Why Chicago Loves Lovie

The Bears' gentle coach is on a roll

Lovie Smith is a football coach. Yes, the name is Lovie, and while that's not exactly a testosterone-fueled calling card, Smith isn't cut from the foul-mouthed jock mold anyway. The head coach of the Chicago Bears cusses like, well, a kindergarten teacher. What does he say when he gets upset? "Jiminy!" And when he's really angry? "Jiminy Christmas," says MaryAnne, his wife of 26 years. "That's like us throwing F-bombs." Or there's the glare, a sign to the players that they've disappointed their coach.

The glares are rarer these days. It's only October, but the Bears have established themselves as the...

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