Bottom Line on the Bears from Atlantic article

[WaveJumper]

What I have thought for a very long time.

"McCaskey remains in charge. He will ultimately pick the team’s new leadership but has done little to warrant confidence in his decision-making. “George says that he doesn’t meddle and that Ted doesn’t, but they do because they select, and they don’t realize it,” a former employee said. “When you’re the one making the decision, it’s just natural.”

The decisions made under McCaskey’s watch have resulted in 13 starting quarterbacks and zero playoff wins over 11 seasons.

“It all starts with the McCaskeys,” a team source said. “It starts with George.”

In any organization, the CEO has got to get one thing right almost to the exclusion of all others. And that is hiring the most qualified people that report to you. If you can't do that you will most likely fail. i was very fortunate (lucky) that I had an outstanding staff which made my job much easier. I could walk away and know things would be handled in an excellent way.

 

[mickbula]

What I have thought for a very long time.

"McCaskey remains in charge. He will ultimately pick the team’s new leadership but has done little to warrant confidence in his decision-making. “George says that he doesn’t meddle and that Ted doesn’t, but they do because they select, and they don’t realize it,” a former employee said. “When you’re the one making the decision, it’s just natural.”

The decisions made under McCaskey’s watch have resulted in 13 starting quarterbacks and zero playoff wins over 11 seasons.

“It all starts with the McCaskeys,” a team source said. “It starts with George.”

In any organization, the CEO has got to get one thing right almost to the exclusion of all others. And that is hiring the most qualified people that report to you. If you can't do that you will most likely fail. i was very fortunate (lucky) that I had an outstanding staff which made my job much easier. I could walk away and know things would be handled in an excellent way.

George and Ted are essentially incompetent like Gar and Pax. Both need to be cathartically cleansed from the Bears. Without this, the bears will continue to suck like the bulls did until they got new management. The bears will get a new gm and coach. But Ted and george are the true culprits making the bonehead decisions. The bulls are awesome now. They have a new coach and gm making the true decisions and look at the results. The bears will be really good again once george's mother dies and they sell the team. Then, the team will get new owners/leaders, move to arlington heights, kick some tush and be worth 5X what they are now.

 

[NUCat320]

Corbi told me that Bears ownership is great. I think Corbi thinks that Pace is great — except for blowing two drafts on Mitch, he was brilliant. Nagy is the problem and all is well because he gone. Pace gone? My stars!

 

[corbi296]

Corbi told me that Bears ownership is great. I think Corbi thinks that Pace is great — except for blowing two drafts on Mitch, he was brilliant. Nagy is the probl

LOL. The Bears situation is so bad and the McCaskey’s are such bad owners and yet you’ve got every coach and GM lined up around the block looking to jump on board. The same can’t be said for the other seven openings in the NFL. Why is that?

 

[stpaulcat]

George and Ted are essentially incompetent like Gar and Pax. Both need to be cathartically cleansed from the Bears. Without this, the bears will continue to suck like the bulls did until they got new management. The bears will get a new gm and coach. But Ted and george are the true culprits making the bonehead decisions. The bulls are awesome now. They have a new coach and gm making the true decisions and look at the results. The bears will be really good again once george's mother dies and they sell the team. Then, the team will get new owners/leaders, move to arlington heights, kick some tush and be worth 5X what they are now.

I don't get why moving to Arlington Heights would be such a good deal? Seems like a negative to me.

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

I don't get why moving to Arlington Heights would be such a good deal? Seems like a negative to me.

Wrong

 

[corbi296]

I don't get why moving to Arlington Heights would be such a good deal? Seems like a negative to me.

Huge deal. The profitability and the value of the franchise will be greatly enhanced if the Bears can pull off this move and end up owning a brand new state of the art stadium/entertainment venue.

 

[stpaulcat]

Wrong

Well, I'll put it this way--I wouldn't attend a Bears game in Arlington Heights, even if it were for a championship. Chicago bears, Chicago's team. Play in Chicago. even if they have to remodel Soldiers Field again.

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

LOL. The Bears situation is so bad and the McCaskey’s are such bad owners and yet you’ve got every coach and GM lined up around the block looking to jump on board. The same can’t be said for the other seven openings in the NFL. Why is that?

Huh? Which Coaches and GM’s are lined up around the block ?

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

Well, I'll put it this way--I wouldn't attend a Bears game in Arlington Heights, even if it were for a championship. Chicago bears, Chicago's team. Play in Chicago. even if they have to remodel Soldiers Field again.

That’s ridiculous. Who are you Lori Lightfoot? If you can build something like Cowboy Stadium ( not in Dallas) or SoFi stadium ( not in LA) the returns for AH would be astronomical. You could never create the same thing in Chicago. Not enough land. The entailment village they could build around this would be incredible. Super Bowls, Final Fours, bowl game, that possibilities are endless.

Maybe I missed the sarcasm font.

 

[stpaulcat]

That’s ridiculous. Who are you Lori Lightfoot? If you can build something like Cowboy Stadium ( not in Dallas) or SoFi stadium ( not in LA) the returns for AH would be astronomical. You could never create the same thing in Chicago. Not enough land. The entailment village they could build around this would be incredible. Super Bowls, Final Fours, bowl game, that possibilities are endless.

Maybe I missed the sarcasm font.

Well, maybe the Packers should move to Ashwaubenon, where there's more land, right near an airport. Seems like everything is about money anymore. Do you own stock in AH?

 

[NUCat320]

Well, maybe the Packers should move to Ashwaubenon, where there's more land, right near an airport. Seems like everything is about money any more. Do you own stock in AH?

If you’ve seen what the Cardinals have in Glendale or what the Braves have in Cobb County, you’d see what the Bears are going for.

I’d agree that it’s all window-dressing and unnecessary, but it’s a way to make a bunch of money on the 355 days a year there aren’t home football games.

I think what the MN pro teams have built is great. But that’s not the name of the game anymore, not even for the Halas family.

 

[CatManTrue]

Huh? Which Coaches and GM’s are lined up around the block ?

Corbi was referring to himself.

 

[corbi296]

Huh? Which Coaches and GM’s are lined up around the block ?

Check the pending schedule of interviews. Every single coach and GM who is available and even some of those who are not available are expressing interest in the Bears job. It’s by far the best job available right now and that just does not seem to reconcile with the picture that some of you want to paint. The McCaskeys are hands off and have given their GMs an open check book to acquire players. GMs and coaches value that.

 

[Sheffielder]

Well, I'll put it this way--I wouldn't attend a Bears game in Arlington Heights, even if it were for a championship. Chicago bears, Chicago's team. Play in Chicago. even if they have to remodel Soldiers Field again.

I've gotta disagree with this.

Soldier Field is on an island...almost literally. No independent bars or restaurants near the stadium unless you want to do the death march over to the South Loop. I'll do it in June for a concert...but not in winter weather for a Bears game.

Not to mention how bad the traffic and public transit/infrastructure to get in and out. Nightmare to drive, nightmare on the el, and I wouldn't even consider a bus.

Flipside: for Arlington Park I go to the metra, get on a train where I may or may not be asked to pay for my ride, and it drops me off in front of the venue, but not before I have a few drinks on the ride over. 10x easier even though it's 2.5x farther away from my front door...and I trust they will develop the area and attract other bars/restaurants. It's a no-brainer. Big Ten Championship and a bowl game not far behind.

 

[its_the_sauce]

I've gotta disagree with this.

Soldier Field is on an island...almost literally. No independent bars or restaurants near the stadium unless you want to do the death march over to the South Loop. I'll do it in June for a concert...but not in winter weather for a Bears game.

Not to mention how bad the traffic and public transit/infrastructure to get in and out. Nightmare to drive, nightmare on the el, and I wouldn't even consider a bus.

Flipside: for Arlington Park I go to the metra, get on a train where I may or may not be asked to pay for my ride, and it drops me off in front of the venue, but not before I have a few drinks on the ride over. 10x easier even though it's 2.5x farther away from my front door...and I trust they will develop the area and attract other bars/restaurants. It's a no-brainer. Big Ten Championship and a bowl game not far behind.

I'm stunned at some of the comments about SF. Bad public transit?? For those coming from the south the Metra Electric drops you off at 18th street. The Roosevelt CTA stop is a 25 minute walk. Death march to the South Loop?? Unless you have mobility issues it's a very easy walk. Plenty of cheap parking. I'm I STH and I tell the Bears to stick it with their $50 parking. We park/tailgate at Adams/Wabash ($18 SpotHero). If weather crappy we do south Grant Park for $20. Both afford beautiful walks through Grant Park and along the lake to/from the game.

Now personally if Arlington Heights comes to fruition it will be an easy commute for me seeing how I live 2 blocks from the Jeff Park CTA terminal. It would also be good for the neighborhood as there would be A LOT of people doing the CTA/Metra transfer and sticking around for a bit on the way home (buy stock in The Gale Street Inn).

All this said I have my doubts it will happen as I don't think the Bears have the business acumen to pull it off. They're more the "government please build a stadium for us" types.

 

[Sheffielder]

I'm stunned at some of the comments about SF. Bad public transit?? For those coming from the south the Metra Electric drops you off at 18th street. The Roosevelt CTA stop is a 25 minute walk. Death march to the South Loop?? Unless you have mobility issues it's a very easy walk. Plenty of cheap parking. I'm I STH and I tell the Bears to stick it with their $50 parking. We park/tailgate at Adams/Wabash ($18 SpotHero). If weather crappy we do south Grant Park for $20. Both afford beautiful walks through Grant Park and along the lake to/from the game.

Now personally if Arlington Heights comes to fruition it will be an easy commute for me seeing how I live 2 blocks from the Jeff Park CTA terminal. It would also be good for the neighborhood as there would be A LOT of people doing the CTA/Metra transfer and sticking around for a bit on the way home (buy stock in The Gale Street Inn).

All this said I have my doubts it will happen as I don't think the Bears have the business acumen to pull it off. They're more the "government please build a stadium for us" types.

Regardless of the pro or anti-Arlington Park stance...I must admit I'm a little confused about where the Bears are at with this deal - I heard in passing on the news that it will take this year to close on the property AND THEN they'll explore development(?) It sounded like they could buy it AND THEN not actually build. Can anyone more tuned in on it than I am drop some knowledge/enlightenment? I get that they could stall the deal before closing but I don't understand why they'd buy for the sake of real estate speculation or without a firm plan to build.

 

[mickbula]

Well, maybe the Packers should move to Ashwaubenon, where there's more land, right near an airport. Seems like everything is about money anymore. Do you own stock in AH?

I live 2 blocks from arlington park. Do you realize how much more money would be available to the bears if they owned their own stadium and not rent from the chic park district?? Sure I am biased because I could walk to the games and airbnb my place. But the property is right along 53/I290. Perfect location. Tons of money potential. Rumor is the sox might build on the property too! And yes- it is about money. I am not exaggerating that the bears would increase by 5X their value and profit. The train already stops at arlington park now. Easy on easy off. Lots of room for restaurants/hotels/profit businesses. How could anyone argue otherwise?? Soldier field is hell getting in and out of. Soldier field is small and outside. Dallas cowboys would be an analogy for the new stadium.

 

[hoosboot]

That’s ridiculous. Who are you Lori Lightfoot? If you can build something like Cowboy Stadium ( not in Dallas) or SoFi stadium ( not in LA) the returns for AH would be astronomical. You could never create the same thing in Chicago. Not enough land. The entailment village they could build around this would be incredible. Super Bowls, Final Fours, bowl game, that possibilities are endless.

Maybe I missed the sarcasm font.

I get what you are saying, but SoFi isn't much of a comparable for a stadium in Arlington Heights. AH is three times further out and MUCH more suburban. Like Culver City and BH, Inglewood is almost entirely surrounded by the City of Los Angeles. LA is just built differently. The Carson stadium proposal was much more of the suburban model that the AH plan seems to follow.

 

[Hungry Jack]

That’s ridiculous. Who are you Lori Lightfoot? If you can build something like Cowboy Stadium ( not in Dallas) or SoFi stadium ( not in LA) the returns for AH would be astronomical. You could never create the same thing in Chicago. Not enough land. The entailment village they could build around this would be incredible. Super Bowls, Final Fours, bowl game, that possibilities are endless.

Maybe I missed the sarcasm font.

Yup. Might have been an opportunity window 20 years ago to so something in the South Loop, but the stupid fixation on Soldier Field nixed that. Make no small plans, Chicago….

 

[stpaulcat]

I live 2 blocks from arlington park. Do you realize how much more money would be available to the bears if they owned their own stadium and not rent from the chic park district?? Sure I am biased because I could walk to the games and airbnb my place. But the property is right along 53/I290. Perfect location. Tons of money potential. Rumor is the sox might build on the property too! And yes- it is about money. I am not exaggerating that the bears would increase by 5X their value and profit. The train already stops at arlington park now. Easy on easy off. Lots of room for restaurants/hotels/profit businesses. How could anyone argue otherwise?? Soldier field is hell getting in and out of. Soldier field is small and outside. Dallas cowboys would be an analogy for the new stadium.

You make good points. However, my favorite game of all time was the ice bowl between Green Bay and Dallas, and my second favorite was the 1963 Bears Giants NFL championship game at Wrigley Field in below zero temps (which I sat through, well before heated socks and gloves). Football is a Fall and Winter sport and should be experienced that way. Perhaps the Park District could sell Soldiers Field to the Bears, and parking and the Stadium could be improved. If they move to Arlington, they should then be the Arlington Bears or the Illinois Bears, no longer the Chicago Bears. That way, Chicago could get another football franchise into soldiers' field who would be appropriately named the Chicago Ditkas.

 

[its_the_sauce]

Yup. Might have been an opportunity window 20 years ago to so something in the South Loop, but the stupid fixation on Soldier Field nixed that. Make no small plans, Chicago….

Bingo!

Should have built at Roosevelt and the river.

 

[stpaulcat]

Bingo!

Should have built at Roosevelt and the river.

Daniel Burnham's spirit apparently lives no more, in Chicago. Now that the MBA's decide what's built and where, we have suffered a loss.

 

[The Purple Knight]

Well, I'll put it this way--I wouldn't attend a Bears game in Arlington Heights, even if it were for a championship. Chicago bears, Chicago's team. Play in Chicago. even if they have to remodel Soldiers Field again.

You may need to think about that for a minute. Many NFL teams play outside their city limits in better more accessible locations, in better stadiums, that are much more fan friendly. The Arlington site is ideally situated and easy to access, surrounded by highways and close to the airport. Most of my fellow season ticket holders that I talk to much prefer Arlington over the shit hole on the lake that’s difficult to get to, terrible parking, awful traffic management and terrible tailgating.

It’s a no brainer to build a retractable roof stadium at the Arlington site, and create a entertainment district with a new stadium, casino, hotel and horse race track. It all fits on the site. If they keep the track they get the casino. Think NFL games, concerts, gambling, bars, restaurants, Breeders Cups, and the Super Bowl !

 

[stpaulcat]

You may need to think about that for a minute. Many NFL teams play outside their city limits in better more accessible locations, in better stadiums, that are much more fan friendly. The Arlington site is ideally situated and easy to access, surrounded by highways and close to the airport. Most of my fellow season ticket holders that I talk to much prefer Arlington over the shit hole on the lake that’s difficult to get to, terrible parking, awful traffic management and terrible tailgating.

It’s a no brainer to build a retractable roof stadium at the Arlington site, and create a entertainment district with a new stadium, casino, hotel and horse race track. It all fits on the site. If they keep the track they get the casino. Think NFL games, concerts, gambling, bars, restaurants, Breeders Cups, and the Super Bowl !

You may need to think about that for a moment, also. Have you ever been in a casino? Hundreds, if not thousands, of people in the middle of the day packed inside windowless buildings, morosely giving away their resources to casino operators (I'll give them credit, it is grand Native American revenge on the average American dolt). And horse racing, one of the most abusive animal sports on the planet? Not considering the abuse and neglect, horse racing is okay, although in need of fundamental reform to make it humane. A profit center for sure, but is that all that is important, to tranquilize millions of Americans to what lies behind their addictions? This is not unlike its cousin, factory farming. Do we really want gigantic entertainment parks like this which produce great revenue for a few, but result in great pain for many participants? Hey, let's go to a bar, get drunk and discuss.

 

[Hungry Jack]

Bingo!

Should have built at Roosevelt and the river.

Would have been a great site. Take your boat down the lake up the river to GSH Stadium and tailgate at the dock next to the field! Or fill up on dim sum Sunday morning in Chinatown and take a quick water taxi to the game.

 

[Hungry Jack]

St. Paul, you are the most depressing, unfun person on the Internet.

 

[stpaulcat]

St. Paul, you are the most depressing, unfun person on the Internet.

Thank you! I really hope you will come to St. Paul soon, so I can show you what fun really looks like. We will start with a poetry reading, then go to a lecture about how Norwegians settled Minnesota. Then on to a tour of Huntington Bank Stadium in February. You will need to bring your snow shovel. You are welcome to spend a night or two in my spare bedroom, although we may have to get up in the middle of the night to chase snowplows down the street for disturbing our sleep. In the morning, I'll make you my favorite Lutefisk and Lefsa scrambled eggs. This is gonna be so much fun, I can't wait!

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

I get what you are saying, but SoFi isn't much of a comparable for a stadium in Arlington Heights. AH is three times further out and MUCH more suburban. Like Culver City and BH, Inglewood is almost entirely surrounded by the City of Los Angeles. LA is just built differently. The Carson stadium proposal was much more of the suburban model that the AH plan seems to follow.

Fair point. However, I lived in AH for 25 years and just moved. I could easily make it to O’Hare in 15 minutes. I realize you likely meant the downtown area distance from AH, but the location iMO would be much easier for most STH’s. More importantly, the size of the property supports a large football stadium, another baseball stadium or race track, and a substantial entertainment area. Arlington Texas, is probably the comparable. It’s so big they have 2 baseball stadium’s there. Not sure why. Arlington isn’t close to Downtown Dallas either. Similar distance as this would be from DT Chicago.

No brainer.

 

[hoosboot]

Fair point. However, I lived in AH for 25 years and just moved. I could easily make it to O’Hare in 15 minutes. I realize you likely meant the downtown area distance from AH, but the location iMO would be much easier for most STH’s. More importantly, the size of the property supports a large football stadium, another baseball stadium or race track, and a substantial entertainment area. Arlington Texas, is probably the comparable. It’s so big they have 2 baseball stadium’s there. Not sure why. Arlington isn’t close to Downtown Dallas either. Similar distance as this would be from DT Chicago.

No brainer.

Totally. Get why it's being discussed. Just meant that SoFi isn't a good comparable. Inglewood is kind of in the middle of L.A. and not a suburb. Makes a ton of sense for the Bears.

 

[Hungry Jack]

Daniel Burnham's spirit apparently lives no more, in Chicago. Now that the MBA's decide what's built and where, we have suffered a loss.

Do the MBAs run the f***ing Chicago Teachers Union too?

 

[stpaulcat]

Do the MBAs run the f***ing Chicago Teachers Union too?

I think they run everything now.

 

[Smolmania]

Could we please stop calling it "Soldiers" and/or "Soldiers'" Field? If you can't even get the name right, you shouldn't be allowed to advocate for the team staying there. Football is a television event for me, so I don't really care where the stadium is located. But it seems foolish to me to assert that the team cannot make a great deal more money owning its own stadium in AH than renting a facility from the Chicago Park District in which the growing of grass seems to be such a problem.

As for the right to call themselves the "Chicago" Bears, neither the Giants nor the Jets play in New York.

 

[Hungry Jack]

There are 32 NFL head-coaching jobs in the entire universe. Maybe two or three come open every year. The starting wage is near $5 million. Of course people will line up for this job. Duh.

 

[NUCat320]

There are 32 NFL head-coaching jobs in the entire universe. Maybe two or three come open every year. The starting wage is near $5 million. Of course people will line up for this job. Duh.

Dave McGinnis hahahahahahahahahah

 

[IGNORE2]

That’s ridiculous. Who are you Lori Lightfoot? If you can build something like Cowboy Stadium ( not in Dallas) or SoFi stadium ( not in LA) the returns for AH would be astronomical. You could never create the same thing in Chicago. Not enough land. The entailment village they could build around this would be incredible. Super Bowls, Final Fours, bowl game, that possibilities are endless.

Maybe I missed the sarcasm font.

Let Bears and McCaskey go to Arlington. As a parting fu, announce the entire destruction of everything around soldier field - McCormack 1, the hotel, everything on northern island. Announce a partnership with a variety investors that will include a state of the art stadium and intro the nfl agreement to send another team to Chicago.

everyone wins. Bears get Arlington, Chicago gets rid of McCaskey, I get a new team to root for and a new stadium plus surrounding environment to enjoy. Win win win

 

[The Purple Knight]

You may need to think about that for a moment, also. Have you ever been in a casino? Hundreds, if not thousands, of people in the middle of the day packed inside windowless buildings, morosely giving away their resources to casino operators (I'll give them credit, it is grand Native American revenge on the average American dolt). And horse racing, one of the most abusive animal sports on the planet? Not considering the abuse and neglect, horse racing is okay, although in need of fundamental reform to make it humane. A profit center for sure, but is that all that is important, to tranquilize millions of Americans to what lies behind their addictions? This is not unlike its cousin, factory farming. Do we really want gigantic entertainment parks like this which produce great revenue for a few, but result in great pain for many participants? Hey, let's go to a bar, get drunk and discuss.

1. I’ve been to just about every casino
2. Horse racing is the sport of kings and hosts the most exciting 2 minute in sports. Try visiting Keenland or Saratoga.
3. You sound depressed and probably don’t get out much. Are you one of those liberal wack jobs from St. Paul?
4. The bears are moving to Arlington Heights in a beautiful new stadium, thank god!!

 

[stpaulcat]

Could we please stop calling it "Soldiers" and/or "Soldiers'" Field? If you can't even get the name right, you shouldn't be allowed to advocate for the team staying there. Football is a television event for me, so I don't really care where the stadium is located. But it seems foolish to me to assert that the team cannot make a great deal more money owning its own stadium in AH than renting a facility from the Chicago Park District in which the growing of grass seems to be such a problem.

As for the right to call themselves the "Chicago" Bears, neither the Giants nor the Jets play in New York.

I stand corrected on that point. Soldier Field.

 

[stpaulcat]

1. I’ve been to just about every casino
2. Horse racing is the sport of kings and hosts the most exciting 2 minute in sports. Try visiting Keenland or Saratoga.
3. You sound depressed and probably don’t get out much. Are you one of those liberal wack jobs from St. Paul?
4. The bears are moving to Arlington Heights in a beautiful new stadium, thank god!!

1. It's true, casino's depress me.
2. Have you heard the expression OTTB? What do team owners do with retired baseball players?--They give them a retirement package. What do many race horse owners do with retired race horses?--They send them to kill pens to be shipped for slaughter in Canada or Mexico.
3. You got the liberal and St. Paul parts right.
4. It's the 21st century for god's sake--Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Renew.

 

[Rodenthater]

What’s wrong with West Dundee, Santa’s Village. When I go to a game I can stay at my moms house!!!