http://m.chicagofootball.com/2014/12/18/hub-arkush-is-chicago-bears-qb-jay-cutler-the-culprit-or-victim/az9cig4/
I began covering the NFL in 1977 and started to focus on the Bears in 1979. Over those 38 seasons, Ive seen some inept football operations, teams that made dysfunction a way of life.
I just dont have the time right now to do the research to crown the 2014 Bears as the kings of the clowns, but there is absolutely no question they are among the top four or five finalists.
Thursday was the last straw. Marc Trestman and Phil Emery have found a way to make Jay Cutler a sympathetic character.
While Emery stayed somewhere under deep cover again, Trestman faced the media and came off as some delusional commander who actually is the only one in town who doesnt know the war is lost and he will be the first and most deeply wounded casualty.
Cutler, on the other hand, took to the dais for a press conference he didnt have to hold and absolutely knocked it out of the park in the role of mature, responsible, accountable and remorseful adult and great teammate standing up for himself and his guys.
He was strong, he was brave, he was funny, he was contrite, he was approachable, he was accountable and, at times, he was sympathetic taking his lashing and speaking well of the folks who threw him under the bus.
Unfortunately, it was all the things hes failed to be until just the past few weeks of his six seasons in Chicago.
Asked if he thought his benching was fair, Cutler responded, Theres a lot in that question. I havent really thought about it that deeply. All I know is theres a lot of money involved in my contract, which comes with a lot of expectations and a lot of responsibility. And whenever youre not winning and performing the way you should, theres a likelihood that could happen.
Asked if he still wanted to play for the Chicago Bears, Cutler said, I would like to stay here. I really like it here. I love the guys in the locker room that I get to play with. Clearly, its a different circumstance now. But going forward, this is where Id like to be.
Given the chance to go after the guy who just benched him, he said Yeah. Theres a lot that goes into football games offensively, defensively, special-teams-wise. Marcs still a heck of a football coach. Hes a heck of an offensive coach. Hes a heck of a quarterbacks coach. I still truly believe that.
Lets forget for just a moment that there is absolutely nothing for anybody involved in this circus to gain from Cutlers benching and lets just look for a moment at the Bears now second string, $100 million quarterback.
I understand a large segment of Bears fans have grown weary of Cutler, some disgusted and many even angry that he has failed to be the player you hoped and were led to believe he would be. He deserves that.
And for too long, he failed to vaguely resemble the class act he was in his humble pie press conference.
Emery brought Trestman here to be DaVinci to Cutlers Mona Lisa, but you were all sold a bill of goods.
Over 20 years, Trestman spent 17 seasons with eight different teams, three times lasting just one year, four times two years and only twice making it through a third season.
Why?
Today ,Trestman presides over one of the worst teams, dysfunctional locker rooms and inept offenses in the league, and yet everyone continues to insist on ignoring the fact he took over a 10-6 football team less than two years ago.
I get all the issues Cutler has had with almost all of his coaches in the past and no one is suggesting amnesty.
But if you put all your bias aside and think about it, as bad a job as Emery and Trestman have done, isnt it just possible that Cutler is as much a victim this time as he is the cause?
Cutler may never be the quarterback we think he can be, but Trestman was never the guy to make it happen either.