiders that its likely, which I believe. I mean I think Allen is coming here.

But the thing is, the article was about Shaw, and the single line about Allen was an add on, it wasnt timely, it could just as easily have said "insiders i spoke to 5 days ago believe Allen is likely to the Bears" so no actual news happened today - Biggs doesnt claim any.

Its like the stuff saying Johnson was going to the Raiders. Turns out they werent even in the running. Narratives thrive in vacuums. Watching the echo chamber hum today was a rabbit hole thread unwinding that actually lead nowhere LOL

And that said i STILL think Allen will be Bears DC, but nothing happened today that I can discern. Id like to hear when the two other DC candidates actually have their interviews. Has the RR been satisfied?

But the activity i saw earlier, which was a ton of articles, were all based on this one line of non news, when I followed all the trails.

[Stinger226]

The only rumors I totally trust comes from Ryan Poles when he announces it.

[CrackerDog]

10 hours ago, BearFan PHX said:

or the blitz schemes are getting pressure, but yes, the DBs will eat because the defense is not going to sit back, we are going to let the DBs hunt, and try to make the QBs uncomfortable while they do that.

We definitely need a serious edge.

I prefer occasionally getting burned by aggressiveness than being just safe enough to lose the game.  

[BearFan PHX]

3 hours ago, CrackerDog said:

I prefer occasionally getting burned by aggressiveness than being just safe enough to lose the game.  

me too! I want another hit of what I felt in 1985, and all weve had for DECADES is a big zone.

We may even get burned a lot, but we have players now, we should let them play. Get a real pass rush in here, and it will be great to see.

[jason]

On 1/26/2025 at 7:46 AM, CrackerDog said:

I prefer occasionally getting burned by aggressiveness than being just safe enough to lose the game.  

Preach. Which is why the Lovie-2 was so infuriating and probably took years off the average Bears fan’s life. (Also because the scheme doesn’t work without Urlacher, Briggs, & Peanut.)