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Jay Cutler Votes For Donald Trump, Confrims He Is An Awful Quarterback

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THE LORD LINE

CHICAGO, November 15 – While most NFL players and personnel have chosen to remain silent since the presidential election, Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler is proud to have cast a ballot for Donald Trump. In related news, this past weekend Cutler was also able to confirm that he is not good at playing football.

His enthusiasm for Mr. Trump was on full display in the Bears’ 36-10 defeat to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as the normally dour and unexpressive signal caller appeared downright demonstrative and effusive while completing 16 of 30 passes for 182 yard and two interceptions.

His attitude caught many teammates off guard as they have long grown accustomed to Cutler appearing as if he does not ‘give a shit’.

The loss drops the hapless Bears to 2-7 on the year and while Cutler’s reign in Chicago will most likely come to a merciful conclusion at the end of the regular season, it’s not all bad news for the Santa Claus, Indiana native as President-Elect Trump remains so impressed by the Smokin’ Jay Cutler meme that he promised to consider Cutler for an opening with the surgeon general.

In related news, Donald Trump is also thinking about New England Patriots’ head coach Bill Belichick for White House Press Secretary and Buffalo Bills’ offensive lineman Richie Incognito for wife Melania’s cyber bullying task force.

Glory Be To The Gridiron

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Another season of NFL football is upon us, that time of the year when our collective consciousness shifts away from the pews and pulpits to the sanctuary of the sofa. Where the term Hail Mary has an entirely different connotation and Saints and sacks are venerated equally. Football’s popularity is truly Biblical in proportion and for many, therein lies the trepidation and concern.

In 2014 the violence on the field is still very much a part of the appeal but the handling of the violence off the field has brought the integrity of the league into question. As the most popular sport in the U.S. the NFL has a significant standard to uphold, one that should include zero tolerance for domestic violence. Roger Goodell’s handling of the Ray Rice situation damaged the trust between fans and the NFL. The Commissioner’s recent decision to apply stricter punishments moving forward to players and team personnel involved in domestic violence is a clear indication and acknowledgment of a past mistake and lapse in ethical leadership.

But has the damage already been done? Has the brutality and hubris of the NFL finally caught up to them? There were many fans this summer who threatened to swear off football if the league didn’t change its ways. For those people the ultimate tests arrives this Thursday night on NBC as the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks welcome the Green Bay Packers to town in what should be a television ratings bonanza. Will enough households not watch for the NFL and its advertisers to take notice or will The Shield weather this latest wave of criticism like it did the Richie Incognito/Jonathan Martin hazing situation or the ongoing concussion lawsuits?

In all likelihood, the popularity of the sport, at least on television, marches forward and while the league still needs to deal with other pressing concerns like stagnant stadium attendance and dwindling participation at youth levels, fans will continue to flock to bars and basements to watch the carnage unfold because if there’s one sport that can recover from the obtuse mishandling of the Ray Rice situation it’s the NFL, a league now so synonymous with Sunday that in many parts of the country snap counts have replaced sermons as the ultimate form of repentance.

Long ago football and the NFL figured out that their sport is as much about community as it is anything else. Friends love to gather together to cheer on their favorite teams and players. That socialization, that fraternization, cannot be easily replaced or manufactured which is why football remains king of the field, court and pitch.

So like it or not, and unless television screens across the country remain dark, football as our national pastime is here to stay.

 

 

 

NFL Week 13 Power Poll

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Last night, Philip Rivers looked like a better quarterback than Peyton Manning. During the Colts 36-14 loss at home to the Chargers, Manning looked old and injured.  Rivers orchestrated his offense with ease and was hailed as a “great, inspirational leader” by both Al Michaels and Chris Collinsworth. Personally, I have never been a huge fan of either Manning or Rivers, mostly because they have been two of the Patriots, and Tom Brady’s, main adversaries during the past decade. So, it makes no real difference to me that Manning looked past his prime last night while Rivers continues his quiet ascension to the upper echelon of NFL QBs.

Enough is enough. On to the week 13 power poll!

1. New England Patriots (9-2): Welcome back Deion Branch. Welcome back, welcome back, welcome back.

2. Baltimore Ravens (8-3): Appointment TV Sunday night when Ravens host Pittsburgh for control of NFC North.

3. Atlanta Falcons (9-2): Fact. Tony Gonzalez shows no signs of aging.

4. New York Jets (9-2): I’ll be waiting all week for Monday Night!

5. Pittsburgh Steelers (8-3): My heart is still breaking for Buffalo. Also, my new personal grooming philosophy is to grow facial hair like Ryan Fitzpatrick.

6. New Orleans Saints (8-3): People aren’t talking enough about Malcolm Jenkins and his amazing strip of Roy Williams during the Thanksgiving game vs the Cowboys. That play kept the Saints alive for the top seed in the NFC.

7. San Diego Chargers (6-5): Mike Tolbert is built like a rubix cube.  He also won me my weekly fantasy matchup.

8. Chicago Bears (8-3): You know how people always say that the tv adds 10 pounds. Well, in the case of Jay Cutler, the tv makes him look at least 45% more unlikeable what with all the poor body language and dismissive gestures.

9. Green Bay Packers (7-4): Aaron Rodgers is a gunslinger. GUNSLINGER!!!

10. Philadelphia Eagles (7-4): I hope Soldier Field never gets rid of the grass but man, that field did not look easy to play on Sunday.

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