The Chicago Bores

Apathy. That’s really the only way to describe the attitude of the Chicago Bears these past few weeks. They play like men possessed…by apathy. Say what you will, but when a team starts playing in a lethargic manner all eyes must turn to the head coach.

Lovie Smith is oft praised for his calm, cool demeanor. He never gets too high after a win and never gets too down after a loss and in a lot of ways, it’s very comforting to have a coach who is so steady and even keeled. A coach like Smith can keep you from getting a big head when you’re doing well, and when things go poorly, he can keep you from panicking.

The problem is that in the world of athletics, there comes a point when a coach, even an even keeled, level-headed, players coach like Lovie must be free and able to let loose and howl at the moon. Lovie Smith though, so concerned with being a class act, so concerned with his players feelings is ill-equipped to do so. He just doesn’t seem to have it in him.

The problem with such a serene approach to coaching is that it involves no sense of urgency and these are urgent times. This past Sunday was the time for the Bears to either stand up and be recognized as a contender or step aside and show that they are merely pretenders. They never got that memo.

They came. They saw. They lost. And to a man, with the exception of Alex Brown who got a little fired up in his postgame interview, they all used tired old cliché’s about how they had to put this one behind them and get ready for the game on Thursday night against an old fireplug of a Chicago Bear, Mike Singletary and his resurgent San Francisco 49ers.

A team takes on the persona of it’s coach. A good leader knows that persona needs to change and evolve based on the needs of his team. This team seems unconcerned, unflappable about recent embarrassing losses to Cincinnati and now Arizona. Not even two losses of more than 20 points within a three week period is going to harsh their mellow. To a man, they believe they can turn it all around, which is all fine and well, except that they don’t seem to understand that while they continue to hang around confidently, the rest of the league is pulling away.

It’s not all Smith’s fault though. General Manager Jerry Angelo has masterfully pieced together a roster that makes taupe walls look exciting. Gone is every rabble-rouser, every fireplug, every voice of dissent. We’re left with a team of professionals who fall into line, quietly and obediently behind their quiet and obedient coach. A coach like Smith can prosper only if he has veteran players who are vocal leaders. Where is the frustration from these players? Why is it that after getting whooped they all seem to interview with a “happy just to be here” kind of attitude?

By all reports, the players like Lovie Smith a great deal. They all seem to respect him as well. He doesn’t seem overly concerned about their recent poor play, so why should they be? It’s all fine and well to have your players like and respect you, but when it’s all said and done, there won’t be 53 pink slips handed out, only one. Smith’s zen-like refusal to get riled up is rightfully going to cost him his job.

Good riddance.

The only part of this team with any life, any emotion at all are the members of what Lovie likes to call the 4th Phase. There’s the offense, the defense, the special teams and then the 4th Phase—we the fans. And we’re lucky enough to be far enough removed from the team so as not to be served the Kool-aid that Smith seems to be giving the rest of the team. Everything is not going to be alright. We can’t just put it behind us and focus on the next one. The time for action is NOW.

That action starts with saying goodbye to Smith and the $10 million paycheck he’s guaranteed to earn over the next two years. A real leader is a chameleon. He is not just one thing and one thing always. He is what he is required to be whenever the need arises. Mother, father, priest, counselor and yes, he must at times put his foot down and scream that enough is enough.

When they let Ditka go, there was a famous scene with him yelling to reporters from a second story window, he was defiant until the end—like his teams. There will be no such fanfare when Lovie goes. He’ll smile, thank everyone for the opportunity and knowing deep down that everything will be alright—he will saunter on to whatever comes next. Ironically, his team has already started.