Fired: No love lost on Bears Smith

Chicago Bears head coach Lovie Smith reacts while playing the New England Patriots during the second quarter of their NFL football game in Chicago, December 12, 2010. REUTERS/John Gress (UNITED STATES)

Its hard to believe that Lovie Smith was the coach of the Bears during my entire tenure working in Chicago. Ive seen them choke in regular games and the Super Bowl. I’ve seen them win too, but I don’t know anyone who thought they were a powerhouse as it seems their quarterbacks of late have been sacked more times than they have thrown touchdown passes.

By Dan Pompei, Chicago Tribune reporter

The epitaph for Lovie Smith’s tenure as head coach of the Bears could read, “He couldn’t fix the offense.”

For all the good things Smith did in his nine years in Chicago, his undoing was his inability to take care of the side of the ball in which he had no background.

The Bears fired Smith on Monday after a 10-6 season, Tribune sources have confirmed. They started 7-1 but fell apart down the stretch, mostly because they couldn’t score… Read More

Lovie Smith, left, shakes hands with Chicago Bears General Manager Jerry Angelo as Smith is named the new head coach of the team in Lake Forest, Illinois Thursday, Jan 15, 2004. Smith was the St Louis Rams defensive coordinator. After turning around the Rams' defense, Smith will take on the Chicago Bears, which have only had one willing season in the past eight years. REUTERS/John Gress — Lovie Smith, left, shakes hands with Chicago Bears General Manager Jerry Angelo as Smith is named the new head coach of the team in Lake Forest, Illinois Thursday, Jan 15, 2004. Smith was the St Louis Rams defensive coordinator. After turning around the Rams’ defense, Smith will take on the Chicago Bears, which have only had one willing season in the past eight years. REUTERS/John Gress

CHICAGO, IL - OCTOBER 28: Head coach Lovie Smith of the Chicago Bears looks on as his team plays the Carolina Panthers on October 28, 2012 at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois. The Bears defeated the Panther 23-22. (Photo by John Gress/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Lovie Smith — CHICAGO, IL – OCTOBER 28: Head coach Lovie Smith of the Chicago Bears looks on as his team plays the Carolina Panthers on October 28, 2012 at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois. The Bears defeated the Panther 23-22. (Photo by John Gress/Getty Images)

John 12/31/2012

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