Some quick thoughts about Jeremy Bates, who the Bears may be courting for offensive coordinator:

• 
  Bates first learned his trade under John Gruden and an assistant coach in Tampa from 2002-2004.  The assistant coach?  John Shoop, arguably the worst offensive coordinator in Bears history.
• His three years with the Broncos coincided with the three years the Broncos didn't make the playoffs.  Even though Jay Cutler loves the guy, that was as a quarterbacks coach on a team that didn't make the playoffs during his entire tenure. 
• Bates joined USC in 2009.  This last season was the Trojans worst under Pete Carroll, with double the amount of losses (4) than any of Carroll's previous seasons.  The Trojans wound up playing in the Nut Bowl, reserved for the fifth best Pac 10 team.
• Bates is the son of Jim Bates, former Packers, Broncos, Tampa Bay defensive coordinator who had his clipboard taken away from him in his last two gigs.  God forbid this becomes a package deal.
• Bates has never been a coordinator, although he calls some plays for USC.
• The guy is only 33.  I have socks older than that.  I prefer, as one of my GMs once referred to it, a wizened old gray head.

So, based on the evidence is this who you want leading your offense?  With any luck, Mike Shanahan gets the band back together and hires Bates quickly in Washington. 

It's not about making Jay Cutler happy.  It's about bringing in someone with a system that works and a system that is flexible enough to deal with all of the Bears quirky offensive personnel, including a porous offensive line, a scrambling quarterbacks and receivers who have no idea where they are supposed to be.

Charlie Weis, who probably would be everyone's (except Notre Dame alums) first choice has already signed with Kansas City. I think Lovie and Jerry don't shop at the Parcells/Belichick tree, I think they prefer the Dungy tree. 

Me, I'm hoping for Jeff Jagodzinski.