Its hard to argue John Fox's place in the pantheon of Bears coaches when his regime has won nine games in two seasons, but if you're a former Bear, is it bad form to point it out or is it just plain honesty?
Retired linebacker Lance Briggs inadvertently stepped into that no-man's-land while defending his preference to go defense in the draft. It started when a Twitter follower asked Briggs whether the Bears should select Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson.
"He's legit, but you know I always prefer to build around the defense, especially in a city like Chicago!," Briggs replied.
But another user snarked that following Briggs' defense-first philosophy would be like continuing the Lovie Smith era, and Briggs shot back, "Uhhh, that was the last good era of Bears football, or were you just born 4 years ago?"
Last good era?
Between Fox and his predecessor, Marc Trestman, the Bears finished 22-42, a .344 winning percentage. Meanwhile, Smith compiled a .563 record with three playoff appearances in nine seasons. Briggs who played with the Bears during Smith's run and retired under Trestman's watch.
Briggs, who hosts his namesake show on Comcast SportsNet Chicago, isn't one to criticize his old team very often, but he didn't hold back when asked about the Trestman era in a radio interview in August. “Everybody in Chicago knows that Trestman shouldn’t have been here,” Briggs said. "He shouldn’t have been a coach here."
I'm not sure he called out Fox and crew, buy he did blast Trestman. Fox has had is has his work cut out for him. If he get rid of Cutler and draft a rookie, and improves from their meager 3 win season, he that will probably be viewed as a success. I put more on Fox on the following season to really show if the Fox era is bad or just a slow start to something good. I would hope Briggs understands that, but maybe be doesn't and is calling him out. Idk.
Which we do, I'm hoping we can get a situation like last year in which two QBs are taken at #1 and #2. We would get Garrett and fix our pass rush problem.
I'm not sure he called out Fox and crew, buy he did blast Trestman. Fox has had is has his work cut out for him. If he get rid of Cutler and draft a rookie, and improves from their meager 3 win season, he that will probably be viewed as a success. I put more on Fox on the following season to really show if the Fox era is bad or just a slow start to something good. I would hope Briggs understands that, but maybe be doesn't and is calling him out. Idk.
He did call out Trestman. As far as Fox is concerned, I think he just got caught in the collateral damage. Yes, right now we are not a successful team. Under Lovie we did have a winning record. Nothing he said was out of line. It's just the truth. That is why many of us want Fox gone. It is what it is.
Some could say he was calling Fox out, but although that is probably what ended up happening, I don;t think that really was his intention. Regardless, it is hard to argue with what he said.
"But another user snarked that following Briggs' defense-first philosophy would be like continuing the Lovie Smith era, and Briggs shot back, "Uhhh, that was the last good era of Bears football, or were you just born 4 years ago?"
Last good era?
Between Fox and his predecessor, Marc Trestman, the Bears finished 22-42, a .344 winning percentage. Meanwhile, Smith compiled a .563 record with three playoff appearances in nine seasons."
I won't go on and on about it, but we did a lot of winning under Lovie Smith. Division Championships, Conference Championship, the only Super Bowl appearance in 30 years here. Fired after a 10-win season so the Bears would get "better"...
I'm just so happy we went from a 10-win season to a 3-win season. Are we "better" now?
Were you happy with the 7 8 9 wins before and the shit drafts?
That 10 win season was an anomoly and a lie. It was the death throws of an aged def that wad no longer going to carry the team anymore. Lovie stays to this point the teambis every bit as bad...possibly worse since he couldnt draft or evaluate talent for shit. His say plus emerys...ugh terrible.