And his staff. Take Angelo with you.

Ron Turner is the worst offensive gameplanner in football. No imagination. The Bears have blind faith in bad players. Orlando Pace, looking at you. Kahlil Bell busts out a 73 yarder and they only give him 3 more carries?

Cutler wasn't great but I think the gameplan has a lot to do with it. He doesn't have anyone open out there. When he did have them open, he missed. He should have thrown a touchdown to Knox, Hester, and Olsen. All overthrown.

This team blows. Thank god I'm a Colts fan now.

Not going to happen this year. It will cost to much money to buy everyone out. I get a kick out of the Bears front office being accused of being cheap and they were under Halas. They have spent the money under McCaskey and Phillips....just not in the right places. Thats because the people in charge are in over their heads. The Bears are run by a band of idiots.

Read Mark Potash's column in the Sun-Times last week or read the book,"PapaBear", by Jeff Davis. It will tell you why things are the way they are and how they got that way. You have to know the Bears history to understand this situation will keep happening.

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/football ... 9.article#

Agree with you DIGZ. Its time to clean house. I just hope the Bears actually go through with it. There are many quallity coaches out there...

Bill Cowher
Mike Shanahan
Mike Holmgren

All would be excellent choices.

As for moves for next season...

3 OL to replace Pace, Kreutz, Garza
Move Williams back to LT, Beekman to C, and need to either draft, (oh wait they dont have any high picks) so lets go to free agency.

1 #1 receiver
Knox will get better every game, and move hester to slot

1 DE
Why is Gilbert playing this year? Is he hurt?

Free Safety-Daniel Manning just cant cut hit. He'll be good at nickel, but not at SS. I feel that Afalava is coming along and will be a good strong safety.

What does everybody else think? About new coach? and new personnel for next season?

There's no question Jay Cutler would thrive under Mike Shanahan, right?

But there is a money issue...WV is right.

You can only eat so many contracts...

How many guys are we paying big cash right now..inclduing Urlacher

Yes, we all know the BEARS are cheap. But they have soooo much money in that organization. If the Bears keep losing, then I think it will happen. If the Bears win against Minn. this weekend that will help Lovie out. I feel that if the Bears go 8-8, even 7-9, his job will more than likely be saved. At first, I wasn't on the Lovie bandwagon, referring to when the Bears first got him. Midway through his first season, I started believing in him. The past 2.5 seasons, not so much. BEARS NEED CHANGE.

It wasn't hard for Lovie to look good especially following Jauron and Wannsteadt.

Lovie's job will be saved for one more year no matter how bad the team finishes the year. They have a scapegoat named Ron Turner in their eyes. The entire organization is in damage control mode and you will hear a flurry of PR as to how big changes are going to be made. Truth is they don't have the braintrust to make those changes.

I'm not interested in Shanahan, Cower, or Holmgren. Are they better than Lovie? Yes, they are. These guys are retreads. Holmgren would be the best of the three, but I'm not sure he has enough gas in the tank to turn this mess around. He is by far the best of the three to straighten Cutler out. He started his career at BYU working with and developing some good young QBs for Lavelle Edwards' high potent offenses. Then there's Favre.

McCaskey and Phillips are too insecure to hire a real football GM and coach. They'll get away with staying that way the way the NFL profits are structured. It's going to be a rough next few years for the beloved and their fans. Like I said before they've got no virgin here. I've lived this nightmare before several times in the last 50 years.

Don't bail on your team LC. Stick with them thru good and bad. I like the Colts and Peyton too, but the Bears will always be my team, no matter what.

It's just sickening Ballin. I know too much about football to even respect the Bears. Almost all of their football moves are god awful. They couldn't evaluate talent if their lives depended on it.

Lets look at the offseason moves..

Signed Orlando Pace. So far, he has been TERRIBLE. The Bears couldn't tell how goddamn slow he is when they worked him out? And they haven't had the balls to sit him yet, although he deserves it.

Signed Josh Bullocks. Initially, he was expected to push for starting role. He is now a 3rd stringer.

Signed Frank Omiyale. He has been very inconsistent and awful at run blocking. He was paid starter's money and was benched in favor of Josh Beekmen, who the team did not want to win the position (based on how much they were each being paid). He has been given multiple chances and has failed basically every time.

Signed Pisa Tinoisimoa. Now, he showed definite promise when he was in. However, he got injured in both games he played. It's hard not to criticize the signing of someone who is so injury prone.

Signed Kevin Shaffer. Bench warmer. When Cleveland doesn't want you and would rather have St. Clair, there is something wrong.

Traded a 2nd rounder pick for Gaines Adams. Great trade Chicago, you really know how to evaluate your players. He was a bust in Tampa and he has done nothing here to prove he isn't. In plays I've seen him in, he is unimaginative with his D-Line moves and has been easily blocked.

Now lets look at moves they could have made...

Darren Sharper expressed interest in signing with the Bears when he was a free agent. Apparently the Bears thought he was past his prime and opted to sign Bullocks instead. Now, Darren Sharper has been a major part of the New Orleans Saints 11-0 start and he leads the league in interceptions. Certainly, he would be an improvement over Danieal Manning, in everyones eyes except Lovie and Co. I guess they think Manning is going to teach himself how to play Free Safety. Oh no, the Bears will never need a mentor at the Safety or Receiver positions to coach up the athletic guys! They can just be athletes and be REAL GOOD! Note the sarcasm...

It is also clear we need a #1 receiver, a veteran to teach the others a thing or two. Cutler was making this group look better than they actually are. Hester is still lost out there. Ron Turner said the receivers were running wrong routes against the Eagles. IN WEEK ELEVEN. There is no excuse. We passed up on so many receivers, but the biggest WTF came when they didn't put a claim on Chris Chambers. WHY NOT. Cutler needs TALL RECEIVERS. He is throwing to a bunch of midgets. Now he is in Kansas City and he has been fantastic for them so far. The only receiver on our team that Cutler trusts is Greg Olsen and he is a Tight End. Not acceptable. It's no wonder Cutler is throwing so many INTs, his receivers don't know what the hell they are doing.

I could go on and on. Like how they drafted Jarron Gilbert, Juaquin Iglesias, and DJ Moore in the 3rd and 4th rounds this year. Riiiiiiiiiiight.... I guess addressing the Defensive Line before the Offensive Line was a real priority, as was taking ANOTHER short receiver and a short Cornerback... None of them have shown anything this year, and by all accounts that I have read they haven't shown the coaches anything either. Moore and Gilbert have dressed for one or two games this year, Iglesias none. Pathetic.

So if/when the Bears become good again, then will you be a Bears fan again?

When Peyton is done and the Colts go back to bad/mediocre will you still be a Colts fan?

Its not even about them being good or bad. At least if they showed they had a pulse, an imagination on offense, some kind of creativity. Favre said it best about the Defense after they worked us: "They do nothing exotic." In other words, we are about as predictable as they come.

I still watch Bears games, but I'm so fed up with Lovie, Ron Turner, and Jerry Angelo that lately I haven't really cared when the Bears lost. I basically expect failure now. We got 2 yards in the second half against the Eagles. TWO FRICKIN YARDS! When the organization pulls its head out of its ;(... I'll support them a lot more fully. It's one thing to lose with honor. It's a whole different thing to lose like they have been.

The Colts continue to build a team around Peyton that works. They wouldn't be good with just Peyton. They have had three 9-0 starts in the past 5 years, and for more reasons then just Manning. They make good football moves. They draft quality football players. They hire sensible coaches. I respect the Colts because they know football. I do not respect the Bears because they do not.

ok well I aint going to argue with you about it. I just get very frustrated with fans that ditch their teams when things are bad. Let's see where all the Colts bandwagon fans are at when the cycle swings back to bad for the Colts.

I've been a Bears fan since I was just a kid.. so trust me I've been through a lot of the bad. I'm just fed up of all the horrible decisions the Bears make.

To me, there is a difference between being a loyal fan and blindly following a team. The teams should have to earn their fans... and the Bears have done nothing on that end.

So when the Bears get good again are you going to suddenly be a Bears fan again?

You're not following me Ballin. It's not about them being good or bad. It's about them showing they have a clue about what they are doing. They could start by firing Lovie Smith and Jerry Angelo, or cutting Orlando Pace, or trying to fill holes that they continually, and arrogantly, do not address. They always believe the guys they have can get it done, and 99% of the time they are wrong. The Bulls, for example, aren't very good and are below .500. But they are heading in the right direction and they are showing they know what they are doing. At least they show signs of positive things to come.

Does anyone believe its mere coincidence that Benson left Chicago and went from bum to possible Pro Bowler? How about Cutler being a Pro Bowler in Denver, then when he leaves he leads the league in INTs and is the goat of the team?

How about Chris Harris? Traded him away, arrogantly, because we thought we had it all figured out. Wrong. Our Free Safety position is awful, and he has been great for the Panthers. How about Mark Bradley? He left Chicago and now is a good #2 for the Kansas City Chiefs.

How about firing Ron Rivera and trading Thomas Jones? How about Justin Gage? The Bears let him go, and now he is the #1 over at Tennessee and he is pretty good for them. Bobby Wade found success with the Vikings for a while.

Not to mention how the Bears continue their love fest with Tommie Harris, who clearly is not the player he used to be. Olin Kreutz is not good anymore, but don't tell the Bears that.

There are many more failures to list. The current regime is awful. All over the NFL, former Bears players are finally realizing their potential and becoming good players. It is not a coincidence, not with so many players. They are simply now with NFL teams who know what they are doing, who have good coaches and coordinators and offenses.

I am a football fan first and foremost, and I won't be a fan of utter stupidity and failure. I can't be. It's disgusting. It's sad.

Doesn't anyone think its a disgrace that one of the largest markets in the entire nation only has ONE Super Bowl title? And that 1985 team only won it once, when they had the talent to dominant for years. Another failure, only twenty-something years ago. The Bears are a disappointment waiting to happen every year, largely due to the McCaskeys and their weak ;( choices for coaches and GMs.

I'm fed up, and done until they show they know football. And most likely, that will never happen, because its hasn't happened in the last 10 years. A fluke Super Bowl appearance isn't satisfying. Multiple playoff appearances in a row is, multiple winning seasons in a row is, not trading or firing your key pieces is, showing what you know what you are doing is. Since 1992, the Bears have been a model of high expectations and disappointment year after year, and I've had enough.

I am following you more than you realize. I actually agree with a lot of your thoughts on the team. I just disagree that you bail on your team when things are bad. And I also think if you do bail on your team, you don't come back in the future if things change. So IMO, if you bail now (which you have every right to do), then you do not come back in the future when they are good and be a Bears fan again.



Doing any of these 3 things at this point in the season is not going to do anything to help things. Perhaps all 3 need to happen, but you don't do it in the middle of the season, you wait until the end of the season and make the appropriate changes.



Benson had to be cut from the Bears, there was no other choice. More than likely them cutting him and putting him on the junk pile was the motivation he needed if he was ever going to change.



Last year in Denver he had a lot of the same problems he has here in Chicago. He is not going to be the QB he can be until they put a decent OL around him. I do not regret the Cutler trade one bit. It was the right move and I still think it will pay off.



Saying Harris has been "great" is a stretch. He has been decent, it is not like he has turned into the best Safety in the NFC or something. Bradley? Do you really want him back? He is #2 on KC...KC...the same KC that is worse than the Bears. Come on LC.



Rivera was a good DC when they had talented guys playing on the D side of the ball. He would be no better of a DC now than Babich or Lovie or anyone else.

Letting go of Thomas Jones was a problem, but they had to make a move it was either Benson or Jones and they had to give their top draft pick a chance.



The Bears have been bad, but they are no where near as bad as you have painted here. Cleveland, Detroit,Oakland, KC, St. Louis, Tampa, Carolina, Washington, and Buffalo are all worse than the Bears.

I am disappointed in this season and I am ready for Lovie to be fired and bring in a new coaching staff. But I am not going to bail on my team. The picture is not as bleak as you make it out to be. Angelo has made some mistakes, but so has every GM in the league. He has also made some good moves, like the Cutler trade that NO one thought would ever happen. Things change in the NFL quickly and if they bring in a new head coach and a new staff, things can change. There is talent on this team, and Angelo has had success in picking later in the rounds.