By Brad BiggsLance Briggs stepped to the podium in the media room at Halas Hall this afternoon and said he was ready to deliver some controversy.
The Pro Bowl linebacker was joking, playing off an interesting Wednesday when wide receiver Devin Hester expressed his frustration with his role and the team's struggles.
"There is going to be a shakeup. There is going to be what I call a shake at the lake,'' Briggs joked.
Then, the team's leading tackler got serious and admitted that, yeah, things could be different starting in January.
Photo: Linebacker Lance Briggs says the Bears 'D' isn't what it once was. (Phil Velasquez/Tribune)
"Obviously, with years like this, I'm sure something is going to happen," Briggs said. "Next year, I don't know what. But for me and the rest of the guys in the locker room, this year and this day will never come again.
"It's frustrating to go through years like this. The only thing, at this point that you can really do, or I feel I can do is for one, finish strong, two, not let this happen again.
"I could say a bunch of different things about it. We're definitely not the team of the past, of those successful years (2005 and 2006). We don't play that way. It doesn't feel that way on the field and the results are not the same. So, any hope of that, people need to put that stuff to rest, really, and we need to start moving forward and continue to move forward and eliminate the questions of, 'Are you guys going to get back to this form?'
"We need to move forward and develop the guys that are here, get better communication, play better football and work on success for next year.''
Then, Briggs started talking about some of the players and coaches who are no longer here, mentioning ex-defensive coordinator Ron Rivera and secondary coach Perry Fewell, and players Thomas Jones, John Tait, Mike Brown, Ruben Brown, Chris Harris and even Ian Scott.
"There are guys that are gone that we don't have," Briggs said. "I think sometimes when you believe in what we're doing so much, you think sometimes, 'Hey, we can let this guy go,' or 'We don't need this guy,' and we'll be just fine. I think in most cases that would be the case, but you miss some of those guys when you don't have them and sometimes you realize what you could have had when it's not there anymore. There are things that I do miss about some of those players.
"The thing is, in football nothing lasts forever. Who is to say if those guys are with us today we would be successful."
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Folks, lets not forget for a moment Lovie Smith decided to fire Ron Rivera after the Superbowl loss. Jerry Angelo decided not to address the safety issue which was a problem last year. Lovie and Jerry decided, that with he unprecedented success Marinelli had in Detroit--turning in the NFL's ONLY 0-16 season ever--he was just the man to bring in as Assistant Head Coach.
Well it looks like some of that Detroit tradition has infected our Bears. How emBEARassing for Lovie that the defense is worst than it's ever been with him at the helm.
Perhaps the answser is as simple as getting some real help in the secondary and bringing in a Defensive Coordinator with a proven track record--bring back the 4-6 with someone who knows a Buddy Ryan style defense. Cover 2 covers NONE.
Da bears need 2 get rid of Ron turner and fix d offensive line cutler is good qb remember he was pro bowler with Denver because he had a line 2 protect him bears fans we will come back next year with cutler and a new offensive cord and a better offensive line.
As long as Angelo remains, the Bears streak of futility will remain as well. It would do no good to fire Lovie and then let Angelo pick the next coach: he would pick more of the same.
FranK Wilson - What are you talking about? The entire team is at fault the defense now coordinated by LS has done no better than the offense this year, the staff cant develop our players, our draft picks suck (JA)and players who once injured are never the same again b/c our staff doesnt know how to properly rehabilitate them.
To say its Ron Turners fault is assnign. Yes he is horrible only twice in 9 years w/ Bears has his offense ever cracked the top 10 (lower half).
IF the coaches go theirs no way the players go they are under contract only way theyd go is if traded and a correctly run organization run by proper personel who know football would know who has talent and who doesnt. I hope Virginia kicks em all to the curb.
"shake on the lake" ...
when Briggs speaks, ppl better be listening.
here's hoping all the core bears take this season in, with all it's downs and ups (mostly downs), and learn from it. take it in fully, taste the pain and then resolve yourself to never let it happen again on your watch...this is a teaching moment for a coaching staff praying for one more season to prove its worth. what lovie does now may save his job after next year, if he's so lucky to return at the end of this season.
and mr. angelo: ditto. plant the seeds now and pray for rapid growth...
Look the Bears players are saying basically the offense is at fault and Offensive Ron Turner is the spoke in the wheel that keeps the organization from running like a good playoff bound team.
People there is a revolt not against Lovie Smith and Jerry Angelo. It could not be a revolt against them because if the head coach and GM goes so goes a good majority of players. Those players such as Briggs know darn well if Jerry Angelo and Lovie Smith goes their job security will be in jeopardy.
Now in regards to the inept Offensive Coordinaotor Ron Tuurner? Oh well Ron Turner..hmmmm...he is the entire fault the Bears had a terrible season with his poor offensive coordinatiing. Therefore they are all accusing Offensive Coordinator Ron Turner and Ron Turner deserves the critcism and he DESRESVES TO BE FIRED.
Just fire Offensive Coordinator Ron Turner and the Bears players won't have to worry about their jobs. Simple equation right?
Look, we Bears fans have to separate Lovie and Angelo in order to make a cogent argument. Either Lovie is squandering the talent that Angelo brings in, a la Benson, Jones, etc. or Angelo is giving Smith garbage to work with and that's why he looks bad. It could be both, but I think that Lovie is just a bum. Angelo's had dumb moves like any GM, but I think he's earned one more shot with a new head coach considering the number of people who have left the Bears and done well. Lovie hasn't shown he's able to do any part of a head coach's job well, let alone the decline of the D since Rivera got fired to bring in Smith's BFF.
I drank the cool-aid and believed the hype about cutler. know i'm thinking denver's coach desperatly going after matt cassal was the right thing to do. although I wanted to believe we were stealing a gem from under his unsuspecting nose.
Briggs is one of the Bears leaders and best players. When he says the team misses ex-defensive coordinator Ron Rivera it means something. It means the players now know that Lovie isn't a good defensive coordinator. And if Lovie isn't a good defensive coordinator, then how the h can he be a good head coach, since he knows nothing about the offense.
Briggs is basically saying if Lovie and his cronies aren't gone next year then he wants to be. That's it, Players don't want to waste their careers playing for bad coaches on losing teams. Either correct the obvious problems or lose your remaining star players.
And that is just on defense, how do you think Cutler will do next year if he has to play for Lovie and one of lovie's castoff, fresh off the scrap heap buddies?
The bears have lost the respect of the national media, they have lost the respect of good teams and players league wide, they have lost the respect of their fans, and now they have lost the respect of their own players. Any one with any talent is going to want out and not be left with a bunch of incompetent self serving losers.
The bears need a clean sweep and the higher the broom goes the better.
It seems that Lovie is using players to grease Turner's path out to save his own fat arse. Lovie needs to be swept away with the rest of the change.
Oh, yeah, and Hester needs to be changed back to a returner or shipped somewhere else.
Briggs is right. And the Bears on not the only ones with this attitude. Management is convinced they are the reasons for success. Doesn't matter who the peons are.. just "them".. "management" (who view themselves as "high value employees"). Well guess what, dumb butts? It does matter. Replace one cog - ok.. maybe you can get similiar results.. replace a lot of cogs.. well, it ain't working no more. They probably taught McCaskey this in business school. Great results.
Hey, I've got an idea!
Why don't you trade Orton and your future for Jay Cutler?
If you had the "Pro Bowl" and "future HOFer" Cutler instead of Orton, you'd be great! No more losing seasons! No more INTs! Hell, you might never lose a game again!
Bwahahahahahahah! Ahahahahah! Yer killin' me here! Hahahahahah!
Hey, I've got an idea!
Why don't you trade Orton and your future for Jay Cutler?
If you had the "Pro Bowl" and "future HOFer" Cutler instead of Orton, you'd be great! No more losing seasons! No more INTs! Hell, you might never lose a game again!
Bwahahahahahahah! Ahahahahah! Yer killin' me here! Hahahahahah!
When Hester can run the correct routes, then he can talk. While I'm all for cleaning house on the Bears, Hester is no better than a third WR at best. In fact, they probably don't have better than a 3rd on their team right now, although maybe Knox could develop into a 2nd.
One thing you can take from this is that Briggs calls out Lovie and Angelo. He then retracts it in the same interview. But when the best defensive player on your team is wishing for Ron Rivera, thats a slam on Lovie, and calling for Thomas Jones and other players is slam on Angelo. Just wish he didn't backoff his comments, Hester to. Basically Cutler, Hester and Briggs have called everyone out. Cutler could have given Turner his support and didn't in his interview. Briggs saying they would be better if they had all these players but then says they have the talent. Which is it? Brad, where was the follow up question about Rivera and the talent?
So Ruben Brown and Tait would help this team today? Brown and Tait retired because their body's were falling apart. Lance doesn't seem to realize that players get older and other teams adjust to their schemes. For three years the Bears have been saying they could play a lot better than they have. No Briggs you can't play better, this is what you are and its beenthat way for awhile now.
FIRE LOVY,GET RID OF ANGELO AND PHILIPS
I wonder why Briggs didn't mention Cedric Benson? You know, the guy Briggs and his Frat buddies hazed from day one?
This doesn't sound like a player who has quit; it sounds like a player who wishes his coaches were doing a better job. Briggs obviously thinks the players want to play hard and do well, but they're inhibited by the coaches and management.
When you start seeing comments like these from players, it means they have quit. Don’t waste your time watching the rest of the games, because the players don’t care. It’s bad enough to have a piece of crap player like Hester complain about an offensive scheme that he’s too stupid to understand, but when your “best” defender starts badmouthing things, it’s just over. See you in 2010.