JEFF'S CHICAGO SPORTS BLOG - WHERE IS THE TEAM?
NO GROSSMAN, NO BENSON, NO COACHING, NO FUTURE . . . WHAT HAPPENED TO OUR SUPERBOWL BEARS?
It's hard to believe that this past February, our Chicago Bears were preparing to face the Indianapolis Colts in the Super Bowl. The Bears lost that game and a chance to win their second Super Bowl. But, did they lose more than just that one game? They lost their will to fight and improvise. They made some key changes in the offseason addressing the "tweaks" in operation they thought they had to make and have now left Bears fans with a very meager product with so many question marks.
Who is our starting quarterback next year? Who is our starting running back? Will Brian Urlacher ever be the same with his arthritic back? Is Bob Babich a good defensive coordinator or just someone who will be a yes man to Lovie Smith? How will the team effectively and quickly become better on the offensive line who seemingly aged so quickly this year it is baffling? Who will play both safety positions at the start of next season? Will the Bears bring back Lance Briggs? How much blame should be placed on Ron Turner, offensive coordinator? Is Lovie Smith a Super Bowl coach or a coach who doesn't know how to adapt within a game and make his team play to a higher level?
It's hard to imagine that in less than a year, the Bears have been dismantled in so many ways. There are these aforementioned questions as well as a multitude of others that leave Bears fans in a depressed state. Is this the beginning of a few years of mediocrity until the Bears can rebuild with younger players in some key positions? What will Jerry Angelo, Bears General Manager, do to address these questions and others? The Bears were once playing in a weak NFC North Division. The last time I checked this division has the Green Bay Packers with the second best record in the conference and the surging Minnesota Vikings who may have one of the best running backs in the NFL.
I'm very concerned that the Bears will have a hard time rebounding from this adversity. I have lost faith in Lovie Smith and the rest of his coaching staff and I can't help but think about the Bears hiring former Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach, Bill Cowher. This organization is headed for some very dark days unless they make some key changes soon and I think it needs to start with the head coach, Lovie Smith. Smith fell into a good situation with the Bears when he took over from Dick Jauron and rode this to a Super Bowl appearance but in less than a year has some Bears fans thinking that it was a fluke in so many ways.
Fans need something to be optimistic about and right now, it is very difficult to be optimistic about the short-term future of the Chicago Bears.
DO YOU STILL HAVE FAITH IN THE BEARS? Let me know your thoughts.
DEAN'S TEAM CHICAGO SPORTS EDITOR,
JEFF ARDITO
