As the Other Foot Falls....

It may not be much, but I feel as though I am maturing into an adult. Whether that be getting married, keeping down a steady job, or paying bills, I am essentially an adult. But I had a realization this past week that may show the lengths of that maturation. My first realization was when I was discussing with the wife and we stumbled upon sports. I was once told that the only reason people have pets, is so that the pet can bring a little extra joy into the owners lives. That's essentially what sports is. People identify with a player or team and then revel in the success of said players and team. And I have come to the conclusion that people who are centered around their pets are less weird and creepy than people who define themselves with sports. At least a pet is a tangible thing. You can come home and pet the dog or brush the cat. They will respond and show affection towards you and you get that good feeling. sports teams can't do that. Sure, teams can supply that feeling but it is very rare. Every year 4 of the 120 major sports franchises will win a championship. That means 3% of people who follow sports end the season on a good note. Not good odds my friends.

So now on to my grumblings about Bears/Packers. I was consigned to the fact before the game that no matter the outcome I would be happy. Sure my happiness would have been about 100 points higher had Chicago pulled it out, but happy non-the-less. The game actually played out like I expected. I expected the teams to play poorly and have multiple mistakes each, and ultimately being decided by the latest mistake in terms of time left in the game. (That would be your BJ Raji house run for 6) All in all, I can cheer for the Packers in the Super Bowl. Will I enjoy that? Not particularly, but I follow conference lines and will always root for the NFC representative. I don't think the Packers should be favored as they are right now, but then again, what do I truly know.

I do have huge issues with people questioning Jay Cutler's heart and toughness. He went out with a knee injury and did not return, and people have labeled him a quitter. Not quite understanding that logic. Guy played all year behind a sieve, took nearly 200 shots, and suffered a concussion. Played all but one game in a league where only 12 qb's started all games for their team. So seriously people, stop questioning his toughness.

If there is one thing I learned from playing and then covering sports, it is the notion that you do not question a player when he is injured. People are different. Every body is different. They are built to handle things differently, in different doses, and different impacts. So questioning him is ridiculous

The part that really bugs me, is the fact that since Cutler is not the "Alpha Male" personality, he gets ripped. People just expect quarterbacks to talk to the media, give thoughtful answers, and focus on only football. He doesn't do those things, so he gets killed and thrown under the bus. I assure you, had he stayed in the game thrown 3 picks, and then after the game we heard about the injury, he would get killed. People would ask why he kept himself in the game and being reckless. So the dude can't win.

I just hope we as a people can realize that people are different. They are not robots. There is not always a black/white, cut and dry way to do things. All things said, he got his team to an NFC Championship in a year when they should have won a max of 6 games. I appreciate the toughness and heart it takes for a team to over-achieve. I can only hope people realize how foolish they have been in this situation. Will Cutler get people to apologize to him? Probably not. And that's the worst part. Blind assumptions being thrown around. And when it comes down to it, it is just football.