UPDATE: John Fox in negotiation with Bears to become next head coach

[Monsieur Tirets]

I much rather Pace go with an unknown that he feels can be great, while risking failure, than go with the known commodity that will certainly never be great.

At least the former makes following the Bears interesting and worth while. Whats the point in investing in a team coached by a guy that will never win them a SB?

 

[Rise]

Tell that to Denver or Carolina, neither of which seemed to feel they should be grateful to be coached by John Fox and his history of success. Give me a break.

I don't know, the best year in Carolina's history was coached by Fox. Can you at least agree fans of teams formerly coached by a guy might not be the best source for an unbiased opinion?

 

[bamainatlanta]

I much rather Pace go with an unknown that he feels can be great, while risking failure, than go with the known commodity that will certainly never be great.

At least the former makes following the Bears interesting and worth while. Whats the point in investing in a team coached by a guy that will never win them a SB?

exactly.

 

[Monsieur Tirets]

The teams only 20 years old.

Anyway, just read a report by Ian Rapoport stating that "The Bears have been looking for a vet HC to pair with their young GM" which would suggest what I feared, they hired the young guy that would allow them to steer him in the direction they desired.

If Fox gets the job I guarantee we are right back here in three years, unless they decided not making the playoffs the next three years is acceptable this time around and give him a couple more, then it will definitely be Lovie re-dux...

 

[SlipScreen]

i think of those out there Fox would be the guy i pick, other than Bowles the other candidates just seem real shitty.

 

[Rise]

I much rather Pace go with an unknown that he feels can be great, while risking failure, than go with the known commodity that will certainly never be great.

At least the former makes following the Bears interesting and worth while. Whats the point in investing in a team coached by a guy that will never win them a SB?

What if he doesn't feel any of the candidates can be great? Why do you assume he is going to find some unknown savior that is going to blow him away? We would all love that guy to be out their but he might not simply exist right now. Why can't you see this? If the choice is a lukewarm unknown candidate or a known John Fox I think the choice is clear if I'm Pace.

John Fox might not equal dynasty, it would be shocking in fact. However he won't get you fired as a young GM either, and he will develop your draft picks.

Nobody is going to be saying super bowl 2016 we got John motha fuggin fox! But we won't have to worry about a train wreck either. No it is not ideal but you need to open your mind to just the possibility that the next great coach may simply not be available right now.

 

[Monsieur Tirets]

Mike McCarthy O was dead last the year he was hired as GBs HC, John Harbaugh was a STC/DB coach, Tomlin was a unknown... this idea that there are no quality HC candidates out their is ridiculous.

 

[Monsieur Tirets]

What if he doesn't feel any of the candidates can be great? Why do you assume he is going to find some unknown savior that is going to blow him away? We would all love that guy to be out their but he might not simply exist right now. Why can't you see this? If the choice is a lukewarm unknown candidate or a known John Fox I think the choice is clear if I'm Pace.

John Fox might not equal dynasty, it would be shocking in fact. However he won't get you fired as a young GM either, and he will develop your draft picks.

Nobody is going to be saying super bowl 2016 we got John motha fuggin fox! But we won't have to worry about a train wreck either. No it is not ideal but you need to open your mind to just the possibility that the next great coach may simply not be available right now.

If the Bears GM is simply interested in doing just enough to not get fired, and bases decisions around that, the Bears are fucked.

And again you dont fucking settle when it comes to your head coach.

 

[Rise]

All I keep hearing is Fox sucks it's all Manning. What about all the players who have developed in Denver under Fox and his staff? Does that not matter at all? Is that all Manning? I mean his whole staff didn't even need to show up to work just toss the ball to Manning he got this.

 

[LuvMyBears]

The teams only 20 years old.

Anyway, just read a report by Ian Rapoport stating that "The Bears have been looking for a vet HC to pair with their young GM" which would suggest what I feared, they hired the young guy that would allow them to steer him in the direction they desired.

Your fears could be validated, but can you at least agree that a young GM and Vet. HC is a completely different direction than what the Bears normally do? I mean that's not a sole reason to trust the Bears, but there is at least somewhat something to be optimistic about.

 

[shoopster]

A vote for Fox is a vote for mediocrity

Well, that's a step up from the last five years.

 

[Rise]

Fox interested in coaching Bears

If the Bears GM is simply interested in doing just enough to not get fired, and bases decisions around that, the Bears are fucked.

And again you dont fucking settle when it comes to your head coach.

You aren't hearing me. It's not settling if Fox is simply his top choice. Nobody wants him to settle, but he might not feel that any of the unknowns are the next top coach. To me it's like you feel if he chooses Fox he is passing up on the next young Tomlin, or McCarthy etc. what if that guy isn't out there this year?

 

[Bears4Ever_34]

Mort says Fox is interviewing for the Bears job soon but isn't a lock for the position.. Good to know.

 

[Monsieur Tirets]

John Fox to interview with Bears

http://espn.go.com/chicago/nfl/story/_/id/12159337/john-fox-interview-chicago-bears-vacancy

John Fox will soon interview for the Chicago Bears head coaching vacancy but he is not locked in for the job, according to league sources.

Fox, who parted ways with the Denver Broncos on Monday, has some advantages going into the interview, the sources said.

He's a veteran coach with a winning record and meets much of the criteria the Bears envision in a possible pairing with a first-year general manager in Ryan Pace.

Coach John Fox was 2-3 in the postseason with the Denver Broncos and it ended up costing him his job, writes Jeff Legwold. Story

However, the Bears have granted Pace final authority on the coaching hire and sources say the 37-year-old GM will want to be certain his choice has the sustained energy to embrace the challenge of leading a team that can overcome a competitive NFC North division and win a Super Bowl.

Fox coached the Panthers and Broncos to Super Bowls, losing both title games.

He guided the Broncos to four straight playoff seasons during his tenure in Denver and compiled a 46-18 record.

His career head coaching record with the Broncos and Panthers is 119-89 with a combined playoff record of 8-6. Pace has some familiarity with Fox through mutual friends, including Saints coach Sean Payton.

Pace served in New Orleans for 13 years in personnel starting in 2002 during a span when Fox coached the Panthers from 2002-2010, another NFC South team.

The leading consultant for the Bears has been former Giants general manager Ernie Accorsi, who had an excellent relationship with both Fox and Payton when they served on the the same staff as Giants coordinators under Jim Fassel.

Regardless, the Bears have been impressed with a number of candidates they have interviewed, including Cardinals defensive coordinator Todd Bowles, Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, Broncos offensive coordinator Adam Gase and Lions defensive coordinator Teryl Austin.

Bowles is considered a favorite for the Falcons, Quinn has turned in strong interviews with the Jets, 49ers, Falcons and Bears, while Gase is still alive with the 49ers and Bears, sources said.

 

[Rise]

Mort says Fox is interviewing for the Bears job soon but isn't a lock for the position.. Good to know.

Of course he isn't. It would be foolish to not try to find the next dynasty coach. However if that guy isn't out there in the opinion of Pace then Fox is not a bad option. Trust me I'm hoping somebody else gets the job because that would tell me Pace thinks he found his Mike Tomlin, however I'm not going to crucify him if that guy doesn't exist right now.

It's the same as reaching in the draft. Just because you need a franchise qb doesn't mean you draft Christian Ponder 12th overall. Sometimes you just take the oline man and keep on building towards the ultimate goal.

 

[Monsieur Tirets]

With all this talk of candidates "meeting the bears criteria when it come to pairing them with their young GM" Im really starting to think Teddy and Co. are going to meddle.

 

[MrOuija]

I don't know, the best year in Carolina's history was coached by Fox. Can you at least agree fans of teams formerly coached by a guy might not be the best source for an unbiased opinion?

Sure, but who's talking about the fans? I'm saying those teams didn't want him. They knew what you know about his W/L record, they knew his importance to the team in reaching and losing a superbowl, and still they gave him his walking papers. In the case of Denver he was handed a stacked team and didn't even come close to winning a superbowl, regardless of alot of hollow regular season wins that you and others are now using to make your case about how successful he is.

I'm not saying he's a bad coach or anything, just that he's not going to get you over the hump. He's not going to be the guy to figure out how to beat Rodgers, match top coaches in the league, or the guy that makes the Bears offense consistent. Chicago doesn't need a caretaker, they need someone who can turn around a culture of mediocrity.

 

[cjswan232482]

Well this board hates Shanahan because he still believes in Cutler. If Fox believes in Cutler, it will get negative quick.

 

[Rise]

With all this talk of candidates "meeting the bears criteria when it come to pairing them with their young GM" Im really starting to think Teddy and Co. are going to meddle.

It sure doesn't seem like Pace is acting alone does it. Accorsi seems to be our boss right now no doubt. I still believe Pace has final say but he has plenty of whispers in his ear right now.

 

[ZenBear34]

he easily the best choice for the bears. assuming the next great head coach is sitting on some ones staff just because the bears need a coach is idiotic.

fox is not a mediocre head coach, he's one of the top 10 coaches in the NFL. he's proven. the odds of getting a coach as good as fox going the coordinator route is probably about 1 in 50.