Urlacher’s 180 on Cutler
When I heard that Brian Urlacher jump to Jay Cutler’s defense yesterday, I couldn’t help but remember a story from a couple of seasons ago.
I’m gonna hop into the Bear Goggles On time machine and take a very short trip to July 20o9, about a day before training camp. Remember this little story about what Urlacher called new Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler. Here’s the quote from former Bear Bobby Wade, who was busy stirring things up as camp was ready to open.
"Vikings (and former Chicago Bears) wide receiver Bobby Wade took to the airwaves this morning and made some waves.“Jay Cutleris a good player,” Wade said. “Obviously, it’s a much different environment from going from Denver to play in Chicago. Chicago is a tough club to play for. What is so funny, I actually saw Brian Urlacher this past weekend in Las Vegas and we had a long conversation.“I don’t want to get him in trouble, but it wasn’t what [the Bears] expected. Pretty much [Urlacher] said Jay Cutler was a pussy for the most part.”"
Fast forward to January 23, 2011 following the Bears disappointing NFC Championship game loss to the Green Bay Packers; the game where Jay Cutler left the game with a knee injury. Here are Urlacher’s comments. You can also see them at the end of yesterday’s presser:
"“Jay was hurt,” the linebacker said. “I don’t question his toughness. He’s tough as hell. He’s one of the toughest guys on our football team. He doesn’t bitch. He doesn’t complain when he gets hit. He goes out there and plays his ass off every Sunday. He practices every single day. So, no, we don’t question his toughness.”"
So with the whole outside world piling on Cutler, Urlacher steps to his defense. To me the reason is really clear. Brian Urlacher in 2009 is a lot like the MJD’s and Darnell Dockets of the world. He had a pre-conceived notion of who Jay Cutler is based on his contentious exit from Denver.
After getting to know Jay, Urlacher can offer the rousing defense that he gave yesterday. He knows the real Jay Cutler. He knows the truth. And after the reports about the severity of Cutler’s injury came out, now we all do.