Fuente: © Chicago Bears
http://www.chicagobears.com/

NFL: BEARS: Confidence high as Bears begin offseason program

/noticias.info/ By Larry Mayer
April 10, 2006

LAKE FOREST, Ill. - With the Bears having started their voluntary offseason program Monday at Halas Hall, the focus is on building upon last season's success and not on last January's deflating playoff defeat to the Carolina Panthers.

"What playoff loss?" said coach Lovie Smith, who was named NFL Coach of the Year after leading the Bears to a division title. "We're just thinking about the great things that can happen this coming season. We have the core of our team coming back and there's a lot of excitement.

"Going into the season last year we thought we could do it. Now we know we can and we're just anxious to take this next step."

The Bears are expecting close to 100 percent participation in their 10-week offseason program, which consists of weightlifting, running, meetings and on-the-field work generally Monday through Thursday from about 8:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m.

The program, which also includes an extensive nutrition plan for each player, is conducted by strength and conditioning coordinator Rusty Jones, who joined the Bears last season after spending 20 years in the same position with the Buffalo Bills.

"He's a guy with experience," Smith said. "He's been around. He has a great program that the players really believe in. The players know how important the offseason is, trying to get into the best possible shape we can to get ready for the season."

The offseason program will be similar to the one that Jones created a year ago.

"Small tweaks would be about it," Smith said. "We liked the program we had in place last year. It will be basically the same type. We just know a lot more.

"Last year we were installing it. Rusty was implementing his system. Now the players know it. They know what to expect and we should be able to start a little bit farther along this year and hopefully go a lot farther too."

Smith and his coaches participate in the program, but they let Jones run the show.

"We'll have a part in it," Smith said, "but Rusty's in charge of the program. We can play cheerleader when we need to. We're just there in a supportive role."

While the weight room will be teeming with activity today, the personnel department will continue to prepare for the April 29-30 NFL Draft. The Bears have six picks in the draft, beginning with the 26th overall selection in the first round.

With 2005 picks Cedric Benson, Mark Bradley, Airese Currie and Rod Wilson returning from injuries that marred their rookie season, it may seem like the Bears have two draft classes.

"I don't think we have a lot of needs, but we do have some wants right now," Smith said.

"Picking where we with this deep of a draft we should be able to add some good football players to go along with the redshirted class as we might say because a lot of the players last year didn't get a chance to really show what they can do." notas_de_prensa_archivo