These days Lovie Smith is reminding everybody that he’s actually a pretty good football coach. The man inherited an absolute disaster at the University of Illinois when he took over in 2016. The program hadn’t delivered a winning season since 2011. It took a complete overhaul and some frustrating bumps, the head coach has the Illini poised to make their first bowl game appearance in eight years.
Chicago Bears fans have probably gained a greater appreciation of Smith as year have passed. From 2004 to 2012, the man coached the team to five winning seasons, three playoff appearances, and a Super Bowl berth. Since the Bears have had just one winning season since he left, it’s hard not to second-guess that fateful decision made by former GM Phil Emery back in January of 2013.
Most remember the story by now. The Bears finished 10-6 but needed a win from the Packers to get into the playoffs. They lost the finale in Minnesota 37-34. Having failed to make the postseason, Smith was fired. What people haven’t really known since then is how the players reacted. Wide receiver Earl Bennett offered a glimpse in his latest post for ProStyle Media.
“ESPN lit up every TV. So, when a player says, “I don’t listen to the media,” they may not directly listen, but indirectly it is hard to miss what is reported. Nevertheless, as we watched ESPN the ticker at the bottom made every heart in the cafeteria drop.
The text read “Lovie Smith Fired.” Every face in the place expressed confusion as the commotion began to spread through the cafe, with many players expressing their disbelief. Some guys began to cry. Thoughts of job security along with a cloud of uncertainty covered the building.”
Lovie Smith had the last laugh in the end
Emery talked a big game when the decision to fire Smith was made. He insisted that he could find the right person for the job. Somebody who could fix the Bears’ chronic issues on offense. His choice ended up being CFL standout Marc Trestman. A man who hadn’t been in the NFL since 2004. Trestman did improve the offense, but it came at the cost of everything else. Especially the defense. The team quickly fell apart without Smith’s firm hand and sense of direction.
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Is it a coincidence that the consistency and discipline the team usually played with hasn’t been there since he left? The saying goes that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side. Smith wasn’t perfect but he was a good coach. Keeping him, in hindsight, appears to have been the wiser option. Given what he’s been able to accomplish since leaving is proof enough of that. Alas all anybody can do is appreciate what he did for the franchise.
