For now, it's all a lot of hot air

If Roger Goodell wants to purify the NFL, he should prohibit head coaches from saying anything in August.

Or at least Lovie Smith from saying anything.

Millions of words emerge from training camps this month, and they're more gibberish than genius.

Smith over the weekend was highly complimentary of Lance Louis, listed as the starting offensive right guard on Monday's depth chart.

Let's analyze Smith's analysis of Louis. Mentioned was that "He's a powerful guy" and that "He can do all the things you're looking for."

Sandwiched between those was the clincher: "He's a good knee-bender."

That right there is testimony enough for me. Not only should Louis be the starter, the Hall of Fame should start molding his bust.

No, seriously, it's difficult to tell whether Smith meant that Louis effectively bends his knees when blocking or nastily bends the knees of the opponent he's blocking.

For some reason I assumed anybody the Bears acquired could bend his knees and others. Some do it better, but why would any team bring in any player who couldn't bend his knees to a professional degree?

(Heck, even I can do knee bends, albeit only about once a month.)

Anyway, Smith likely is making stuff up as he goes along. Credibility never has been a priority for him.

"It's helping a lot, too, to go against our defensive line, which is pretty good," Smith also was quoted as saying about Louis.

First, going against a "pretty good" defensive line is pretty good, but the Bears figure to play against some really good defensive lines this season.

Second, it's a bit of a leap right now for Smith to refer to the Bears' defensive line even as "pretty good."

Free-agent acquisition pass rusher Julius Peppers should help, but only if his reputation for not playing hard all the time proves unfounded.

Then there is tackle Tommie Harris, the key defender again who reportedly is healthy and, alert the media, regularly participating in practice.

Well, can we just wait to see Harris - and Peppers, for that matter, to say nothing of Louis - play a single down in a 2010 preseason game before passing judgment?

Maybe then we'll have a better idea whether Louis is legitimate, this defensive line is a good measure of anything and the Bears have any chance to be better than mediocre.

Louis was a last-round draft choice a year ago, but solid offensive lines frequently are comprised of late-rounders and undrafted free agents.

Louis has a chance to make it not because "he's a good knee-bender" but because of something he and the Bears would rather forget.

While at San Diego State, Louis allegedly attacked a teammate and inflicted extensive bodily damage.

This is a mean game, football is, and mean offensive linemen are assets. Bears center Olin Kreutz came out of college with that on his resume and has had a distinguished career.

So hopefully Smith meant that Louis both ravages opponents' knees and bends his own to NFL standards.

With due respect to Smith, however, I'll refrain for now from upgrading previous assessments of Louis specifically and the Bears generally.

Better that we wait until they have bent their knees in a game against another team.

mimrem@dailyherald.com