[CBFF] Bears coach builds strong case for a healthy contract extension

[Tom Shannon]

http://www.chicagosoports.com/sports/columnists/cs-061014pierson,1,4265870.column?coll=cs-home-utility

Advantage, Smith
Bears coach builds strong case for a healthy contract extension
Don Pierson
On Pro Football

October 15, 2006

There is no indication yet the Bears will try to extend coach Lovie
Smith's contract during this season, nor is there much reason for
either side to pursue the matter.

Smith, the lowest-paid coach in the NFL at $1.35 million, was ready to
negotiate an extension last off-season after being named coach of the
year for going 11-5. The Bears resisted.

"I feel good, but I want to feel better," team President Ted Phillips
said at the time.

At 5-0, Phillips doesn't appear to have to wait until 16-0 to feel
better, but now Smith has the leverage. That's all right with
Phillips, who was willing to take the chance the price might go up.

"It's not about the money," Phillips said last March.

Even if the Bears were ready to do a new deal, it's Smith's turn to
roll the dice. If the success continues, he can command the kind of
money the top six coaches in the league make, in excess of $4 million
a year.

But it still is in the Bears' best interests to wait too. If they
stick to their intention of reviewing the situation after the season,
they send a powerful message to players: If a successful coach has to
wait his turn, so do they.

Smith refuses to complain about the situation, at least publicly. The
only potential problem for the Bears is if Smith feels the team
embarrassed him by allowing him to remain the lowest-paid coach in the
league during an even better 2006 season.

Chairman Michael McCaskey's off-season comment still appears relevant:
"I think the emphasis here should be on how much we love Lovie. We're
all on the same page."

Maturity wins

Tennessee Titans rookie quarterback Vince Young refused to talk after
their one-point loss in Indianapolis. It was the second time this year
Young pouted despite efforts from coaches and public relations people
to change his mind.

"I don't regret it," Young said later. "I think the media knew how I
felt. I apologized for that, but I was real upset and I just didn't
feel like talking at the time. I'm a competitor, we're 0-5, that hurts
a whole lot to me and it means a whole lot to me. … I'm not used to
losing, I'm getting adjusted just like anybody else, like LenDale
[White], he's aggravated. We just have to get used to it. Sometimes
that's just part of being professional. I'm understanding all that."

Contrast Young's immature reaction to Bears quarterback Rex Grossman,
who seemed to understand how to be a pro from Day One.

Despite the disappointment of repeated injuries for his first three
seasons, criticism from skeptical media and booing from fans as late
as this summer, Grossman has yet to be anything but cordial and
accommodating when it comes to media responsibilities.

The first requirement of a successful quarterback is a level head, so
Grossman sounds amused by recent questions about how adulation might
affect him.

"I didn't care when people said we were bad and I don't really care
now," Grossman said.

That attitude is similar to Jim McMahon's,only more polite.

Other candidates

At least one other defensive player besides Bears Tommie Harris and
Brian Urlacher is performing at a player-of-the-year if not MVP level.

Carolina defensive end Julius Peppers,a notoriously slow starter, is
off to the best start of his career. Peppers has six sacks in five
games and has shed the reputation for taking off plays that plagued
him in college and early as a pro.

"MVP man, that's the bottom line," Carolina safety Mike Minter said.
"That's what he's going for and he's deserving it right now. Six games
into the season, I don't see anybody else playing as well as he is.
This guy's taking control of the game and that's what he's supposed to
do."

Strahan and Taylor

Giants defensive end Michael Strahan has only a single sack but is two
away from tying Lawrence Taylor's team record of 132½.

Giants general manager Ernie Accorsi, who has been watching the league
for more than 50 years, on Strahan: "He's the best run-playing
pass-rusher I've ever seen. I don't mean to disparage sack kings, but
Michael is able to play the complete game and there just aren't many.
For a guy who is going to go down in history as one of the greatest
pass rushers ever and to play the run the way he does is
unbelievable."

McNabb and Favre

Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg, who was an
assistant with the Packers in 1995-96, said Donovan McNabb is playing
at the same level now that Brett Favre was then, when he threw for
8,000-plus yards and 77 touchdowns in those two MVP seasons.

"Donovan has put the hard work in," Mornhinweg said. "And it takes
hard, hard work. He was a great player since he stepped on the field
as a rookie. However, he has learned how to play the quarterback
position so well. You combine that with all of the great physical
attributes he has, and you get what we have here."

Not over yet

For the benefit of all the 1-3 and 1-4 teams, the Bears started 1-3
last year and finished 11-5 to win the NFC North.

In 13 of the past 16 seasons, at least one club has started 1-3 and/or
1-4 and qualified for the playoffs, including the 2001 champion New
England Patriots.

Since the playoff field was expanded to 12 in 1990, 19 clubs that have
started the season 1-3 and five at 1-4 have advanced to the playoffs.

Pain in the neck

When last seen, Chiefs running back Larry Johnson came close to
getting his neck snapped by Cardinals cornerback Antrel Rolle at the
end of a 78-yard screen pass that helped Kansas City win last week.

Johnson had to leave the game but is psyching up for Sunday's game
against the Steelers.

Johnson, a 2,000-yard rusher at Penn State, expected to be drafted by
the Steelers in 2003 as the heir apparent to Jerome Bettis, especially
after Pittsburgh traded up from the 27th pick to get the 16th pick
belonging to Kansas City.

"I loved the fact coach [Bill] Cowher came to my workout," Johnson said.

But the Steelers drafted safety Troy Polamalu.

"Who wouldn't want to stay at home and play in front of their family
and in front of their home fans?" Johnson said. "I'd be comfortable.
I'd be in the same weather I played in when I was in school. It's what
everybody wanted to do is stay at home where you had a fan base since
you were in high school."

Not so strange

For those who thought it uncommon for the Bears to have a defensive
back (Ricky Manning Jr.), linebacker (Lance Briggs) and defensive
lineman (Alex Brown) all intercept passes in one game, the Washington
Redskins did it last Dec. 18 against Dallas. Defensive back Dmitri
Patterson, linebacker Marcus Washington and defensive lineman
Cornelius Griffin did the honors

Cardinals fan

Patriots coach Bill Belichick came into a news conference during the
week wearing a St. Louis Cardinals' replica jersey with No. 10 on it.

"I'm a Tony La Russa fan," Belichick said. "I was in training camp
with him this year for a couple of days. It was a lot of fun. I
learned a lot. I don't know anything about baseball, but …

Tony is a great leader, manager and tactician. Just the way he handles
the team, sitting in the dugout with him down there and watching him
manage the game and all, it was pretty enlightening.

"Tony is just totally consumed with baseball. He's into baseball like
I'm into football, like Billy Donovan and Pat Riley are into
basketball."

dpierson at tribune.com
Copyright (c) 2006, The Chicago Tribune



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