2011-12 NFC North Division

[jmayer1]

TT might franchise Tim Mashtay.

Your apparent dislike for a GM who built a team that won a SB last year and a 15-1 team this year is awfully silly in my eyes.

[🏀]

$5.5 million for a year looks pretty reasonable to me.

Sign him up. TT has no reason not to franchise Finley.

[wadesworld]

Your apparent dislike for a GM who built a team that won a SB last year and a 15-1 team this year is awfully silly in my eyes.

It's OK, he won the MUScoop Fantasy Football league.  He knows what he's doing.  Better than Ted Thompson.

[Blackhat]

TT makes his share of mistakes.   Luckily McCarthy is an offensive genius. 

 Until someone beats me in MU Scoop FF I will assume I am best at assembling an NFL team.   Sign up early for 12-13.

[MUMac]

Sign him up. TT has no reason not to franchise Finley.

Finley is reported to want the Franchise Designation of a WR.  Citing how frequently the Packers play him outside.  It might go to arbitration.

The concern I have with Finley is his maturity.  He has done some really dumb things in the press.  I don't know (meaning I don't know) how he plays inside the locker room.  With his drops this season, would TT view him as more of a negative or a positive to the organization?  Those are questions that I believe exist with him right now.  It is a reason, as well, to Franchise him and play him under that contract.  Give him another year to determine his long term worth.  I doubt, though, that Finley would like that, though.

[Hards Alumni]

TT makes his share of mistakes.   Luckily McCarthy is an offensive genius. 

 Until someone beats me in MU Scoop FF I will assume I am best at assembling an NFL team.   Sign up early for 12-13.

I may have to put you on ignore for how offensively large your sig is.

[MUMac]

I may have to put you on ignore for how offensively large your sig is.

AND it is purple.  No self respecting Packer fan would have a signature like that.  I think he is a fake!

[MU B2002]

Martz resigned. 

[Blackhat]

There can be only one I in CHAMPION fellas, and that's Stone Cold!

[MUMac]

Martz resigned. 

That's a shame. I really liked what he has done with the Bears offense.

[🏀]

That's a shame. I really liked what he has done with the Bears offense.

Except the McCaskeys want to be a hard-nosed running offense that excels so well in today's NFL.

[MU B2002]

Except the McCaskeys want to be a hard-nosed running offense that excels so well in today's NFL.

Maybe they want an OC that can actually get plays in so that his team doesn't have to waste TOs every 1st and 3rd quarter. 

[RJax55]

I think MUMac was being sarcastic.

If you're a Packer fan, Martz's antiquated 7-step drop and no audible offense was great. As a Bear's fan and more importantly, a Bears QB, not so much.

[Blackhat]

 With the more WR friendly pass defense rules and increased PI calls in the NFL you can see why the pass rules and qb's are breaking records left and right.  

[MUMac]

I think MUMac was being sarcastic.

If you're a Packer fan, Martz's antiquated 7-step drop and no audible offense was great. As a Bear's fan and more importantly, a Bears QB, not so much.

Correct.  

For the record, as a football fan, I have always despised Martz as a coach, especially as a HC.  As an OC, he reminds me of Bob Schnelker, the coach killer.  As a Packer fan, though, I have come to love Martz as OC of the Bears.    Even with that, I am more than happy to see him off the Bears, even if that means and improved offense for the Bears.  

[jesmu84]

With the more WR friendly pass defense rules and increased PI calls in the NFL you can see why the pass rules and qb's are breaking records left and right.  

Good read on the now-required heavy passing in the NFL in today's TMQ.

http://espn.go.com/espn/page2/story/_/id/7415167/green-bay-new-england-make-history-strong-offenses-weak-defenses

[jesmu84]

Martz resigned. 

Along with the QB coach.

Sad that the offense/Jay Cutler has to learn yet another new offense (3 in 4 years). Hope they really hit the nail on the head with the GM/Dir. of Operations hiring. Should be interesting to see the power struggle between Lovie/new GM on the hiring/direction of the new OC/QB coach. I personally hope Lovie doesn't have much control in the matter.

[DegenerateDish]

Pretty crazy day. Martz "resigned" which isn't true because his contract was up and the Bears informed him this afternoon he wasn't going to be re-signed.

They're going to go hard after McKenzie, that was the first thing I heard as soon as Angelo was let go, and I still believe it now. McKenzie is going to be in very high demand. Lovie and McKenzie are tight, for what it's worth. Hearing if it is McKenzie, they'll (again) go after Clements for the OC gig (they asked two years ago if they could interview him, I believe Packers said no if I recall correctly).

[Benny B]

Pretty crazy day. Martz "resigned" which isn't true because his contract was up and the Bears informed him this afternoon he wasn't going to be re-signed.

Even though the show was cancelled decades ago, society is really getting some mileage out of the whole George Jetson "you can't fire me, I quit" routine.

[MU B2002]

Bears name Tice OC. 

[RJax55]

Bears name Tice OC. 

Good move...

With a new GM coming in and Lovie's future (after 2012) certainly in question, I don't think the OC job was going to be very attractive to outside candidates.

At least, Tice will design an offense and call plays to the ability of his OL. Martz didn't seem to care. Also, under Tice, the Bears running game has certainly improved.

[jesmu84]

Bears name Tice OC.  

Well.. this organization surely screwed the pooch again. No new OC would want this opening with a new GM and the current coach. How would that work? What a sad lame-duck situation. McKenzie is going to the Raiders and DeCosta just stated he was staying in Baltimore.

I'm not going to be surprised in the least when Ruskell is promoted to GM. What new GM wants to be stuck with the current coach and have to get approved by the current coach??

If the Bears hire an outside GM, I feel bad for Jay Cutler. The "franchise" QB is going to have to learn his 4th new offense in 5 seasons with the Bears because I really doubt Lovie/coaching staff would be back if the new GM has his say in 2013.

Also, Tice is getting paired with a "passing game coach".. whatever the hell that is.

What a joke. F'ing McCaskeys screwing up another situation.

[SaintPaulWarrior]

I personally hope Lovie doesn't have much control in the matter.

When Lovie Smith hired Mike Martz two years ago, it was clearly his choice at the end of a month-long process in which Jerry Angelo suggested other candidates.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/football/bears/ct-spt-0105-offensive-coordinator-bears-chicago--20120105,0,5880222.story

[jesmu84]

When Lovie Smith hired Mike Martz two years ago, it was clearly his choice at the end of a month-long process in which Jerry Angelo suggested other candidates.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/football/bears/ct-spt-0105-offensive-coordinator-bears-chicago--20120105,0,5880222.story

Exactly why I had hoped he didn't have any say in this candidate. Just ludicrous. Where else does a head coach have such power. To be able to name all of his (unqualified) friends as coaching staff and only allow a GM whom he approves of.

[Blackhat]

Wasn't the Bear offense operating pretty good before you lost Forte and Cutler?

Martz has a better history than Tice.