FJM: Lance Briggs

Here's an article based upon what Briggs said a few weeks ago about the horrible season the Chicago Bears are having. His comments don't look quite as dumb with a MNF win over the Vikings, but they're still pretty dumb

Lance Briggs stepped to the podium in the media room at Halas Hall this afternoon and said he was ready to deliver some controversy.

I don't mean to be a dick towards Briggs, but... here we go

The Pro Bowl linebacker was joking, playing off an interesting Wednesday when wide receiver Devin Hester expressed his frustration with his role and the team's struggles.

Which then, with the front office having the self-esteem of a 14 year girl, forced Hester to recant his statements

"There is going to be a shakeup. There is going to be what I call a shake at the lake,'' Briggs joked.

If by shake up, you mean giving Ron Turner a swirlie, then yes, there will be a shake up. I wish he were talking about personnel moves, but alas, he is only a linebacker so I'm not really going to believe that a linebacker is really the best person to tell me about these sort of things.

Then, the team's leading tackler got serious and admitted that, yeah, things could be different starting in January.

Oh phew, he was just kidding about a shake up and being frustrated. And I'm also relieved that things will be better in January- where the Bears only have one game left and it's against the Lions. But before then, things will be the same.

"Obviously, with years like this, I'm sure something is going to happen," Briggs said. "Next year, I don't know what. But for me and the rest of the guys in the locker room, this year and this day will never come again.

I hate to break this to you Briggs but you play for a team with a coach that can't coach and will be your coach for at least two more years because he's owed a crap ton of money, a GM who can't draft, and an owner who's too cheap and/or dumb to do anything about making this team better. Yeah, you will be feeling this shitty for at least two more years.

"It's frustrating to go through years like this. The only thing, at this point that you can really do, or I feel I can do is for one, finish strong, two, not let this happen again.

Nothing like setting your goals so you can finish a season 7-9. I wonder what the Detroit Lions' goals are?

"I could say a bunch of different things about it. We're definitely not the team of the past, of those successful years (2005 and 2006). We don't play that way. It doesn't feel that way on the field and the results are not the same. So, any hope of that, people need to put that stuff to rest, really, and we need to start moving forward and continue to move forward and eliminate the questions of, 'Are you guys going to get back to this form?'

True you are not the team of 2005 and 2006. Yes, you technically have different players and thus are technically a different team. And yes, the results are not the same. In those years, you made it to the playoffs. Very astute observation.

"We need to move forward and develop the guys that are here, get better communication, play better football and work on success for next year.''

Very true. You do need to play better football to have success in future years. I also need to play better football next year so I can have a chance to play on the Bears as well. John Madden told you to say that didn't he?

Then, Briggs started talking about some of the players and coaches who are no longer here, mentioning ex-defensive coordinator Ron Rivera and secondary coach Perry Fewell, and players Thomas Jones, John Tait, Mike Brown, Ruben Brown, Chris Harris and even Ian Scott.

WHAT!? Did I read that correctly!? Did he just admit that Ian Scott should still be on the team!? Really!? That's worse than Chris Rongey preaching the importance of batting average! I mean, yes, everyone else you mentioned played very well for the team or seemingly contributed great things for the team. But Ian Scott!? Really!?

Also, you do realize that Mike Brown played a total of 9 games during the 2004, 06, and 07 seasons right? And only 12 in 2005. He did play 15 last year but was awful in coverage so it was easier for teams to throw on your defense. And as for Reuben Brown, he's old. He still would probably be better than Orlando Pace, but still probably really bad. Plus, he retired. On his own. What did you expect this organization to do?

"There are guys that are gone that we don't have," Briggs said. "I think sometimes when you believe in what we're doing so much, you think sometimes, 'Hey, we can let this guy go,' or 'We don't need this guy,' and we'll be just fine. I think in most cases that would be the case, but you miss some of those guys when you don't have them and sometimes you realize what you could have had when it's not there anymore. There are things that I do miss about some of those players.

"The thing is, in football nothing lasts forever. Who is to say if those guys are with us today we would be successful."

Listen Briggs, I love you as a player, but I hate to break this to you: Just because you went out and had a beer with some former players, does not mean that this organization would be a better team. In some instances, sure, having Thomas Jones and Chris Harris probably would make this team better. But the problem is a lot deeper than some players you like being released or traded.

I'm just glad he didn't pine for Adam Archuleta to be back on this team.