Lynch said it was a "false" assump

LAKE FOREST, Ill. - The jabs kept coming from Lovie Smith, and all Lance Briggs wanted to do was prove his new coach wrong. A decade later, the seven-time Pro Bowl linebacker smiled as he looked back.It was 2004. Briggs was in his second year and Smith was in his first as Chicago Bears coach.He challenged me all the time, Briggs said. It was always, Lance, youre not gonna make that play or hell never make that play. Hed always talk to Brian (Urlacher). Hed talk to some of the other guys, like, Lance cant make that play.There was plenty of reflecting Wednesday as the Bears prepared to host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Smiths first game against them since he was fired two years ago.Briggs recalled earning Smiths respect and the change in tone over the years. It went from those motivational shots to the coach expressing faith in his linebackers ability to make plays, to help shut down opponents.Briggs insisted Smith should be remembered as one of the great coaches of Chicago along with George Halas and Mike Ditka.But its not that simple.Smith guided the Bears to an 81-63 record during a nine-season run from 2004-12 that produced three playoff appearances and a trip to the Super Bowl. But his stubbornness at times was a source of frustration in Chicago. So were the struggles in the second halves in each of his final two seasons that kept the Bears out of the playoffs.While his defence consistently excelled, Smith could never solve the problems on offence.That, along with the playoff misses ultimately led to his downfall, with the Bears firing him after they missed the post-season despite winning 10 games in 2012.Theyre 12-14 under Marc Trestman, and at 4-6, they will likely miss the post-season for the seventh time in eight years. Smith, meanwhile, is trying to build a winner in Tampa Bay after a year out of the league.The Buccaneers are 2-8 but just two games off the NFC South lead heading into Sundays game. As much as Smith insisted hes simply another coach trying to win at Soldier Field, even he could not avoid reflecting just a little on his time in Chicago.He called coaching there a dream come true. He said he was proud of everything we were able to do.Only Halas and Ditka coached the Bears longer and won more games than Smith, who had never been a head coach. Before that, he was an assistant on Tony Dungys staff in Tampa Bay and defensive co-ordinator in St. Louis.Being my first head coaching job, all of my philosophies and things that I thought I believed in, I got a chance to see, he said. Every imaginable situation you can be in as a head football coach, I feel like I had a chance to be in there (in Chicago). Just about any game — coaching the Hall of Fame game to a Super Bowl. Besides winning a Super Bowl, I think as a coach I got a chance to witness and be a part of just about everything you could want to as a coach. So there were a lot of things that came around.Smith said he loved the organization. He mentioned the players and the lifetime memories, the lifetime relationships he forged with the Bears.He did not seem too concerned about fans reactions on Sunday.I dont need anything validated this week, he said. Fans were great to me and my family while we were there, administration was.Players remain loyal, too.Bears defensive tackle Stephen Paea appreciated Smiths honesty. He also remembered getting the call from the Bears when they drafted him in 2011. On the other end was Smith, and the coach had a question for him.First thing he told me — How does it feel to play by Julius Peppers and Brian Urlacher? Paea said. I was like, Hell, yeah, Ill come to Chicago and play.Its gonna be an exciting game for us.NOTES: The Bears downplayed a players-only video session held last week. DE Jared Allen said defensive co-ordinator Mel Tucker approached him about holding one to give us an opportunity to take over as leaders and add some accountability to the defence. ... Briggs, RB Matt Forte and DT Jeremiah Ratliff sat out Wednesdays practice for non-injury reasons. DT Ego Ferguson (illness), WR Alshon Jeffery (hamstring), WR Brandon Marshall (ankle), DE Trevor Scott (knee), LB Darryl Sharpton (hamstring) and WR Chris Williams (hamstring) did not participate. OL Eben Britton (illness), RT Jordan Mills (ribs) and WR Josh Morgan (shoulder) were limited.___AP NFL websites: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL Womens Running Shoes Ireland . His recovery time is expected to be six to eight months. Seidenberg was injured in the third period of Fridays 5-0 victory over the Ottawa Senators, when he got his leg tangled with forward Cory Conacher. Clearance Running Shoes Ireland . -- All-Pro tight end Jimmy Graham and the New Orleans Saints met Tuesday for arbitration on his contract. http://www.wholesalerunningshoesireland.com/ . Huntington doesnt want to help run the club unless Hurdle is in the dugout. The combination thats returned the franchise to respectability will remain intact for years to come. Cheap Running Shoes Ireland .com) - Australian Open champion Li Na, former Wimbledon winner Petra Kvitova and former world No. Clearance Running Shoes . Markieff Morris and Marcus Morris, city natives, handled the catering for teammates that begged them for the tasty postgame feast. JERSEY CITY, N.J. -- Beast Mode was Least Mode again. Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch abruptly ended his media availability -- again -- walking away from a throng of reporters while escorted by a member of the New Jersey State Police on Wednesday after about 7 uncomfortable minutes in which he answered just a few questions. The elusive Lynch, who created a stir at media day Tuesday by talking for only 6 1/2 minutes, writhed in his seat and leaned his head back at times. A few dozen reporters, lined up as much as five deep, tried to ask questions during the players 45-minute availability at the team hotel. "I really dont have too much to say, boss," Lynch said in a tone barely above a whisper. "I really dont. I appreciate it, but I dont get it. Im just here so I wont get fined, boss. Thats the only reason Im here." Earlier this month, Lynch was fined $50,000 for not co-operating with the Seattle media. The NFL put that fine on hold, saying it would be rescinded if he complied with media obligations. During media day, Lynch spoke for 6 1/2 minutes before leaving, then returning to speak to Deion Sanders for NFL Network, to the Seahawks website, and to Armed Forces Network -- and acknowledged he was trying to avoid being fined by the league for not meeting his media requirements. It didnt appear Lynch would be fined, for either Tuesday or Wednesday. "Players are required to participate and he participated," NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said in an email to The Associated Press. "His comments of the past two days have been widely circulated." In a statement before Tuesdays media session, the Pro Football Writers of America said it was "extremely disappointed in the lack of meaningful access" to Lynch at media day. The PFWA added that several "long-standing and high-profile members were appalled by Mr. Lynchs conduct and refusal to answer any questions." The organization also called the statement by the league that Lynch participated Tuesday "an affront to our membership," but added that it was "encouraged" that the NFL would continue to monitor the situation. Players have clauses in their contract requiring them to co-operate with the media. Fullback Michael Robinson, one of Lynchs buddies who was seated to his left, even poked fun at the situation by asking Lynch a question of his own. "What do you think of your fullback?" Robinson said, laughing.dddddddddddd"Is he a pretty cool brother?" "No," Lynch responded. "What?" Robinson asked incredulously. "No," Lynch repeated. "Thats messed up," a smiling Robinson said. "We went to dinner last night and everything, man." After Lynch was short with his answers to a few questions, Robinson moved the microphone in front of himself and began answering questions for Lynch. "Im going to slide up in this thing," Robinson said with a smile, "and break up the monotony a little bit. Uhh, Marshawn aint going to try to say nothing to you guys, so you can direct your questions toward me." Robinson used the running backs "boss" figure of speech to end each sentence. One reporter asked how Lynch was feeling. "He just wants to play ball, boss," Robinson said. Robinson was then asked how he would define "Beast Mode." "Its a lifestyle, boss," Robinson responded as Lynch, wearing headphones on top of his head, sat back in his chair smiling. Lynch was asked if he was concerned he could be fined for not showing up at the availability, and he handled that one himself. "Im here, man," Lynch said. "So, I dont have to pay the fine, boss." Lynch said it was a "false" assumption that he doesnt like talking to the media because he was once misquoted. He also said that its not hard balancing being a private person and a football star because the fans dont mind how he goes about his business. "The media has a problem with it," Lynch said. "Its a problem if they choose to take something away from me for not doing it." A reporter reminded Lynch that its the NFL that issues the fines. "Well, reporters have to call it in," Lynch said. "So, it starts somewhere, right?" At one point, Lynch looked up at a team staffer and asked, "Whats up with that time?" A few moments later, a reporter tried to ask a question, shouting, "Hey, Marshawn!" Lynch got up, climbed over a few chairs and made his way through the crowd of reporters and disappeared through an area restricted to team personnel. "He gets it done on game day," Robinson said after Lynch left. "If youre looking for somebody whos going lead by example, all you have to do is watch him run the ball and you know what time it is." ' ' '