[CBFF] 'Controversy' aside, Griese is No. 2

[Tom Shannon]

'Controversy' aside, Griese is No. 2 
(http://www.suntimes.com/sports/football/bears/497899,CST-SPT-bearnt05.artic
le)

August 5, 2007

BY BRAD BIGGS bbiggs at suntimes.com 
BOURBONNAIS, Ill. -- If the Bears' convincing win at St. Louis last December
was a turning point for Rex Grossman, maybe it was as well for Brian Griese.


As much as the Bears said they were sticking by Grossman, Griese took 50
percent of the snaps in practice in the week leading up to the game in
preparation for him to take over as the starter. Grossman kept his job and
is now locked in as the No. 1 guy, and Griese has gone from being an injury
away from starting to a manufactured controversy over who should hold the
clipboard this season -- Griese or Kyle Orton, who ran the second team
Saturday in the two-minute drill. 

By the end of the summer, Griese will be that guy. He has the experience,
and he was signed for that role. All of the talk about who should be No. 2
only has obscured the fact that no one is competing for the top job despite
Grossman being bombarded nationally. 

Grossman had a fine first week of training camp and capped his two-minute
drill with a touchdown pass to a streaking Bernard Berrian. 

''It's not my decision to make,'' Griese said when asked about not having a
chance to compete for the starting job since being signed more than a year
ago. ''All I can do is prepare myself if an opportunity presents itself.
That's been my line since I got here. Anything else that I would say would
not be constructive.'' 

Griese said when he signed his contract, a five-year deal with a base value
of $14 million, that no promises were made. He was told Grossman would get
''every opportunity'' to play. 

''Then Rex went out and played really well at the beginning of last year,''
he said. ''He deserved to be out there.'' 

The 10-year veteran chuckled when it was suggested the ''controversy'' for
No. 2 was fictional. 

''People say what they want, and this is the first week of training camp,''
he said. ''I don't really pay much attention. I feel really good with my
second year in the system and where I am and where I have come from last
year. I think guys know me and understand me and respect what I have done
and realize if I am called upon, I will go out and do a good job.'' 


Staying put?
Alex Brown's hopes of being traded are being dashed by the slow development
of rookie second-round pick Dan Bazuin. Brown has made it clear he wants out
after being demoted in favor of Mark Anderson, but with aspirations of
making another Super Bowl run, the team cannot afford to ship him off
without Bazuin being ready. The Bears started shopping Brown, who had an
excused absence Saturday, before the draft and were believed to be seeking a
second-round pick in return. 
Bazuin missed practice again Saturday with soreness in his left knee. He had
minor surgery to repair the meniscus after being injured in rookie minicamp
and is dealing with swelling. He is expected to be fine, but how quickly he
can get into preseason action remains to be seen. 

Missing time at Olivet Nazarene University doesn't mean the season is lost.
Anderson pulled a hamstring at the start of camp last year and didn't return
to the field until the very end of the preseason. He wound up second in
balloting for defensive rookie of the year. 


Extra points
Right tackle Fred Miller was excused to attend the Hall of Fame induction of
former Tennessee teammate Bruce Matthews. Matthews requested his former
linemates to attend ceremonies in Canton, Ohio. ... Wide receiver Muhsin
Muhammad missed his fourth consecutive day. ''General soreness'' continued
to be the given explanation. ... Running back Garrett Wolfe (hamstring)
returned to the field and did limited work in individual drills. Adrian
Peterson was given all the work with the starters. Cedric Benson only did
individual work. ... Strong-side linebacker Hunter Hillenmeyer returned to
practice.