Marc Trestman was a surprise pick for the Bears head coach. Since he hadn't been in the NFL for so long, he wasn't on many other teams' radar in recent coaching searches. But Phil Emery, who had been on the scouting treadmill for years before getting the general manager spot in Chicago, saw Trestman as the best man to replace Lovie Smith.
Now that Trestman is back in the NFL with its 100-yard field and four downs, he is finding that the game is about the same as he left it in 2004.
"The safety issues have become bigger than they've ever been, but the process over the first five weeks aren't any different," Trestman said at Thursday's pre-combine press conference. He said the beginning of his tenure in Chicago has flown by in "the blink of an eye."
But one thing Trestman has had time to do was build a vision for the team.
"[The vision is] to create an environment that each and every guy can self-actualize and be the best player that they can be. And by doing so they're going to help each and every player be the best they can be, and I think that's the way to do it."
Riiiight. Trestman's vision sounds like it came from a corporate retreat that involved a ropes course, trust falls and Jan from accounting falling into the lake. Players self-actualizing sounds great and all, but shouldn't the vision of the team have something to do with winning titles? The Bears haven't won a Super Bowl since the Reagan Administration. It's kinda important to win now.
On the other hand, Lovie Smith talked about beating the Green Bay Packers from day one, and he rarely accomplished that goal. Perhaps self-actualization is the way to go.
