Symbiosis between press, sports is not always comfortable

By Jim Slusher

Among many other things related to Jay Cutler’s knee, Chicago Bears General Manager Jerry Angelo talked Monday about the media.

“You have got jobs to do. You do your jobs,” Angelo said during a news conference, and, by that, he seemed to mean that Chicago’s sports reporters and commentators report aggressively and thoroughly — and therefore uncomfortably for many athletes, coaches and, yes, general managers. That, Angelo said, was a factor, in addition to Cutler’s skills on the field, that led the Bears to bring the renowned grump to Chicago.

“That’s why I personally wanted to trade for a veteran quarterback,” he said, “somebody who earned their stripes here in the league, that was used to what comes into the fishbowl at that quarterback position. I think Jay handles what comes with the territory very well.”

That depends, of course, on what Angelo means by “handles.”

If he means “makes his requisite public appearances, generally avoids swearing or overtly insulting anyone, and sleeps well at night,” few would quibble that Cutler handles that standard just fine. If he means “speaks with polite good humor, helps fans better understand the game and seems to care about such things,” few would say Cutler handles that job successfully at all.

Nor does he have to. He simply has to recognize that how he handles his public image has a direct effect on how the public reacts to him. If he — or any other celebrity, especially an athlete, in similar circumstances — is feeling unfairly treated now, he can’t simply blame the fans, writers and broadcasters who are pressing him.

It’s rather the opposite extreme, of course, but no one questioned the toughness of Brett Favre this season when a shoulder injury kept him from playing for the first time in 297 games. Favre had both the record and the public image to easily laugh off any questions about his commitment to the game or his team.

Cutler has neither — although personally, I find it hard to question the toughness of a guy who checks his blood sugar on the sidelines throughout every game and is ready to give himself a shot if necessary to stay on the field.

So, the result is a controversy that’s sure to linger at least as long as the questions about Scottie Pippen’s headaches. That’s too bad, because it’s not at all a fun controversy and has almost nothing to do with the condition of Cutler’s knee or how that might affect his future here. But that’s the way it is and the way it must be.

The symbiosis between the press and professional sports isn’t always comfortable for either side, but both sides have to live with it in whatever form it may take at a given time.

“We have to deal with whatever adversity or pressure comes with the territory,” Angelo said in his news conference. “It’s not about being a nice guy . . . It’s about performance. Let’s not forget about that.”

Perhaps. Still, it’s interesting to note how often people who pride themselves on “calling it as they see it” — to wit, Iron Mike Ditka, a card-carrying, straight-talking creature of the public media he despised as a coach — condemn others who do the same. The fact is that life in the public spotlight involves a lot of listening to people who call it as they see it — and a lot of people who just don’t see it the same way others do.

Celebrities who recognize this “handle” the spotlight pretty well. Those who don’t ... well, presumably, they at least sleep well at night.

Ÿ Jim Slusher is an assistant managing editor at the Daily Herald.