Ryan Poles has a specific vision for the Chicago Bears. He wanted to build a team similar to what the organization had in the 2000s when guys like Brian Urlacher, Lance Briggs, Charles Tillman, Olin Kreutz, and Thomas Jones led the locker room. Not only were they all great players, but they were great leaders, too. Poles understood that building a winner required more than talent. He needed guys who were 100% focused on football, on being great. They were willing to support each other and push each other at the same time.
Poles saw the same thing during his long tenure as a scout and executive in Kansas City. During his latest press conference, the man spoke about the long process of rebuilding the organization from the ground up. One line he delivered stood out, referencing the necessity of balancing physical ability with mental maturity.
“I’m proud of the process that we’ve set up,” Poles said. “It’s not just about acquiring the best talent, it’s about acquiring the right talent. I think that’s what you see in this building. It’s special. The group of guys, it’s really special.”
Great stuff, right? He probably learned that from Andy Reid during their time together in Kansas City. Except no, that isn’t true at all. Poles stole that from the iconic sports movie Miracle, detailing the incredible story of the 1980 U.S. hockey team that upset the Soviet Union in the Olympics. The quote came from head coach Herb Brooks, played by Kurt Russell.
Miracle was a box office success and is widely viewed as one of the best sports films of all time. That line by Brooks was a great lesson about team-building. It can’t just be about talent. He understood that to take down the mighty Soviets, he needed players with the right personalities. He needed competitors, guys with resiliency and a willingness to work hard. Those are the types of players who establish a winning culture. Corny as it might sound on the big screen, it also happens to be true.
Clearly, Ryan Poles understood the lesson and chose to apply it to how he built the Bears. One can’t argue with the results. This has to be the healthiest locker room the organization has had in over a decade. Everybody is dedicated to the cause of lifting this team out of the mud. They work hard, play harder, and push each other to be better. If this works out, fans may find copies of Miracle wherever they can just so they can get Poles to sign it for them.
