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Health & Fitness

Does the National Media Have it Out for the Bears and Jay Cutler?

When it comes to sports, reality is what the media tells us it is.

I've noticed something that I have been holding my tongue on about for quite some time. When it comes to sports, reality is what the media tells us it is.

This is especially true when it comes to the Chicago Bears—and more directly Bears quarterback Jay Cutler. 

Before I get off on a rant about Cutler, let me first address the Bears. Last year, the Bears had a solid run to the NFC Championship game with little to no respect from the national media. Every outlet from ESPN to the NFL Network were down on the Bears.  

The Bears beat some good teams and every time this occurred, the other team beat themselves or there was some sort of break that went the Bears way. When the Bears lost, like they did to New England, it was what they were... a bad team.  

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The last time I checked, bad teams do not win 10 games and go on to the NFC Championship game.

Take the Packers' run to winning the Super Bowl last season as an example. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers had some pretty amazing stats during that run. Against Atlanta (the No. 1 seed), Rodgers threw for 366 yards and 3 touchdowns while also running for a score. His passer rating in that game 136.8.

Against Pittsburgh in the Super Bowl, Rodgers put up 304 yards, three TDs and no interceptions with a 111.5 quarterback rating. In his playoff run total, he completed 68.2 percent of his passes with nine TDs and two INTs with a quarterback rating of 109.8

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In the NFC Championship game against the Bears, Rodgers threw for 244 yards with no TDs and two INTs—one in the red zone—and had a 81.1 QB rating. Hardly all-pro numbers. 

If the Bears are so bad, why did they nearly beat the Super Bowl champions without the aid of their starting quarterback?

Which leads me to my next point: Jay Cutler.

Since his arrival in Chicago, Cutler has been under more scrutiny than anyone I can remember in recent years. I get why the media has a bad taste in their mouths when it comes to Cutler. He's not a sound bite guy and generally appears to be annoyed when it comes to his dealings with the media.

But with that being said, I always thought the media's job was to give an unbiased opinion. Personal feelings should not go into whatever piece you are writing or when you are reporting on something. The best I can figure, this rule does not apply to Cutler.

When Peyton Manning or Tom Brady yell or show disapproval of their teammates, they are called fiery competitors. When Jay Cutler does it, he is a bad teammate or a cry baby. This is a load of garbage.  

With full disclosure, I realize Cutler has yet to accomplish some of the things that these others I have mentioned has. It does not make him any less of a competitor. The whole deal with his body language drives me up a wall. Take any quarterback playing today and put him on the Bears and lets see how they react.

I love the Bears and always want them to do well, but if you look at what Cutler has compared to a Brady, Manning or Rodgers, it is not on the same level. I would bet that anyone of these men I mentioned would have similar if not more harsh reactions if they where in the same situation. 

Now by contrast, an interesting thing happened a few weeks back when the Bears faced the Lions. The Monday Night Football crew rained praise after praise on Cutler. The Cutler bashing came to a screeching halt. 

All you heard about was his gutsy performance and how it was his best game as a Bear or maybe even of his career. I have watched every game Cutler has played in a Bears uniform and have seen him continually get the snot beat out of him and always get back up.

All the questions about his toughness are unfounded. If you watch how each and every game—no matter how many times he is hit or sacked, how he gets up and continues to compete—you would never question the man's desire to win or his toughness.  

So now that I have gotten off my soap box all there is left is to say BEAR DOWN!  

Let me know what you think.

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