The Top Bird takes flight south

CFL fans no doubt will feel a little bit of pride from yesterday's announcement that Marc Trestman will be taking the helm of one of the storied franchises of the NFL, the Chicago Bears.

It is and always will be the team that Halas built  and through its storied history it has had a strong stable of head coaches, 14 in total and some of them icons of the game really.

And now, into those giant shoes, will arrive the unassuming Mr. Trestman, by the account of anyone it seems who has ever dealt with  him, one of the nicest men to ever blow a whistle on a football field..

His success in the CFL speaks for itself, Grey Cup Championships, Eastern Division Championships the key member of a Montreal team that has been a dynasty for so many years in the CFL. The measure of his impact on the league and its players, the unanimous flood of good wishes from present and past players, some who spent years with him; others, but a few snaps on a practice roster.

He leaves the CFL a much better place, his Alouette teams over the years were among the elite of our game, entertaining, disciplined and formidable for all that faced them, a pretty good resume to bring to Chicago, a city that worships football and everything about Da Bears.

A city that is still very split and justifiably so, over the firing of Lovie Smith, who actually had a winning record in the Windy City. Though, as has been reviewed and over this year, at the helm of a team that missed the playoffs, a rather cardinal sin in Illinois.

It's into that overwhelming twelve month a year coverage that Trestman will now tread, a media tornado that we suspect he has never quite seen before, nor we imagine, once he has become established in the NFL he will have to face again.

Not to mention the pressure, oh the pressure, Chicago wants to dance (see above) and now it's up to Trestman to bust some moves.

For Montreal the hole will be huge to fill, but considering that teams stable ownership and management we imagine that they have always had a back up plan in place, the time it seems has come to take it off the back shelf, dust it off and start making the phone calls.

Some of the reviews of Marc Trestman's answer to the call of the NFL can be found below.

Chicago Tribune-- Trestman to unveil vision for Bears
Chicago Tribune-- Trestman hire a 'leap of faith'
Chicago Tribune-- Bears put trust in Trestman
Chicago Tribune-- Marc Trestman: A life in football
Chicago Tribune-- Hot prospect days behind him, Trestman's time has finally come
Chicago Tribune-- Marc Trestman chose to be Bears' new coach
Chicago Sun Times-- Marc Trestman becomes Bears 14th head coach
Chicago Sun Times-- Bears introduce Marc Trestman as new head coach
Chicago Sun Times-- 10 things you need to know about Marc Trestman
Chicago Sun Times-- Mike Ditka: Marc Trestman has 'best job in the NFL'
Chicago Sun Times-- How Marc Trestman went from CFL to Bears head coach
Chicago Sun Times-- So does this mean Tim Tebow to the Bears?
Chicago Sun Times-- Marc Trestman needs to stop the Jay Cutler star treatment
Chicago Sun Times-- Brandon Marshall throws support behind Marc Trestman
Chicago Daily Herald-- Emery gets his man in Trestman
Chicago Daily Herald-- New Bears coach has supporters, detractors
Montreal Gazette-- When, not if, with Trestman
Montreal Gazette-- Marc Trestman of the Alouettes named head coach of Chicago Bears
Globe and Mail-- Marc Trestman lands Chicago Bears coaching job
National Post-- Marc Trestman gives up Alouettes to become new Bears head coach