How will management fuck this up?

I'm convinced it's the only thing keeping the Aliens from invading the Earth, so there's that too.

It's not so much the visor, but my retinas think it was the light glaring off the top of his head.

 

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Hahaa...
Blinded by the Light!
Revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night

 

This motherfucker just referenced John Schoop in his press conference

I'm out

 

Chris Morgan fired!

Haven’t been able to watch it, but please tell me there’s context like: he’s listing idiots who have fucked up before and how he won’t be like them….

Because if a 2 yard swing pass to the slowest FB with stone hands is the plan on 3rd and 10+….then fuck

 

Yeah I missed the presser, please provide context.

 

One line he used during it was "Prepare to be comfortable with being uncomfortable."

 

Interesting presser. I feel these things always hold more potential to make a bad first impression than an incredible one tbh. Obviously Poles nearly blubbering in his, Trestman with his incredible word fuckup that turned out to be like looking in a crystal ball ha. TaIking about the team, i think he meant to say we're gonna be unselfish and disciplined but it came out as we're gonna be selfish and undisciplined, hilarious and completely true. Fucking Trestman.

As for Johnson, he was more impressive than i expected him to be frankly. With the questions i had about leadership/commanding a room etc i expected today to be a weak area for him and it wasnt imo. He spoke very confidently, clearly and articulately. I still suspect this is a learned skill for Johnson, he referenced Coach Caveman multiple times and whereas that knuckle-dragger embraces the Alpha role in that he's just being himself, i hope with Johnson its not an act that will get seen through. Maybe im reading too much into it we'll see.

Im pretty sure Johnson did this whole presser with no pre-arranged notes, cue cards or speaking points, you have to admit thats pretty impressive. He did that whole thing off the cuff, inc an opening statement that must've lasted 5mins. Who can forget Ryan Pace with his stack of cards and not being able to say more than two words before having to look down at them again. Obvs thats nothing to do with football but the guy is clearly intelligent and has self-confidence, those are personality traits you want.

There were some good answers giving insights into important things. Culture building, the importance of O-Line, accountability. The discipline line about basically naming and shaming people who continue to screw up was prob more candid than he wanted to be, but im totally on board with it. Not saying you humiliate a person in a team meeting right off the bat, but when its someone making the same mistakes even after being coached on them, absolutely call them out. It ties in with the other things he was saying about needing to raise the standard.

Overall it was about impressive as these things can be for the part i guess, but i do agree with bww, the Schoop comment was bizarre and really came out of left field. Its not like they were asking him about Bears history or previous Bears coaches, no idea where it came from. As i said though, it was a 30min presser he did straight off the cuff. When you do that there will unavoidably but something random that comes out.

 

Ben Johnson introductory press conference - I just listened to it, where was the Schoop mention? I did fast forward a bit at the beginning, and googling it looks like he hired Johnson and gave him his first big break, I don't think that's all that damning.

LONG overdue. How that fucking guy stayed here will remain a mystery up there with how Jason McKie stayed on this roster.

 

That was a good line and delivered as he looked straight at the players in the room who were there. But that wasn't in relation to Schoop, that comment came later.

Johnson said we want to look different when we're being the same and look the same when we're being different, an apparent Schoop philosophy. It was hard to make sense of, i took it that he was talking about pre snap appearance/lineup? Being able to call the same plays even from different looks/personnel groupings, but also have the same personel groupings/looks and being able to runs multiple different plays off them?

That was my interpretation, but it was a great reference whatever he meant.

 

Agree with Ev on the confidence, I bought it. I particularly liked that he called out many media members that this offense is not going to look like Detroit's, because the personnel is so different. Yeah, utilizing the strengths of your players - what a novel concept. Maybe we wont' use our receiving TE as a primary blocker!

I was listening to Prisco and Kyle Long argue about this, and Prisco is the hater as ever (and Kyle is as much a Bears fan as they come, love him). Prisco, being a Jags fan, not only talked up the Jags as a better situation (with Baalke), but was super upset by the fact the Bears never interviewed him in person. Long's argument was what would you learn, and I tend to agree. But mostly because these idiots would have found something to nit pick.

It's also clear to me from the presser that the Bears were his top choice, and Caleb and what was a great D were a big part of that. If Allen can come in and get our defense back to Eberflus' level and Johnson can get our offense to not be a dumpster fire? Might just be lightning in a bottle.

No real red flags to me, which is a good thing.

 

Oh, I don't know, What's the prototypical arm size for a Head Coach?

 

Do Prisco & Long have a show together, thats hilarious. Fucking Prisco. Where's that prick Judge. His Cutler hate in the old days was supernatural.

I've got to say i didn't love him basically being hired off a zoom call. I mean i want to believe George paid for Pro so they didnt get cut off after an hour like with the free version heh, but still. Call me old fashioned but get them in the building and meet in person. How was Ben's handshake? Dunno it was a zoom. Does he maintain eye contact when you speak in person? Dunno it was a zoom. If you wanna hold him hostage till he signs after all that then fine but get him in the building first.

 

Yeah, Long took over what used to be the "Pick Six" podcast and is now called "Pushing the Pile". I only listen on Tuesdays when Prisco shows up and they do Power Rankings, usually ripping apart Prisco's choices. The one yesterday was where they brought up the Ben Johnson news. - this is where they talk about it for a few minutes.

 

I thought it was a good presser. I don’t know if you guys listen to the radio but on ESPN Carmen and Jurko got a really good candid interview with Ben and Waddle and Silva had a good interview view with Kevin Warren. Both worth checking out.

Shoop was Johnson’s OC/QB coach for North Carolina Ben Johnson’s last year or two. Yes Ben Johnson was a college QB and he credits Shoop with inspiring him to go into coaching.

 

He basically said something about doing the same things but making them look different or vice versa. Something like that.

What Ev says above is correct though. Overall he was really impressive. Love when he addressed the players in the room.

 

Watching the presser, see Ev's point about doing it off cuff. Guy feels genuine, the gratitude felt refreshing, and he said all the right things. Think it was a great presser.

Didn't shy away from Oline problems or saying there will be a plan to fix it. Says he's chained to Ryan Poles when it comes to making decisions. I'll believe him if Poles comes away from FA with at least one decent starter (I don't believe KC and Baltimore are remotely dumb enough to let Trey Smith and Ronnie Stanley walk away, so prepare for an overpayment on a guy like Drew Dalman) and a high draft pick or two/a high draft pick and a mid-rounder. You need that much help because the dipshit GM almost a year ago called it a day after signing Coleman Shelton, drafting a preinjured turd from Yale who probably isn't good enough for the USFL or XFL, and traded for a terminally preinjured Ryan Bates who almost retired and should retire, as per Biggs' article some months back about going out of the country for exotic treatment that works, but he still feels weak and he doesn't heal the same. Getting rid of Morgan is at least a start.

The thing that astonished me most, which makes him either a fraud/liar or the real deal--was when he said this team before the start of last season was a 'sleeping giant that was the biggest problem he had to plan against' and then said he didn't watch the 10 game losing streak and he needs to evaluate the roster, where things went wrong, and the dreaded 'whys.'

The Shoop reference was gratitude for him getting into coaching. Not sure he was aware referencing Shoop to fans in a positive light is like playing with a stick of dynamite a little too carelessly, but sure.

All in all, I hope this guy works. He seems really easy to root for, and him talking reminds me a lot of Kevin O'Connell from Minnesota, incredibly well spoken. There was no bullshit 'SHITS' principles, just a coach looking for 'accountability and putting guys in the best positions to succeed.' That means fuck all without results.