January 07, 2006

Coach of The Year: Lovie Smith was hired to resurrect a proud franchise in Chicago. He did such a strong job in 2005 that he was chosen The Associated Press NFL Coach of the Year on Saturday.

posted by grabofsky74 to football at 12:09 PM - 42 comments

He completely deserves this award. I would have understood had they given it to Tony Dungy because he lost his son. Lovie Smith has done something that has never been done in the hsitory of the NFL. There is no turnaround as large as the Bears, only Mavin Lewis has done something anywhere near this. I think that Jim Haslett should have gotten a vote ro two for good measure because he had a Katrina season that came from hell, and it all ended in him getting fired, despite the fact that only Bum Phillips and Jim Mora have brought anything near the success he has brought to this franchise. I am sure he will be back next season, in surely greener pastures.

posted by Joe88 at 12:54 PM on January 07, 2006

The Rams should have promoted Smith and fired Martz when they had the chance. Chicago's in and Rams are way out. Nuff said...

posted by STLCardinalfan at 12:57 PM on January 07, 2006

You made a good choice. I would have picked Tony Dungy, but the choice is just great for a great couch.

posted by wsmcduffie@sbcglobal.net at 02:15 PM on January 07, 2006

I would have understood had they given it to Tony Dungy because he lost his son. Yeah he lost his son but it wasn't like he lost him at the start of the season and he managed to rally his team and have an amazing season. It happened when he had already locked up the AFC and home field advantage.

posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 02:19 PM on January 07, 2006

Tony Dungy had a great season! He coached a team that was picked to be #1. Last year he coached one of the leagues best teams. I feel sorry he lost his son, I can't imagine the feeling and the pain he feels, but it's not a measuremet of the job he did coaching. It's like Favre when his Dad died. How many times did we have to hear about it. Poor Brett. My father passed way very young also, I learned to get on with my life, and I miss him dearly, but it's not a reason for awards, or constant pitty.

posted by mespock at 02:27 PM on January 07, 2006

If Tony didnt get it at least it was won by someone that deserved it. Congrats to Lovie.

posted by indycoltsfan1 at 04:01 PM on January 07, 2006

My pick - even though I'm a Bears fan - would have been Mike Holgram.

posted by Nyssia at 04:45 PM on January 07, 2006

yea, but he is white and this the year of the black coach and we all know political correctness runs amok in the media! I personally think the job Holmgren has done is more impressive and the Seahawks will go further in the playoffs than the Bears.

posted by bluekarma at 05:35 PM on January 07, 2006

To say Lovie got the award because he is black is complete caa-caa! Lovie had much less to work with the Holmgren and accomplished the same thing almost. Seattle has one advantage of having homefield throughout. Bears are in the playoffs and have a bye just like Seattle.

posted by skydivemom at 06:02 PM on January 07, 2006

bluekarma Why don't you just crawl back into whatever hole it is you crawled out of.

posted by skydivedad at 06:03 PM on January 07, 2006

Uh oh. That pounding sound you hear is RZA running to the keyboard. By the way. No way do you give it to the coaches that had top teams and were supposed to be there. (Indy-Seat) Was there anyone on the planet that didn't think Seattle would plow through their division almost effortlessly? Who was going to beat them? Arizona? Anyone posting here could have coached Seattle to the playoffs.

posted by STLCardinalfan at 06:20 PM on January 07, 2006

bluekarma's back! bluekarma, meet RZA! One of you is gonna bear the other's love child, I just know it.

posted by lil_brown_bat at 08:15 PM on January 07, 2006

I dont care if he was green, if you had told me in the first week of the season that Lovie would have a winning team at the end of the season, I would have voted him coach of the year right then. To have that team where they are now is a great coaching job. Bluekarma,you is a dummass.

posted by Gibbyson at 08:21 PM on January 07, 2006

skydiveparents right on. this is a very good forum, marred only by the narrow minded bigots who think this is a place to epouse their twisted views. lovie and bears were by far the biggest turnaround in the nfl this year.

posted by mjkredliner at 09:50 PM on January 07, 2006

THIS is for you bluekarma......assclown!!!

posted by Grrrlacher at 09:53 PM on January 07, 2006

by the way , "Year Of The Black Coach" ???? maybe because their teams are actually doing better for the most part?

posted by mjkredliner at 09:55 PM on January 07, 2006

It could be i'm just a homer for my team but I think Nick Saben in Miami shold have won this. He took a 4 and 12 team that most thought would be worse this year and turned them completly around. They ended the year with the longest winning streak in the league at 6 games and were 1 win away from making the playoffs. I'm pumped up for next year. Cant wait to see what he does this offseason.

posted by azdano at 10:02 PM on January 07, 2006

Hey, azdano the bears where 5-11 last year and hadn't made the playoffs since 2001. As a matter a fact they have had a combined record of 16-32 the last previous 3 years. Their is NO way in world saban could have won coach of the year. Hell I would give it to shula before giving it to saban!!!

posted by Grrrlacher at 10:20 PM on January 07, 2006

Miami also hasnt made the playoffs since 2001 and lost in the first round . Shut out by the Raiders. All I'm saying is Saben has done a hell of a job with a team nobody gave a chance this year. It has shown dramatic improvement this year and is on an upswing. Hope runs strong for next season. Smith also has done a fantastic job in his 1st year. However i'm a homer so Saben did a better job and should have won. Oh yeah, one more thing, Ronnie Brown should be rookie of the year

posted by azdano at 11:10 PM on January 07, 2006

yea, but he is white and this the year of the black coach and we all know political correctness runs amok in the media! posted by bluekarma at 5:35 PM CST on January 7 In case anyone can't figure it out themselves, let me translate what bluekarma said from "troll" to "English": "Look at me! Look at me! My parents neglected me and I crave attention! Please don't ignore me! When I grow up, maybe I'll get to have real-life friends! But for now, I'll just say silly things on the internet to get people to notice me!"

posted by grum@work at 12:06 AM on January 08, 2006

Everyone, please ignore the troll. Good on Lovie Smith for winning.

posted by chicobangs at 12:22 AM on January 08, 2006

I would find it offensive what bluekarma wrote if it wasn't for the fact that the NFL has found it necessary for minority candidates has to be interviewed.Should't the owner decide who he should talked to. As a bear season ticketholder---- i thought dennis green would have been a better choice then lovie. i am happy that i was wrong. i am torn through between 12-4 in the nfc north or 9-7 in the afc east. who did saban have to work with. crap, crap i tell you.

posted by whodat at 12:26 AM on January 08, 2006

Well, I must say, I'm a very happy Dolphins fan indeed, but they have promises to keep, and miles to go before they sleep. That little six-game streak to end the season was encouraging, but hardly inspirational when you consider the victims. Besides the schizophrenic Chargers, the Phins beat the Raiders, Bills, Jets, Titans, and the Patriots' second string. Not exactly a murderer's row. The upside is, Saban has seemingly changed the whole attitude of the franchise; when was the last time the team actually played well enough to win consistently in December? Plus, he got a great first-year-back out of Ricky Williams, which took a lot of pressure off of Ronnie Brown, and finally took advantage of Chris Chambers as a real offensive weapon. Still some holes to fill for next year, when the schedule will be a lot tougher, but they're headed in the right direction, and unlike the Wannstadt years, they've got a fair amount of draft picks (two years in a row with a first rounder, yippee!). Maybe Jay Cutler from Vandy comes in the draft to learn QB, maybe Drew Brees or Phillip Rivers from San Diego, some good offensive line picks, some reloading on the defensive side of the ball, who knows? They make the playoffs next year, I could see C.o.t.Y. for Saban. Win the division, I could see it a lot easier.

posted by The_Black_Hand at 01:02 AM on January 08, 2006

well said.

posted by azdano at 06:49 AM on January 08, 2006

Come on Mike Nolan doubled the Niners win total from last year! sure, it was from 2 to 4 but...

posted by billsaysthis at 04:48 PM on January 08, 2006

Uh oh. That pounding sound you hear is RZA running to the keyboard. Thank you Cardinalfan that made my day.

posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 06:10 PM on January 08, 2006

Coach smith is very deserving of the award. Its nice to see Da bears out of the cellar.

posted by chuy at 07:19 PM on January 08, 2006

Does anyone think that Belichick should have won the award? I mean come on. I know that the Patriots are the Super Bowl Champions, but look at what he has had to deal with all year. He had something like 11 or 12 players put on the injured reserve list and was still able to produce a team to be feared in the playoffs. Who really thought that the Patriots would even be in the playoffs (If it wasn't for their horrible division). I say that Belichick is Coach of the Year and the Patriots will be the only team to 3 Peat. (but maybe I am biased).

posted by grabofsky74 at 09:39 AM on January 09, 2006

Belichick's an amazing coach, but he won't ever again get Coach of the Year just as Tom Brady won't ever get the MVP, and for the same reason: because at this point, given their past accomplishments, they're supposed to walk on water. Do anything less and they get dissed, but they won't get any special accolades just for keeping the miracles coming.

posted by lil_brown_bat at 10:33 AM on January 09, 2006

Whether you PC suckups like me or what I say, there are many who DO agree in whole or in part with what I post. Some of you that choose to criticize me for fear fo being thought of as racist or whatever, are the ones who didn't get attention as a child! You are the ones who are afraid to stand up and say what is obvious! You are the ones who run with the PC crowd in order to be accepted or liked for more than what you are! I am proud to post what i feel and think is correct. I am not here to make friends or be liked! And I STILL think it was PC that Lovee got the award. Personally, I think Saban did the best job because he turned his team around DURING the season and ended up with 6 straight wins! And with 2 average QB's! Some of you are not nearly as smart as you think! Just suckups..like I said.

posted by bluekarma at 11:26 AM on January 09, 2006

actually Grum(what a dumb name) I got attention as a kid. I had many friends and still do. And you know why? Because I am honest and not a PC suckup like you. I have friends who like openmindedness. I choose my friends not based on thier acceptance of me or how I am like them, but if they are able to voice an opinion without fear. Unlike you, who probably does sit at home with one hand on the keyboard and the other.....

posted by bluekarma at 11:29 AM on January 09, 2006

there are many who DO agree in whole or in part with what I post. Yes, but we tend to look at them the same way we look at you: with disdain and pity. I am proud to post what i feel and think is correct. As long as you don't cross the line into outright racism, go right ahead and post. Just don't be such a crybaby when someone takes offense to what you post, and shreds your "logic" like a cheese grater. actually Grum(what a dumb name) I got attention as a kid. Oh, good come back! I guess I hit a nerve. It's okay, bluekarma, I'm sure your "friends" will pat you on the back for being "honest". Then, when you finally get out of highschool, you'll realize that your shit won't go over to well in the real world.

posted by grum@work at 11:45 AM on January 09, 2006

there are many who DO agree in whole or in part with what I post. I keep seeing this claim from fringe posters, but none of their silent majority every show up.

posted by yerfatma at 12:23 PM on January 09, 2006

I choose my friends not based on thier acceptance of me or how I am like them, but if they are able to voice an opinion without fear. bluekarma is a tiresome bigot. Are we friends now?

posted by lil_brown_bat at 12:42 PM on January 09, 2006

Shoulda been Tony Dungy! Whatta man!!

posted by sportsmomma at 04:06 PM on January 09, 2006

Lovie Smith deserved this. If he didn't I wouldn't say it. The job he did in St. Louis and now Chicago was second to none. I wish he could have had Martz's job.

posted by STLCardinalfan at 06:49 PM on January 09, 2006

Damm. I may have to reconsider my opinion on Nick Saben now.

posted by azdano at 09:45 PM on January 09, 2006

STLCardinalfan, just embrace the fact that you had for a couple of years what the Patriots have had the past few years: a perfect storm. An offensive genius and a defensive genius on the same staff, with a head coach smart enough, tough enough, secure enough and personable enough to control the fusion, and talented, unselfish players who bought into the system 100%. You could go years without seeing that happen to your team. I'm a Dolphins fan, I know what I'm saying.

posted by The_Black_Hand at 11:09 PM on January 09, 2006

That is how I feel about the Pats. There's some discussion locally about whether fans appreciate just what we have here. Maybe it's the Irish Catholic in me, but if they win this year, I'm going to feel guilty, mainly because it's going to make it tough to enjoy just how good they should be next year.

posted by yerfatma at 06:30 AM on January 10, 2006

You could go years without seeing that happen to your team. Example A: Detroit Lions

posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 02:11 PM on January 10, 2006

They should wait until the WHOLE season is over. How about Big Bill in Pittsburgh? Smith NEVER won a game that his team trailed by 10 at the half. Never!

posted by Claremore Rancher at 05:11 PM on January 16, 2006

An offensive genius and a defensive genius on the same staff, with a head coach smart enough, tough enough, secure enough and personable enough to control the fusion, and talented, unselfish players who bought into the system 100%. And a major melt down last night!

posted by Claremore Rancher at 05:12 PM on January 16, 2006

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