Bear Digest

Ben Johnson criticized for 'not being a press conference guy'

Analysis: Prediction bases a last-place Chicago finish in the NFC North this year on Johnson's "vibe" during press conferences. No, really.
Gene Chamberlain|
Ben Johnson's "vibe" at press conferences is a reason why one NFL Network analyst sees the Bears taking last in the division.
Ben Johnson's "vibe" at press conferences is a reason why one NFL Network analyst sees the Bears taking last in the division. | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

David Carr was sacked 267 times in his NFL career, including an NFL record 76 as a rookie.

There are Bears fans who want to get in line to make the 268th sack.

Carr, an NFL Network analyst, made his NFC North prediction for order of finish and had the Lions first, Packers second, hesitated and named the Vikings third, then explained the Bears were last.



"And just because I don't like the vibe of the press conferences in Chicago, I just, Ben Johnson's not a press conference guy, but he's not elated with the early start to what is happening with Chicago. ... Ben's already hedging his bets," Carr blurted.

Not once at a Bears press conference this training camp has Johnson "hedged a bet."

He's also one of the best coaches they've had come through the building with press conferences, if not the best.

He's better than Matt Nagy and his word salads or Matt Eberflus saying "what's that?" after a question and leaning forward so far he looked likely to fall over. He's also better at it than John Fox, except for the old guy's story about how as children they mistakenly killed the family's pet monkey.



He's better than Marc Trestman's word salads without dressing.

Lovie Smith and Dick Jauron needed to hand out toothpicks for everyone to put in their eyelids at pressers. Players loved Lovie. Media would have loved a real Lovie answer to a question.

Dave Wannstedt said some funny things with that Pennsylvania dialect and his personable nature but usually was talking about things no one wanted to hear, like Rick Mirer.

And then there was Mike Ditka, who coined the phrase "Get your mouth shut!" at a press conference while shouting at an obnoxious Packers fan.

My first exposure to a Ditka press conference at Halas Hall was when our newspaper chain's columnist couldn't go to the Monday presser after a game and they asked me to do it in 1990.

Veteran Chicago radio sports reporter Red Mottlow got yelled at by Ditka for a question that day. Yelled at probably didn't do it justice. Cursed at fits better.



My next exposure was when the same situation came up a few years later and I was told to go again and Peoria Journal Star columnist Phil Theobald was cursed at by Ditka and hollered at, even louder. Theobald stood up, said he'd never been insulted like that and wouldn't stand for it, then he left.

Phil could be seen through the doorway out in the hall. He was still out there smoking a cigarette and listening. They let you do those sorts of things back then, smoking I mean.



Phil, a feisty old-style newspaper man and colleague from the same newspaper chain was a real hoot. He passed away last year. He actually really enjoyed such confrontations. I imagine the cigarette was a little like a post-sex smoke. He laughed the entire thing off afterward and said Ditka was nuts.

But after two press conferences and two shouting matches, you can imagine what went through my mind the third time they called. I'm thinking "Up there again? They eat their young up at Halas Hall."

The point is, Johnson might actually be the very best they've ever had at press conferences, although his sample size is entirely miniscule.

He really answers questions if possible. Give him a few losses and maybe it changes. This is Chicago, afterall.

However, Carr's saying Johnson is not a press conference guy. Based on what?

"The vibe?" Really?

Thanks for the valuable insight.

Another sack for Carr probably isn't severe enough punishment, regardless of whether he picks the Bears for last place like both he and Chris Rose did on the network's prediction show for the NFC North.

The vibe for that prediction show was awful.

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.