madlithuanian Posted January 14, 2010 Report Share Posted January 14, 2010 http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/...r-escape-to-ut/ Lovie would be wise to consider escape to UT Posted by Mike Florio on January 14, 2010 7:59 AM ET In 2008, the folks at the University of Tennessee reached out to Bears coach Lovie Smith to gauge his interest in becoming the head coach at the program where Smith worked in 1993 and 1994. Smith declined. Now, the UT job is open again -- and Smith will be occupying one of the hottest of the hot seats in Chicago when the 2010 season starts. Frankly, it might be in everyone's best interests for Smith to pursue the opportunity, unless he has no interest in leading a college program. The Bears undoubtedly would have cleaned house at Halas Hall but for the buyout obligations to Smith and G.M. Jerry Angelo. With Smith's ability to stick around for 2011 riding on the performance of quarterback Jay Cutler and mounting uncertainty regarding a work stoppage after next season, heading to Knoxville makes plenty of sense, especially if his compensation from the Volunteers would be enhanced by a partial buyout from the Bears. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
defiantgiant Posted January 14, 2010 Report Share Posted January 14, 2010 Sounds like the usual PFT rampant speculation. There's no real indication that Smith would take the job, and the only actual news item is that he turned it down in 2008. EDIT: That said, if Lovie decided to go to UT, maybe we could actually hire some coordinators. Bring in Ron Rivera as head coach, maybe send a new offer to Fewell to let him know that he wouldn't be working for a lame-duck coach. Or we could offer the HC job to Heimerdinger and let Fewell have total control over the defense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaBearSox Posted January 14, 2010 Report Share Posted January 14, 2010 this would be ideal and force the McCaskeys hand.... but of course if we were all lucky enough that this happens the McCaskeys will probably offer Jeremy Bates the HC job Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BearSox Posted January 14, 2010 Report Share Posted January 14, 2010 The only problem with such a scenario would be that Lovie is the only one heading out, while JA and Phillips remain in high ranking positions. I know Im greedy, but I want em all gone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DABEARSDABOMB Posted January 14, 2010 Report Share Posted January 14, 2010 The only problem with such a scenario would be that Lovie is the only one heading out, while JA and Phillips remain in high ranking positions. I know Im greedy, but I want em all gone. Phillips is going nowhere nor should he. He hasn't done anything wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaBearSox Posted January 14, 2010 Report Share Posted January 14, 2010 Phillips is going nowhere nor should he. He hasn't done anything wrong. yea phillips is just an errand boy... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madlithuanian Posted January 14, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 14, 2010 I think if Smith were to go...JA would probably follow. At least one would hope! This one would be a firing... Sweaty Teddy will have a finance job somewher ein the org regardless. The only problem with such a scenario would be that Lovie is the only one heading out, while JA and Phillips remain in high ranking positions. I know Im greedy, but I want em all gone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madlithuanian Posted January 14, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 14, 2010 WHAT?!!!! Really? You think Ted has done nothing wrong? Phillips is going nowhere nor should he. He hasn't done anything wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BearSox Posted January 14, 2010 Report Share Posted January 14, 2010 Phillips is going nowhere nor should he. He hasn't done anything wrong. Yeah, he has done nothing wrong, except get completely ass raped when working a new contract for Lovie, and knowing nothing about football. He is a little pawn for McCasky family and has no business making any football personal related decisions. Either Phillips gets put back into accounting or something where he belongs, and we hire a team president who knows something about football, or we let Phillips keep his job and hire someone who is qualified to be the Executive VP of football operations (a la Bill Parcels in Miami or Scott Pioli when he was in New England). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DABEARSDABOMB Posted January 14, 2010 Report Share Posted January 14, 2010 WHAT?!!!! Really? You think Ted has done nothing wrong? Phillips job was the stadium and non-football matters and he has excelled in those roles. And best yet he let his football guys do the job on that end. I think based upon his press conferences (if he had full 100% say) would have fired Lovie Smith at the very least. But you know what, he still needs the owners approval and that wasn't the case so Lovie is still here. Ted Phillips has done his job (given his role). And the contract negotiations had a lot to do with Angelo as well and at the time the contract Smith got was fair. He was either going to walk or not and no one in the major media was ripping the move at the time. Some of you think everything the org does is always wrong no matter what and it can be pretty ridiculous and tiresome to read. Clearly we aren't where we want to be (W/L) but it doesn't mean we are the crappiest org in football, etc, etc. I have a lot of confidence in Phillips and still have a good amount in Angelo. Lovie is Lovie. He'll coach again elsewhere and this will probably be his last year. Is he amazing, no, is he the worse head coach in the league, nope (he's far from it in fact). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BearSox Posted January 14, 2010 Report Share Posted January 14, 2010 I think if Smith were to go...JA would probably follow. At least one would hope! This one would be a firing... Sweaty Teddy will have a finance job somewher ein the org regardless. If Smith goes, hopefully we would go after Cowher. He'd be the most logical person to go after at this point. And if we get Cowher, JA has to go as Cowher requires full control over his team. Then, hopefully we would hire someone smart when it comes to football as a VP of player personnel. Phil Savage comes to mind, but whoever it is has to be able to work hand and hand with Cowher. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaBearSox Posted January 14, 2010 Report Share Posted January 14, 2010 If Smith goes, hopefully we would go after Cowher. He'd be the most logical person to go after at this point. And if we get Cowher, JA has to go as Cowher requires full control over his team. Then, hopefully we would hire someone smart when it comes to football as a VP of player personnel. Phil Savage comes to mind, but whoever it is has to be able to work hand and hand with Cowher. i thoguht he put his old GM on notice that if he goes somewhere that he is coming with him? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madlithuanian Posted January 14, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 14, 2010 We can dream! If Smith goes, hopefully we would go after Cowher. He'd be the most logical person to go after at this point. And if we get Cowher, JA has to go as Cowher requires full control over his team. Then, hopefully we would hire someone smart when it comes to football as a VP of player personnel. Phil Savage comes to mind, but whoever it is has to be able to work hand and hand with Cowher. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BearSox Posted January 14, 2010 Report Share Posted January 14, 2010 Phillips job was the stadium and non-football matters and he has excelled in those roles. And best yet he let his football guys do the job on that end. I think based upon his press conferences (if he had full 100% say) would have fired Lovie Smith at the very least. But you know what, he still needs the owners approval and that wasn't the case so Lovie is still here. Ted Phillips has done his job (given his role). And the contract negotiations had a lot to do with Angelo as well and at the time the contract Smith got was fair. He was either going to walk or not and no one in the major media was ripping the move at the time. Some of you think everything the org does is always wrong no matter what and it can be pretty ridiculous and tiresome to read. Clearly we aren't where we want to be (W/L) but it doesn't mean we are the crappiest org in football, etc, etc. I have a lot of confidence in Phillips and still have a good amount in Angelo. Lovie is Lovie. He'll coach again elsewhere and this will probably be his last year. Is he amazing, no, is he the worse head coach in the league, nope (he's far from it in fact). Puh-lease. This organization has been a joke of a "powerhouse" since 1990. Sure, we've put together a few good season here or there, but this is an organization and team that is one of the most historic in the NFL and needs to pride itself on winning. We aren't the Houston Texans or whatever in which a few successful years in a decade isn't good. We need to dominate the division every year and also be a team considered to be a Super Bowl threat. How many times have we won the division in the past 20 years? 4 times! That's AWFUL! Thats an average of twice a decade. Who are we, the Detroit Lions!? How many times have we went to the playoffs? 6 times!? Wow, that means we won a wildcard spot twice in the past 20 years. How many times have we made it to the NFC Championship Game? ONCE!!!! Only one freaking time have we made it out of the Divisional Playoffs in the past 20 years! How many times have we made it to the Super Bowl in the past 20 years? ONCE, again!!!!! And that turned out to be the same year we made it to the NFC Championship Game. Wow, one super bowl birth in 20 years? We won that superbowl though, right? Nope, not a single super bowl trophy in the past 20 years! We have at least had some successful runs as a great team, right? Actually, no. Our best streak was making it to the wildcard one year and then losing the super bowl the following year. Only two times have we made it to the playoffs in back to back seasons in the past 20 years. Thats AWESOME!!!!!! Overall record for the past 20 years - 154 and 166... thats good if we are the Houston Texans. Playoff record, 4-6. Not only is it sad that we cant even win when we make the playoffs, but we've only had 10 playoff games in the past 20 years. Saying the Bears org. has been that bad is like spitting on George Halas' grave. Here in Chicago, people want and expect the best. We are ruining the history of this great team. It has to turn around some point, and its better to do it late then never. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BearSox Posted January 14, 2010 Report Share Posted January 14, 2010 i thoguht he put his old GM on notice that if he goes somewhere that he is coming with him? It could be that. I just figured he'd want complete control. EDIT: You are right, he wants to be reteamed with Kevin Colbert, the GM of the Steelers since 2000. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madlithuanian Posted January 14, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 14, 2010 Phillips is the President and CEO of the Chicago Bears since 1999. He has now had over a decade in his role. He was set in that spot after the Michael KcCaskey Dave McGuinness "hire". It was an obvious PR move by Viginia after the uber-embarssment of the debacle to save some semblance of face. Many also believe Teddy was placed in there do help seal the deal on the new stadium because top players couldn't stand to be in the same room w/ Mikey boy. No doubt, Ted did a great job getting the stadium deal done. However, if I'm told he's CEO and President, and he is not, then the owners are liars. Many presidents have to go to owners for various approvals, etc.. Ted is no different. If he is President, how can he not be in charge of football operations? That's his freakin' line of business! he was a controller for the team since 1983! Don't you think by the sheer power of osmosis, he'd pick up on something? That's almost 3 decades of being in the inner workings of the business! To give this guy a pass is not acceptable. Here are some bad marks on Ted... 1. He had to get outside help to hire a GM 2. He signed off financially on a horrific financial deal for Smith after the Super Bowl. You said Smith's deal was fair. Far from it. It's a great deal for Smith and bad for the team. They now can't get rid of the dead weight. Some did rip the deal, just not many. Ad I'm not sure how much they looked into how long and how guaranteed the deal was. 3. His team hasn't won a Super Bowl in over a decade under his watch. Sorry, to me, that's failure. Your comment is intruiging: "Some of you think everything the org does is always wrong no matter what and it can be pretty ridiculous and tiresome to read." Not sure who you are referring to...but I think you are expressing your frustration in reading negativity. I don't think there's a person here (maybe besides TerraTor.... ) that thinks "everything" the org does is always wrong. However, there's a LOT wrong. Do you think this is actually a very well run organization? I don't. I don't think many on this site do. From what I pick up around the papers, TV, interent and radio, many "experts" don't think so either. I'm truly sorry if my (or others') negativity about how shoddily run this organization is is irritating to you. Believe you me, I'm FAR more irritated by almost 30 years of futility with a couple nifty seasons in-between. I'd love to see another championship before another 30 years goes by... Right now, the odds aren't good with this current dog & pony show. Phillips job was the stadium and non-football matters and he has excelled in those roles. And best yet he let his football guys do the job on that end. I think based upon his press conferences (if he had full 100% say) would have fired Lovie Smith at the very least. But you know what, he still needs the owners approval and that wasn't the case so Lovie is still here. Ted Phillips has done his job (given his role). And the contract negotiations had a lot to do with Angelo as well and at the time the contract Smith got was fair. He was either going to walk or not and no one in the major media was ripping the move at the time. Some of you think everything the org does is always wrong no matter what and it can be pretty ridiculous and tiresome to read. Clearly we aren't where we want to be (W/L) but it doesn't mean we are the crappiest org in football, etc, etc. I have a lot of confidence in Phillips and still have a good amount in Angelo. Lovie is Lovie. He'll coach again elsewhere and this will probably be his last year. Is he amazing, no, is he the worse head coach in the league, nope (he's far from it in fact). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madlithuanian Posted January 14, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 14, 2010 Man, I truly do feel your pain! Puh-lease. This organization has been a joke of a "powerhouse" since 1990. Sure, we've put together a few good season here or there, but this is an organization and team that is one of the most historic in the NFL and needs to pride itself on winning. We aren't the Houston Texans or whatever in which a few successful years in a decade isn't good. We need to dominate the division every year and also be a team considered to be a Super Bowl threat. How many times have we won the division in the past 20 years? 4 times! That's AWFUL! Thats an average of twice a decade. Who are we, the Detroit Lions!? How many times have we went to the playoffs? 6 times!? Wow, that means we won a wildcard spot twice in the past 20 years. How many times have we made it to the NFC Championship Game? ONCE!!!! Only one freaking time have we made it out of the Divisional Playoffs in the past 20 years! How many times have we made it to the Super Bowl in the past 20 years? ONCE, again!!!!! And that turned out to be the same year we made it to the NFC Championship Game. Wow, one super bowl birth in 20 years? We won that superbowl though, right? Nope, not a single super bowl trophy in the past 20 years! We have at least had some successful runs as a great team, right? Actually, no. Our best streak was making it to the wildcard one year and then losing the super bowl the following year. Only two times have we made it to the playoffs in back to back seasons in the past 20 years. Thats AWESOME!!!!!! Overall record for the past 20 years - 154 and 166... thats good if we are the Houston Texans. Playoff record, 4-6. Not only is it sad that we cant even win when we make the playoffs, but we've only had 10 playoff games in the past 20 years. Saying the Bears org. has been that bad is like spitting on George Halas' grave. Here in Chicago, people want and expect the best. We are ruining the history of this great team. It has to turn around some point, and its better to do it late then never. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mongo3451 Posted January 14, 2010 Report Share Posted January 14, 2010 Guys, I would like for you to consider life without Ted Phillips. Do you honestly think someone else could come in and do a better job bridging the the gap with the family? I haven't heard a peep from the family for ten years, but yet we have good info that they are still heavilly involved in the process. I personally feel he has convinced the family to spend more money on front loaded contracts and provided JA the ability to retain our own while keeping the team in great cap shape. Sure we haven't won a superbowl, but is that on Phillips? I'll take the lesser of to evils. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madlithuanian Posted January 14, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 14, 2010 You might be right in that regard. However, the family is rearing it's head this year.... Unfortunatley the lesser of 2 evils is still evil. Guys, I would like for you to consider life without Ted Phillips. Do you honestly think someone else could come in and do a better job bridging the the gap with the family? I haven't heard a peep from the family for ten years, but yet we have good info that they are still heavilly involved in the process. I personally feel he has convinced the family to spend more money on front loaded contracts and provided JA the ability to retain our own while keeping the team in great cap shape. Sure we haven't won a superbowl, but is that on Phillips? I'll take the lesser of to evils. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
balta1701-A Posted January 15, 2010 Report Share Posted January 15, 2010 Sounds like the usual PFT rampant speculation. There's no real indication that Smith would take the job, and the only actual news item is that he turned it down in 2008. EDIT: That said, if Lovie decided to go to UT, maybe we could actually hire some coordinators. Bring in Ron Rivera as head coach, maybe send a new offer to Fewell to let him know that he wouldn't be working for a lame-duck coach. Or we could offer the HC job to Heimerdinger and let Fewell have total control over the defense. FWIW, the actual news from local TV actually is that while it appears no official offer was actually made, there was contact again this year and at least a mention of UT being willing to go up to about $4 million a year on a salary if Smith was interested. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madlithuanian Posted January 15, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 15, 2010 Take it Smith! please!!!! FWIW, the actual news from local TV actually is that while it appears no official offer was actually made, there was contact again this year and at least a mention of UT being willing to go up to about $4 million a year on a salary if Smith was interested. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucky Luciano Posted January 15, 2010 Report Share Posted January 15, 2010 Guys, I would like for you to consider life without Ted Phillips. Do you honestly think someone else could come in and do a better job bridging the the gap with the family? I haven't heard a peep from the family for ten years, but yet we have good info that they are still heavilly involved in the process. I personally feel he has convinced the family to spend more money on front loaded contracts and provided JA the ability to retain our own while keeping the team in great cap shape. Sure we haven't won a superbowl, but is that on Phillips? I'll take the lesser of to evils. i have to ask... what gap is ted phillips bridging? could the reason you haven't heard a "peep" from the family for 10 years be because ted phillips is simply a parrot and all along we are hearing the family (mikey) through ted phillips mouth? another reality again is that the money paid to our players comes strictly from the nfl and the only convincing by ted the head would be to spend what is doled out for that specific purpose on what it was intended for instead of pocketing it. to me it starts at the top. if we don't win superbowls that is the place to lay the blame. without someone in charge of football operations that is even reasonably competent to make the major decisions regarding scouting or the job our gm is doing how can we be successful except by accident? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nfoligno Posted January 15, 2010 Report Share Posted January 15, 2010 That has been my argument as well. I honestly think fans forget just how bad it was, and what the team "cheap" really was. In the 90s, there was FA, but we were a non-factor. Simply put, we were not willing to shell out the big bonus and upfront money FAs demanded. If a team was not willing to fork over the big bonus bucks, they were simply not going to get the top ticket FAs. This all changed w/ Phillips. I still remember the year we signed Phillip Daniels and Thomas Smith. In hindsight, those two names don't look nearly so great, I realize, but at the time, both were among the elite in that FA class. I think Daniels was considered the 2nd best pass rushing DE (can't recall now who the #1 was) and I think Thomas Smith was considered the top shut down corner in that FA class. For a change, we were players in FA. I think Daniels got $8m bonus, which was a record for the bears at the time, and by some measure. I think Smith got about $6m, which would have been the record if not for Daniels. The change was significant, as we shelled out not one, but two contracts that were record breakers for the franchise. Since then, we have signed many players to big contracts, both in-house and FAs. Arguments can easily be made about the actual players we have gone after, but when talking about Phillips, the biggest key for me is that since he took over, the wallet opened up. And for the record, we began spending even before the new stadium and increased revenue. I am not pretending Phillips is great. I know well Lucky's opinion that we need a football guy in charge. We will never know how much the owners are or are not involved, but one thing I simply do not believe can be argued is that since he took over, this franchise has spent money equal to any other solid organization. The greater failure, to me, is Angelo, and who Angelo has chosen (and not chosen) to spend money on. Now, Angelo was Phillips hire, and he can be faulted for (a) hiring Angelo and ( not having fixed our GM/coach situation. At the same time, one phrase just sticks in my head. It could be a lot worse Guys, I would like for you to consider life without Ted Phillips. Do you honestly think someone else could come in and do a better job bridging the the gap with the family? I haven't heard a peep from the family for ten years, but yet we have good info that they are still heavilly involved in the process. I personally feel he has convinced the family to spend more money on front loaded contracts and provided JA the ability to retain our own while keeping the team in great cap shape. Sure we haven't won a superbowl, but is that on Phillips? I'll take the lesser of to evils. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madlithuanian Posted January 15, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 15, 2010 Is that what this has come down to? It's just a sad testament... It could be a lot worse Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nfoligno Posted January 15, 2010 Report Share Posted January 15, 2010 When there is talk of a new HC and/or GM, you will always hear from the family. Honestly, I sort of have to chuckle to an extent. No, our ownership is far from ideal. At the same time, I also think many fans suffer from "grass is always greener". Here is Dallas, we have a very well known owner. He spends money like Bear fans want, and obviously cares very much about football. Then again, Jerry Jones is also the GM of the team. He rarely hires big name coaches, as he doesn't seem to value coaches a great deal. He ran off Jimmy Johnson, believing Jimmy got too much praise, and replaced Jimmy w/ a bunch of college and other unqualified guys. Then he changes course and hires Parcells, but meddles w/ moves like Terrell Owens and some forced draft picks, and things don't workout. Then he makes moves like hiring an OC before the HC, and neutering the HC. Point is, I think many bear fans would say Jerry is a better owner than the McCaskey's, but I am not sure that is really true. Jerry got lucky when he hired Jimmy Johnson. He hired Jimmy because, as a college coach, he was cheap and Jerry didn't believe in paying much for coaches. Since Jimmy, this team has really gone downhill. And yet Jerry is still considered a bit ticket owner. To me, he is simply a slightly luckier version of Danny Snyder. In Pitt, you have a very highly respected family ownership in the Rooney's, but consider a thing or two. Their fans scream nearly every year as so many of their best players leave in FA because (a) owners won't dole out the big bucks to keep them and ( owners put in place a rule prohibiting the team from negotiating contracts w/ more than 1 year remaining. Pitt has seen so much success, but how much of that is due to ownership? NO has an owner that threatened to leave the city while they were dealing w/ a natural disaster. AZ gained the reputation as the arm pit of the NFL, w/ an ownership cheap on a level that made ours look free spending. The list goes on and on. Sure, there are some truly great ownerships in the NFL, but I would say the majority (if you ask their fans) are far from great. I think the reputation our ownership gained over the years (well deserved) prevents many fans from realizing the changes. I simply do not believe the problem is nearly so much about ownership, or Ted Phillips. I think the problem is w/ our GM and down. You might be right in that regard. However, the family is rearing it's head this year.... Unfortunatley the lesser of 2 evils is still evil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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