'TD' Posted December 17, 2009 Report Share Posted December 17, 2009 http://www.chicagobreakingsports.com/2009/...g-to-bears.html Briggs echoes Hester, predicts changes coming December 17, 2009 12:40 PM | No Comments lancebriggs-pv.JPGBy Brad Biggs Lance Briggs stepped to the podium in the media room at Halas Hall this afternoon and said he was ready to deliver some controversy. The Pro Bowl linebacker was joking, playing off an interesting Wednesday when wide receiver Devin Hester expressed his frustration with his role and the team's struggles. "There is going to be a shakeup. There is going to be what I call a shake at the lake,'' Briggs joked. Then, the team's leading tackler got serious and admitted that, yeah, things could be different starting in January. Photo: Linebacker Lance Briggs says the Bears 'D' isn't what it once was. (Phil Velasquez/Tribune) "Obviously, with years like this, I'm sure something is going to happen," Briggs said. "Next year, I don't know what. But for me and the rest of the guys in the locker room, this year and this day will never come again. "It's frustrating to go through years like this. The only thing, at this point that you can really do, or I feel I can do is for one, finish strong, two, not let this happen again. "I could say a bunch of different things about it. We're definitely not the team of the past, of those successful years (2005 and 2006). We don't play that way. It doesn't feel that way on the field and the results are not the same. So, any hope of that, people need to put that stuff to rest, really, and we need to start moving forward and continue to move forward and eliminate the questions of, 'Are you guys going to get back to this form?' "We need to move forward and develop the guys that are here, get better communication, play better football and work on success for next year.'' Then, Briggs started talking about some of the players and coaches who are no longer here, mentioning ex-defensive coordinator Ron Rivera and secondary coach Perry Fewell, and players Thomas Jones, John Tait, Mike Brown, Ruben Brown, Chris Harris and even Ian Scott. "There are guys that are gone that we don't have," Briggs said. "I think sometimes when you believe in what we're doing so much, you think sometimes, 'Hey, we can let this guy go,' or 'We don't need this guy,' and we'll be just fine. I think in most cases that would be the case, but you miss some of those guys when you don't have them and sometimes you realize what you could have had when it's not there anymore. There are things that I do miss about some of those players. "The thing is, in football nothing lasts forever. Who is to say if those guys are with us today we would be successful." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaBearSox Posted December 17, 2009 Report Share Posted December 17, 2009 Looks like a nice shot at Angelo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madlithuanian Posted December 17, 2009 Report Share Posted December 17, 2009 Realism is a path seldom taken by the talking heads of this (lack of) organization... Glad to see Briggs is using it. Looks like a nice shot at Angelo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lemonej Posted December 18, 2009 Report Share Posted December 18, 2009 Again one thing that has started to bug me about the Chicago media is every time a player says something they go right to the head coach and ask him what he thinks about the comments. When it comes to Lovie you are going to get the same BS which amounts to nothing being said anyway so why not just report the players comments and let Lovie stew about it without being able to respond. At this point none of cares to hear his opinion anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason Posted December 18, 2009 Report Share Posted December 18, 2009 http://www.chicagobreakingsports.com/2009/...g-to-bears.html "I could say a bunch of different things about it. We're definitely not the team of the past, of those successful years (2005 and 2006). We don't play that way. It doesn't feel that way on the field and the results are not the same. So, any hope of that, people need to put that stuff to rest, really, and we need to start moving forward and continue to move forward and eliminate the questions of, 'Are you guys going to get back to this form? That sounds like a direct shot at the coaching staff, to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
defiantgiant Posted December 18, 2009 Report Share Posted December 18, 2009 It's good to see this wake-up call coming from a leader on the defense - I'm worried that Lovie's going to pawn this season off on Ron Turner and Pep Hamilton (and maybe even Darryl Drake,) and then trot the same ineffective D out next year. Briggs' comments should really be a reminder that as bad as Turner's offense has been, Lovie's D has been even worse, and it's steadily getting worse each season. And while Turner's been dealing with some major personnel/talent problems (specifically, the worst offensive line I've ever seen) on offense, Lovie's gotten a schizophrenic, mediocre performance out of a fairly talented group on D. I'm all for canning Turner and Hamilton, then bringing in somebody who can work with Cutler and get the running game going, but if this offseason doesn't at LEAST include hiring a new (competent) defensive coordinator, this team is in for another long season next year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madlithuanian Posted December 18, 2009 Report Share Posted December 18, 2009 It's not just Chicago...it's everywhere! Again one thing that has started to bug me about the Chicago media is every time a player says something they go right to the head coach and ask him what he thinks about the comments. When it comes to Lovie you are going to get the same BS which amounts to nothing being said anyway so why not just report the players comments and let Lovie stew about it without being able to respond. At this point none of cares to hear his opinion anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madlithuanian Posted December 18, 2009 Report Share Posted December 18, 2009 I love that Briggs is calling out the D...essentially Smith. Anything can be read into it really. But I'm choosing to think Briggs isn't happy with the D and Smith. It's good to see this wake-up call coming from a leader on the defense - I'm worried that Lovie's going to pawn this season off on Ron Turner and Pep Hamilton (and maybe even Darryl Drake,) and then trot the same ineffective D out next year. Briggs' comments should really be a reminder that as bad as Turner's offense has been, Lovie's D has been even worse, and it's steadily getting worse each season. And while Turner's been dealing with some major personnel/talent problems (specifically, the worst offensive line I've ever seen) on offense, Lovie's gotten a schizophrenic, mediocre performance out of a fairly talented group on D. I'm all for canning Turner and Hamilton, then bringing in somebody who can work with Cutler and get the running game going, but if this offseason doesn't at LEAST include hiring a new (competent) defensive coordinator, this team is in for another long season next year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChileBear Posted December 18, 2009 Report Share Posted December 18, 2009 That sounds like a direct shot at the coaching staff, to me. Now we've got a prominent member of the D and the O questioning the staff. All is not well at Halas Hall. There will be staff changes this offseason. I doubt that Lovie goes, but everyone outside of Toub should feel very vulnerable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BearSox Posted December 18, 2009 Report Share Posted December 18, 2009 I wonder if all bridges have been burned with Ron Rivera or if we get a new front office and coaching staff, maybe we could get him back. Its become evident that the dominant defensives of 05 and 06 we had were the result of Rivera, not Lovie. Plus, Rivera has been doing really good with San Diego and his versatility in basically 3 different schemes (blitz heavy man-to-man 4-3 under Jimmy Johnson, Tampa 2 with us, and now the 3-4 with San Diego) could lead him to really becomming a dominate defensive coordinator. My dream scenario for next year is: New Front Office HC: Mike Shannahan OC: Jeremy Bates DC: Ron Rivera (could also make him assistant HC) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madlithuanian Posted December 18, 2009 Report Share Posted December 18, 2009 I've got to imagine the bridge has been burned. If he were offered a HC job, the bridge may be repaired. Why would he want to come back to the team that "did him wrong" as the DC he already is in SD, on a SD club that has a legit shot at a SB for a few years? Sanny or not. The only way he could be coaxed, all else being equal, is as HC. I wonder if all bridges have been burned with Ron Rivera or if we get a new front office and coaching staff, maybe we could get him back. Its become evident that the dominant defensives of 05 and 06 we had were the result of Rivera, not Lovie. Plus, Rivera has been doing really good with San Diego and his versatility in basically 3 different schemes (blitz heavy man-to-man 4-3 under Jimmy Johnson, Tampa 2 with us, and now the 3-4 with San Diego) could lead him to really becomming a dominate defensive coordinator. My dream scenario for next year is: New Front Office HC: Mike Shannahan OC: Jeremy Bates DC: Ron Rivera (could also make him assistant HC) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'TD' Posted December 19, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 19, 2009 What was the biggest thing he said to me was when he mentioned Rivera on people that were gone and the team missed. That's a huge indictment against Lovie to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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