Please save that objectivity card that the local media and Nashville fan base likes to play. It looks nothing like the coveted big joker in a game of spades. Most of us have been blinded by our hero worship of players we like. I expect for local media to go a little soft on Jay but this soft? Was it just me or did anyone else notice how the Sports zone jocks have creamed other superstars in various sports about their lack of heart or leadership skills. Sure Jay's teammates in Denver loved him at hello but I'm not so sure if his new band of merry men will embrace him as quickly. (see Brian Urlacher guarded words on ESPN.com)
Let's breakdown this home town discount the local media and fan base in Nashville have given to Cutler.
1. This is the first time other than high school that Cutler has been a "star".
Once a player makes good on a lifelong dream to play in the NFL, no one really cares( besides your local community) about the lone championship you won in high school. It's easy to see why the early success and notoriety may have went to Cutler's head. (Insert infamous John Elway comment) At Vandy, Cutler was one of the few bright spots on a team that was hugely inconsistent. One week his Vandy team could beat Tennessee then the next week lose to the likes of Middle Tennessee State. Middle Tennessee was a team that they should have beaten everyday of the week and twice on Sunday. Very few college football fans outside of the SEC new who Cutler was.
Hardcore fans and pro scouts were aware of him but he didn't have that "street cred" that most big time college quarterbacks benefit from. He was never mentioned as a Heisman trophy candidate nor was he heavily recruited after a very productive high school career. Could this be the catalyst behind Jay's mental breakdown after the firing of his coach Mike Shanahan? There aren't many guarantees for success in the N.ot F.or L.ong League. This leaves me to believe that Cutler wasn't playing nice enough behind the scenes. Quarterbacks in most cases can be an over priced and a under evaluated commodity but they are a necessary evil. Take the 2005 selection of Alex Smith who was selected number one overall.
Smith went from looking like a promising prospect with Mike Martz as his offensive coordinator, to an ugly science project full of busted potential. Smith has never had the same coordinator two years in a row nor has he had much protection and weapons to support him. Cutler is the polar opposite in this case. He was under the same coordinator for the greater part of his development. In the NFL, this is usually a rare occurrence considering the turnover of NFL coaches.
I get why he was upset but the exchange between Cutler, Bus Cook, and the Broncos administrative staff looked like a bad marathon of Broke Back mountain on the Logo channel. It was beyond pitiful when he was attempting to save face in the media as some sort of victim. I'm not saying it wasn't mentioned on the zone but it had a different feel to it. It didn't have the same venom normally reserved for guys we deem as "bad" or spoiled. (home town discount)
2. Strong Armed Quarterbacks are a cross between a bleach blonde, a B.E.T uncut video model, and a stepford wife surgically perfected by a plastic surgeon. - They come a dime a dozen.
"Arm Strength" is widely overrated when evaluating the ability of a quarterback to play in this league. Did you know that Jeff George, Ryan Leaf, Scott Mitchell, Mike Vick and Heath Shuler were once regarded as "strong armed" quarterbacks. History is on the side of this argument. Teams that become champions discover how to look for the intangible qualities in a player.
Exibit A, Trent Dilfer is a Superbowl champ and Dan Marino, Dan Fouts and Warren Moon aren't.
The bears have had 27 different starting quarterbacks since Jim Mcmahon led them to the Superbowl. Everyone from Eric Kramer to Kordell Stewart have failed them miserably. They did get back to the Superbowl with Rex Grossman. The premise of my argument is that the "prototypical" skills that most scouts, fans, and analyst drool over doesn't automatically bring a championship to your favorite team. What it does bring is a bunch of hot air coupled with unfulfilled high expectations. Doug Williams, Trent Dilfer, Phill Simms, and Jim Plunkett are names that come to mind when I analyze how "serviceable" quarterbacks can lead teams to superbowl victories.
Intangibles can't be measured at the meat market palooza that the NFL loves to disguise as a "scouting combine". Most scouts fall in love with cleavage and pay little attention to the details that ultimately determine whether or not the pretty ladies in question can sustain a home much less a meaningful conversation. (This is actually cathartic) Did I just confess to being shallow?
3. Cutler has possibly cut his nose to spite his face in demanding a trade.
The Chicago Bears were the 26th ranked offense in the entire league. Save the Quantum leap expectations for Scott Bakula. We're talking about a team that hitched its offensive needs on converting Devin Hester to a wide receiver. Lovie Smith doesn't strike me as a coach who's going to change his offensive philosophy. Honestly, can you see him going to the pass happy offense that will feature Cutler? The 2008 Dolphins and Falcons are given Bears fans a false sense of hope considering those teams drastic improvements from last season.
Remember that those huge improvements came after coaching changes. A new regime may have to take over before the Bears make another meaningful run in the playoffs. If this reclamation project fails then look for Lovie Smith to be sent packing. This false hope is reminiscent of a bad infomercial that promises hopeless saps that they can lose 10 pounds in seven days. I caution you, read the fine print.
4. How is 3 other former Vanderbilt Players relevant to turning around the mess that the Bears are?
Earl Bennett hasn't emerged as much of a threat in his two seasons after being drafted in the third round of 2007. How does Jay Cutler's arrival suddenly make him better? This isn't the SEC ya know. Also cancel those dreams of a free agent wide receiver on the back end of his career saving the bears God awful receiving corp. Mushin Muhammed was on the first thing smoking out of Chicago when he got the chance. Look for Lovie Smith to give Matt Forte the ball at least 300 times. So where does that leave Cutler? (This is like Jay Z breaking up with Beyonce for Queen Latifah.) Brandon Marshall and Eddie Royal supported Jay as much as he supported them with his on the money delivery.
When a guy has 4000 yard season please understand that most of those yards are gained after speedy receivers get tough yardage after the catch. Passing yardage and Y.A.C. (yards after the catch) go together like Peaches and Herb. Trade talk or starters looking in their rear view mirror at hungry backups and free agents is nothing new in this league. If Cutler would've adjusted and kept his mouth shut he could've possibly been in a position to stay the course of becoming a legitmate superstar. It's likely he just got himself a first class invitation to the country club of the unappreciated on a bad team.(I here this is one of the few Country Clubs that Donovan Mcnabb can join) Oh I forgot he's had that before at Vandy. Maybe he's home sick.
5. Did someone school Cutler on the rigors of playing quarterback in the NFL?
Holdouts, and trade demands go hand in hand. Quite Frankly its apart of the game. I know the Bears believe they just got better at that quarterback position (I will concede that they did) but at the expense of gold. (draft picks) It's harder to recover draft picks when a team gives up two number ones in consecutive years. What if the experiment bombs and they end up worst than they were with Orton. That means that the Broncos would be in line for a top ten pick.
Valuable early round draft picks should be used wisely. The Bears haven't minded the store here. Quarterbacks can be the cornerstone to a gradual turn around but they aren't the only way to rebuild a franchise. Drew Brees threw for 5,000 yards in 2008 and where did that get his team. Jon Kitna threw for 4,000 yards in Detroit in the 2006 but was 2-14 as a starter. The Buffalo Bills were one of the most prolific offenses in the late 80's and early 90's only to get sent home with four straight Superbowl losses.
Judging by the pass that Cutler has been given here in Nashville that means that Jason Campbell, Brady Quinn, Derek Anderson, David Garrad and Patrick O'Sullivan should all take a page from Cutler. What do all of these guys have in common? All of their ownership inquired about a possible trade for Cutler.
Orton may wind up being the bigger winner considering what Mcdaniels was able to do with Cassell last year. Orton's numbers weren't terrible but can be justified by some of the personnel he played with. I've heard the same defense concerning Cutler's performance. He's 17-20 as a starter. Parcells used to say that you are what your record says you are. Sure Cutler didn't have the supporting cast of a solid D but he's the guy. The guys we love to marginalize can never get that vote of confidence when we debate their performances. Certain guys need more support while the other guy just "sucks".
Rob Marinelli inherited a terrible sack of manure in Detroit but that didn't save his job. 0-16 is still 0-16. That's even if you inherit a franchise that thought recievers could block at the line of scrimmage. So why have we spared Cutler in Nashville? Because we like him... That's in spite of the criticism that we've given other players for holding out, demanding trades and missing mini camps or much worse refusing to go back into the game. What will be the reaction if Bo Scaife decides to holdout after being franchised? Judging by this situation, there should be a moratorium on the criticism of players holding out or doing anything similar to what Cutler has done. I wouldn't bet the house on that one. I can't wait to see how this pans out. I love hoops but when does the football season start?
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