A QUESTION OF HEART

I know it has been a few days but I have come to the conclusion that Jay Cutler simply has no heart. There have been opinions on both sides about him leaving the NFC Championship game last Sunday. Some say that he knows his own body and what he can and cannot do and that the team’s medical people should have final say. Others say that this is the biggest game of his career and he might not get that chance again, so get your butt out there and play. I tend to agree with the latter.

   There have been many examples of players continuing to play with extraordinary injuries. In 1979 Jack Youngblood of the L.A.Rams fractured his left tibula in the 1^st round of the NFC playoffs. He went on to play every defensive down in the conference championship game and the Superbowl. Hall of Fame defensive back Ronnie Lott famously had part of a finger amputated during the 1985 season finale against Dallas so that he could continue to play. In the Cowboys’ 1993 season finale against the Giants Emmit Smith separated his shoulder just before halftime. With only missing two plays he continued to run the ball (168 yds) while having to be helped off the turf after every play. He felt compelled to play because even though the team had clinched a playoff spot they needed to win that game to secure home field. Chargers QB Phillip Rivers played in the 2007 AFC championship game with a torn ACL that required surgery afterward. These are just a few examples. With the exception of Rivers, all these players made these sacrifices while being paid a fraction of  what Cutler gets paid. All these players have one thing in common. They all had a sense of commitment to their teammates and the fans of their respective teams. Oh, they also had a little something called heart.

   I must confess to you that I am not a doctor, so I don’t have a trained eye for these things, but when he walked off the field before halftime he wasn’t even limping. Nobody had to help him off the field. After he left the game for good he was standing. No crutches. He was riding an exercise bike. To all you former high school and college players out there; what would your coaches have told you? It should be obvious to everyone that Cutler has no heart. He also doesn’t care about all you Bear fans out there. He either forgot or flat out doesn’t care who pays his salary. And regardless of what anyone thinks it’s the fans that pay the owners to pay him. This guy Cutler was paid a salary of $15 million dollars this season. Including the playoffs that’s $833,333 per game. I don’t blame any of you that burned his jersey in the parking lot. All you Bear fans out there should NEVER let this heartless jackass forget how he quit on you.