Well, it's been 3 or so months since I posted a franchise on here. Between work, life, the time-consuming nature of it, other games, etc. I figured why not? I tried a few different sites to build a franchise and keep the info, but this site with the table generators is still easiest. so.. hopefully you'll be entertained, hopefully I'll be able to play games and update faster!
February 2008. Only one year removed from the Bears Super Bowl appearance; but it feels like a decade. The Bears gave the Colts all they could, but they were just not up to the task. Coach Lovie Smith attempted to rebound in 2007, but the roster's weaknesses couldn't be covered up, and the miracle plays in '06 that pulled out win after win just weren't there anymore.
Ownership turned to Coach Smith and looked to him for answers. "Stay the course." was his reply. He believed in his system, his quarterback, his coaching style. Ownership did not, and Coach Smith was let go.
Enter Coach Cotignola. A former college DB turned coach, his last job was the head coach of the Youngstown Penguins. Coach Cotignola had moved his way through the coaching ranks as a DBs coach at Youngstown, followed by a three year stint as defensive backs coach/assistant defensive coordinator at Towson, then 2 years in the same role at Maryland. He was offered the position at Youngstown when Maryland cleaned house in '03 and Coach Cotignola manned the helm at Youngstown for several seasons, before getting interviewed for the head coaching jobs at Illiniois and Indiana when he was noticed by the Chicago Bears. He was offered the position at Chicago two weeks later. The Bears ownership was impressed by his "no-nonsense" attitude, and the fact that he had a solid plan, a clear direction he was determined to take the Bears once he took over. He never acted with an "If I" attitude, it was always a "When I".
Coach's first decision was to scrap the complicated and sloppy offensive playbook. He challenged his Offensive coaches to come up with a simple, physical, grinding playbook to combine with his own ideas. Second, he ditched what he called a "passive aggressive" zone defense with a more aggressive, attacking, risk taking D. (took the Chiefs "Grind it Out" - very weak (as I'm a rookie coach, makes sense) - 89 plays (small is good.) and the Haslett Physical D (very weak, 80 plays) so I can work with the playbooks and improve them as my coach and team improve. Definitely won't be "loading up" with custom plays or premade power playbooks.
Coach's second decision was a hard one. While it's true the Bears were only one year removed from a Super Bowl, he felt that they lost their identity along the way. He wanted bigger, stronger players - power backs, cannon-armed QBs, big physical possession receivers, press/man cover corners, Jack Tatum-esque safeties...
Most of the contracts were manageable, it was more a matter of getting the right guys somehow without inciting a riot with the fans when popular guys were moved on, nor gutting the team and being unable to compete. He knew there were players wasting on other teams benches that he could use - guys who needed another chance - be it their first, second, or third one!
UP NEXT: ROSTER ANALYSIS
February 2008. Only one year removed from the Bears Super Bowl appearance; but it feels like a decade. The Bears gave the Colts all they could, but they were just not up to the task. Coach Lovie Smith attempted to rebound in 2007, but the roster's weaknesses couldn't be covered up, and the miracle plays in '06 that pulled out win after win just weren't there anymore.
Ownership turned to Coach Smith and looked to him for answers. "Stay the course." was his reply. He believed in his system, his quarterback, his coaching style. Ownership did not, and Coach Smith was let go.
Enter Coach Cotignola. A former college DB turned coach, his last job was the head coach of the Youngstown Penguins. Coach Cotignola had moved his way through the coaching ranks as a DBs coach at Youngstown, followed by a three year stint as defensive backs coach/assistant defensive coordinator at Towson, then 2 years in the same role at Maryland. He was offered the position at Youngstown when Maryland cleaned house in '03 and Coach Cotignola manned the helm at Youngstown for several seasons, before getting interviewed for the head coaching jobs at Illiniois and Indiana when he was noticed by the Chicago Bears. He was offered the position at Chicago two weeks later. The Bears ownership was impressed by his "no-nonsense" attitude, and the fact that he had a solid plan, a clear direction he was determined to take the Bears once he took over. He never acted with an "If I" attitude, it was always a "When I".
Coach's first decision was to scrap the complicated and sloppy offensive playbook. He challenged his Offensive coaches to come up with a simple, physical, grinding playbook to combine with his own ideas. Second, he ditched what he called a "passive aggressive" zone defense with a more aggressive, attacking, risk taking D. (took the Chiefs "Grind it Out" - very weak (as I'm a rookie coach, makes sense) - 89 plays (small is good.) and the Haslett Physical D (very weak, 80 plays) so I can work with the playbooks and improve them as my coach and team improve. Definitely won't be "loading up" with custom plays or premade power playbooks.
Coach's second decision was a hard one. While it's true the Bears were only one year removed from a Super Bowl, he felt that they lost their identity along the way. He wanted bigger, stronger players - power backs, cannon-armed QBs, big physical possession receivers, press/man cover corners, Jack Tatum-esque safeties...
Most of the contracts were manageable, it was more a matter of getting the right guys somehow without inciting a riot with the fans when popular guys were moved on, nor gutting the team and being unable to compete. He knew there were players wasting on other teams benches that he could use - guys who needed another chance - be it their first, second, or third one!
UP NEXT: ROSTER ANALYSIS
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