Local sports talk radio is reporting, via an e-mail from Dove Valley, that the Denver Broncos have agreed in principle to trade Jay Cutler to the Chicago Bears. Terms will be disclosed later.
Wow.
Count your lucky stars, kid. You could have ended up in Detroit. We best be receiving a cornucopia--hell, a pornucopia--of draft picks and/or veterans.
Still, though. He's gonna be making the above face a lot next year. The Bears' offensive line is a shambles.
Again: wow.
Update, via ProFootballTalk.com and Foxsports.com:
Jay Glazer of FOXSports.com reports that the Chicago Bears have sent two first-round picks, a third-round pick, and quarterback Kyle Orton to the Broncos for quarterback Jay Cutler and a fifth-round draft pick.
The Bears held the 18th pick in the first round of the draft.
Per NFLPA records, Orton is signed through 2009, at a base salary of $995,000.
9news is reporting, right now, that the Broncos have decided to trade Jay Cutler--supposedly because neither Coach Doog or Bowlen has been able to get ahold of him over the last 10 days.
I'll have more--a whole lot more--to say about this later. Right now, two things spring to mind:
1. Why would they come out and say it? Aren't they killing any leverage they might have? I guess if Cutler says he simply doesn't want to play for them--which is info that will quickly leak out around the league--then they don't have much choice, but still. Now, the only threat they can hold over him is that of inactivity. Sit it down for the year, kiddo. Would he even do that?
2. Jay Cutler has, officially, proved every rumor I've recently proferred concerning his motives. His feelings weren't fucking hurt. He wanted out, and found an avenue to get his way.
Here's hoping we get the Lions second 1st rounder (#20) and first second rounder (#33). He'll have fun playing behind that line, especially considering how long he likes to hold the ball.
Be careful what you wish for, Jay-Jay. Image from drunkathlete.com Read more
A couple of weeks ago, I dropped a scandalriffulous rumor into a post about young Jay-Jay. I won't make you all go back and search for it, so enjoy.
For those with click-thru aversions, the cliffs notes: Jay, Type 1 diabetic, is pretty fond of the drink. Very fond. Apparently swills-nightly-to-excess fond. (Kind of like we here at the House, honestly.)
At the time, it was just scuttlebutt, albeit pretty well-sourced scuttlebutt. I'd heard variations on the theme for a while--Denver isn't the biggest city and my recent career has been split between working for a newspaper and working in a bar--but never really considered that whatever he was doing was endangering his health, because, as everyone knows, diabetics who drink a *lot* are asking for some serious complications. Like the death.
But then came the big Cassel-for-Cutler kerfuffle. Made me think that, huh, perhaps there is some more to this situation than "he's a better fit for my system." I posted my suspicions here at the House; as far as I know, we were the only site to mention anything even close to the idea (except, of course, for Kissing Suzy Kolber, which posted the above photo last year to no great uproar.)
As for why McDaniels was so hard pressed to roll Cutler out on the next Rocky Mountain train to “Anywhere but Here-land” my source (with primary knowledge of these conversations) said there were consistent themes in the coach’s concerns about Cutler.
(Again this was relayed to my ears, from their ears. The following is what was heard by my source in these trade whispers, not what FOX31 cites as definite facts about Cutler.)
Two things that kept coming up were concerns about Cutler's alcohol consumption (given his diabetes) and "that's he not that (football) sharp."
"That scared the crap out of McDaniels,” the source told me.
That post, by the way, was put up earlier in the week, taken down and edited to add the word "diabetes."
As for the rest of that blog post--which Fox takes pains to mention isn't theirs, even though I sincerely doubt that Camp Cutler could successfully sue for defamation--I'm not too fond of reporters explaining how they almost got a scoop, much less using "lol," but I imagine that this source, whoever they are, is right on the money.
Now, Jay could probably have kept a-swilling away with no one caring for the rest of his career. Especially the lushes on this site. But now that this whole thing has blown on up, we're duty-bound to discuss it, especially if it means we end up starting effin' Chris Simms next season. Watch your liver, Cutler.
But even the facts of Jay's potential health issues are unimportant in the light of this: the House of Georges, calling it before it happens, bitches. We're plugged in like Wii. Read more
Many months ago, in the blessed days when I was the last remaining bachelor of the Iron Triangle, there was, if you will, a meeting of the minds. The topic of said meeting was a mental sumo-wrestling match, the title bout, if you will, of three grown men attempting to figure out what the rough focus of this blog was to be. It was long, gruelling, and torturous, and instead of a trio of obese, castrated Asians in diapers, it was more like three pasty, well-endowed (Editor's Note: Take me seriously when I say that I speak for only myself there.), beer-bellied wordsmiths. The commonality was the battle, though. We entertained, for fewer seconds than I can hardly recall, the following notions:
1) The Ultimate NASCAR Blog 2) The WNBlogA 3) The Billiards and Bowling Blog, and 4) a hybrid of championship poker and tablog-tennis,
but in the end, the gavel slammed, and it was determined that the focus would somehow relate to the rivalry between the Denver Broncos (Cecil and Seven pounced on that pile of rotten meat like starved scoundrels in the desert) and the Kansas City Chiefs (wherein I proudly took one for the team). It was decided as such, given our years of experiencing matriculating to one another's football back yards, where there is always guaranteed a plethora of canned beer, smoked protein, and a vessel's worth of curse words. We fondly titled such excursions The Tradition, which brings us to today, another installment of "Tradition Tuesday," where we bring you the weekly state-of-the-rivalry address. There are a number of football topics to discuss today, so let's not waste any time. I will expect, as always, extended opining in the comments section by each and every one of you readers. Shall you fail this assignment, I'll be shredding the rest of the week's gold stickers and sending notes home to your parents.
First, we've spent more time discussing the Jay Cutler situation than there are hours in Lent. But the thing won't die. Really. It's like the Peter Griffin-chicken fights in "Family Guy." And like most days in the past three-four weeks, another tidbit has surfaced, and the gang at BroncoTalk delivered an interesting photo
attached to a story, wherein Coach Doogie had just concluded an interview and proudly (Note: By "proudly," I mean nice smile, Mosh.) held up Denver's version of the legacy jersey, foreshadowing of the upcoming "Legacy Games" that will take place this year. Each team will wear a throwback for one road, one away game. McDaniels was quoted in The Denver Post explaining why Young No. 6's work shirt was chosen:
"I wouldn't have wanted it to be any other player,” quoth the Doogster.
On the Kansas City side of things, this means that the Chiefs will don the ol' Texans jerseys. Personally, I have no problem with that whatsoever. The late Lamar Hunt always considered the Dallas Cowboys a rival, and never got a chance to see the Texans take on America's team, in that the Texans were only in Dallas for three seasons. But there's another interesting twist, or two, to that The Kansas City Star article:
"The NFL announced the nationally televised games from the opening weekend of the season. Neither the Chiefs nor the Cowboys are involved, so it’s possible their game could be played on opening weekend...Denver is another possible opponent for the Chiefs that weekend. The league is looking to promote the 50th season since the launch of the old AFL. The league matched two original AFL franchises, the Bills and Patriots, in one opening weekend game and two more, the Chargers and the Raiders, in another."
To either of those, I say bring it. Of course, I don't consider the Cowboys a rival to my Chiefs, but it would be a neat way to kick off the season, and I imagine, a fascinating game as far as seeing where these two teams sit in terms of talent and productivity. If the latter is true, than I can assure you that I know three guys that will be at that game, each of whom clad in throwbackhelmets of their own. And rest assured, I'm stoked that mine doesn't look the slightest bit gay.
Since the NFL has taken to tossing us fans mere pieces of the schedule pie, I'll note that Denver has been given the Thanksgiving evening game. I think that's fantastic for two reasons: 1) The Chiefs got it three years ago, and it was a blast. I spent most of Tuesday and Wednesday of that week preparing Thanksgiving dinner, and figuring exactly how I would re-heat in the Arrowhead parking lot without drying everything out. It was great fun. It was not something I'd want to do every year because it was a lot of work, and frankly, Thanksgiving should be spent with families, unless you're a Packer or a Lion fan, and you've been doing that your whole life. 2) I think each great football community should have such an experience, and I include Denver -- even if they are pillow-biting uncle-fuckers -- in that sentiment.
There are two oddities about the thing, though: 1) As I'm sure you either already knew, or have since concluded, why is Denver in the mix for a second time three seasons into this new tradition? I mean, aside from the fact the the Broncos get 11 prime-time telecasts per year and 12 of those are home games, I thought the notion of this gig was to spread the games around. 2) They're hosting the Giants? Whatever. That's just, well, aside from the pout-fest -- or as Kissing Suzy Kolber put it: "Cutler and Eli having a sulk-off" -- factor, completely lame.
As for other news with the teams, Broncos Gab reports that the club is interested in shopping some of its tailbacks, and that some non-Cutler McDaniels decisions have irritated some teammates, while Mile High Report offers, well, more Cutler:
Don't ask me what's going on with that title. In less than two hours I will set about defending my title in the fantasy baseball league we HoG Farmers share with a few malcontents and closet cases. Earlier in the day I received a text message from one Ol' No. 7, who is something of a fantasy version of the Broncos of the mid-'80s, always there to the last but unable to cash in, that suggested his team was going to inflict upon mine a gross sexual humiliation, one that might result in a glistening scrote-print of metaphorical cocksweat upon my squad's imaginary forehead.
The knives are sharpened, boys. I was going to take Randall Simon with my second round pick, but it's most definitely on now.
In other news, Jay Cutler. That's right, you didn't think I'd go a whole post without young Jay-Jay, did you? I can't get him out of my mind. March Madness, whiskey, Rock Band (I killed the vocals on "So What'cha Want" by the Beasties), the comfort of the eternal abyss, nothing can scrub McJayWhatIsDGate from my forebrain. As much as I think he's being a punk, and allowing his agent to manipulate an exit over some small amount of hurt pride, I still think the kid's a fucking hero at quarterback. I'm not sure you can ignore the stat that's been floating around the last week or so, that he's 12-1 when his defense allows 21 or fewer points.
Indeed. Three touchdowns. That's not exactly '85 Bears territory, is it? Just allow three touchdowns or fewer once in a while and Jay wins the vast majority of his starts. Facts be facts.
But then there's cbssport's Clark Judge, writing of the Vikings' potential interest in a trade, were such a thing to happen:
First of all, I can't imagine coach Brad Childress has an interest in sparring with another quarterback. He went through a Cutler-like drama when he took over the Vikings, going mano-a-mano with then-starter Daunte Culpepper, and only a masochist would be interested in reliving that episode.
So Cutler isn't Culpepper. He may be Jeff George, and I don't blame Childress -- or anyone, for that matter -- if he's not interested in finding out.
Second, and more important, Childress believes there's no need for another quarterback now that the Vikings have Sage Rosenfels.
Well, shucks, who'd want Jay Cutler over SAGE FUCKING ROSENFELS? That's not an opinion, that's Young Earth Creationism. That's Scientology. Clark Judge, I have no idea who you are, or where you come from--if you were sent to test the bounds of our credulousness by some Alien intelligence with sinister notions, say, or from Oakland--but if you don't think that Jay Cutler would be an upgrade over SageJackson Rosenvaris, then you're not merely a buffoon, a rube, a real mark, but I strongly suspect that you may not be alive at all, but rather a hollowed-out body being manipulated from within by an evil, cannibalistic ventriloquist's dummy.
Another day, another round of ludicrous stories about what's fast becoming the most comically disastrous franchise in the NFL. These are your Denver Broncos, courtesy of ESPN's Bill Williamson.
Pat Bowlen says he's old and can't remember if he had conversations with Bus Cook. It's becoming a pretty competitive race for who's the least intelligent person in this whole drama: Bowlen, Bus, Jay Cutler, Josh McDaniels, Cutler's dad, Williamson, or anyone who strongly takes the side of one of these jackholes.
At least Bronco fans can count on the new blood, the free agent class, right? Well, one possible starting running back is wrapped up in a drug trial. Let's just hope he's impregnated fewer than a dozen women. Any reason we can't find out about these things before handing out eight-figure contracts? My favorite part about Buckhalter's alleged weed peddler is that he was popped with several hundred vials of dope. I've, um, been around the business end of a Michael Phelps respirator once or twice, and I may have even witnessed a sale of cannabis (for medical purposes only). I've never seen grass in a vial. This drug dealer must be a vial vile criminal indeed. Read more
I've been a bit of a One-Note Johnny recently, I realize. But this Jay Cutler thing, my goodness, it makes my head spin.
I've suggested in several posts that Cutler's agent, a man named Bus Cook from the former Confederacy, is the "voice" behind a lot of recent news stories. I've even made mention of his history, specifically his history with high-maintenance drama llama Brett Favre. But I haven't lowered the boom on him like the kids over at Mile High Report have.
I mean, hoo-wow. That's a lot of planning for one post about one agent. Reading it made me kind of regret my recent indulgence in conspiracy theories, because come on now. How the heck could one dude, a man who likely owns a closet full of golf shirts and maintains antiquated but charming ideas about when and where to tip his cap, be responsible--even indirectly, even by extension--for so much contractual brawling?
Peter King wrote this morning on SI.com and then spoke to Dan Patrick and shed some light (audio) on the subject, noting that “Jay Cutler has wanted to be traded since Shanahan [OC] Jeremy Bates … left town … [Cutler has] wanted a fresh start … and it’s going to be hard for [Josh McDaniels] to build a franchise with a quarterback who is gonna mope, so my guess is that once the Broncos wring their hands a little bit they’re going to take the best offer for Jay Cutler.”
Patrick then notes that there were rumors that as soon as Bates took the job at USC, that Cutler demanded a trade (allegedly) at that point. So who really started this staredown?
I'd read that sweaty latte gulper's column this a.m., but had not heard him on the radio because I was busy standing behind a guy who was standing behind a podium. If he's confident in his source that Cutler asked for a trade early, then this whole mess starts getting a lot less complicated. Read more
Even this morning as I, jacked up on coffee, wrote a long post taking issue with so-called McJayGate (which is totally not predictable at all; in fact, let's keep adding the suffix "-gate" onto every mild controversy from here unto eternity) I didn't necessarily expect that things would completely fall apart quite yet.
I actually didn't think that Cutler was really going anywhere. I figured he'd angle for a trade, make a lot of noise, maybe skip a few workouts, eventually realize he had no options and then come back and play the season.
But, well, today Pat Bowlen had this to say, from the Denver Post (who else?):
"I'm very disappointed," Broncos owner Pat Bowlen said Sunday of the feud between his quarterback and first-year coach. "I'm disappointed in the whole picture, not just disappointed that we might lose our star quarterback."
So much for talent, Broncoville. Cutler may be a massive head case with maturity issues and an overall losing record, but he's clearly superior to Chris Simms.
Simms, by the by, in addition to having great taste in old school basketball jerseys and no spleen, would have made more jingle as Jay's backup than Jay would as the starter. Whoa.
It's all I can think about. Fuck, I'm a retard. My wife got home and said something to me and I called her Sandy Clough and told her she was full of shit. I need help.
This unemployment thing is murder on the ears--the sports talk radio is slowly boring a small but well-defined hole right into my brain. Mike & Mike in the morning, Jim Rome in the early afternoon, a soupcon of Irv and Joe--who are just terrible but somehow like happy hour at the VFW--then the originally-titled Sports Guys, aka Jim Armstrong and Sandy Clough. I can hear the promo for the station's 11th annual Guys' Flight Out in my nightmares.
Cutler, needless to say though I'll do so anyway, was the sole topic of today's conversation. Hell, almost across the board. It pains me to have my team occupy the spotlight like is, for something that has nothing to do with violating the Oakland Raiders remaining scrap of pride or setting fire to Philip Rivers' garage. For a fucking quarterback controversy.
Ol' No. 7 wrote eloquently of the whole mess a week ago. The new developments only reinforce his position: that no matter how many low-info types yell for the new coach's head before he even loses a pre-season game and swear their undying allegiance to the Great and Powerful 6, Jay Cutler needs to get a grip on his emotions, his hair and his poutiness.
Yes, the organization screwed up, and no, no one outside Dove Valley really knows exactly how this went down. Big fat deal. This continuing snit is starting to feel less like righteous anger and more like a back-door way to force a trade. And while evidently no one gives much credence to Peter King's line "he wanted a trade" from earlier, seen in the light of recent events, it certainly starts to have the ring of truth.
Is Bus Cook--who, as I mentioned in the comments earlier, is famous for only three clients, Favre, Steve McNair and Cutler, all of whom have pulled this wah-wah-trade me bullshit--or Jay's daddy working the levers behind the scenes to get him out of town while Jay acts hurt in public? Playing the wounded team leader while attempting to orchestrate a trapdoor exit? All of these stories quote an "unnamed source close to the situation." If that's not his agent or dad, I don't know who it would be. There's something behind the scenes, here. And if it is what I think it is, then fuck Camp Cutler.
I'm torn, right now. I want to side with Cutler, really, but McDaniels' position--especially considering the report via rumorville that Jay blew off Bowlen's calls--makes some sense.
You do have to wonder where this is coming from. Armstrong brought it up on The Fan today--what role does Daddy play, here?
Cutler's pop is constantly at practice. At games. In the boss' ears. Doing the Gator Chomp when the kid was playing at Florida in college. He was blustery after the draft, grumbling about his son being underrated by Mel Kiper--which was true, but still. You just don't see many stage dads in the NFL, right? Marv Marinovich?
The whole mess is bizarre. Ol' No. 7 might be faced with the possibility of rooting for a Texas Longhorn as Denver QB in '09. Heaven help us all. Read more
The previous few days' brouhaha over Mr. Tennessee Hairy almost distracted me from my current bloggin' priority.
Thankfully for you both, said near-distraction never got very far past "almost." It's still draft time, I'm still mooning over 20 year-old dudes from state colleges and you're still here to eagerly lap up whatever blog-milk I spill, you...you...blog-milk lappers, you.
Past the leap, we'll offer an array of links and opinions related to the upcoming 2009 NFL Player Draft. So ease up on that inhaler, Percy, and follow along...
The fantastically-moustached Pat Kirwan posted his latest mock draft. I love mock drafts, because even the quoteunquote experts get them nearly entirely wrong, always. Mock Drafts are the Great Leveler--alongside the global economy, the internet, death, taxes, lower back pain and picking your schnoz at a stoplight.
Seriously, next time you're at a stoplight, look at the car next to you. Dude will be picking his nose. It's a guarantee.
My favorite Canadian draft site--these guys are like the NFL draft analyst version of The Onion's 'Outside Scoop with Jackie Harvey'--lists their top 100 players.
NFL Draft analyzing guy Rob Rang picks his NFL Ecksteins. While most of his choices seem like they were suggested by Bill Plaschke over a big meal of Spam, Sno-Cap lard and Eskimo Pies, I do love me some Rashad Jennings. Pay attention plz, Coach Doog.
So evidently, earlier today, noted local radio goon and ex-NBA backup big man Scott Hastings had some harsh words for Jay Cutler on Dan Patrick's radio show. Really harsh words. Whirling-knotted-rope-upon-the-grundle harsh words... Among other. less incendiary nuggets, courtesy of si.com:
"Jay Cutler lost Hastings' respect when he claimed his arm is stronger than John Elway's. This was just a stupid thing to say because Elway is a legend in Denver so saying something like that just angers the fanbase. He calls Cutler an 'arrogant little punk' and should wake up to the reality that he's the QB of an NFL football team and should act like a leader. He also referred to Cutler as a 'little bitch.'"
News is breaking fast, so fast it's hard to stay caught up. New Top Chef Scott Pioli cashes in on an old secret favor from Coach Belicheat, netting a young QB at far below market value. Even Jay Mariotti thinks this is fishy, and that guy just learned about text messaging.
Brandon Marshall got arrested, but then he got unarrested. So that never happened.
The biggest news, of course, is the giant hubbub concerning Jay Cutler. Was he dangled? Is Coach Doogie in over his head and torching the credibility of a once-proud franchise? Would all this have been avoided by the hiring of a real general manager instead of Colonel Xanders? Most important, what will be the impact on the fragile psyche of our beloved quarterback?
With all of this speculation flying about, it's almost as if the city of Denver needs two daily newspapers to sort through the scuttlebutt... All of this crap is still in the he said, she said phase, and we here at the House don't comment on idle rumors. We start them, we don't comment on them. I'll just speak in some hypotheticals here, for the purpose of driving the collective conversation squarely in the ditch (also, our bosses have instituted a mandatory three-posts a week rule here to keep one's job).
If Broncos brass did in fact try to deal Cutler away either Matt Cassel or a high pick in April's draft, I think that's a shitty trade. As a Broncos fan I would be livid over such a deal, and I can understand why Jay Cutler would be livid as well. What I can't understand is why Jay Cutler would exhibit that lividity, if lividity is even in fact a word, around anyone whose career is listed as journalismist.
This ain't the first time Young No. 6 has hollered about his discontent with management. Jay thought that the firing of Mike Shanahan was bullshit. He was similarly upset when QB coach left for USC after Coach Doogie took Shanny's seat. Again, I've no issue with his disappointment over losing his professional mentors--my beef is that Cutler bitches in the press before considering what the ramifications of that bitching may be.
You, sir, are a professional football player of untold wealth. In two years or less you'll sign yet another multimillion-dollar contract, and after that no one related to you will ever need to work again. People wear your work uniform as casual attire. In many ways, you have the greatest job in the world.
There are, of course, pitfalls, one of them being that if you complain about that job it's front-page news and fat bloggers like me psychoanalyze you. I can see how that would suck. I like complaining about my job, and saying that my bosses are tools, and threatening to take my bad-ass skills elsewhere if they don't show me the respect I demand. Luckily, no one listens to me and I just mumble away.
You, Jay Cutler, have an audience. People care what you say, for their football fortunes are in large measure tied to your success or failure. Get a fucking grip, dude. Coaches get fired, especially when their teams tank in December and they blow certain playoff appearances. Heads fucking roll. And while we're talking about blame for historic collapses, Mr. Cutler, where exactly were you from December 14 through December 28, two thousand eight? During that period, a team that you took snaps for, a team you've assumed the responsibility for leading, absolutely and completely choked. If you're feeling a little underappreciated, a little disrespected, well, you might have wanted to win one of those games.
On top of that, Cutler, while we're discussing reasons why the unthinkable (trading the face of the franchise) suddenly became utterly thinkable over the weekend, you're kind of a drama queen. There's always something with you, beyond just throwing a fit of hysteria in the press when your cheese gets moved. You've got diabetes. You look incredibly high, and you're one of the only world-class athletes with six chins. You cause a stink by comparing your arm to Elway's. You do the same when you criticize the extracurricular criminal justice adventures of Marshall, your top receiver. Then there's the bizarre spectacle of Phil Rivers berating and mocking you on national TV.
Now I don't think you were in the wrong on any of these--you do possess a gun of Elwayish strength, Marshall is a certified and felonious bonehead, and Phil Rivers can eat a bucket of cock. Does it all have to be so sloppy, though, Cutler? Is it too much to ask that you simply give boring answers to reporters, act like you enjoy your position a little bit and otherwise shut yer hole?
I'm not saying any of this merits trading away an excellent and still-improving your QB. I love Jay Cutler, in fact I'm rather gay for him. My biggest issue with the firing of Shanahan was that I was worried it would retard Cutler's development, and my biggest relief at the addition of McDaniels is the possibility of what he could achieve via Cutler. I dream about Jay Cutler, I write songs about him, and in fact I once broke out some oil paints and a bucket of Photoshop and created this:
So let's all act like adults here. Cutler, swap out for a fresh Tampax and be a man. Coach Doogie, Colonel Xanders, think just a bit before letting weird bullshit like this hit the fan. Bronco fans, chill out. While you were hyperventilating over the impending worthlessness of your No. 6 jersey your defense just got a whole lot better over the weekend. More on that to come--I still have two more posts due this week or I have to go work at Predominantly Orange.
Update: I completely forgot to include this, but Cecil reminded me in his comment on the Marshall story. Peter King reports that Cutler demanded a trade following Jeremy Bates' matriculation to the USC job. If this is true, and call that fat fuck what you will but his reporting is generally accurate, then any boo-hooing over Cutler's feelings is crap. If he asked for a trade, and the team sought a trade, then he can't be upset. End of story. Read more
So it appears, with evidencelarding the interstubtubes, that the Broncos' new pair of Big Young Brains in Charge actively tried to trade Jay Cutler for Matt Cassel.
Let's get something straight first: up until about 24 hours ago, I was a big fan of what Mickey D and Colonel Xanders were putting out there. I loved the Dawkins signing. Sure, he may have lost a step, but a guy who brings it the way he does can be an invaluable part of re-shaping this defense, and he forces fumbles. Led the Eagles in that category only last year.
Renaldo Hill is a solid young player, (a healthy) Correll Buckhalter can be a cog in short yardage situations, the long snapper is slightly larger than our old one, and that's fine because I think we needed to get bigger across the board. He also poses for photos with chicks in bars, which is solid in many important ways. Andra Davis is a good tackler. Colorado State grad and Beloved Ram Football Hero David Anderson, assuming the Texans don't match the offer sheet, can morph into another Brandon Stokely. And they did it all without overspending.
But then...
Matt Cassel may be a good NFL quarterback. He had a good year in '08, even though he took a ton of sacks playing behind a pretty fine pass-blocking line and was throwing to some of the best wideouts in the league (although to be fair, so was #6).
But man, I just don't buy it. I don't know why. I seriously don't think this guy is a superstar in the making or anything the way people have set him up to be, and while his stats are pretty similar--and in some cases, well below--Cutler's, his arm and overall athleticism aren't even in the same postal code.
So for a career backup who had basically one excellent half-season in the NFL, would you give up a guy who, though he's definitely something of a diva, is widely considered to be one of the best young QBs in the league already? Of course you wouldn't. Even you aren't that fucking stupid.
But the Boy Geniuses didn't just consider it, they worked to make it happen. And the worst part? They failed.
That's right. It would have been better for the Denver Broncos if this asinine, proposed three-way trade had actually happened. Because now, you've got a stampy Cutler actively agitating to be let go, no Cassel and no better option. Way to cause a huge-ass problem by not making a smaller mistake, you two.
It just boggles. What the fuck? What could they possibly have been thinking? What's the plan, here? Piss off your temperamental young star in effort to toughen him up, as some are suggesting? That's nonsensical. Even if they were only entertaining offers and not initiating them, as Adam Schefter said yesterday, how can they not be smarter than that?
Or--and this could be the one thing that ends up excusing this--maybe they know something that we don't.
A little story. Now that I've been outed as an official (former) member of the news media, and now that the outlet for which I had been employed is a mere memory, I can share a bit of gossip from my ex-boss.
Said ex-boss knew a lot of people around town. He'd been at the Rocky, and in Denver, off and on since the early '80s. One of his acquaintances was former Bronco kicker Rich Karlis, who'd become a success in business following his barefooted career. His job with Qwest brought him into contact with Cutler via Cutler's television show--and ol' Rich said that Jay the Diabetic couldn't take the sound stage without pounding red wine. And that he ditched the final episode of the season, leaving Channel 4 (I think it was) in the lurch.
He was replaced by Brandon Marshall, who Karlis said was a gem of a dude, but I think the gist was that Karlis thought he was a complete head case.
It's third-hand info from a guy who missed wide right a lot, but if it's true it hints at some pretty serious problems with ol' Jay. Type 1 diabetics who drink more than a very small, measured amount can have massive health problems--the House has a very close friend whose ex was a diabetic alky, and that shit can wreak havok on your system.
Which begs the larger question: is The Savior a drunk?
I'm not throwing stones here, Lord knows. I drink. Frequently, too frequently, to excess, and often alone in a closet, crying (that last part isn't true).
But I'm not diabetic. I'm also not the quarterback of the Denver Broncos, a man burdened with the hopes and dreams of football nerds like myself, a man who makes millions of fucking dollars a year to not do stupid shit. And I recently got a haircut.
We'll see how this all pans out. But right now, this is the biggest mistake of the early run of our own Mile High Version of "The Patriot Way." Read more
