Letter: The Bears should take a cue from the Cubs

While ownership resides with the McCaskeys it is Ted Phillips who still retains his position as CEO/President and it's the hand at the top who guides no matter what the McCaskeys may say.  The Bears are the sole source of their wealth and his job is to protect it not build a winning football organization.

Twice in the past ten years he has said that winning consistently is nice but more than likely not affordable (that was after our last SB appearance) and more recently in an interview with Jeff Joniak he placed corporate sponsorship and the Bears "brand" above all else saying that winning is nice but not an imperative to the success of the brand.  How's that for a shaft stuck straight up your asses Bears fans.  Just buy our product and we'll get around to winning for you all again some day.......maybe.

Given that attitude until such time as Phillips is no longer associated with the team in any capacity (spelled never) or the McCaskeys either decide to or are forced to sell their controlling interest I honestly think we're pissing up a rope if we expect change.  They simply will not make good on their now even hollower promises to resurrect the franchise.

If we follow the Cubs blueprint then Teddy Bear needs to be replaced with a much younger team President who when paired with a young GM (maybe Ryan or maybe not) can form a team like Epstein and Hoyer who through trade, FA, and the draft will restock the team with enough talent to at least win consistently.

They also need to have the balls to fire a HC like Fox who is and will continue to fail to bring the team back to annual contention in the same way the Cubs parted company with Renteria when Joe Maddon became available.  He has also been a huge difference maker for them.  You can't have just good players or just a good coach you have to have both.

So when someone tells me we can't fire Fox I say bullshit.  He isn't getting the job done he was hired to do.  Not even close.  I'm sure he won't be unless there's some sort of team insurrection again late this year but lacking it that's not a good reason for why he shouldn't be fired.  How anyone can agree that the best players should be sitting based only on whatever scheme he has in his head that tells him they stand a better chance of winning because they have some kind of "hot hand" is beyond me.

The only "hot hand" Hoyer ever had came from the friction caused by dink and dunk passing 50 times a game.  If that's Fox's idea of success, coupled with Lameford over Carey and Howard, and KW over Cam Meredith how can anyone say this guy knows what he's doing.  He uses his "what have you done for me lately" excuse to create a useless QB controversy but if you suggested he be held to the same standards all you'll here is a stream of excuses and the suggestion we all eat hot dogs and leave the coaching to him.

I'll continue to follow the team but until they start behaving like the GSH Chicago Bears again and not a twin of the Cleveland Browns I won't stop calling for change.