Silvy: Yeah, I said it, I love Ben Johnson as the Bears’ new coach
I admit, it sounded creepy.
After Ben Johnson wrapped up his press conference last week, you could hear a voice whisper: “I love this guy. I love him.”
Social media wondered who it was. Awful Announcing wrote a story about it.
That voice was mine.
I didn’t realize that the Halas Hall overhead microphone picks up everything when someone isn’t speaking at the podium.
I turned to ESPN 1000’s Pat Morenzoni, WGN’s Caitlin Sharkey, and CHSN’s Ruthie Polinsky and made that statement in approval of the things he was saying and the interesting manner in which he was explaining it.
And no, I don’t regret saying it.
I believe the Bears got a great one. His processes make sense.
Sure, not a single game has been played, but I am going to quit prefacing every thought on the good stuff coming out of Halas Hall with that statement. I love what I see and hear so far and if doesn’t work out, it won’t be the first nor that last time I’ll be wrong. So feel free to bookmark this. I love everything Ben Johnson is doing.
When I talk to friends or fans, the first question I always get is “what do you think about the Bears?” My response has been, “Ben Johnson is the real deal.”
I believe one major difference this time is we’re not complimenting Johnson just because he’s the polar opposite of Matt Eberflus. That’s what us Bears fans have done in the past because we’re so hungry for success – after the previous coach zigged, we think zagging with the successor is progress and a solution.
The Bears never get a better coach, just different ones.
After Lovie Smith was fired, we talked ourselves into the early stages of Marc Trestman because he was finally an offensive mind and would go into detail explaining things unlike the curt Smith. We talked ourselves into John Fox because he was an accomplished coach and would demand respect unlike Trestman. We talked ourselves into Matt Nagy because he was younger and more enthusiastic than the past-his-prime Fox. And there were even some who talked themselves into Matt Eberflus because he was nuts-and-bolts football after Nagy got too cute.
We always knew that Johnson is as close to a playcalling genius as anyone in the NFL. He’s already shown us in a few months that he’s holding everyone in the building accountable and has command of the locker room. If a player doesn’t buy in, I’m convinced Johnson will part ways rather than exercise patience. He’s demanding but in a smart way.
Just last week, I wrote how the Bears cannot forget about the past failures of the organization and simply move on, especially when it comes to developing quarterbacks. This week, Johnson discussed why he’s trying to rid Caleb Williams of bad body language. Johnson explained, “We don’t want to be a palms-up team.”
If you’ve watched the Bears for the last several years, you’ve seen many players with their palms to the heavens asking “What just happened? Why aren’t we on the same page?”
Johnson wants that gone from everyone and it’s up to him to get the Bears on the winning page.
Whether it’s which foot is forward when Williams takes a snap, or how to watch film, or body language, the phrase less is more is not valid here. More is more. Leave nothing to interpretation. Williams and the entire roster must be taught everything because losing has been a systemic issue. Johnson is not running from that and I love it.
And neither is the QB.
As Williams spoke on Wednesday to address the Seth Wickersham book head on, he was candid, poised, and acted like a leader. Williams called it the “Ben Johnson effect”
Yes, I love what I see and hear.
And in a nod to the comments from me last week, Johnson ended his press conference yesterday by saying, “I love these guys.”
Johnson said it in a much less creepy way.
• Marc Silverman shares his opinions on the Bears weekly for Shaw Local. Tune in and listen to the “Waddle & Silvy” show weekdays from 2 to 6 p.m. on ESPN 1000.