By Brad Biggs
The Bears won't be among the first NFL teams to conduct minicamp this offseason.
An unofficial schedule has been set up to provide an opportunity for players to learn Mike Martz's new offensive system before they have to put on gear for minicamp and get a weekend crash course on the practice fields at Halas Hall.
Nothing has been announced or officially set, but one source with knowledge of the situation said the offseason program is set to begin March 29. The earliest teams can start offseason programs is March 15, and no offseason program can extend beyond 14 weeks. Typically, the Bears have not used the entire 14 weeks. That could change this year.
The Bears won't be among the first NFL teams to conduct minicamp this offseason.
An unofficial schedule has been set up to provide an opportunity for players to learn Mike Martz's new offensive system before they have to put on gear for minicamp and get a weekend crash course on the practice fields at Halas Hall.
Nothing has been announced or officially set, but one source with knowledge of the situation said the offseason program is set to begin March 29. The earliest teams can start offseason programs is March 15, and no offseason program can extend beyond 14 weeks. Typically, the Bears have not used the entire 14 weeks. That could change this year.
Minicamp is tentatively scheduled to be held May 21-23. The Bears are
expected to have a rookie minicamp the weekend after the April draft. Organized team activities (OTAs),
which are capped at 14 for each team, will run from June 2-24,
according to the source.
The offseason program and OTA's are voluntary. The only mandatory element of the offseason program is minicamp.
Coach Lovie Smith started the offseason program with minicamp last March. He wanted to instill an attitude of immediacy and reasoned that the best way to get the "bad taste" of the 2008 season out the Bears' mouths was to get back to work as soon as possible.
That didn't pay off and the Bears wound up practicing with Kyle Orton rather than Jay Cutler, who was acquired in early April. Now, the team will have more than a month-and-a-half to digest the teachings of Martz and the new members of the offensive staff, including line coach Mike Tice, before minicamp.
The offseason program and OTA's are voluntary. The only mandatory element of the offseason program is minicamp.
Coach Lovie Smith started the offseason program with minicamp last March. He wanted to instill an attitude of immediacy and reasoned that the best way to get the "bad taste" of the 2008 season out the Bears' mouths was to get back to work as soon as possible.
That didn't pay off and the Bears wound up practicing with Kyle Orton rather than Jay Cutler, who was acquired in early April. Now, the team will have more than a month-and-a-half to digest the teachings of Martz and the new members of the offensive staff, including line coach Mike Tice, before minicamp.
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Hey Creighton, slavery is still around. Your people were all sold into slavery via the Social Security system after the Federal Reserve Act of 1933. America has also been operating under Emergency War Powers since then. Eisenhower reminded everyone on hi way out of office, but everyone forgot again areal soon. After Rockefeller and his friends literally emptied America's gold reserves, and the USA was broke, they sold every American Citizen into perpetual slavery to a national debt which can never be paid off. Social security is a pyramid scheme ...
Just sayin ...
Actually Dee-fense you watch to many movies, thats not what diehard means. This is the webster definition of diehard. Being diehard is not actually a good thing, if it was things like Slavery would still be around, lots of bad things would still be around and lots of gor things would never exist. So while think you are being a great fan you are actually being part of the problem, then again the only reason you think you are being a good fan is because a large powerful organization convinced you that doing bad is good. Same thing was going on right before the stock market crashed.
"Stubbornly resisting change or clinging to a seemingly hopeless or outdated cause."
This is the definition of stupidity: "a poor ability to understand or to profit from experience"
This is the definition of wisdom:1. "The ability to discern or judge what is true, right, or lasting; insight."
2. "Common sense; good judgment"
This is what Einstein said about insanity: Albert Einstein once said “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results”
So while you may think being a diehard fan is a good thing, you are either misusing the word. Or you believe that showing wisdom is bad and that being a stupid, insane, diehard fan is good. Its very clear how all three tie together, and its pretty clear thats what think is good and being wise is bad. Not the best way to go through life.
Hey Dee, My assertion is right, I have always wanted the bears to win, and trust me, I been through some horrible seasons, but how people can just accept the ineptitude of our beloved just gets me..lol...Just because they keep making the same old mistakes doesn't mean u have to agree with it. So I assume ur ok with everything the Mccheapski's and Phillips is doing with keeping coaches like Lovie? The same Lovie that admitted that Tommy wasn't practicing while other less proven players were? Lol..U root on bro, I just want them to do well, even if i yell and scream every Sunday.
Yeah BigBadBear007 you dont get to decide whats "garbage" and you dont even know the definition of "diehard".I mean what exactly do you thin diehard means?It means whether the Bears are 0-16 or 16-0 you root for them.You live with them and die with them.Your assertion of the Bears is all wrong.
U make good points Snacks, but damn, with the whole best friends group here in Chicago, it's hard to be optimistic. I mean, here, Lovie's D sucks again, and we go with a less talented D coordinator for this year? Last year we even saw BFF babich calling the D again, I mean WTF is goin on with Lovie? The only hope this team has on going anywhere is on Martze and that offense, which can be very good. Martze knows if he turns things around on his side of the ball, he might be a better coaching candidate than Cowher, yes I said it. Finally someone who realizes Hester is not a #1? Someone who realizes Olsen can't block shit, and we all hold our breathe to see if he can even hang on to the damned ball? Change is coming and it's gonna be on the offense to win games this year, not the Cover Who, or whatever best friend puppet Lovie puts in front of us.
BigBadBear007 It doesn't matter who coached the Lions that year they still sucked, Vince Lombardi couldn't make the Detroit Kitties winners and thats a fact. But Jon Kitna did have his best passing career ever and will never touch those yard he put up in Detroit, Warner was all backyard BBQ MVP then he met Martz who made him a NFL and Super Bowl MVP and Made Bulger into a Pro Bowl QB . Marinelli was tied down to Matt Millen and had virtually no say in how the team should be ran. So yes I do support this team and you should to, You don't realize that 1 of 2 things is going to happen, and that is 1.) We are in the playoffs and in the hunt for the Super Bowl or 2.) We get Bill Cowher as our head coach and the 3 stooges are fired. So either way I am pretty much set to see how this works out. Jay Cutler will have his best season and with a year of seasoning under their belts the WR's shouldnt make the mental errors that cost Cutler alot of the picks he threw.
Hey Bearsforever, supporting this garbage mediocrity that the bears are putting forth has nothing to do with being die hard, thus I give u the Chicago Lions. If u wanna shell out ur hard earned dollars on this best friends club we call the Bears right now, knock urself out, I won't. That's the prob with fans, they think ur not "diehard" if ur not supporting the garbage decisions of the ballclub, well I for one have an actual brain and not a sheep's mentality, that may be hard for some of u folks to digest. Until the Bears do sumthing right, and even begin to go in the right direction, instead of this shitpile that Phillips is endorsing, I won't spend my money on them nor buy anything with a "C" on it, and def not attend any games. I do like the Martze hire, but how anyone can be stoked about some lame loser who went 0-16 to run this defense with zero D coordinator experience is beyond me.
Amen brother, long time fan here too, 40 plus years of Bears .
As A diee hard Bear fan of 45 years,I am stoked for next season to start,although I always am,win,lose or draw. Although winning is most important,obviously. I surely would never quit,boycott or not watch my Bears,that just wouldnt make me a die hard fan,obviously. I think if we stay relatively healthy and can add some upgraded talent at D.E O-Line & Free Safety this should be a good year with our offensive coaching additions,it is exciting. I cant wait to see an explosive Bears offense,as we have never really been like that. I am so happy Turner is finally gone. BEAR DOWN! GO BEARS,YOUR TRUE FANS WILL ALWAYS SUPPORT YOU!!