Two Bears Among NFL's Biggest Jerks (According to Mike Freeman)

It's no secret that there are some Bears players that other teams' fans and/or the media and/or other players don't like. First and foremost is Jay Cutler, but other players who have been given grief in the past are guys like Brian Urlacher (voted NFL's most overrated player by peers a few years back) or new Bear Brandon Marshall. Anyway, CBSsports.com writer Mike Freeman decided to compile a list of the NFL's Biggest Jerks, without having the list overrun with Detroit Lions (no seriously, he said that). Guess which Bears make an appearance?

Jay Cutler, of course is on the list, at no. 8, right in front of coaches Jim Harbaugh and the Lions' Jim Schwartz. Freeman writes:

If ever there was a jerk face prototype, it would be Cutler. Plays the part well with the best smirk in the NFL. His defenders say he's not so jerkish -- that his reactions are more because he despises the media. Yes, jerks are always misunderstood. I actually believe Cutler is maturing and one day will break free of his jerk chains, but for the moment, there's this NSFW moment.

The link, for those wondering, goes to Jay flipping off paparazzi members. Anyway, Bears fans have seen it before and I am not going to exhaust myself defending Cutler yet again, I'll leave that to you all in the comments section, but just when we think Cutler is gaining respect, something like this pops up. I don't expect Cutler to ever have the glowing reputation of a Peyton Manning, he's always going to be a guy you love to have on your team but others hate.

And then at no. 5, Brandon Marshall:

You may notice this list is strong at wide receiver. Jerk has apparently spread to the position and locked on like a Borg tractor beam. In some ways Marshall exemplifies this phenomenon. Multiple accusations of woman beating but no convictions. One of the most talented wide receivers in football who was run out of Denver, run out of Miami and, if his jerk chromosomes kick in again (and they will), he'll be gone from Chicago in the near future, too.

Some of this I think is fair, and some unfair. For one thing, yes he has several woman-beating and other transgressions in his past. I'm glad Freeman mentions no convictions though because that should be there too. However, Marshall is different from a Pacman Jones (who, I should add, is only in the honorable mentions) or other diva type receivers because he has an actual diagnosed medical/personality disorder. Some of his erratic behavior can be chalked up to that. Pacman is just a thug in a football uni!

So check out the rest of the list and leave your thoughts; who should've made it, who should've been left off. What about the list of good guys that doesn't list any Bears such as perpetual do-gooder Charles Tillman?

For one, I'm sick of seeing Cutler get dragged through the mud when he hasn't been nearly as horrible as other guys on the list (and off like nos. 1 and 2 Michael Vick and Ben Roethlisberger) but it is what it is. Leave your thoughts below. Oh and, seriously, how is Ray Lewis NOT on the list?! Or James Harrison! Whatever...