Nov. 21--As the crowd thinned at Halas Hall after Lovie Smith's introductory news conference as Bears head coach, Smith smiled as I asked him about Big Sandy, Texas, and for his cellphone number.
Not only did Smith happily oblige that day, Jan. 15, 2004, but he introduced me, then the Bears beat writer for the Tribune, to his wife, MaryAnne, who was delightful. In a charming Texas twang, Smith asked me about my background and my son, who was 3. Smith was curious and charismatic and predicted we would get along famously because we both were former college defensive backs.
He was wrong.
Nothing in my mind reinforces how wrong Smith was more than a memory from outside the locker room after one victory late in the 2012 season, Smith's ninth and final one with the Bears. MaryAnne Smith and several family members stood nearby in the hallway, where they usually waited for Lovie, and glared a familiar glare at me as I walked past and politely nodded. This had become part of every week's postgame routine.
Dagger stares go with the territory. I always told people that if I were related to Lovie Smith, I wouldn't like the guy who analyzed every move and, eventually, advocated his firing either. Our relationship shifted from personable to perfunctory during the 2006 season, when my role shifted into writing commentary, and it changed, perhaps irreparably, after the "Trust me" news conference Feb. 19, 2007.
Smith, fresh off a Super Bowl appearance and flush with a new contract, replaced Ron Rivera with his buddy Bob Babich as defensive coordinator. A month later, the Bears traded for Smith favorite Adam Archuleta, which prompted a column about the benefits of being an FOL -- Friend of Lovie. For the one and only time, Smith called me at home to complain in his firm, fatherly tone.
"David, David, David ..." Smith began. "I'm disappointed in you."
It would happen again. And if I ever doubted whether the Smiths remembered all the second-guessing and scrutiny in this space, my suspicions were confirmed this week when Matthew Smith, Lovie's son and agent, rejected an interview request through a mutual friend because of our history. I would have been stunned if he had said yes.
Yet despite the ups and downs of covering a private man in one of Chicago's most public jobs, you didn't have to be accepted into Smith's inner circle to admire how his players responded to him. You didn't have to revere Smith to respect him.
He never won a championship but never embarrassed the organization. He talked down to the media but spoke to players like men. He preferred to avoid the spotlight and controversy in the NFL's second-largest market but led with quiet strength that made players never want to let him down.
As one of his biggest critics from 2004 to 2012, I can say without hesitation that the positives outweighed the negatives during Smith's time as Bears head coach. The one prediction that came true from the day the Bears introduced Smith was that he indeed was a good hire -- good, not great.
With Smith returning to Soldier Field for the Buccaneers' version of the Super Bowl, beware, revisionist historians of Chicago, of recalling reality that never existed. Smith won a lot with the Bears -- 84-66 with three division titles -- but not enough. Lance Briggs was correct putting Smith behind George Halas and Mike Ditka on the all-time list of Bears coaches, but isn't that like calling Juneau the third-sunniest city in Alaska? Everything's relative.
No matter how many web polls or radio shows bait Bears fans into portraying Smith as a coach unfairly deprived a 10th season, he wasn't. The Bears didn't make a mistake firing Smith; Lovie Fatigue enveloped the city, and change was necessary despite a 10-6 record. The Bears' mistake came in hiring the wrong replacement: Marc Trestman over Bruce Arians.
Smith would look much different compared with Arians instead of Trestman, whose weaknesses accentuate Smith's strengths. The story of this season's Bears descent begins with Trestman losing his grip on players, something that never happened with Smith.
Focusing on how much more effective a leader Smith was has caused many to forget he once hired Terry Shea -- his first of four offensive coordinators -- and declared Devin Hester a No. 1 wide receiver. Recalling all the structure Smith instilled, in contrast to Trestman, overshadows how stubborn he could be devising a game plan or evaluating personnel.
Declaring Smith a better NFL head coach than Trestman means little because, with 134 more games of experience, he should be. Smith deserves his due returning to the lakefront -- a 60-second tribute on the video board acknowledging his tenure? -- but don't overdo it.
The man run out of town in December 2012 will arrive 23 months later as perhaps the most popular head coach in the stadium. Oddly, it will be good to see him. And, as Smith might say, we'll go from there.
dhaugh@tribpub.com
Twitter @DavidHaugh
