I’d take him back in a second.
There’s a whole point missing in the narrative that’s been strapped to Cutler. Too much concentration on how he is as a teammate, how he treats the press and, now, whether he wussed out on an injury. What I’ve always liked about the guy is that, for a sourpuss, he has a terrible poker face. I mean, there are real assholes out there (in all walks of life) who can’t stand being around people – but they pretend like they do. I hate those guys! If you’re an anti-social dork, show it! And Cutler does.
And as a guy who makes a lot of mistakes (if you call throwing the ball to the other team’s players a “mistake,” you judgmental jerk), Cutler reacts in contortions and shock as if he rarely makes them. That makes me laugh. After releasing a ball yesterday, which floated high into the air and, somehow, fell to the ground with three Packers trying desperately to grab it, Cutler’s body language was hysterical. The replay showed his arms and wincing-face speaking a loud dialogue of “oh shit, OH SHIT…. NO, NO, NO… MISS IT! NOONAN!… YEAH, GET TO THE GROUND, yeah… crap, shouldn’t have done that… I’ll bow my head now and hope no one noticed.”
I like Cutler because he’s… human. He’s awkward. He may hate losing (or may not), but doesn’t work hard to show you that. Good for him. Cause you – you’re kind of a jerk. And by “you,” I mean you Chicago fans. I submit into evidence: this here link.
(And really, let’s not get started on Chicago fans. They’ll whine for an offseason about Cutler, but they’ll wear their Pippen jerseys with pride. The same Scottie Pippen that quit during a playoff game because he wasn’t asked to shoot the last shot. He quit. Wasn’t hurt. Wasn’t standing on a messed-up knee. Just said, “if I’m not the guy shooting it, I’m not playing.” He’s in the Hall of Fame. But Jay Cutler’s an asshole.)
Cutler probably could have played yesterday. I’m pretty sure the coaches weighed his sucky play (as well as the O-line’s) and said, “ah heck, how bad can Todd Collins be?” (Oops.) “Okay, how bad can a guy named Hanie be?”
Now, would Cutler’s career have been helped out by a sideline argument (“I’ve gotta play, coach!”) that NFL Films could have caught on tape? Maybe. But I’m hoping that this is the start of a true anti-Favre moment in time. Let’s stop that silliness in sports. Let’s end the grandstanding for the cameras and the accompanying “he’s such a warrior/kid out there” commentating.
Because sidelines are normal places where, sure… courageous things happen. But it’s also where guys are tired. And throw childish tantrums. And show the worst (and snottiest) of themselves. A football sideline is a lot like… well, anywhere else. People are just people. Maybe it’d be good to get the player mic’ed that says, “dude, IT HURTS!” or “You want me to BACK out there?!! They’re killing me!”
That’s a league I could get behind.
(And seriously… I would take him back in a second.)
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New BYN game starts today. Link up top of page. If you haven’t played before – take a look. It’s kinda fun.
