The Chicago Bears are facing perhaps the biggest game of their season this Sunday night when they take on the Philadelphia Eagles on NBC national broadcast.  Chicago has been in a tailspin as of late, having lost four out of their last five after a solid 3-1 start.  The blame for the Bears’ losing ways has been heaped at the feet of quarterback Jay Cutler, who came to Chicago in a trade with the Denver Broncos that was supposed to cure the Bears’ quarterbacking problems (Chicago has not a truly effective starting quarterback since Jim McMahon was doing the Super Bowl Shuffle in 1985).  But Cutler has been awful as of late, and he was especially bad last week against the San Francisco 49ers, throwing five interceptions in a humiliating 10-6 loss.

So NBC asks the Bears if they can do an interview with Cutler, Bears coach Lovie Smith, and team general manager Jerry Angelo about how Cutler has failed to live up to the expectations generated by the offseason trade.  And the Bears’ brass has refused to give that interview.  And although it may look like sour grapes on the part of the Bears, they also have to realize that nothing good could possibly come from such a sitdown, especially if the interviewer in NBC twerp Bob Costas.

You see Costas fancies himself a journalist, and as a journalist, he would feel compelled to ask Cutler a question along the lines of “So, Jay, why do you suck so bad?” And he would feel that it was his journalistic duty to ask Coach Smith, “So, have you called any movers yet, because the word on the street is that you’re gonna get fired after this season if the Bears don’t make the playoffs?  And with Cutler having caught a case of sudden onset color blindness, y’all ain’t gonna be able to even sniff the postseason this year.  How does that make you feel?  And have you talked to your family yet?”  And don’t us started on what Costas might ask Angelo, but I guarantee the phrases “job security” and “that horrendous receiving corps you’ve assembled” would have to be utter at least four times in a two-minute interview.

Not exactly the best way to prepare for a make-or-break game.  (more…)