Kotex Boy wants Jerry Angelo Out

[DBAHO]

Here we go;

 

As another desperation quarterback fumbled to end another unwatchable game, I glanced to my right in the press box and inspected the reaction of Jerry Angelo. He was staring straight ahead, eyes glazed, shaking his head slowly. It was the sad puppy-dog look of a boss who seemed surprised his team would lose 9-7 to the Washington Redskins when, in fact, the Bears scored seven more points than I'd assumed.

 

 

 

What's telling is, I have studied Angelo after similar deadening defeats and seen him react the same way. And I'm beginning to wonder about the statute of limitations on sad puppy-dog looks when the man's creation is stuck in a perpetual quagmire. Since he started putting his firm imprint on this franchise before the 2002 season, the Bears have lost 33 of their 49 games. In 25 of those games --more than half the body of work -- they have scored 17 points or fewer and embarrassed themselves as the NFL's most feeble offense. Basically, Angelo is trying to win games with half a football team because he hasn't figured out what might be the simplest tenet of sports, something we all learn when we're walking the hallways in junior high school.

 

The quarterback is the most important guy in the building.

 

And with every loss that is related directly to the inexperience or sheer ineptitude of the quarterback, a blunt reality is emerging: Angelo can't possibly be brought back as general manager for another season. If the Bears nose-dive to yet another losing record, in a division that might be the league's flimsiest this year, Halas Hall must stop covering for him and eat the remaining three years on his contract.

 

The passion and hubris that once filled this grunting, snarling football town has been reduced to a resigned murmur, a familiar depression that the season is over just as it starts. When other cities truly have NFL franchises, we're just pretending to have one. Kyle Orton played decently enough Sunday as a rookie thrust into an impossible spot, but that isn't what I took from the loss. I keep asking myself the same question I asked the entire preseason: How do the Bears keep landing in fixes where a quarterback is playing when he shouldn't be playing? I keep coming back to the same answer: Angelo has brutally mismanaged the position like few GMs in league history. And I don't want to hear pity parties about Rex Grossman's two seasons of injuries. Angelo never should have assumed Grossman was so accomplished -- I mean, can he even play? -- that he twice would leave the position without a capable backup.

 

Long history of ineptitude

 

 

 

We've all complained about that Angelo brain cramp, ad nauseam. But remember, Jerry Jackhammer has botched this QB thing from the start. In his first offseason, he decided concussion-prone Chris Chandler and worthless Henry Burris would be good backups for injury-prone Jim Miller -- a mistake that contributed to a 4-12 season. In his second offseason, he failed miserably in an attempt to woo Jake Plummer as a free agent and couldn't even coax a signature out of Jake Delhomme, then an obscure vet. So he settled for, ugh, Kordell Stewart and Chandler, who combined for seven wins. Armed with the No. 4 pick of the draft two month later, Angelo could have kept the choice and drafted Byron Leftwich, who has stayed healthy and looks ready to break out as a star in Jacksonville. Instead, Angelo tried to outsmart the industry and cashed in the pick for two choices later in the first round -- one netting Michael Haynes, an underachieving defensive lineman, and the other bringing Rex The Wonder Bear, who has played six games in three seasons.

 

So convinced was Angelo that Grossman was Chicago's elusive football drug, the QB of the Future in a city that never has seen one, he protected the kid's No. 1 status by taking a lukewarm approach to free-agent help. Who needs, say, a Gus Frerotte or a Brian Griese when you have Rex? Who needs Jay Fiedler, Brad Johnson or Kurt Warner when you have Jonathan Quinn and Chad Hutchinson? That has been Angelo's modus operandi. It also should be grounds for his pink slip, especially after Frerotte leads Miami to an opening-day victory and Griese does the same for Tampa Bay.

 

Other teams are able to do it

 

 

 

Are we being too hard on Angelo? Should we also mention that the previous Halas Hall regime preferred Cade McNown over Daunte Culpepper? Well, let's detail how other teams have handled the quarterback position during his four-year tenure. The New England Patriots developed Tom Brady, a sixth-round draft choice, into a three-time Super Bowl champion and future Hall of Famer. The Carolina Panthers signed Delhomme, who took them to a Super Bowl. San Diego developed Drew Brees, St. Louis developed Marc Bulger. Sure, some franchises maximize their futility and end up with Michael Vick, as Atlanta did, or Donovan McNabb, as Philadelphia did. But then you see the Buffalo Bills gamble on a kid passer, J.P. Losman, who played well Sunday and is evoking Ben Roethlisberger comparisons. And the veteran released by Buffalo, Drew Bledsoe, played wonderfully in the first game of his reunion season with Bill Parcells. No doubt young quarterbacks perplex teams -- who knows if Joey Harrington, David Carr, Carson Palmer or even Eli Manning will be consistent stars? Hell, veteran quarterbacks perplex teams, such as Plummer in Denver, Kerry Collins in Oakland, Matt Hasselbeck in Seattle and Chad Pennington with the Jets. Seems the great Brett Favre might have stayed a year or two beyond his prime, I'm afraid to say.

 

But clearly, Halas Hall has cornered the market on quarterbacking butchery. Think the Cubs are cursed? The City of Weak Shoulders hex is comparable. If Angelo can't find a cure, let someone else try. Maybe throw some of the McCaskey millions at Scott Pioli, Bill Belichick's right-hand man in New England. Do something, anything.

 

It's painful to hear the Bears talk about Orton and his limited expectations. If he didn't chew tobacco, I'd swear the rook with the boyish face wasn't any older than 19. ''It's going to be pretty simple for Kyle,'' running back Thomas Jones said. ''We don't want him to lose the game. If he does that, he's doing a good job.''

 

Even the Redskins seemed to feel sorry for him. ''We knew we had to come after him, mentally and physically,'' cornerback Shawn Springs said. ''Muhsin Muhammad even told me before the game, 'We know what you're going to try to do to him.' ''

 

This is no way to play a football season. This is no way to run a professional operation. Since the beginning of the 1996 season, the Bears have started 16 different QBs. In Angelo's time, they've had nine starters. I've seen enough to differentiate a trend from a football epidemic, enough to realize a change is needed at the top.

[Texsox]

That is a pretty s***ty track record.

[Brian]

Mariotti is right, if the Bears stink it up this season, Angelo should be gone.

His late round picks have been good but he has screwed up in the 1st round. As of now, Haynes/Grossman have been flops when we could of had Terrell Suggs. The jury is out on Benson but I would of loved to of had Mike Williams across from Muhsin or Cadillac WIlliams before Benson.

[DBAHO]

Mariotti is right, if the Bears stink it up this season, Angelo should be gone.

His late round picks have been good but he has screwed up in the 1st round. As of now, Haynes/Grossman have been flops when we could of had Terrell Suggs. The jury is out on Benson but I would of loved to of had Mike Williams across from Muhsin or Cadillac WIlliams before Benson.

I still think Benson was the right choice, Thomas Jones showed he isn't the answer, and the Bears need a power runner, Williams is probably more of a slasher which appealed to Jon Gruden a lot.

 

But yes, the trade down from #4 really was a stupid decision. They could of had Dewayne Rebertson (can you imagine him inside with Harris), Suggs, Newman or Byron Leftwich.

 

Really can't see the justfication in the Bears keeping him around if they don't go higher than .500, with the schedule they have.

[Texsox]

I never think it's fair to after the fact pick who should have been drafted. It happens all the time that teams pass on people they should have taken. This happens less to the great GMs and a lot to the crappy GMs. And that's all sports. KW has had a couple stinkers, but he also bought E-LO cheap and sold him high. AJ, Gooch, etc. all have been excellent low dollar acquisitions. That makes up for the name goof a few years back.

[Punch and Judy Garland]

I thought the trade down in 03 ( the grossman-haynes year) was a dumb pick and I thought the Benson pick was unimaginative the day they happened. If anything history has proven me right as Leftwich was clearly the pick there but I won't dump on Benson yet although I would have gone with Derrick Johnson or Mike Williams. Mariotti's article seems a tad overreactionary in week one but he didn't say anything that wasn't really true. This team has just never properly valued the QB position.

[Soxbadger]

Passing on Leftwich should be a fireable offense.

 

SB

[AddisonStSox]

Passing on Leftwich should be a fireable offense.

 

SB

 

I actually broke my television's remote when they passed on Leftwich for the fearless tandum of Michael Haynes and Rex Grossman. Literally, I had to purchase a new universal remote because I slammed it to the ground.

 

I hated the selection of those two on draft day, and I still hate it.

 

Byron Leftwich>Haynes + Grossman + Ditka + Gail Sayers...and so on

 

EDIT: BTW, I have a really great picture of Grossman all drugged up at a Florida party in his senior year with the caption "Where's My Highsman?" on it. I'll have to try to dig that up.

Edited September 13, 2005 by AddisonStSox

[Kalapse]

When the Bears traded down in '03 I desperatly wanted a dynamic, hard hitting, lightning fast SS from USC by the name of Troy Polamalu. This isn't hindsight being 20/20 seeing how I wanted him then but now that he's been to the pro bowl and Mike Green has been benched, he would look so f***ing good in a Bears uni.

[CWSGuy406]

I was sort of mad about that they traded down for Grossman/Haynes, but pissed me off more was the execution of their next two picks.

 

To me -- and maybe this isn't true one bit -- the Bears had no f***ing idea who they wanted at #14 (or wherever) that year. Their pick came, and they then allowed what, one, two teams to pick ahead of them? I dunno, I just didn't like the pick of Haynes at the time.

 

I've defended Angelo in the past, but if they lose again this season, it's time for a new regime. How about bringing someone in here who's been in an organization like New England's? Someone who's seen and been with a winner first-hand.

[GoodAsGould]

First off Kyle Orton chews Tobacco?

 

Than I think Marriotti is right on this if we do have a losing season Jerry Angelo needs to be fired. I think everyone was pissed when we traded down that season not just because of Leftwich but because their were like 4-5 players that were really good we could of taken.

 

This draft when we first took Benson I was shaking my head again but now Ive changed my mind. I think he is going to be a future stud RB and that in our offense is more important than anything else. He is going to be the type of RB that can run through s***ty O-Lines and against good D-Lines something Thomas Jones cant do. Also Mike Williams is big and had a better college career but Im really liking the pick of Mark Bradley now so I cant complain that much this draft.

[Punch and Judy Garland]

They do a pretty good job of picks after round one though, I'll give them that. Charles Tillman and Briggs are two big examples of that. Hopefully out of Wade, Gage and Berrian they get one of those guys to be a number two receiver in this league

[Kalapse]

They do a pretty good job of picks after round one though, I'll give them that. Charles Tillman and Briggs are two big examples of that. Hopefully out of Wade, Gage and Berrian they get one of those guys to be a number two receiver in this league

I bet not 1 person here liked the Tillman pick. He took some guy noone had ever heard of from some little college (LA Laffayette) and everyone was pissed. I heard an interview with Tillman the night of the draft and liked him from then on but when the pick was made I was pretty confused.

[YASNY]

I bet not 1 person here liked the Tillman pick. He took some guy noone had ever heard of from some little college (LA Laffayette) and everyone was pissed. I heard an interview with Tillman the night of the draft and liked him from then on but when the pick was made I was pretty confused.

 

I remember another guy they selected from a little college ... Walter Payton. At the time, I didn't have a clue who this guy was.

[GoodAsGould]

I remember another guy they selected from a little college ... Walter Payton.  At the time, I didn't have a clue who this guy was.

 

Well considering he was the 4th overall pick im guessing a lot of people did.

[YASNY]

Well considering he was the 4th overall pick im guessing a lot of people did.

 

Oh, I'm sure you are correct on that. Though, the general public didn't follow the draft as closely back then as they do today.

[bmags]

I was sort of mad about that they traded down for Grossman/Haynes, but pissed me off more was the execution of their next two picks.

 

To me -- and maybe this isn't true one bit -- the Bears  had no f***ing idea who they wanted at #14 (or wherever) that year.  Their pick came, and they then allowed what, one, two teams to pick ahead of them?  I dunno, I just didn't like the pick of Haynes at the time.

 

I've defended Angelo in the past, but if they lose again this season, it's time for a new regime.  How about bringing someone in here who's been in an organization like New England's?  Someone who's seen and been with a winner first-hand.

 

well, what f***ed the bears over in that draft was when new orleans traded up to six to draft sullivan, then there was a quicksand of lineman until all that was left was haynes and they grabbed him. I remember when we were projected to get Kevin williams at 14, which would have been sick.

[ZoomSlowik]

The Bears have been f***ing up the first round picks for quite some time. I can't tell you how many times I was groaning after their pick in the last ten years, which is roughly how long I've been following the Bears. Let's just review a bit...

 

1995- Rashaan Salaam. Didn't look that bad at the time, but just a few of the guys that went after him: Derrick Brooks, Ty Law, Korey Stringer (pretty good before his tragic death)

 

1996- Walt Harris. Again, didn't look all that bad at the time, although I had never heard of him. Passed on: Marvin Harrison, Eric Moulds, Ray Lewis

 

1997- Traded pick to Seattle for Rick Mirer. Not sure which pick it was, but Seattle took Shawn Springs #3 and Walter Jones #6. Ouch.

 

1998- Curtis Enis. Brutal pick, I was screaming at the radio when they made this one. Passed on: Randy Moss, Tra Thomas, Takeo Spikes, Greg Ellis.

 

1999- started with the #7 pick, traded down for Cade McNown. Again, was screaming at the radio. Champ Bailey would not have been there if the trade had not happened because Washington was #6 and wanted him bad. However, they could have taken Jevon Kearse, Chris McAlister, or Daunte Culpepper.

 

2000- Brian Urlacher. The one pick I really liked. About the only guy behind him I would have wanted is Shaun Alexander, and that's a close call.

 

2001- David Terell. I was indifferent on this pick. Considering who was there, I thought it was a decent pick at the time. However, I really wanted them to do anything they could to get Tomlinson (who I saw destroy my poor Wildcats ). Passed on Dan Morgan, Marcus Stroud, Casey Hampton, Nate Clements, Duece McAllister.

 

2002- Marc Columbo. Hard to blame them too much since it was a late pick, but I still hated it. Still could have had Clinton Portis or Deion Branch.

 

2003- Traded down from #4 to get Haynes and Grossman. Again, very pissed, as I wanted Terrence Newman or Leftwich. Also could have had Suggs or Polamalu, or if they had some balls after the trade, Willis McGahee.

 

2004- Tommie Harris. Can't complain, although Kevin Jones might have been nice.

 

2005- Benson. I said it a while ago, I would have rather had Williams or Williams. We'll see.

 

 

 

 

2 good first round picks (jury out on 1, but not looking good after his holdout so far) is not acceptable, and is a major reason that our offense sucks, since it is very difficult to find a franchise type quarterback or runningback outside of the first round (two good QB's I can think of, a couple of more RB's but the majority still went in the first round). If they had some guts they would have taken super-talented guys like Moss or McGahee, or possibly traded up to get Tomlinson. But they seem to go for the safe pick too much, and look at the results.

Edited September 14, 2005 by ZoomSlowik