Bears vs. Vikings: Why Lovie Smith’s Desire To Win Is Shortsighted

January 1, 2012   ·   Bob Warja   ·   Jump to comments

NFL coaches are intensely competitive by nature. It's a "win or else" mandate from their bosses, the fans and the media.
But the desire to win now must be balanced with the best interests of the longer-term future of the organization.
It's with this in mind that I am addressing Bears head coach Lovie Smith's recent proclamation about the importance of beating the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday.
Despite the lack of playoff implications, Smith says they are getting ready for the Vikings just like they would for any other opponent, as opposed to playing the younger guys to see what they have for next year.
Standing in his shoes, it's fairly easy to understand why he feels this way. For one, he always wants his players to play hard and play to win and uses every opportunity to reinforce that philosophy.
And, let's face it, coaches are judged on their W-L records and 8-8 just sounds better than 7-9. With a win, Smith can claim the Bears did not have a lo...

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