LAKE FOREST – Devin Hester wore a black hood over his head and stood facing his locker with his back to a half-dozen TV cameras.

Hester was angry, and he had no intentions of hiding his displeasure. Less than an hour earlier, he sat in a team meeting as ousted coach Lovie Smith said goodbye.

“The media, the false fans, you all got what you all wanted,” Hester said without making eye contact. “The majority of you all wanted him out. As players, we wanted him in. I guess the fans – the false fans – out-ruled us.”