A Look at Jay Cutler as a Polarizing Figure. Part II

In my last post I discussed whether or not Jay Cutler is a franchise player. I knew this had potential to be a controversial subject. And it led me to this subject. Being critical of Jay Cutler can come with the label "hater". A Jay Cutler hater to be exact. Maybe even a Bears hater in general. Jay Cutler gets no respect from the media. Jay is constantly getting ragged on. Jay Cutler is treated unfairly by the league, fans and the media in general. Is that the reality of the situation? Maybe. Is it fair? Probably not. Are there reasons for this treatment? My thoughts after the break.

My last post questioned whether or not we should consider Jay a franchise QB. I lean towards a wait and see approach. But does this make me a Cutler "hater"? In a word, "No". I am a fan of the Bears. I have been a fan for a long, long time. As a fan I consider it my responsibility to hold my team to a very high standard. The Bears are a great team, they’d better act like it and when they don’t, I’m going to call "them" out on it. Essentially it boils down to this. If a player on my team plays badly in my opinion I’m going to say he played badly. Does that make me a "hater"? Hell no. But when it comes to Cutler all bets are off. At least in the eyes of some Bear fans. But how many of us called out the receivers (specifically Knox and Hester) for not making the play? And how many of us called out the offensive line for giving up the big sack? Does that make you Knox "haters" or Omiyale or Kreutz "haters"? Maybe. But fair criticism is fair criticism and no member of the Beloved should be considered exempt from that regardless of how they were acquired.

And I really believe that’s what divides fans on this issue. How much we sacrificed to get Jay Cutler. Many would say we clearly won that trade while others would argue we may have missed out on some top prospects in the early rounds. I’m not going to take a side on this. At least not publicly. But I will say that many of us on either side can agree that we made a move that will effect our franchise for years one way or the other. See, whether you liked it or not, we can all agree it was a really big move. At least it was perceived that way. And with this big move came big expectations. And with big expectations come an even bigger spotlight. Like it or not Jay stands under a huge spotlight. Is that his fault? Absolutely not. Is that the reality of the situation? I think so. That’s why this guy gets questioned on everything by the media. This big trade made him a huge story. And it won’t die any time soon. Actually it may die soon, but only if Jay sucks so bad he gets cut or shines so bright he gets himself into the pro bowl and the Bears into the big time, maybe multiple times. Cause with a big move comes big expectations. Period.

But as long as this guy is on my Bears he’s going to take some criticism. If he throws several picks in a game or scrambles around and gets sacked repeatedly I’m going to express my disappointment. Maybe my disappointment in Jay, maybe in the line or a receiver but as long as he's a Bear, Jay is fair game for criticism. Some will claim I'm a hater. But to me, that’s what makes me a fan of the Bears. I have high expectations for every member of my team. And with that comes a high level of criticism. I'll rant, I'll rave but at the end of the day, I still love my Bears. I probably always will. Hater? No way.