FLIGHT FOR THE FITTEST
Bears’ coach search got off to bumpy start— literally— but they gotwhat theywantedwhen they landed Nagy
The co- pilot of the Bears’ chartered jet braced himself, one hand on the throttle, the other on the ceiling. The bomb cyclone— the winter storm that blanketed the Northeast in January— shook the plane with an equivalent force.
‘‘ Coming up in scouting, I’ve flown a ton,’’ general manager Ryan Pace said. ‘‘ But that was the most turbulent weather I’ve ever been in.’’
But Pace had to get to Foxborough, Massachusetts. He prepared a strict schedule for himself, president and CEO Ted Phillips and chairman GeorgeMcCaskey. He had a coach to find.
Landing in Boston or Providence, Rhode Island, wouldn’t work. It was too dangerous. But Hanscom Field, a small airport 33 miles from Gillette Stadium, would work because of its runway configuration.
Phillips, who’s from New Hampshire, recognized Hanscom. His father, Tony, worked in logistics at a nearby Air Force base of the same name.
‘‘ I’m like, ‘ This is really weird,’ ’’ Phillips said.
Pace sat nearest the cockpit. McCaskey and Phillips, whose seat faced the rear of the plane, were behind him.
As the eight- seat jet descended, Phillips said it became the most frightening flight of his life. Pace said the plane was ‘‘ thrashed.’’
‘‘ At one point, I looked back, and Ted’s glasses flew off his head,’’ Pace said.
Said McCaskey: ‘‘ What’s that Audie Murphy movie? ‘ To Hell and Back’?’’ It was scary as hell. ‘‘ I was thinking to myself, ‘ OK, if this thing goes down, it’s probably better that it’s on the descent because there is less fuel,’ ’’ Pace said.
‘‘ Ted was thinking, ‘ Well, I can