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Preston Howley III

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It's amazing what a real GM and a real HC can do:

Angelo, Smith Building Own Monsters Of The Midway

By IRA KAUFMAN ikaufman@tampatrib.com

Published: Nov 23, 2005

TAMPA -- In the five years they jostled for office space at cramped One Buc Place, Jerry Angelo and Lovie Smith never allowed themselves to dream beyond those confining walls.

But here they come Sunday, leading the first-place Bears into Raymond James Stadium armed with a six-game winning streak and a mission to fulfill.

"We've known for a while that we're a good football team," Smith said. "Right now, we have to convince everybody else."

Tampa Bay's former linebackers coach was reunited with his Buc colleague in 2004 as Angelo hired Smith as the head coach of a struggling franchise.

When Angelo left the Bucs in 2001, after 14 years as their player personnel director, Smith also moved on, joining the Rams as defensive coordinator.

"I feel very strongly about Lovie and the job he's done here," said Angelo, whose first year as Chicago's general manager produced a 13-3 mark in '01 that included a pair of wins against the Bucs. "He has created a real identity for us. We're sound, we play hard and we play smart."

Despite starting rookie quarterback Kyle Orton, Chicago has forged a 7-3 getaway, opening up a two-game lead on Minnesota atop the NFC North. The Bears lead the league in total defense and scoring defense while the NFL's No. 5 ground game features ex-Buc Thomas Jones.

"We thought we were a pretty good football team going in, we said that all along," Smith said. "When you're 1-3, it's hard to convince people of that. The guys never lost faith in what we were trying to do."

While Smith has worked closely with defensive coordinator Ron Rivera the past two seasons, Angelo overhauled the roster. Of Chicago's 22 starters, 17 have been obtained since 2003, either through free agency, trades or the draft.

Three starting offensive linemen -- guard Ruben Brown and tackles Fred Miller and John Tait -- were signed as free agents in the past two offseasons. Safety Chris Harris and cornerbacks Nathan Vasher and Charles Tillman were drafted since 2003.

"We all felt back then that Jerry would be a general manager in this league at some point," said Seattle's new director of football operations, Tim Ruskell, who worked under Angelo in Tampa. "He's a great teacher and he has everything you would look for as a GM. And I'm not surprised by the job Lovie's doing. He has great passion and knowledge of the game and you could sense right away the respect Tampa players had for Lovie."

Tony Dungy remembers interviewing Smith in 1996 as a potential assistant coach with the Bucs.

"I didn't know Lovie before I got the job in Tampa, but 15 minutes into our talk, I realized this guy knows what he's doing," Dungy said. "Within a year, I knew he'd be very successful. When I saw [bears middle linebacker] Brian Urlacher at the Pro Bowl last year, I told him 'You guys are going to be winners.' "

While Smith remains an optimist by nature, Angelo's cynicism was a running joke at One Buc Place.

"I'll never forget when we beat St. Louis at our place on a Monday night," former Bucs general manager Rich McKay recalled of a thriller late in the 2000 season. "Jerry finished the game on his back, laying on the floor of our booth at the stadium. He couldn't bear to watch the ending."

The Bucs won that game 38-35, one of 47 victories Angelo and Smith shared in Tampa from 1996-2000.

Chicago's surprising success in Angelo's initial '01 season was followed by an 11-21 mark the next two years, prompting Dick Jauron's dismissal. Smith went 5-11 as a rookie coach, including a 19-7 loss 13 months ago in Tampa, where the Bears managed only 167 yards.

That game marked Chicago's fourth straight setback, but positive vibes are now blowing across the Windy City.

"With Lovie and [current Jets head coach] Herm Edwards, you could clearly see special ingredients," Angelo said. "I feel the same way about guys who are still in Tampa like [defensive coordinator] Monte Kiffin and [defensive line coach] Rod Marinelli. Special people and special coaches."

As president and general manager of the Falcons, McKay keeps a close eye on Chicago's fortunes. He and Angelo spent many years together trying to draft the kind of defensive players Dungy and Smith preferred.

"I can't tell you how many hours Jerry and I spent in his office trying to learn from Tampa Bay's mistakes of the past," McKay said. "Until the end of the '97 season, we had a sense inside the building that we hadn't overcome what had been the legacy of the Buccaneers. Jerry bleeds football, he lives for football. When I got there, Jerry was a very negative guy. It hadn't been pretty. It hadn't been fun. As we got things going forward in Tampa, I felt very lucky to be around him."

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Orton was a Heismann candidate gone to seed that came in as a relatively low draft pick. And apparently Smith ran a camp that prepares a young QB to take over, and didn't hesitate or cramp up when his time came. He's hardly perfect, but a coach showing confidence in you (rather than panicking and brining in a fossil to start in front of a guy you had in camp) can actually win.But some teams spend their days pining away about injuries as opposed to just playing the guys you have here. Other teams just deal with it.

Remember this-many coaches-Parcells, Coughlin, Bellichick,Reed-do not discuss injuries at all as a policy. Hermie's policy as per the Chad fiasco is that he alone updates the press on injuries. Better to confuse the public with.

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So what you're saying is a no-name defense coupled with a retread RB and a rookie QB are having a good year? I thought only teams with multi multi multi million dollar QBs could be successful.

That is what is so wrong about blaming this season on injuries.

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I'd imagine if Lovie had to resort to his 3rd stringer...The Bears would look quite similar to last years model

Who's fault is it that this QB has been on the roster for 3 years now?

Orton was a 4th round draft pick. Bollinger was a 5th and if he was incapable then Edwards needs to tell this to Bradway.

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Well, the Bears are winning games like they did when they went 13-3. They're getting lucky, they're playing great defense, they're making plays on defense, and their offense isn't screwing it up. They've got Thomas Jones (who is having a great year) and one of the top five lines in football.

Oh, and it has VERY little to do with the GM. Angelo is a retard. Lovie Smith is an excellent head coach. He gets all the credit. And, when MJ sees this, he'll expound on it, further.

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Why wouldn't that matter

It's all about team chemistry...had Fiedler not gone down, this season could easily been salvageable

You are dreaming - this team was never ready to compete. This team had loads of problems when they broke camp. They were out of shape. They had no nose tackle and an underachieving D Fat. Abe had no camp.

Look at what you are saying. Look at what this team did when healthy. They got smoked by KC and barely won against a miami team that was getting used to a brand new coach and scheme.

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Not a chance...the Bears 3rd string QB deserves to be on the roster.

Our 3rd string QB doesn't.

I wonder if you were saying that last year, when they had to start Craig Krenzel or Jonathan Quinn.

Look, I'm leaning towards having Herm go, for a number of reasons. But blaming the injury thing on him is just ridiculous.

We have 10 or 11 people on the IR, I believe, and that's not counting people like Fiedler and Blaylock who might come back. Included in those are 6 starters, 5 on offense. No team expects to get to their 3rd string, emergency QB, no less having to play a 5th-stringer. There isn't a coach alive who could overcome this.

Lastly, those of us posters that hate Herm or like Herm can end the debate. He's staying, and there's not a lot we can do about it.

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I'd imagine if Lovie had to resort to his 3rd stringer...The Bears would look quite similar to last years model

The Bears are resorting to their 3rd stringer. Angelo should be in lots of hot water for going into the season with Grossman @ #1, SurferDude Chad Hutchison @ #2, and the totally untested Orton @ #3.

Grossman puked, Hutchison screwed da pooch before the season even started and Orton was left. The difference between the Bears and the Jets are the Bears have a semblance of an O line giving even a kid like Orton a fighting chance to move the chains and keep the D off the field 85% of the game. Above that, The Bears defense is a couple notches above ours in talent.

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I wonder if you were saying that last year, when they had to start Craig Krenzel or Jonathan Quinn.

Look, I'm leaning towards having Herm go, for a number of reasons. But blaming the injury thing on him is just ridiculous.

We have 10 or 11 people on the IR, I believe, and that's not counting people like Fiedler and Blaylock who might come back. Included in those are 6 starters, 5 on offense. No team expects to get to their 3rd string, emergency QB, no less having to play a 5th-stringer. There isn't a coach alive who could overcome this.

Lastly, those of us posters that hate Herm or like Herm can end the debate. He's staying, and there's not a lot we can do about it.

Type as many words as your little heart desires.....Brooks Bollinger didn't deserve to even be draftedin the NFL.

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Good defense that has won in spite of it's QB largely due to schedule.

Beat a few more teams like the Panthers and I would be more convinced.

Then you haven't seen many Bears games. Not only are vet free agents producing so are rookies like Mark Bradley and guys that never produced like Justin Gage and the Bears O-Line. EVERYONE is contributing and contributing well. This is a team effort and Orton has looked good.

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You are dreaming - this team was never ready to compete. This team had loads of problems when they broke camp. They were out of shape. They had no nose tackle and an underachieving D Fat. Abe had no camp.

Look at what you are saying. Look at what this team did when healthy. They got smoked by KC and barely won against a miami team that was getting used to a brand new coach and scheme.

And they were a Chrebet drop away from beating a 7-3 Jacksonville team while also beating 7-3 Tampa.

Chad or Fiedler would have beaten Baltimore as well.

A Healthy Jets team competes for the AFC East this year in spite of how we feel about Herm on gameday.

Lots of teams get smoked annually at KC.

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And they were a Chrebet drop away from beating a 7-3 Jacksonville team while also beating 7-3 Tampa.

Chad or Fiedler would have beaten Baltimore as well.

A Healthy Jets team competes for the AFC East this year in spite of how we feel about Herm on gameday.

Lots of teams get smoked annually at KC.

And the 95 team was several drops away from making the playoffs. They do not award points for playing close games.

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And they were a Chrebet drop away from beating a 7-3 Jacksonville team while also beating 7-3 Tampa.

Chad or Fiedler would have beaten Baltimore as well.

A Healthy Jets team competes for the AFC East this year in spite of how we feel about Herm on gameday.

Lots of teams get smoked annually at KC.

Ah, consistency, the hobgolbin of piss poor arguments.

Remind us again how Hermie is a great coach for getting into the playoffs via Rube Goldberg-type improbablities-a miracle Hall kick vs. the Raiders scrubs in 2001 played late because of 9/11, Pennington coming out of his doghouse and the Fins collapsing in 2002 and numerous lost chances to move past the pats in 2004. And Al Groh sucked. While if John makes a kick vs. the Lions or Vinny holds lead vs. the Ravens Groh gets in the playoffs.

The Bears comparison is instructive.If ifs and buts were fruits and nuts! And you are what your record says you are-2 and freaking 8. So no more lipstick on this pig of a season-please.The Jets suck, their coach has handled his QB mess (among many things)poorly. And anyone with functioning grey matter knows it.

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Type as many words as your little heart desires.....Brooks Bollinger didn't deserve to even be draftedin the NFL.

Why? He had a fairly decent career at Wisconsin. It wasn't like Parcells keeping a failed Rick Mirer for a backup in 99.

He's played like any other 3rd stringer would play... no better, no worse.

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Big props to Da Bears from me. They are a very unselfish team that plays about as close together as i've ever seen a team play. I thought Orton would be a bust. I still remember the deer in the headlights look he got as he cost Purdue a shot at the big 10 title and himself a shot at the heisman. WTF happened to him? He no longer gets down after a mistake? Just goes to show that no one can really tell how a guy will develop in the NFL IMO.

Their defense is nothing short of outstanding too! I wouldn't wanna be the NFC team they face first in the playoffs. They'll put the fear of god in somebody IMO.

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