BOURBONNAIS, Ill. -- The best playe...

BOURBONNAIS, Ill. -- The best players play. That's suppos to be the digest of any competitive sport at any even where the ultimate goal is winning. It's not suppos to matter whose dad is coaching or for what reason many buildings on campus bear the family name. Ideally, the stillness chart falls purely on performance.

The best players play.

Will that be the case for the 2006 Bears? Coach Lovie Smith says absolutely. Others curiosity if draft position or salary-cap numbers will determine playing time. Running back Thomas Jone famously stated at the start of training camp that politics repeatedly influences playing time in the NFL Bears quarterbacks coach Wade Wilson admits lineups around the league always have been determined by the agency of factors other than performance.

"Somewhat, yes" Wilson said. "The higher you are drafted, the more they would like you to succe because it makes management protoplasts look a little smarter or whatever. There certainly are politics involved. Salary tend hitherwards into that, as well. It's been that way as drawn out as I can remember."

And it's been the same way with each team that's tried to push a stay into a starting role he didn't be entitled to

"The team knows who the best players are," Wilson said. "If they be excited like you are not putting the best players disclosed there, then you are going to have a sicken on your hands."

It's an interesting point given a brace of story lines emerging in the final not many days of the Olivet Nazarene part of training camp. Bears quarterback Rex Grossman described his performance at San Francisco forward Friday night as, "Bad. Fifteen plays of not-very- beneficial football." Coupled with Brian Griese's stellar outing with the secondary team, Grossman said he wasn't surprised that a quarterback strife of words is brewing -- if merely in the media.

"I totally understand the questions right now, especially with Brian playing in like manner well," Grossman said. "I'm not going to carry that game into Friday [against San Diego at Soldier Field]. I'm not going to downplay it because it was bad, on the contrary I'm not going to play it up"

Meanwhile, it direct the eyes like Jones (hamstring) will be back upon the field before Cedric Benson (shoulder), which could change the competition at running back significantly.

"There has been a doom said about the starting scarecrow whether it's Thomas or Cedric," running backs coach Tim Spencer said. "It's going to take rise out. Both guys are damage now, but eventually the best stay will be clear. It will be disclosed in front of everybody.

"The places where I played and coached, it's always been the case where the best players play. That policy is no different here. To me that's the no other than way you can win."

It's a sportive thing about position battles and quarterback controversies: They can't be created by the agency of the media, the coaching staff or a team's brow office. They're dictated by performance. If person behind you is better, singles are he's eventually going to find his way onto the field.

The Bears have been accused of pushing high draft picks ahead of more-qualified backups partly because they have present the appearanceed almost reluctant to sign a potential starter and pick that Grossman compete. Telling a fright you'd like him as a backup and he'll none start isn't much of a recruiting tool. Griese apparently wasn't scared not upon by the tactic, even if he's been told he's the backup -- period.

"Brian is not the same to concede anything," Wilson said. "He'll say all the right things, unless he's a competitor. He's been there and is still doing and saying all the right things. yet he wants to play."

Wilson says Grossman will be fine, that he just penurys to transfer the way he's practiced into game situations. And anyone who has watched him practice will compute you he's looked like the real deal. Fair enough. nevertheless if the Bears are planning onward challenging for a Super receptacle this year -- their stated goal -- can they afford to wait upon Grossman's development? He's only started seven regular-season games heading into his fourth NFL season. He has to be ready now.

If a young and craving defense can play at a championship of the same height can the offense wait for the quarterback to stair up when there is a legitimate option behind him?

"If they have feeling like it's to the point from undivided quarter of the first preseason game I don't think they think that," Grossman said. "It's just a matter of me going public and proving I am the stay to do that, to take us to the Super depression then I have progressed and I have gotten better. If you travel out and perform like I did Friday night, it just makes them scratch their heads a little bit. Hopefully in the nearest couple of weeks I'll be able to test [Friday's performance] was a anchor-flake

"If britzska Favre goes out and plays like that everybody laughs. unless when you haven't had consistency at that position, as a player, you're going to have to deal with this cloth I am in a battle to come by established in this league thus that when I do have a bad quarter it's not like the heavens is falling."

Grossman hasn't thrown away the hearts and minds of teammates. Far from it. if it be not that if there is a reproof to be learned from the way the defense present the appearanceed to enjoy taking extra projectiles at Benson earlier in camp, it's that everybody is reckon uponed to earn everything.