Running 2012 NFL coaches carousel thread

Caldwell had two major time-management gaffes last year that cost his team games (including a playoff game) ... but he's a good guy, the players like him, a guy named Peyton likes him, and probably most importantly, he's the last link to Tony Dungy. Loyalty seems to mean something to Irsay, and even though Dungy is no longer a part of the team brass, his shadow is still pretty strong.

I'd agree with your assesment -- he'll have a front-office position or some sort of ceremonial position.

Irsay also said improving team PR is going to be key. The team was notably abrasive with the media during Polian's existence.

 

Chris Polian came into the league as a scout with the Panthers.
By 2001 he was Assistant GM and by 2005 was VP of football operations. Full-time GM in 2009.
Irsay respected him so much he blocked the Dolphins and 49ers attempts to interview him.
Did his Dad help? Hell yeah. But it isn't like the guy hasn't apprenticed at several different levels.

 

Wow.

 

Bear fans do a snake dance down State Street in sheer joy.

So long, putz.

 

Agreed. He's this generation's Jim Finks.

 

Finks got out at the right time.

 

They just announced that Lovie will be kept.

Because incoming GMs just love it when they can't pick their coach, or have to wait a season or two to do so... It basically makes the next season almost a lame duck situation, which is a mistake, because the Bears have the talent to be a playoff team next season.

I don't think Lovie deserves to be fired based on this season or the last couple seasons, but the new GM should be able to pick his coach.

Maybe that will still happen.

 

I am positively shocked by the Angelo firing. I'm a pretty regular consumer of Chicago newspapers and sports talk radio, and I don't think anybody saw it coming.

 

Angelo was pooh-poohing the possiblity in his public utterances -- foolhardy whistling past the graveyard, as it turned out.

The new sheriff in Beartown has only been in charge a year. If Angelo felt secure under those circumstances -- especially after this season -- he was kidding himself. But we all know he's good at going that.

 

Is Bill Polian a candidate? Or do you go young like the Cubs did?

I thought Angelo did a really poor job drafting, although it seemed a recent alternative narrative had emerged in Chicago in which someone who drafted poorly couldn't put a competitive team on the field year-in and year-out like the Bears have.

 

Angelo should have been fired a few years ago.

I wonder if Ralphie would ever take back Polian in Buffalo, and scrap their current pairing of huckleberries.

 

Polian to Chicago is an interesting one... Lovie was on Dungy's staff in Tampa, so there is a bit of a connection. He might not come in feeling the need to clean house.