My coach at Ball State was Angelo's teammate at Miami of Ohio, common ground that led to conversations about family and faith and funny experiences. No matter how Angelo presented himself publicly in the Chicago media as Bears general manager, privately he maintained a sense of humor and decency that always made him enjoyable company.
None of that mattered, of course, when Angelo drafted Michael Haynes in 2003 or Cedric Benson two years later, his biggest first-round busts. Those picks left deeper impressions on the franchise than anything Angelo ever said.
Phil Emery, Angelo's successor, arrived amid glowing endorsements from Navy SEALs he once coached and comparisons to another scout-turned-GM, Ted Thompson of the Packers.