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Speak Up: Brian Urlacher On Dhani Jones’s Comments and Much More

23rd June 2011 by under Bears News, Speak Up     

Brian Urlacher hasn’t had much to do this off-season besides workout and worry about when the lockout is going to end.

So nobody was shocked when he had a lot to say. He touched on Dhani Jones’s comments, Soldier Field’s grass situation and the Bears trip to London this season.

Here’s what Urlacher had to say about those things:

Respone to Dhani Jones: “I think we were drafted in the same class, right? Is he a 2000 guy? I haven’t heard anything about him since then. I saw him on a TV show with a bow-tie on though. So I know him better for how the way he dresses than what he does on a football field. Guys are going to talk. I’ve definitely had a lot worse things said publicly from guys, so I can live with it.”

Talking about if the grass at Soldier Field gives the Bears an advantage: “No. You’re both playing on it. The weather I think is the biggest advantage we have against teams that don’t play in our weather. But we’re a fast defense. You put us on that FieldTurf eight home games a year? We’re going to be really fast. You put [Julius] Peppers on that turf? [Devin] Hester, with all those cuts on turf? [Johnny] Knox? All those guys. We’re going to be a little better, I think. Faster.”

Talking about if he was excited to travel to London to face the Bucs: “No, I’m not excited to go to London. … I don’t understand why they do that. … I am not excited to go to London, I will say that.” I can’t imagine many players would be, considering the travel involved and disruption to their weekly schedule.”

All quotes from ESPNChicago.com

For more news on Twitter, follow @Bearsbacker.

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Speak Up: Gabe Carimi On His Off-Season And The Lockout Situation

20th June 2011 by under Speak Up     

Gabe Carimi was drafted by the Bears in the first round of the 2011 NFL Draft to play offensive tackle.

Which tackle position remains to be seen. With the lockout still underway, rookies like Carimi are getting a little antsy to get their first taste of training camp.

Carimi simply wants to figure out where he will play on the offensive line and so do the Bears.

Carimi had this to say about his off-season in the Chicago Tribune:

“You’re going to feel more confident in the stance that you have been playing your career at,” Carimi said last week from Madison, Wis., where he is wrapping up an eight-week training program he began after the draft. “It doesn’t matter to me as long as I can make an impact on the team that it needs.”

“I would assume some rookies are really going to struggle,” he said. “If they come from a spread offense or a completely different offense that really isn’t what you consider pro-style.

“We ran a pro-style offense the entire time I was at Wisconsin so I am very familiar with all of the run-blocking schemes. There are different names and calls and how you communicate with the linemen, but you start by associating stuff with plays you did run until you fully grasp it.

“That’s where I had a leg up in the competition (to be drafted). If there was going to be a long lockout, I’m a guy who has been taught football the right way and it would be an easy transition to learn plays.

“Obviously, I would like to have more time going against guys like (Julius) Peppers to get a feel for the different competition level. I also would like to get that camaraderie with the O-line that is so crucial. You would like the time (lost by the lockout), but I don’t think it’s going to be to the point where I’m not playing good football.”

All quotes from Chicagotribune.com

For more news on Twitter, follow @Bearsbacker.

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Speak Up: Lovie Smith On The Bears Lockout Situation

6th June 2011 by under 2011-2012 Schedule, Speak Up     

Bears head coach Lovie Smith spoke up about his off-season yesterday.

He touched on what the coaches have been doing and what he has been doing to keep busy during the tough lockout.

Here is what he had to say:

“We would like to have the players out here, but it’s not like we don’t have anything to do,” he said. “I can’t say I’m getting bored. It’s the opposite. There is learning every day. It has been awesome.”

Today, former Buccaneers and Colts coach Tony Dungy, will visit Halas Hall to talk over some ideas for the upcoming season.

“We’re just going to talk football for a day,” Smith said. “There aren’t a whole lot of us still in our system who believe in it the way we do. We’re pumped up about him coming.”

“Everything has to be about beating our rival, as it is every year,” Smith said of the Packers. “And there is a little bit of added emphasis on it this year. They are at the top of the hill.”

Smith believes there is not a lot separating the Super Bowl champion Packers and the Bears.

“We match up pretty good with them,” he said. “Your gauge has to be the Super Bowl champion. We beat them here. They beat us there (and at Soldier Field in the playoffs). All three games could have gone either way. There should be some more classic matchups between the two of us. We can’t wait.”

“It’s a good thing whenever teammates can get together and work out, but as far as really getting ready for the season, it doesn’t do it,” Smith said. “Why would you go through OTAs if that was the case? When our players get here, we’re saying we’re starting from scratch.”

“No matter what guys say, it’s one thing to have a personal trainer and be working out on your own; it’s different when you are working out in this environment,” Smith said. “You can’t condition for football stuff without football.”

Smith says he will be open to allowing extra conditioning time early in camp if need be. But he isn’t interested in scheduling more two-a-days.

“I don’t think that’s the answer,” he said. “You can’t say, OK, we missed time, we have to make up for it. I don’t think you get a lot out of two-a-days. You can get the same amount of work with one good practice and have walk-throughs, lifting, meetings. We’ll be fine.”

“When you have a group like this, to validate it you have to be able to hold up the Lombardi Trophy,” Smith said. “We’re close. If you’re close, you’re a pretty good football team. You need a couple of things to go your way, make a couple of changes, tighten up a few things. That’s where we are.”

All quotes from Chicagotribune.com.

For more news on Twitter, follow @Bearsbacker.

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Speak Up: Lovie Smith On Jay Cutler Being The Bears QB

22nd March 2011 by under Speak Up     

Chicago Bears head coach Lovie Smith defended his QB Jay Cutler after he went out with a knee injury in the NFC Championship against the eventual Super Bowl champs, the Green Bay Packers.

Lovie Smith had this to say about his QB Jay Cutler today:

“Yes, yes, how could I not?” Smith asked. “For every question that you’re gonna ask me, I love Jay being our quarterback. I’ve got no problem with him. Can we … we can all do things better. We work on that. But I’m not gonna tell Jay Cutler to change who he is. I don’t tell you to change your style. I’m not gonna do that. I like who Jay is. I’m so excited about him being our quarterback in years to come. I trust him. I know he’s a tough guy. Think about it: as a coach, you see a quarterback take the amount of sacks he took in that Giants game and he kept coming. He’s gonna lead us to a lot of wins.”

“Gosh, man, these [questions about] fundamentals. Jay works on his fundamentals,” Smith said. “Jay Cutler is an outstanding quarterback that led us to 12 [wins]. The questions on Jay, I just don’t know. Everybody’s gonna be working on fundamentals. Jay doesn’t need to work on them any more than anybody else does.

“But that’s what you do in the offseason. Jay’s a competitor. When I’m worried about our football team, quarterback isn’t one of the positions that I’m spending a whole lot of time worrying about. I feel pretty good about the play we’re gonna get from that this year.”

“Yes,” Smith said. “Jay has the best quarterback tutor in the game working with him in [offensive coordinator] Mike Martz and [quarterbacks coach] Shane Day. So I feel pretty good about that.”

“Not at all. I don’t think any player should have to go through that,” Smith said, “because it wasn’t warranted at all.”

“[Woodson] walked off, and he was standing on the sideline, Donald Driver walked off, and he stood on the sideline. But we’re not questioning them. I never question them. Totally off base for that to happen.”

“What do I think about it? That’s what he normally does, what most of our guys do,” Smith said. “They’re out in the community. That’s Jay Cutler, what he normally does.”

All quotes from Chicagosuntimes.com and ESPNChicago.com.

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Speak Up: Hunter Hillenmeyer Talks About Time With Bears

28th February 2011 by under Speak Up     

LB Hunter Hillenmeyer has spent eight seasons with the Bears, but his latest concussion has caused him to be released. His time with the Bears is over, but will he continuing playing?

Hunter talked to the Chicago Tribune about lots of things Bears related. Here’s what he had to say:

“I have nothing but the utmost respect for the Bears organization. I do not leave this franchise bitter or feeling slighted by anyone in the building. In truth, I’ve known this day was coming since I landed on IR back in September. In that conversation with Lovie (Smith), he acknowledged that having been made aware of my history, and the number of concussions I had sustained on his watch, that he could not be a part of forcing me back out on the field.
“While at the time I was frustrated with such an abrupt end to my season, I have sought out and continue to seek the medical opinions of the best doctors in country as it relates to brain health and concussions. I am yet to find one that thinks it is a good idea to continue playing football. In hindsight, that makes me grateful that Lovie cared enough about me specifically, but really any player, to take that decision away as it pertains to a medical issue.”

“Barring some unforeseen turn of events, I don’t think there was a set of circumstances where I would have been cleared to play next season anyway. The more we pull back the curtain on the long-term effects of head injury, the scarier it gets for players in my position, who have multiple diagnosed concussions and countless more ‘dings’ and headaches. On one hand, I feel lucky to have been relatively candid about my symptoms compared to some colleagues who do everything they can to conceal their struggles. I can only thank the Bears organization, from the trainers and the doctors up to Lovie and Jerry (Angelo), for trying to be proactive in the way concussions are handled. On the other hand, any player who tells you they aren’t affected by the tragic stories like Dave Duerson’s, that seem to be popping up all too often, are lying.”

“I’d like to thank coach (Bob) Babich, my linebacker coach for most of my eight years here, for playing as integral a role as anyone in my development as a player. It’s been an honor to play for such a professional staff and with such outstanding teammates. We had a very special group in our linebacker room. While I was always like Ringo of the Beatles, next to such a talented pair, I think we have had the best and deepest linebacking corps in the NFL for a long time. As long as Lance (Briggs) and Brian (Urlacher) are out there together, expect the Bear’s defense to remain elite.”

“While I won’t be filing any retirement papers tomorrow, if I’ve played my last football game, I’m glad it was with the Bears. Even though I was drafted elsewhere, I have absolutely loved my time as Bear. I love the city, I love the culture; the fans here make it especially easy to feel very at home in Chicago. I think guys like me who spend all of their career here don’t realize how good they’ve got it. It’s been a great ride nonetheless.”

all quotes from Chicagotribune.com.

For more news on Twitter, follow @Bearsbacker.

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Speak Up: Smith Talks About Release of Tommie Harris

28th February 2011 by under Speak Up     

Lovie Smith talked about the release of Tommie Harris, he said it had to be done. This is what he said:

“That’s just a part of our business,” Smith said Monday during a break at the NFL scouting combine. “Of course, Tommie is my first recruit. But at the same time, we’re both moving in different directions.

“Tommie still has a future. He’s just going to have it with someone else.”

all quotes from Chicagotribune.com

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Speak Up: New Bears WR Fantuz Talks About Opportunity In Chicago

8th February 2011 by under Speak Up     

New Bears WR Andy Fantuz has never played in the NFL and he is excited about his opportunity this upcoming season in Chicago. Here’s what Fantuz had to say about it:

“It was a tough decision, I had a great thing going and I was happy with what was going on. In sports and in any business you always want to reach the top level. If you reach the top level, you want to find a bigger business.

“It’s been a dream for me growing up in an Americanized community where we watched more NFL than CFL to reach the NFL. That was the end goal. I have nothing against the CFL or Sasketchewan, both the team and the league have been great to me. I’m going to miss them but I’m looking forward to this opportunity.”

“I like how the organization is tough-nosed and classy, I see myself having a good opportunity to make the team and I’m excited to come into camp and try.”

“This is a big step forward but I still have a long ways to go,” Fantuz said. “I just have my foot in the door. I have to fight for a position on the team now but it’s almost like a dream.”

“I personally see myself having a good opportunity,” he said.

All quotes from Chicagotribune.com.

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Speak Up: Joe Theismann Defends Bears QB Jay Cutler

3rd February 2011 by under Bears News, Speak Up     

Even though Super Bowl XLV between the Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers is taking place on Sunday, the Jay Cutler talk hasn’t slowed down since the Bears fell to Green Bay in the NFC Championship.

Former NFL quarterback and now NFL Network analyst Joe Theismann defended Jay Cutler and perhaps in a strong way.

Here’s what Theismann had to say:

“I really felt like for the players to come out and attack Jay, they weren’t attacking Jay the hurt player, they were attacking Jay’s personality, he’s a different kind of a guy, a to-himself kind of guy. He shouldn’t be judged that way if he’s hurt.”

“I watched Maurkice Pouncey, he’s on crutches and nobody says a word, but because Jay’s not on crutches he gets killed,” Theismann said. “What really pissed me off more than anything was people saying this was a great opportunity for Jay to change his image. Come on. You don’t think about that stuff when you’re on the sideline.”

“Why should he change who he is? Why shouldn’t we respect the fact that he’s not gregarious or outgoing, that he’s not a Brett Favre?” Theismann said. “He’s a different kind of guy, a quiet kind of guy. He’s not Tom Brady, he’s not Peyton Manning. He throws the living daylights out of the football, very unorthodox. He’s probably as close to Jeff George as we’re going to see personality-wise and skill-wise. And he can get better. When he sets his feet and throws, he’s as good as anybody.”

All quotes from Chicagotribune.com

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Speak Up: Urlacher On Season and Super Bowl

31st January 2011 by under Speak Up     

Bears star linebacker Brian Urlacher had a bounce back season this year and isn’t the only Bear upset about the loss against the Packers in the NFC Championship. He had this to say about the season and the Super Bowl on Sunday.

Here is what Urlacher had to say:

“We’re such a close team, and I think we know how to put things behind us,” Urlacher said Friday on “The Waddle & Silvy Show” on ESPN 1000. “Stuff in the media just makes us stronger as a team, pulls us closer together, gives us something to build on.”

Urlacher said he was upset when he was told during the postgame press conference that other players were questioning Cutler’s toughness via Twitter.

“It [ticked] me off,” Urlacher said. “I didn’t think it was warranted.

“Anyone who knows Jay and has played with Jay and seen the hits he’s taken in his career knows he’s not a sissy. He’s a tough guy. He goes out there every day and doesn’t say anything about what’s going on, just practices and plays and goes about his business. It really frustrated me. I didn’t think it was warranted, but that’s just the way — with all the social networking now — it’s the way things go.”

“I’m the last person who needs to tell someone to have fun during an interview,” he said. “You’ve seen me do mine.”

“I’m getting better. The more smart alec you are the more fun it is, for me at least. No, I’m not going to say anything to Jay. That’s his deal.”

Urlacher also said he has no plans on reaching out to Cutler.

“About what? I talk to our trainers,” Urlacher said. “I don’t want to bother him in the offseason. For the most part, he should be OK in a couple of weeks, if he does the rehab and stuff.”

Urlacher says he has no plans on cheering for the Packers on Super Bowl Sunday:

“Hell no I’m not rooting for the Packers in the Super Bowl,” he said. “I have a ton of respect for that organization and the head coach, but I don’t want them to win the Super Bowl. They’re in our division, I want them to lose.”

all quotes from ESPNChicago.com

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Speak Up: Urlacher Thinks Lovie Smith Deserves A Contract Extension

19th January 2011 by under Speak Up     

Veteran LB and team captain of the Bears defense spoke up about head coach Lovie Smith. He thinks Lovie deserves a contract extension. Here is what he said about the situation today.

“Pay him, please,” Urlacher said of Smith. ” It makes no sense to me why he wouldn’t get an extension. He has proven he’s a great coach.”

Lovie Smith has 66 career victories, including three in the playoffs, are the third-most in Bears’ history behind George Halas and Mike Ditka. He has three division titles and three, 11 victory seasons on his record.

“And that’s not fair,” Urlacher said. “Look at the recent history of our team. I think 1985 was the last time we were any good before he came, right? And when Lovie got here, we started winning again.

“Now, if you don’t win 10 or 11 games, it’s disappointing because that’s what people are expecting, because that’s what he expects of us. That’s the standard he’s set for this organization. Before, you’re 8-8 and it’s, ‘OK, we’re getting better. We’re getting more competitive.’ He has gotten us back to where we needed to be.”

“Just look at what Lovie has done for our team,” Urlacher said. “All the experts — which is what really counts, you know — picked us to be dead last in our division. They picked Detroit to be ahead of us. We’re supposed to be 5-11, 6-10, 7-9, according to all the ‘experts.’ We’re the underdogs. We’re lucky. We had an easy schedule. We didn’t beat anybody. But, we’re here. And Lovie’s the one who has done all the work.”

“So we didn’t win a couple of years there. That’s not Lovie’s fault,” Urlacher said. “It wasn’t because we weren’t coached well or weren’t prepared. And this is a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately league, so, yes, I think Lovie should get an extension now.”

All quotes from Chicagotribune.com

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