Chicago Bears Jay Cutler . . .

[mtrunner]

Originally Posted by rpryan55

Don't know where you were during the game, but I was behind the Bears five rows up. And I saw a limping Cutler (who, again, I am no fan of) talking to Caleb Hanie in between the plays, and talking to coaches as well. He kept his earbuds in during the game to hear, and give advice, on the plays being called - don't really know what more he could do.

I've seen the game on TV - and he looks bad. But I wouldn't believe everything you see on TV, if you know what I mean.

My father-in-law was at the game as well and said he looked completely disengaged on the sidelines. This is being reported all over the internet as well by sports reporters. Cutler was asked about his attitude on the sideline and he even said he demeanor was due to the fact he was left with a "lonely feeling." He was acting like a big baby plain and simple.

[mtrunner]

Reported by the LA Times: His disinterested sourpuss made him look like a kid who had meekly gotten his lunch taken by a school bully. And when third-string quarterback Caleb Hanie was looking over a book of formations after he had been thrown into the fire, Cutler looked like he was a million miles away, though he was sitting next to him.

[rpryan55]

Originally Posted by mtrunner

My father-in-law was at the game as well and said he looked completely disengaged on the sidelines. This is being reported all over the internet as well by sports reporters. Cutler was asked about his attitude on the sideline and he even said he demeanor was due to the fact he was left with a "lonely feeling." He was acting like a big baby plain and simple.

Originally Posted by mtrunner

Reported by the LA Times: His disinterested sourpuss made him look like a kid who had meekly gotten his lunch taken by a school bully. And when third-string quarterback Caleb Hanie was looking over a book of formations after he had been thrown into the fire, Cutler looked like he was a million miles away, though he was sitting next to him.

Not at all what I saw. But don't believe me - just find me a quote from a Bear that agrees with any of the Cutler bashing. Just one from a teammate that was on the field, with Cutler at the time, that agrees with any of you. Just one, and I'll say you're right.

But if you can't (and you can't), then you'd have to agree with me - you just don't have enough information to bash the guy. You weren't there, on the field, with him. Those that were have nothing bad to say about the guy.

[mtrunner]

Originally Posted by rpryan55

Not at all what I saw. But don't believe me - just find me a quote from a Bear that agrees with any of the Cutler bashing. Just one from a teammate that was on the field, with Cutler at the time, that agrees with any of you. Just one, and I'll say you're right.

But if you can't (and you can't), then you'd have to agree with me - you just don't have enough information to bash the guy. You weren't there, on the field, with him. Those that were have nothing bad to say about the guy.

Of course no Bears teammate is going to come out and say something about their leader. Doesn't mean he isn't a bad teammate. Look at what happened in Denver.

[rpryan55]

Originally Posted by mtrunner

This is being reported all over the internet as well by sports reporters.

Just saw this. Chicago reporters are not reporting this - they were there and didn't see the game on TV.

Originally Posted by mtrunner

Of course no Bears teammate is going to come out and say something about their leader. Doesn't mean he isn't a bad teammate. Look at what happened in Denver.

Well, not only are they not criticizing him, they are praising him. They are defending him. THAT they do not have to do - Cutler is well-liked by this team, and it is because he's a fighter and he's tough. Go figure me to be a Cutler defender (because I hate the guy as our quarterback), but I saw him handle himself on the sidelines with my own eyes - and what I saw doesn't jell with what you're saying. Sorry.

[kareemthedream33]

Originally Posted by rpryan55

Just saw this. Chicago reporters are not reporting this - they were there and didn't see the game on TV.



Well, not only are they not criticizing him, they are praising him. They are defending him. THAT they do not have to do - Cutler is well-liked by this team, and it is because he's a fighter and he's tough. Go figure me to be a Cutler defender (because I hate the guy as our quarterback), but I saw him handle himself on the sidelines with my own eyes - and what I saw doesn't jell with what you're saying. Sorry.

Pretty much everyone outside of the bears organization has criticized him for this including those with no media ties at all. Several well-respected current and former players have criticized him. Is it some kind of mass conspiracy?

In the NFL, in the NFC championship game, with a superbowl berth on the line, if you can walk without wincing, if you can stand on the sidelines without receiving medical attention, if you can do these things and are supposed to be the leader and most important player on the team...you can play. Period.

[rpryan55]

Originally Posted by kareemthedream33

Pretty much everyone outside of the bears organization has criticized him for this including those with no media ties at all. Several well-respected current and former players have criticized him. Is it some kind of mass conspiracy?

In the NFL, in the NFC championship game, with a superbowl berth on the line, if you can walk without wincing, if you can stand on the sidelines without receiving medical attention, if you can do these things and are supposed to be the leader and most important player on the team...you can play. Period.

Well, I'm not a doctor, like you, but the ones that examined him say that based upon his injury not only could he NOT play, he would have been questionable for the Super Bowl had the Bears won. Maybe if you can walk without wincing (and he was examined on the sidelines - either that, or there were a bunch of men touching him inappropriately on the sidelines) you are tough, and you don't let pain get to you. That does not mean it is a good idea to play football.

But again, I don't have the medical expertise you do.

As for the players on lesser teams (they were all watching the game AT HOME, n'est pas?) criticising him, well, what do you expect from overpaid losers?

[cgjane]

Was a diva in Denver, is a diva in Chicago. Cutler is a diva.

He will be on another team pretty soon.

Kolb is available since the Eagles are sticking with Vick.

[mtrunner]

Originally Posted by rpryan55

Well, I'm not a doctor, like you, but the ones that examined him say that based upon his injury not only could he NOT play, he would have been questionable for the Super Bowl had the Bears won. Maybe if you can walk without wincing (and he was examined on the sidelines - either that, or there were a bunch of men touching him inappropriately on the sidelines) you are tough, and you don't let pain get to you. That does not mean it is a good idea to play football.

But again, I don't have the medical expertise you do.

As for the players on lesser teams (they were all watching the game AT HOME, n'est pas?) criticising him, well, what do you expect from overpaid losers?

Again it has more to do with his total lack of interest and the fact he sat on the sidelines pouting. Michael Wilbon writes a nice article outlining the fact that there there are serious problems with Cutlers Character including the way he handled himself in that game. I for one respect Wilbon and know he is well respected among his peers. He has been reporting on sports for years and years which allows him access to athletes that we could only dream of. The athletes he talked to have no respect for Cutler including his own teammates. I like this part of the article:

But we don't hear those Peyton Manning-like stories about Cutler, how he comes early to practice and stays late and works systematically and demonically at getting better. What we hear, even from teammates in both Denver and Chicago, is that Cutler is an arrogant, pouting player who rates himself quite highly. It's a characterization that is believed totally throughout the league, through almost any pro football circle you wander into. And because it's believed wholly that Cutler is a guy with a big arm, an overrated sense of himself and little if any heart, precious few people in Cutler's own fraternity had any sympathy for him during the game.

The article also highlights Cutlers complete absence on the sidelines and this is from a reporter who is a life long Bears fan and was actually at the game as well. He wasn't just sitting in front of a TV.

http://sports.espn.go.com/chicago/nf...ael&id=6052280

[kareemthedream33]

Some of those losers sitting in front of their tvs were extremely respected players who are significantly more well accomplished and respected than Jay Cutler.

[rpryan55]

Originally Posted by kareemthedream33

Some of those losers sitting in front of their tvs were extremely respected players who are significantly more well accomplished and respected than Jay Cutler.

None of them, tho, were playing on a team for the conference championship. Jay Cutler was.

[NewUser]

from my understanding, he asked to go back in, and they told him no.

Imo, just because someone else was able to play, doesnt mean all people are the same. Joe Namath might be able to do it, but i know i cant, so i wont criticize him. You get hit by clay matthews on a hurt knee and see how it feels....

[rpryan55]

Originally Posted by mtrunner

Again it has more to do with his total lack of interest and the fact he sat on the sidelines pouting. Michael Wilbon writes a nice article outlining the fact that there there are serious problems with Cutlers Character including the way he handled himself in that game. I for one respect Wilbon and know he is well respected among his peers. He has been reporting on sports for years and years which allows him access to athletes that we could only dream of. The athletes he talked to have no respect for Cutler including his own teammates. I like this part of the article:

But we don't hear those Peyton Manning-like stories about Cutler, how he comes early to practice and stays late and works systematically and demonically at getting better. What we hear, even from teammates in both Denver and Chicago, is that Cutler is an arrogant, pouting player who rates himself quite highly. It's a characterization that is believed totally throughout the league, through almost any pro football circle you wander into. And because it's believed wholly that Cutler is a guy with a big arm, an overrated sense of himself and little if any heart, precious few people in Cutler's own fraternity had any sympathy for him during the game.

The article also highlights Cutlers complete absence on the sidelines and this is from a reporter who is a life long Bears fan and was actually at the game as well. He wasn't just sitting in front of a TV.

http://sports.espn.go.com/chicago/nf...ael&id=6052280

Again, I saw it with my own eyes. And you don't hear that "Cutler is an arrogant, pouting player who rates himself quite highly" from any Bear that I've heard. Can you give me a quote?

[mtrunner]

Originally Posted by rpryan55

Again, I saw it with my own eyes. And you don't hear that "Cutler is an arrogant, pouting player who rates himself quite highly" from any Bear that I've heard. Can you give me a quote?

Do you honestly think a Bears player is going to go on the record stating they think Cutler is an arrogant ass? I don't think so. But I am going to believe Wilbon and what he wrote. He has been in the business for 25 plus years with plenty of access to players who talk off the record all the time. I am pretty sure he didn't make this up just for the fun of it.

[joeychitwood]

I'm no Cutler fan, but a partially torn MCL is a different injury than a PCL or ACL tear. The knee would have no medial stability, and it is impossible to plant on the leg without it caving in. Ligament tears aren't necessarily that painful. I've examined people with complete LCL or MCL ligament tears that had no pain when I bent their knees 30 degrees from straight.

Cutler looks the same on the sidelines whether he is winning or losing. He is not a leader. As for toughness, he was sacked 57 times this year. Every time, he got up and kept playing. He is a diabetic who plays a sport where very few others have been able to do so. Anyone who can spend a career facing four guys who weigh 330 pounds, can run a 4.6 40 yard dash and want to kill you on every play is tough.

[kareemthedream33]

Originally Posted by rpryan55

None of them, tho, were playing on a team for the conference championship. Jay Cutler was.

How is a retired player supposed to be playing in a conference championship game? I don't understand your argument? By your logic, Cutler is better than Tom Brady because Brady was knocked out of the playoffs earlier in this particular year...all he's ever done is win 3 rings, 2 NFL MVPs and 2 superbowl MVPs.

[snowbird]

I think something to keep in mind is, I have not seen any negative comments from current or retired NFL quarterbacks, everything I have seen is from players in other positions (mostly defense).

If a quarterback can't plant his foot the way he needs to throw accurately, then he can't play his position effectively and the team is better off going to the next guy on the depth chart. I suspect that was the thinking of the Bears coaches.

Likewise there are positions in football that people can play with various other injuries (e.g. broken fingers on their dominant hand) that a quarterback may not be able to play with.

[mtrunner]

This entire Cutler fiasco can be summed up pretty easily. Jay Cutler has a reputation of being an arrogant crybaby who isn't a team player or team leader and this has been well documented when he played in Denver and that reputation has been with him ever since. Fair or not it is what it is. This is probably the biggest reason this entire Cutler fiasco mushroomed into this huge debate. When cameras focused on Cutler at different points in the game he looked completely disengaged and didn't seem to have a care in the world. This may or may not be the case but when you have his reputation people are going to jump on him when they see this. Even if he could or could not play people are not willing to give him the benefit of the doubt especially the way he carried himself in the 3rd and 4th quarters along with his reputation of being a punk.

If Aaron Rodgers went down with the same injury it wouldn't even be a discussion. It comes down to his attitude plain and simple. I initially thought he could play but it does appear he was too injured to play after reading his injury report. Unfortunately many fans are still going to hate on him because of his lack of leadership.

Obviously there is also the other side that like Culter and think he is a good leader and player. Everyone has the right to develop an opinion of a players character based on his actions and what is reported. Clearly NONE of us truly know him. He is probably a swell guy but is he a leader?

[rpryan55]

Originally Posted by mtrunner

This entire Cutler fiasco can be summed up pretty easily. Jay Cutler has a reputation of being an arrogant crybaby who isn't a team player or team leader and this has been well documented when he played in Denver and that reputation has been with him ever since. Fair or not it is what it is. This is probably the biggest reason this entire Cutler fiasco mushroomed into this huge debate. When cameras focused on Cutler at different points in the game he looked completely disengaged and didn't seem to have a care in the world. This may or may not be the case but when you have his reputation people are going to jump on him when they see this. Even if he could or could not play people are not willing to give him the benefit of the doubt especially the way he carried himself in the 3rd and 4th quarters along with his reputation of being a punk.

If Aaron Rodgers went down with the same injury it wouldn't even be a discussion. It comes down to his attitude plain and simple. I initially thought he could play but it does appear he was too injured to play after reading his injury report. Unfortunately many fans are still going to hate on him because of his lack of leadership.

Obviously there is also the other side that like Culter and think he is a good leader and player. Everyone has the right to develop an opinion of a players character based on his actions and what is reported. Clearly NONE of us truly know him. He is probably a swell guy but is he a leader?

Agreed. Don't think he's a swell guy, either - tho I know a player who thinks he's "the funniest guy" he knows. Nonetheless, I am surprised at the enmity members of the press have towards him - to me, he's either hot or cold. When he's cold, he sucks. When he's hot, he's simply not as exciting or as charismatic as a top-tier quarterback should be.

My only point was that he wasn't completely disengaged, and he wasn't a quitter - those were unfair characterizations. But there is no question that the guy will never, ever be counted among the great quarterbacks of the game - and maybe it's because he simply doesn't have what it takes to grab our imagination and our passion. And if he can't do that, perhaps he can't grab his fellow player's passion either.

[beowulf566]

didnt jack lambert play two games with a broken leg

[johnny80s]

Loved what one of the Chicago Blackhawks said about him... He's obviously couldn't be a hockey player.