BillsFever
07-16-2003, 03:11 AM
In a lame effort to defuse mounting criticism of quarterback Kordell Stewart's inability to grasp the offense, the Chicago Bears official web site has conjured up a softball "interview" of offensive coordinator John Shoop, who goes out of his way to sing Stewart's praises.
"If there's anything that I've been encouraged about it's that I think [Stewart is] a pretty cerebral guy in a lot of ways," said Shoop. "He and I have grown to where we can talk football quite a bit right now and complete each other's sentences and I think that's an important thing."
Apparently targeting our repeated reports regarding Kordell's struggles, the writer asks, "A few members of the media -- most of whom have never attended a practice -- have speculated that Stewart has struggled learning the offense. What's your response to that?"
Says Shoop: "My response to that would be it's pure fiction. As I said, he talks football very well. He is a player who's had quite a number of reps in this league and you don't get there without knowing what you're doing. I just think it's fiction. He's picked it up a great deal and has worked very very hard at doing so."
(Methinks thou doth protest too much.)
In contrast, one of our top Chicago moles recently told us that G.M. Jerry Angelo believes that Steelers coach Bill Cowher is a "genius," given his ability to produce a contender with Kordell at the helm of his offense. Sure, we've never been invited to a Bears practice, but it don't take a press pass to have sources who'll tell us that the boss thinks Stewart stinks.
Even if Shoop isn't speaking with a badly-forked tongue, the interview omitted one of the most compelling questions regarding Stewart's short tenure in Chitown: "If, Mr. Shoop, Kordell is as good as you say he is, can you tell us why in the name of Sid Luckman's left nut the Bears were trying to sign Brian Griese a few short weeks ago?"
The truth is that the Bears simply can't provide a plausible answer to that question, other than "Kordell scares the beejeepers out of us."
http://profootballtalk.com/rumormill.htm
"If there's anything that I've been encouraged about it's that I think [Stewart is] a pretty cerebral guy in a lot of ways," said Shoop. "He and I have grown to where we can talk football quite a bit right now and complete each other's sentences and I think that's an important thing."
Apparently targeting our repeated reports regarding Kordell's struggles, the writer asks, "A few members of the media -- most of whom have never attended a practice -- have speculated that Stewart has struggled learning the offense. What's your response to that?"
Says Shoop: "My response to that would be it's pure fiction. As I said, he talks football very well. He is a player who's had quite a number of reps in this league and you don't get there without knowing what you're doing. I just think it's fiction. He's picked it up a great deal and has worked very very hard at doing so."
(Methinks thou doth protest too much.)
In contrast, one of our top Chicago moles recently told us that G.M. Jerry Angelo believes that Steelers coach Bill Cowher is a "genius," given his ability to produce a contender with Kordell at the helm of his offense. Sure, we've never been invited to a Bears practice, but it don't take a press pass to have sources who'll tell us that the boss thinks Stewart stinks.
Even if Shoop isn't speaking with a badly-forked tongue, the interview omitted one of the most compelling questions regarding Stewart's short tenure in Chitown: "If, Mr. Shoop, Kordell is as good as you say he is, can you tell us why in the name of Sid Luckman's left nut the Bears were trying to sign Brian Griese a few short weeks ago?"
The truth is that the Bears simply can't provide a plausible answer to that question, other than "Kordell scares the beejeepers out of us."
http://profootballtalk.com/rumormill.htm