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      Cutler already alienating fans in Chicago?

      June 1, 2009 /

      David Haugh of the Chicago Tribune had this interesting tidbit about Jay Cutler in his latest column:

      I know Cutler already has alienated enough small pockets of fans at various appearances in Chicago to produce a flurry of furious e-mails, such as the one from a guy at Wrigley Field last week who criticized the quarterback for waving off autograph seekers. “His lack of appreciation for fans will be his undoing in Chicago,” Glen. R. wrote me.

      We’ll see, but if Cutler experiences an undoing in Chicago it will have more to do with the people on the field than in the stands. Generally speaking, the same folks complaining about Cutler’s insouciant behavior will be cheering him on his first 350-yard Sunday.

      Sure, Cutler could do himself some favors by exuding more charm or suffering the occasional fool with a little less outward disdain. But those who have been Bears fans for two decades, or two generations, need to remember Cutler has been here for two months. There will be — and has been — a degree of culture shock. Denver isn’t Chicago. Eventually, Cutler will adjust because he will learn life is easier that way in this tradition-rich football city. If he doesn’t, then he will get what he deserves.

      But it’s too early in his tenure to predict that.

      Cutler isn’t the first athlete who shunned autograph seekers and he won’t be the last. Unless it’s obvious they’re being outright pricks to fans, I try not to let it bother me when athletes don’t sign because we have no idea what kind of schedule they’re on. For all we know they’re running late as it is. Sure, it would be nice if they signed autographs until the last person is gone, but that’s not reality.

      As far as Cutler is concerned, Chicago fans are going to embrace him if he performs well. And actually, they’ve already embraced him because they’ve been dying for a quarterback for decades. As long as he performs, it’s going to take a lot for him to ruin his image in Chicago. He’s safe for now – I don’t care what a handful of people say.

      NFL

      Browns rookies upset with Mangini

      June 1, 2009 /

      According to a report by the Cleveland Plain Dealer, the 2009 Browns rookie class is upset with head coach Eric Mangini after he set up a 10-hour bus trip to Hartford, Connecticut last Friday to work his charity football camp.

      “It’s a sophisticated form of hazing,” said one league source. “I’ve never heard of anything like it.”

      Mangini’s eighth annual football camp, for under-resourced children in grades 8-12, is voluntary for the rookies — but all felt compelled to attend, a source said. It runs from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. today.

      “It’s voluntary, but it’s not really voluntary,” said one source. “These players are fighting for starting jobs and playing time. What are they supposed to do, say ‘No, I’m not going?’ ”

      “This was not mandatory. Eric had reservations about doing it at first, and then people told him they thought it would be a good opportunity for them to be exposed to this type of event, and having the chance to work with the kids.

      “Since the rookies have been back, we have a lot of programs that are set up for them which are designed to improve them professionally, build team unity and also help serve the community. In fact, since they have been back in mid-May, they have visited a Veterans hospital and are scheduled to visit a school next week.

      “Also, if anyone is ‘dismayed,’ nobody has expressed that to anyone in the organization.”
      One source said the rookies aren’t opposed to charity work, “but put them on the plane. The camp comes right in the middle of voluntary minicamp and next week’s organized team activities. They’re expected to show up Monday and perform at a very high level after being on a bus for more than 20 hours over the weekend.”

      This might not be a big deal in the grand scheme of things considering it’s not too much to ask players to hop on a bus for 10 hours and give back to the community. But this is at least the second or third time Mangini has ruffled some feathers since coming to Cleveland and it remains to be seen whether or not the players are responding to his no-frills attitude.

      And really, it doesn’t make much sense to put these players on a bus for 20 hours (round trip) to work a camp, only to have them return to practice and compete at a high level a few days later. Player bonding is all well and good, but you have to be reasonable. Whether these are professional athletes or not, everyone gets worn out from long trips. Mangini should have thought this one through a little more.

      NFL

      Tennessee QB Crompton received death threats in 2008

      June 1, 2009 /

      According to a report by ESPN.com, Tennessee quarterback Jonathan Crompton received death threats last season in the wake of the Volunteers losing seven games for only the second time in the program’s history.

      Crompton received at least two e-mailed death threats during his junior season, the player told the Knoxville News Sentinel.

      The problem was brought to his parents’ attention after a package they received had slanderous messages scrawled on the box.

      “That’s when my parents started talking about it,” Crompton said, according to the newspaper.
      Crompton said he never reported the threats to the school.

      He also stayed quiet when he began to receive harassing phone calls after his cell number was made public on the Internet.

      “It was tough, I’m not going to lie,” he said. “When you’re faced with adversity, your true character comes out — as a person, as a student, as a Christian.
      “It tested me.”

      People seem to lose the sense of reality when it comes to sports sometimes. Crompton is only 21 years old – he’s still a kid. He’s a student athlete trying not only to succeed at sports, but also in the classroom so that he can excel in a career field when he’s done playing football. He doesn’t deserve to have his life threatened because of what he does or doesn’t do on the field – no one does.

      I know we’re talking about Tennessee football here, but relax people – it’s just a game.

      College Football

      Rams interested in Vick?

      June 1, 2009 /

      According to a report by Michael Lombardi of the National Football Post, the Rams are interested in suspended quarterback Michael Vick, who was recently released from federal prison.

      Michael Vick update: According to people I’ve talked to who are close to him, Vick is in great spirits and looking forward to the future. I’m told he’s in great “non-professional football shape” and is determined to prove he can regain his superstar status in the NFL. He’s also very determined to do all the little things he didn’t do previously. He intends to spend more time studying the game, more time preparing to play, more time working on his game. Two years alone with nothing but your thoughts can be a powerful motivational tool.

      Several people in the NFL told me not to rule out St. Louis as a possible destination for Vick. The Rams might have some ownership issues to deal with before actually signing him, but they have genuine interest. They’ve been doing their due diligence on Vick, and if the Commissioner does reinstate him, look for them to actively pursue him. It makes sense — a new coach with an older quarterback who hasn’t played well. Playing in a dome on carpet would highlight Vick’s speed and athleticism.

      As with all rumors, this should be taken with a grain of salt, but as Lombardi notes in his article – don’t rule the Rams out. Then again, the Rams organization is in complete flux because of a possible sale, so they have bigger things to concentrate on right now.

      People are generally going to have two thoughts on whether or not a team should pursue Vick. One group will think it’s a disaster waiting to happen, while the other will look at a team signing him as a low risk, high reward type of situation. I guess it all depends on whether or not he’ll be suspended, when the Falcons will officially release him (don’t forget he’s still under contract in Atlanta), and what kind of shape he’s in.

      But personally, no matter how high the reward might be, I wouldn’t invite that circus to town if I owned a team. I wouldn’t want to deal with PETA or the media storm that would come with his signing, nor would I want my team to endure that.

      NFL, Rumors & Gossip

      Let’s watch the Stanley Cup Finals! Now who’s got a satellite dish?

      May 31, 2009 /

      http://cdn.picapp.com/ftp/Images/5/2/9/b/0d.JPG

      Since moving to Los Angeles from Michigan, I’ve found it increasingly difficult to watch my Red Wings without buying a cable package I wouldn’t be using otherwise. As such, I’ve had to find all possible venues for watching hockey in downtown LA. BTW, to show some love, Far Bar in Little Tokyo totally hooked me up with Game 1 of the Cup Finals.

      Even though it was only on NBC, it should be noted that my quest for comfortable settings for watching the Wings is not going to get any easier this week or even next season. Apparently, NBC bumped (to the Versus channel) the Stanley Cup Finals for every weeknight in order to maintain its week-long coverage of I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here! (A television program I’m sure we will be talking about for years to come) and the start of the new Conan O’Brien show. Back home, folks aren’t particularly happy about the move. Here’s what Michael Zuidema of The Grand Rapids Press had to say as posted on MLive:

      Granted, hockey hasn’t consistently pulled the strongest ratings numbers throughout the years, but it doesn’t deserve to be treated like a second-class citizen or an afterthought. Not when you have a matchup pitting Hockeytown against hockey’s poster boy, Sidney Crosby.

      The buzz already is there, build on it. Or is Conan O’Brien that much more important? (Never mind, we already know the answer.)

      For all NBC does right with hockey — and its coverage of the Winter Classic stands out as a huge plus — the sport still doesn’t feel like a priority, even during the Winter Olympics.

      And Versus may be fighting for its niche in the sports world, but it still isn’t a destination point for casual fans. It’s not even available in every home. Nonetheless, it will carry the NHL through the 2010-11 season.

      I like Conan O’Brien, and people watch him more than hockey. I’m not debating the numbers here. Nor am I about to tell everyone in Los Angeles to start liking a sport they can’t actually play without all sorts of technology. I suppose what I would like to say, and this kind of echoes Mr. Zuidema, is that despite its relative lack of mainstream appeal, hockey is still one of the great sports in America. Where it’s popular, it’s VERY popular.

      I wish there was some easier way to get around all this, some way to bring hockey back to a more profitable level in order to justify it preempting something else instead of vice versa, but there isn’t. Either you like hockey or you don’t. But come on, hockey is sweet. In that vein here’s another article to check out: 10 Reasons Why You Should Be A Hockey Fan.

      Bullz-Eye Sports Channel, General Sports, NHL, Rumors & Gossip, Television

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