I've been waiting so long to start this, too long, my list as it stands... 1. Jon Gruden 2. Bruce Arians 3. Vic Fangio 4. Chip Kelly 5. Lovie Smith
I'll be happy with Arians. Kelly doesn't sit well me and while I won't complain with Gruden, I would prefer someone else.
1. David Shaw 2. Lovie Smith 3. Chip Kelly 4. Mike Zimmer 5. Pat Fitzgerald (this is my wishful list, so I don't see any of these guys even being on a Spanos radar)
And that means what exactly? A college coach can always leave to take a HC job in the NFL..... new deal, or not. Shaw may be happy where he is, but if the right offer comes along, he may have a change of heart.
My top 5....You know since we are wishing. 1) Vince Lombardi 2) Tom Landry 3) Bill Walsh 4) Chuck Knoll 5) Bear Bryant lol
1. David Shaw 2. Lovie Smith 3. Chip Kelly 4. Mike Zimmer 5. Pat Fitzgerald There. If that gives me one more, then I'll add 6. Mike Nolan
I'm just saying that I doubt there's a clause in his contract that says he can't leave for an NFL HC job....... just as Gruden could leave ESPN if he gets the right offer. That doesn't mean either is likely to happen.
Lets just say for all intents and purposes, Shaw is spoken for. As far as I know I don't think any coach has ever signed a contract and then left for greener pastures in less than a months time.
Most college contract do have a buy out clause, but does anyone really think that Dean will pay it along with a contract that gives him a raise?
I have no idea and I'm glad I'm not in charge of hiring, but I hope it's NOT one of the following: John Gruden Bill Cowher Chip Kelly Andy Reid Josh McDaniels Marty Shottenheimer Wade Phillips
How is Lovie a desired coach? The Bears have been a painfully average team his entire time there except in 2006 when people were stupidly kicking to Hester.
Who just got fired for being a perennial underachiever with his roster and making the same kind of piss poor decisions that everyone complained about Norv making.
Lovie Smith: 1. Helped develop Tampa 2 Defense with Dungy. 2. As DC for Rams improved defense that went from allowing 29.4 pts. per game in 2000 to 17.1 pts. per game in 2001 on way to Super Bowl. 3. Won AP Coach of the Year Award in 2005 with Grossman/Orton at qb and a defense that allowed fewest points in the league. 4. 13-3 record in 2006 w/Grossman and somehow had leagues 2nd highest scoring offense (not including Hester's special teams play) and 5th ranked defense. 5. Led 2006 Bears to Super Bowl eventually losing 29-17 to his mentor Dungy and P. Manning. Dungy had Manning, Smith had Grossman. Do the math. 6. Dealt with jackasses from 2007 to the present in: Grossman/Orton/Martz/Cutler/ and somehow made it to the NFC Championship game in 2010. 7. In a 9 year coaching period won NFC North division 3 times, won 1 Coach of the Year and had 1 Super Bowl appearance. 8. Yeah, he pretty much sucks.
From'07 to '11 he made the playoffs once, and went 53-44.. From '04 to '12 he made the playoffs three times.. Finished 3rd or worse in the division 5 times as well.. Green Bay made Chicago their bitch, so if he came here, we would be Denver's bitch. Also the Bears started 7-1, lead the division and blew it going 3-5 and losing key division games to the Packers and Vikings.. I'd think I'd rather have a year like we just had, get an 11th overall pick, than start 7-1, crumble under pressure, and finish 3rd in the division and miss out on the playoffs after leading the NFC North for half the season..
SuperCharger, I like your list of top 5, I'd be okay with any of them (except maybe Gruden). Hey Ikeman where's your list?
The players are PISSED, and the 2 bears fans I know and both saying he is being scapegoated rather than holding Mike Tice and the GM responsible for the terrible OL and offensive playcalling
Lets be a little fair, Cutler got hurt when they were 7-2 last year and Caleb Haine became the death of them. Lovie is not a great coach and would not be my first choice, but his teams are always tough, disciplined, and masters of creating takeaways. He's the kind of guy I'd like to see as a "figure head", the HC in title, although he has coordinators run the plays.
He has had one of the most feared ILB's the past decade in Brian Urlacher, who's made that defense 'tough' every year though. And then look at the defense he had in St. Louis. He inherited great defenses, but the offensive play calling is suspect, and crumbling under pressure, and making the playoffs 3 times in 9 years as well.. He picked Cutler as his QB.. If he didn't want Cutler he wouldn't be there..
Cant forget Bill O'Brien Chargers are among the teams scheduled to interview him. although there would be a 9million dollar buy out if that were the case. As far as Chip Kelly goes, he isnt leaving Oregon. Reports are saying he isn't accepting interviews
Mike Ditka is "lamenting" his firing. Of course, a legendary coach's word is worthless. http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap10...-ditka-bears-firing-of-lovie-smith-ridiculous Also, Devin Hester was so upset with the firing that he brought up wanting to retire. Honestly, if the Packers had done what they were supposed to do and not lost to the Vikings by a field goal, the Bears would be in the playoffs and we wouldn't even be talking about Lovie right now. 10-6 is not that bad of a season.
My top 5 would be, in no particular order Bruce Arians Chip Kelly David Shaw Nick Saban Mike Nolan (But only if Nike makes him a suit to wear on the sidelines)
