You think the Washington media is tough...?

[sportscurmudgeon]

Here is an entry by Steve Rosenbloom in his blog - - the Rosenblog - - on the Chicago Tribune Website from 1 Dec. 2009.


Every once in a while, the DC media folks "get on" the Redskins and the Front Office for perceived mistakes. Some posters here often lament how the media hates the Skins or how some reporters have "an agenda" against the team or the owner. Well, check out this evisceration of the Bears from a Chicago writer...

In a rare spasm of lucidity in South Bend, Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick said Monday he fired Charlie Weis because he didn’t see much chance that next season's results would be "significantly different.''

Significantly different. That’s an excellent barometer for pro football programs as well as college. So, let’s apply that to the Bears. What are the chances of seeing significant improvement from this roster under Lovie Smith’s coaching staff and Jerry Angelo’s general managership that have combined to propel this death spiral?

The offensive line is a rolling tollway. The left tackle and center are old and look it. The left guards and right tackle are young, which is where the hope is supposed to be, but the bunch of them might be charged as accessories to quarterback manslaughter.

The running back has no idea how to hit the line with any authority and has yet to display legit breakaway speed in the rare instances that he does hit a hole like an actual running back.

The so-called No. 1 receiver has no football IQ for the position and never should’ve been removed from returning kicks by the bumbling co-conspirators serving as coach and GM.

The defensive line couldn’t get near a 40-year-old quarterback last Sunday after the interim head coach told us the new defensive line coach was the best offseason acquisition.

The secondary has no shut-down cornerback and nothing but utter chaos with the two guys at safety who are the keys to the Cover-2.

The Bears have no first- or second-round draft choices with which to restock the massive holes at the above positions.

But worse than neutering the most dangerous kick-return weapon in football history, this once-proud football franchise has turned a Pro Bowl quarterback into a physical and mental Jay McNown ragdoll.

What gets better here? What gets better with the GM who brought you this roster? What gets better with a coach who pledges his love to a base defensive scheme that is abused often and badly? What part of this screams “significantly different’’ results for next season?

Nothing. Nothing even remotely whispers it. So, how does Head Wonk Ted Phillips justify keeping the GM and coach?

Money, that’s how. Money, of course. Money that remains on contracts that Phillips, Angelo and Smith seemed to extend and enrich everytime they got a first down, back when the Bears were capable of actually getting first downs.

So, if we see the return of the unqualified GM who constructed this undertalented roster that has been regularly unprepared by an equally unqualified head coach, then it will underscore the famous football saying:

Money isn’t everything; it’s the only thing at Halas Hall.

[MTK]

I know the Chicago media is tearing apart the Bears, as well they should. They've traded away a bunch of picks and Cutler has bombed. There's a lot of butts there on the hot seat.

[SmootSmack]

This is odd. I thought the Redskins were the only team in the NFL with problems

[12thMan]

I think there's a difference between being tough and being contentious for no good reason. Usually it's one or two journalists that have issues with the Skins, and we know who they are. As of late, you can add Brian Mitchell to that list but he's more of a critic than an opinion journalist.

I think the Redskins have a unique relationship with the media. First, the Skins are the franchise in this city. None of the other local teams command the city's affection and support like the Redskins. The Caps and Wizards, on their best day, can't compete with the Skins during a good season, not to mention during a stellar season.

[mredskins]

The guy really didn't burn Cutler at all, surprising. Amazing this was a SB team what 3 years ago?

[rbanerjee23]

where are all the cutler lovers now?!?!

[calia]

This is the same coach that got Chicago to the SB a few years ago with average talent. Smith isn't going anywhere.

[30gut]

[QUOTE=sportscurmudgeon;633155But worse than neutering the most dangerous kick-return weapon in football history, this once-proud football franchise has turned a Pro Bowl quarterback into a physical and mental Jay McNown ragdoll.[/QUOTE]

Its funny that he blames the team for the QB play
Most of our media likes to blame the QB despite how the rest of the team plays

[KI Skins Fan]

Originally Posted by SmootSmack

This is odd. I thought the Redskins were the only team in the NFL with problems

No, but the Redskins are the only team I care about that has problems.

[Longtimefan]

Two words seperate good publicity from bad when it comes to competetive sports, winning and losing. Very little that's negative is said about winning teams. Does anyone have anything good to say about teams that lose? The media is no different from the rest of us, everybody loves a winner.

[CRedskinsRule]

check out the bang cartoon on chicago(pick sick). It's pretty funny!

[Chico23231]

I think its a good piece and pretty spot on. Surprised he didnt go after the fact that the Bears are super tight with money. Lovie is gone at the end of the year. Surprised to see he didnt blame Cutler a little more, he has been pretty aweful.

[SmootSmack]

Originally Posted by Chico23231

I think its a good piece and pretty spot on. Surprised he didnt go after the fact that the Bears are super tight with money. Lovie is gone at the end of the year. Surprised to see he didnt blame Cutler a little more, he has been pretty aweful.

That's probably why Lovie isn't gone. Makes sense though for them to fire Ron Turner and maybe hire Weis

[Hog1]

Funny Stuff....SC

[Chico23231]

Originally Posted by SmootSmack

That's probably why Lovie isn't gone. Makes sense though for them to fire Ron Turner and maybe hire Weis

Mike Shanahan has some ties to the area too, could be a canadite to fill Lovie's shoes. Dont know, dont really care. Bears team kinda similar to ours with regards to Oline, bad quarterbacks and a overall bad offense...