I’ve been on enough tirades about newly hired GM Phil Emery, I would like to start with the other knuckleheads around Halas Hall. Team CEO George McCaskey is in the job because his last name happens to be that of his mother Virginia. Before taking over one of the proudest franchises in football, he was the ticket manager. While I’m sure there’s much to be learned from this position, it’s not exactly a science with the computerized ticket systems. While I’ve met McCaskey and think he’s a swell guy, there’s nothing that impresses me more than anyone else. McCaskey had a real opportunity to make things right with the Chicago Bears by learning from his personal friend from the Chicago Blackhawks, Rocky Wirtz. But instead, he took advice from his family and allowed the hiring of a General Manager because he works cheaply. Once a Halas/McCaskey, always a Halas/McCaskey. I had such high expectations and was squashed like a grape.

Let’s move to former accountant turned team president Ted Phillips. On Sweaty Teddy’s watch, the Chicago Bears built the smallest stadium in the NFL. Even Forbes Magazine criticized the organization. In his latest move, he was empowered with hiring the newest GM after firing his friend and way-too long tenured Jerry Angelo. What does he do? Does he hire a guy with a track record with a Super Bowl winning organization? Of course not, he hires some long-time pal Emery to take over one of the proudest franchises in the NFL. Emery doesn’t stick around too long with organizations. Proves to me that teams see right through his lack of skills. Phillips just built another Solider Field with Emery. What could have been a breakthrough time for the Bears will be another huge setback. Emery has about as much business being a GM in this league as Caleb Hanie has being in the NFL. This goes down as one of the darkest days in franchise history. I am now resigned to the Chicago Bears being a horrible football team for many years to come. We’ll long for Dave Wannstedt.

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Emery’s biggest selling point are his great scouting skills. He’s been given credit for helping to draft Matt Ryan…HE WAS THE FIRST PICK IN THE DRAFT!!!!!!!!!!! I’ll argue that Jerry Angelo made a better move for Jay Cutler. While Ryan has been good, he’s not in the conversation of elite quarterbacks. To say that Emery discovered Ryan is like giving Chicago Bulls credit for drafting Derrick Rose.

Supposedly, Emery scouted Roddy White out of UAB. White was taken with the 27th pick in the 2005 Draft. He certainly deserves credit for identifying such a top player. But let’s keep in mind that it was a first-round selection. We’re so used to botched first-round draft choices here in Chicago that a selection like White seems like a miraculous find. Just to keep things in perspective, the Bears drafted five that year and took Cedric Benson. With Ryan and White, remember that Emery wasn’t the General Manager of the Falcons. For all we know, Emery didn’t want to draft either guy. For all of his excellent football sense, Emery didn’t stick around with the Falcons long enough to see both Ryan and White develop. This guy just can’t stay in one place. No one else seems to notice his lack of consistency with one franchise.

The terms work ethic and hard worker are regularly used in describing Emery. As I’ve said before and I will say again, that isn’t a selling point. If you don’t have either one of these traits in life, chances are that you will not be successful. Do you think that Angelo sat behind his desk and played Spider Cell? This is the same nonsense fans use when comparing Lovie Smith to other coaches. Fans want to see him act like a raving lunatic. However, just because Smith isn’t Mike Ditka doesn’t mean he isn’t passionate about his job. It just means that he handles himself with class.

Dr. Lawrence J. Peter and Raymond Hull in 1969 wrote a book called The Peter Principle. On top of many other things, it is famous for noting that in a hierarchy every employee tends to rise to his level of incompetence. Ladies and Gentlemen, I introduce you to the Chicago Bears new General Manager, Phil Emery…

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Who the hell left Ted Phillips in charge of this search? He’s hired a guy from a franchise that has a worse record than the Bears. Instead of being an attempt to close the talent gap with the Green Bay Packers, it’s an effort to close the talent gap with the worst franchises in football. Emery will be able to draft top talent because he’ll be in the top five for years to come.

I guarantee you on Monday we’ll hear all about Emery’s work ethic. If you suck at something, work harder at it, doesn’t that mean it will suck more? You’ve given the reigns of this franchise to an assclown with a whistle. But he’s supposedly tough from his Naval Academy experiences. He’s worse than Sarah Palin.

As you can tell, I am beyond pissed. For more venom, follow me on Twitter at ChicagoBearJew.

2. Phil Emery is many insiders frontrunner for the GM job. Did anyone notice that the Kansas City Chiefs have finished with a worse record than the Chicago Bears the last two seasons? This is a disaster waiting to happen if he gets the job and a typical underspend by the Chicago Bears. You can print this and hold me to what I am about to say…and if I’m wrong, I will admit it…but this will be as bad if not a worse hire than Ruskell. Emery will ruin the Chicago Bears.

3. Many suggest that Emery is a tireless worker. Why is that a good trait? If you do any job, wouldn’t you put forth your best effort? I do not compliment effort, I compliment results. If a job can be done well in half the time, who gives two craps that the other guy spent more hours sucking at his job? Make this simply about results and not effort…

4. Jason Licht is the other candidate brought in for a second interview. How awesome is it that the Bears bring in a guy from the best organization in football??? I seriously wonder if Ted Phillips is effing with all of us. All I know is that the Patriots have talent, and when they lose talent like Brandon Meriweather, they replace it with better talent. Meanwhile, the Bears have worse talent like Brandon Meriweather. OK, so you get my point…obviously the Patriots recognized that Meriweather sucked and replaced him. On the other hand, the Bears added Meriweather and the results are fairly obvious.

5. Chicago Bear Jew is freaking angry…this should be a turning point and instead it’s business as usual at Halas Hall.

6. For more anger, follow me on Twitter at ChicagoBearJew.

This seems to be a disaster waiting to happen. If this guy’s been such a top NFL man, why has it taken him so long to be considered as a GM candidate with any organization? It seems to me like this is a move being done on the cheap. Based on the candidates interviewed by the Bears, Emery would be no hire than third. Marc Ross of the Giants  (Director of College Scouting and my top choice) and Jason Licht of the Patriots (Director of Pro Personnel) come from organizations that win. I would think that should separate the two above Emery. The other candidates are Jimmy Raye from the Chargers (Director of Player Personnel) and Tim Ruskell from the Bears (Director of Player Personnel) seem to be at best diagonal steps. Emery seems to be a perfect example of the Peter Principal (rising to your level of incompetence). How can you expect this guy to build this thing properly?

I had such high hopes for this search. I really thought George McCaskey would learn from Tom Ricketts of the Chicago Cubs and Rocky Wirtz of the Chicago Blackhawks, but instead, he’s a McCaskey at heart.

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What is your draft philosophy? Do you take the best player available or draft for need?

I am a believer in drafting the best player available. Even if it’s an area of strength, you can never have enough great players on a roster. Team’s that draft for need always seem to not get the most value out of a pick.

Entering this offseason, what is the Bears biggest need?

The most obvious answer is wide receiver. But I actually believe safety is more important. In order for Lovie Smith’s Cover Two defense to be most effective, the safeties become essential. Chris Conte showed some promise, but the rest of the clown college of safeties would struggle in the CFL. As the Giants proved, you can find guys like Victor Cruz to play receiver in free agency. Finding a good safety seems to be a bigger challenge in the draft.

How do you smooth over the Matt Forte situation?

In any negotiation, both sides need to feel like they’ve been a little screwed over. The Bears are within their rights to Franchise Tag Forte. However, it seems that Forte isn’t satisfied with that approach. Jerry Angelo seems to have made this situation worse than it needed to be, so sitting down with Forte and coming to a compromise seems the most reasonable approach. The Franchise Option remains on the table, but it’s more important to create a collaborative relationship with Forte. It just takes each side being a bit reasonable. And my gut tells me that Angelo made this process much more difficult than it needed to be.

What will it take for the Chicago Bears to be in the Super Bowl next season?

I actually think this is much more obtainable than one thinks. If the Bears had an even average backup quarterback, they would have been in the playoffs. Moving forward, this team needs to improve team depth while addressing concerns in the secondary, receiving core and offensive line. If they’re able to do that through free agency and the draft, things will be different if there’s an injury. But it starts with bringing in players that can contribute. If you look at the teams playing this weekend for the NFC and AFC championships, a few tweaks to their rosters helped them get in this position. There’s a foundation in place with the Bears, there just need to be a few pieces added.

What are your long-term plans with Lovie Smith?

Smith is a good coach. Considering the other candidates that are available, he’s certainly as good if not better than any of the other options. That being said, he will be evaluated on a year-to-year basis. If he’s not performing, the organization will evaluate him fairly. If a change needs to be made, we will not be afraid to pull the trigger. The NFL is about staying current, and Smith needs to keep up with the times. While he’s respected by his players and peers, the Chicago Bears are the most important component here and he’ll be judged accordingly.

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2. I really want the Bears to hire Marc Ross as the team’s General Manager. Currently, he’s the Director of College Scouting for the above-mentioned Giants. The talent on the Giants just cannot be overlooked, and considering how the Giants play, it’s a similar formula to the Bears. He’d fit in perfectly with Lovie Smith and could get the foundation in place with the best players aging quickly.

3. Mike Tice’s career just took an interesting turn. The Bears new offensive coordinator is a potential candidate for the Oakland Raiders coaching vacancy. This seems like it was a bit out of left field, but it certainly is a great opportunity for Tice. There’s no word on if the Bears will give the Raiders permission, but it would certainly would be wrong not to let the man have another shot at becoming a head coach in this league.

4. Special teams guru Dave Taub signed a two-year extension. This is a very important move. Considering how good the Bears special teams are, losing Taub would have been devastating. He was a candidate for the Miami Dolphins head coaching vacancy, but learned Tuesday he was no longer in the running. This contract doesn’t mean he’s done being a candidate for head coaching vacancies, but it is a good move by the Bears.

5. The Minnesota Vikings were denied permission to talk with current Bears Secondary Coach Jon Hoke about their Defensive Coordinator vacancy. It’s the second year in a row the Bears have denied a team from talking with an assistant coach. Last season, Tice was denied an opportunity to talk with the Tennessee Titans about their offensive coordinator position. Here’s my thought…why the hell wasn’t Hoke allowed to talk with the Vikings? He did a terrible job this season. Sure, Charles Tillman made the Pro Bowl, but Tillman has been a good player for a long time. The Bears secondary was disgraceful and he should have been fired. Smith has a real difficult time holding his defensive coaches to the same standards as his offensive ones. I just don’t understand why the Bears continually have double-standards up-and-down the organization.

6. Rumor has it that the Bears are going to select receiver Michael Floyd out of Notre Dame. Now perhaps the Bears need an actual General Manager to make this decision. I like Floyd and think he’s an upgrade. But I always believe you take the best available player and not draft for need. I’m not sure if Floyd would be the best player, but we are months away from the draft. Many things will change…

7. I just did a Discount Double Check and laughed…

8. On the topic of Discount Double Checks, I want to spend a moment looking at the Green Bay Packers. While many of you think I am nuts with what I am about to say (or think I am always nuts), I am not sure if the Packers are as much of a dynasty as their fans would like you to believe. The Giants exposed many weaknesses on that team, and the Packers have a lot of work to do. In addition to being unable to run the football, the Packers are a bad defensive team. Charles Woodson was a non-factor this season. Clay Matthews III doesn’t get to the quarterback. Quite honestly, the Packers may have one of the worst front seven in football. I know going 15-1 can’t be sneezed at, but the Packers offense was helped by a mild fall and winter. As we learned last Sunday, when Aaron Rodgers is bad, the Packers are horrible. He can make up for the defensive issues when he’s on his A Game, but when he’s off, the Packers aren’t able to be successful. If you need any additional proof, look at last year’s championship game. Rodgers was awesome in the first quarter, but the Bears shut him down and darn near won the game with Caleb Hanie.

9. The Detroit Lions are another interesting bunch. Like the Bears, the Lions have issues in their secondary. Plus, the Lions offensive line isn’t getting any younger. With a few moves, the Lions may be the team to beat next season in the NFC North. The Packers proving they are human probably made them a lot hungrier.

10. Matt Forte has indicated he’s playing in next week’s Pro Bowl. I think the best thing Forte could do is not play and get ready for next season. If he’s trying to prove he’s healthy, there’s plenty of other less-dangerous ways of doing it. While we know there’s not a ton of hitting that occurs in this game, there’s still a risk. And any risk is too great for Forte.

That’s all for now. Follow me on Twitter at ChicagoBearJew.

Let’s start with the defense. I’ve been calling Clay Matthews III overrated for a long time. Yesterday once again proved it. During the regular season. he finished with 50 tackles, three forced fumbles and interceptions. But the most telling part of his season was his six sacks. I’ve heard every excuse from the Packers fans from he’s being double-teamed on every play to he’s been playing hurt all season, but the bottom line is he’s not getting to the quarterback. In order for the Packers defense to be successful, Matthews has to get to the quarterback. Dom Capers’ defenses have always been built on the outside linebacker pressuring the quarterback. When that doesn’t happen, results like yesterday occur. It was cute how Matthews piled on a sack and hit Manning late. Of course, the officials missed that yesterday.

Offensively, Aaron Rodgers has to be great in order for the Packers to win. This team cannot run the football. Jordy Nelson had a wonderful regular season, but wasn’t around much yesterday. I’m not sure what happened to Jermichael Finley, but he makes Roy Williams look like Andre Johnson. Donald Driver is a player I have huge respect for, but talks about his retirement seem pretty substantive. Greg Jennings tried to gut it out yesterday, but you could tell he wasn’t 100 percent. The Packers relied on an amazing one-dimensional offense all season long, but when it came to Sunday, they just weren’t able to handle the relentless Giants.

I’ll take my bows now for pointing out the concerns of the Packers back in November (click here). I also predicted the Giants would win the NFC back in early January coming in at number 10 (click here). So I saw this coming. However, the fans that like to purchase fake shares of stock and go for Discount Double Checks may want to be a little less cocky. I’m friends with many Packers fans. I respect them but some can be a bit over the top. You can call be a dumb FIB, but just like you, I’ll be enjoying the playoffs from the comforts of my couch next Sunday.

Follow me on Twitter at ChicagoBearJew.

Prevention is better than Cure: What I want from the Bears new GM

This is a motto that should govern most things in life, if it could be done, which is better?  Finding a cure for cancer or preventing it from ever existing in the first place? Personally I would say the latter.  Now unfortunately for the Bears as an organization it has been allowed to dig itself the proverbial hole, in terms of competing, and acquiring talent through the draft.  As a team it has its stars and when all healthy they can compete with the best teams in the league, when things were clicking pre “Cutler-gate: Rise of the Bennett facture”, this team looked like more than legit playoff contenders, possible Super Bowl winners in my honest opinion.  A severe lack of substance behind the glitter and glamour of the Bears starters led to an unacceptably shocking end to the season, this team was an embarrassment.  Now the Bears are in the unenviable position of trying to cure the damage done to its depth, whilst also trying to prevent falling behind the Packers even further.

With the initial list of candidates being released by the Bears earlier this week, I have once more kindly been offered the opportunity, to outline my thoughts on the way I would like the Bears to go. Before I move on, it won’t be current Director of Player Personnel Tim Ruskell, this media hype is nonsense, people need to realize the Bears can’t just stop scouting for the draft until a new GM is hired, it’s completely impractical, someone has to be doing the ground work until then.  Neither can they ignore the best in house candidate from the interview process; this is nothing more than common courtesy.

Finally and rightly so, the ownership (regardless of Phillips taking the Jerry Angelo firing credit in the press conference) have noticed the outlined issues of the franchise, and have set a target of hiring a GM with an extensive draft knowledge, and success, this is abundantly apparent with the list containing no outside candidates that have held the GM gig before, all from director of scouting jobs.

I don’t want a GM to come in and cure this organization, plugging the holes that it has made for itself, I want a GM that is going to move it forward, evolve its philosophy, make it the top franchise, prevent this stagnation from happening again.  Many people have said the 2012 draft is vital, I would expand on that further, the next three to four years of drafts are so important if the Bears don’t want to have to do a full facelift rebuild, not all of the needs for this specific forthcoming season will be filled to everyone’s liking.  I want a GM that has the balls this draft and the rest from here on out, to pick a guy who is the best available, not just pick for need and inflate a players draft stock unnecessarily.   I want a GM who has an eye on the draft, but has the foresight to see the importance of picking up the undrafted free agents who have slipped through the net, project developmental players who may make an impact now or latter on, Wes Welker and Victor Cruz as examples of this.

For me personally Marc Ross is the guy I want, he was made a director of scouting at 27, the youngest ever, and it is his opportunity to be the lead dog in a franchise.  To me he is clearly a smart guy who can adapt to his organization’s needs, it also helps that he is coming from a big market organization, because the Chicago media will eat you alive in a heartbeat if you let them.  I also like the fact that he is 38, he represents the newer generation of aspiring GM’s the last thing the Bears need right now is a guy who is going to retire in 5 years.  My basic premise is that he should have no delusions about the thick skin he will need to have in this city.

The other thing I like about Ross he comes from a city that has similar weather to Chicago, he knows the draw backs and advantages to playing football in frigid weather come January, the last thing in my opinion the Bears need is a GM who has been working the indoor franchises, as I believe indoor venues give a team false economy in their numbers, they get stuck in that type of model, it wouldn’t translate to a Bears team in dire need of a man who can hit the ground running.  The saints are a brilliant team but the games they lost this season where all outdoor.

Ross has some impressive players already on his resume; the giants have a frightening defensive line, part in due to Ross (Pierre-Paul 16.5 sacks this season), a brilliant receiving core which he again had a hand in (Nicks and Cruz combined for 2700+ receiving yards this season), granted he will have his draw backs and there will be a keen eye as to what he does in the role, my point is this the Bears have the potential to hire a guy who if successful, could be GM in Chicago for an exceedingly long time.

The Bears really need to focus on evaluating talent and building an organization. Saban will bring in a fresh perspective and move the Bears in a new direction. He’s certainly has nothing left to prove on the college level, so here’s his chance to show the world he can succeed in the pros.

With the list of candidates becoming less and less appealing for the Bears, Saban would be a home run. That’s all we can ask.

I’m curious to hear your thoughts. Follow me on Twitter at ChicagoBearJew.