Posted on Outsideanalysis.com 2/27/15

Derrick Rose goes down for the third time in as many years with a knee injury. I have to give him credit for any mental strength he has at this point. And the fact they’re even talking about him coming back at some point this season is a little strange to me because who knows how long of a rehab he’ll have to go through. By the time of his estimated return it’d be around playoff time and there’ll be even more pressure on him then. Considering he won’t have time to work his way back into things. I question why the Bulls would even want to put him in that position.

True enough the team seemed to be sleepwalking their way to a 4th seed which isn’t very special in a particularly top heavy eastern conference and even with Rose there was no guarantee they would even win their division. Somehow Cleveland has managed to right the ship and Lebron James return though regarded as a mess at the beginning his teammates seem to want him around rather than give him the Kobe treatment where they’re happier without him.

Everything Rose did this season seemed to be over-scrutinized to the point of petty and the team continued to lose games they should’ve won. But things only matter once the playoffs start. Do we really see the Atlanta Hawks in the finals? As much as the Bulls were struggling with all of the pieces they were still the favorite in the east in my mind.

What bothers me most however is this continued rent a point guard stance. I think we are beyond hurting Derrick Rose’s feelings if we were to draft a point guard to give us a quality player at that position should he go down again. No one seems to notice that Kirk Hinrich has probably missed games than Rose has with a sundry of injuries. We’d do just as well to grab someone from the stands.

Unfortunately Chicago is a big city media town who doesn’t go easy on their stars. They find all types of ways to create stories especially during the Lovie Smith era where they were frustrated by the lack of information they could glean from the Buddha like head coach. But when it came to Rose it seemed like it was a roast every night. I’ve seen articles calling him soft and questioning why a man would want to have a life beyond basketball. If it was negative they’d jump all over it. He could score thirty points and show flashes of his “former self,” and it was never enough. They complained when he slowly worked his way back into the flow of things which he should have done last season and I blame the organization for that one. And poor Coach Thibs having to get his dander up because he had to defend his star in dealing with questions on when he would play

They wouldn’t say a word when Pau Gasol or other teammates would miss a game or two and holy cow did they make a stink when Derricks travel plans awry and he missed a practice after the All Star break. Be glad he didn’t turn into Allen Iverson. Instead he apologized to his teammates especially when it affected his play during a loss. I would be the last to say maybe he would be better off somewhere else. Some small market city where they appreciate their stars. I could understand the consternation if this was Los Angeles and they’re celebrating their 14^th win. But this is a playoff team and most teams don’t gel until after the all-star break when everyone is trying to solidify their playoff position. We have the coaching to win with or without Rose. I guess it’ll be up to the old adage hoping something else happens to knock this story off the front page.

So the Bears have collected themselves quite the cast of coordinators, Vic Angio formerly of the 49ers and Adam Gase formerly with John Fox in Denver as well as  Special Teams coach Joe Decamillis also with Fox in Denver. Each one of them capable of heading a team. GM Ryan Pace has certainly made a splash that has me excited for the NFL draft in April. I might be in the minority that says the Bears are talented enough to win with some additions for depth which broke us down the last two seasons with major injuries.

With a pedigree for defense past coordinators/coaches have tended to over think it. Ron Rivera and Rod Marinelli were the best to come out of the Lovie Smith era and it's a shame they are no longer in Chicago. The Bears blitzkrieg installed during the Ditka days was a killer. Get to the quarterback and set the field position for the offense to take advantage.

We've got a coaching staff that puts Chicago at the center of the football world withe The Chicago Cubs and White Sox ready to compete in 2015 as the Bulls and Blackhawks have been in their respective sports. Without  being such a homer Chicago is the sports capitol of the country right now even as Seattle and New England get ready to play in the Super Bowl. One of the originals in every sport. History oozing from every pore. Characters to no end.  Which is why it's such a big deal that the Bears have collected such a cast of coaches who have opportunities elsewhere and decided to come here.

If this team wins one SuperBowl fresh off the success of any of the teams previously mentioned my point will have been proven. While I'm sure every one of these individuals probably simply said "beat Green Bay" and they were hired I believe the team to Beat is New England. I screamed  for years Tom Brady was just a system quarterback. If the system works why break it? With all of the pomp and circumstance of the ever changing coaching staffs Chicago tends to choke on expectations. But teams have still proven you win best when they don't see you coming.

So the Bears have looked over John Fox. Kicked the tires if you like. Something inside me is yelling no, no, no. The man took the Broncos through two seasons of dominating football and yet he was fired. A team with a sure fire Hall Of Fame Quarterback but he’s gone. After a Super bowl appearance and now manning the Chicago Bears side lines. (Pun intended). I can’t be the only one screaming this is Trestman part two or Lovie Smith part two. A man who lives and dies by his coordinators because he’s only good for one side of the football. And to put the Smith saga to rest, the Bears started the 2012 season 8-1 and finished the season 2-5. How quickly we forget that at the start of his time here there were screams to scrap the Tampa 2 that was his strength but was failing at it. He’d have been gone sooner if he didn’t have Brian Urlacher quick as we cast him off.

Fox is coming to another team with a ‘temperamental quarterback.’ Coach killers what they call him as if he shoot them in the back. I was once a Cutler apologist during the Lovie Smith years (please refer to the previous statement a coach being only good for one side of the ball) but there is enough talent to protect Cutler. We need a gritty run first head coach first and foremost on the offensive side. Capable coordinators on the defensive side to see his philosophy through. Teryl Austin gave me that vibe what he did with Detroit.     

The Bears like the Broncos have talent (although there is serious need at the line backer and safety positions. I’d also suggest getting Devin Hester back on special teams. Let him retire a Bear) but I’ve seen the Patriots steam roll both teams on their home fields twice. We don’t need a Manning to beat the Pats As Doung Marrone proved with Bills. That’s what I want in a head coach. With a new and young General Manager who needs to make a splash. So did the last GM and he’s gone.

They’re quick to tell you the Bears haven’t hired experience in a head coach. But Smith was a coordinator for a Super bowl winning team. And shouldn’t CFL Championships count? Granted a happy locker room wins in this city and this team will win if Fox is right.

We won’t put up with winning seasons and playoff chokes. Best believe there will be a quick exit if he can’t beat Green Bay at least at home. John Fox will be a good hire if he can do something with what we have without overhaul. He should call his own plays and minimize the effect of the coordinators to stick with their specialties. With the ability to hire and fire though signed off by the GM. If this were the Cubs I’d say rent, don’t buy but the Bears will give you at least two years. Make the best of them.

Hello Chicago fans. It is time for us to count our blessings now that the Bengals have lost their fourth playoff game in four years. Think of all the teams who have had winning seasons only to lose in the early rounds or just stink it up altogether year after year. Sure there are some clubs who never make it to the playoffs and the KC Royals broke that one in a big way. Once again let me brag that Chicago is the only city in the United States to have won a championship in every major sport. Even the lowly Cubs have not played a wild card series game since the earthquake series against the Giants in the nineties. Since then every time the make the post season it is in winning the dangerous central division. We are a city of that screams we want what we want and whichever goofball said the Bears head coaching job is no better than the Raiders is breathing some of that nasty California air.
Chicago will never be a city of constant disappointment like said Bengals and Atlanta Braves. Our teams have broken our hearts time and again. Disappointed us time and again but would you rather not make the playoffs until we get it right in that we can go all the way or do you want a team that flat out chokes every year. We may have Jay Cutler but we can say we don't have Andy Dalton and that cheers me right up. Either you do the damn thing or you don't

While we're on the subject of Head Coaching we have tried the nuanced and it didn't work. We've tried the defensive genius and that didn't work. It's time to try the man in the middle. Everyone is up in arms that we let Bruce Arians get away but tell me where is Arizona now? One and done against the Carolina Panthers. Believe me if Arians would have been the answer to keep Rod Marinelli here I would've taken him. hell we should have interviewed the man for the head coaching job since he was part of Lovie success and failure his last year here but look what Marinelli's done for the Cowboys. Trestman was a flop and pobably will never have another head coaching job. I don't know of anyone but some college who would let him run their offense.But none the less Cutler had better numbers than Andy Dalton did this season. More turn overs but more touchdowns thrown.
So once again Chicago fans count your blessings. The Cubs and White Sox made good news in the off season. The Bears are a work in progress but stocked with talent. The Blackhawks won't have a losing season anytime soon. When soccer figures out a way to quit having so many ties then the Chicago Fire might be competitive again. Whatever.

Firing Marc Trestman is not the answer for the Bears unless the players have flat out turned on him which seems to be the case. The problem is, to use a baseball analogy they're trying to outhit their pitching. Starting with the offense. The Bears need a running back which can carry the ball over twenty times a game taking the ball out of Cutlers hands. Cutler is culpable for this too with his bad decision making but he wasn't this bad the whole time he's been in Chicago.

Marc Trestman has been known as the quarterback whisperer and I still think he can be. There needs to be a shake up of this team though and the means Mel Tucker has to go. The Bears need a better linebacker corps as well but the rest of the defense is sound. It is those who are coaching them up who is the problem. They look like they have no idea what they're doing or who to defend until the ball is already in the hands of the receiver or the running back is yards down the field. If it were up to me I'd leave Tresman where he is and allow him to acquire his own coordinators but if there's going to wholesale changes then Phil Emery needs to go as well. This will be Cutlers fourth offensive system he will have to learn in Chicago and it's not going to get better if that's the case. Especially without a Demarco Murray type runner.

Chicago like any major sports city when they're not happy they want to clean house. But in this case it might not be the best answer. Although we don't know what goes on in the locker room we cannot fully understand the thinking behind any decision on Trestman future. We know what the man can do we just need to put him in the right situation which wasn't the case in the first place. Take a deep breath Chicago. We do have two more games left and I suppose if things don't get better whatever happens happens.

But who will we get to coach the Bears? Harbaugh isn't coming though we need his toughness over some offensive guru. Whoever it will have to put Phil Emery on the hot seat if he doesn't deliver. And Emery is the one I think should share a donkey with Mel Tucker riding out of town not Marc Trestman.

Please stop with the alarms every time Derrick Rose gets injured. He is only human and has been out of action for two seasons nearly. He is working his way back into things and like a major league baseball player he's pressing because he keeps seeing naysayers in his dreams. The important part is that the rest of the team continues to gel and Aaron Brooks seems capable of handling this team. Also that Derrick is ready and healthy when the playoffs start. Think Aramis Ramirez when he was here in Chicago. He was always hurt at the beginning of the season but would bust out of it and have a quality season for the Cubs. No one questioned his heart or desire to play.
Derrick Rose should be treated the same way. He is a home town kid and he is a star who is still on the rise. He is young and while he might not be the same as he was when the Bulls drafted him he will be around for a long time. In his worst days he's still better than Hinrich.And that guy is always hurt.In a sad way he is like Jay Cutler in the sense that you wont be able to find another one to replace him. Look at another Chicago hometown star Dwayne Wade he's also started a number of seasons injured but that didn't stop the Heat when they had Lebron James from getting to NBA Finals. Their fans understand and that the playoffs are more important and his importance to the team as well as the city. Let Derrick be the same with all of his charitable works. He means a lot to the city to see one of their own who came from a difficult background make something of himself.
However, the Bulls might be smart to draft another point guard this year which would be a good idea so that we can stop signing good free agents who do their job and then we jettison them to sign another one the next year. Rose may continue to be our point guard of the future but drafting another guard would be a good idea to take some pressure off of Rose and let not only his knees and hamstrings but his ego heal.

It was a slow news cycle for sports in Chicago the past week so there was a need to gin up a rivalry. Let's be clear, though Lovie Smith has the third most wins in Bears history he wouldn't have won squat without Brian Urlacher or Devin Hester. Sure Charles Tillman came on as a pro bowl corner back during Lovies tenure but without Urlacher the Bears would be where they are now a ship without an anchor. Today's Bears win proved one thing, the Buc's are a more complete team than Smith had in Chicago they're just a young team learning how to win. The defense is just like the one Smith had in Chicago and dare I say better and more stable because the Bears were shuffling players in and out like their coordinators. Three or four different coordinators during his tenure including his former Boss Mike Martz.

This current team is the mess of the current GM Phil Emery and his bad drafting. There is no need to go into it again but it is time to stop overstating what Lovie did here. While he was beloved he was lucky as any coach would have been had he come into Chicago at the time Smith did. That being said Tresman was in quite the same position and has not been able to cash in. The problem isn't Tresman's fault as much as the rest of the league has caught up to his style of offense but I do question his play calling. When the Bears need to run the ball to control the flow of the game they are throwing on first down and the next three downs. Take the ball out of Cutlers hands and give it to Forte. The broadcasters have anointed him the second coming of Walter Payton but he has only about 600 yards rushing in 11 games while most college rushers are well over a thousand yards by this point. A team needs to be able to pick up 100 yards rushing every game in order to dominate.

The defense is terrible and are being lauded for dominating two really bad football teams while having to play from behind because of the bad play calling. The Bears have been shut out in the first half of a number of games and things only got worse as evidenced in the Green Bay games and against New England.The good news is that three out of the next five games are at home. The bad news is that only two of those games are against losing teams, New Orleans and Minnesota. It is safe to say the Bears wont make the playoffs again this year. I don't see them sweeping Detroit and finishing off Minnesota. Or defeating a much improved Cowboys team. New Orleans is a toss up.Fans are expecting there will be some firings this off season but there's one I can say definitely needs to happen and that's the firing of Phil Emery.