RGIII's knee must be more important than anyone else's

I wonder what Jay Cutler is thinking right now.

In case you missed it, Robert Griffin III hurt his knee pretty badly Sunday in the Washington Redskins' loss to the Seattle Seahawks. I didn't actually see the injury when it happened, but I realized something was going on when my Twitter blew up, largely to say Redskins coach Mike Shanahan should, at a minimum, be fired for leaving a hobbling Griffin in the game. (Dave Zirin's Twitter is a good example, and he also calls Redskins owner Dan Snyder to task for the condition of the field.)

But I want to know what Cutler is thinking because it was a little over a year ago when he did come out of a Chicago Bears playoff game with what turned out to be a torn MCL ... and was ripped for it. I must admit that I wasn't impressed at the time, and only have the barest of excuse that I didn't realize how hurt he was at the time.

And what's Philip Rivers' take on the whole thing? He played in a playoff game for the San Diego Chargers in 2008 with an ACL injury and after surgery the previous Monday that he kept a secret. I don't recall people saying Chargers coach Norv Turner should have been fired for possibly ruining his young quarterback's career.

Now I'd like to think that the concern over RGIII's injury is due to a greater understanding of what football players put themselves through to entertain us, part of an evolution that accelerated rapidly after Junior Seau's suicide and has continued to pick up steam ever since, and the realization that there are instances when players need to be protected from themselves by coaches or medical staff.

But it's when I start thinking that way that my good friend Cy Nical, who basically assumes the worst in everyone and everything, shows up to ask if the concern over RGIII is due to his being an extraordinary talent and an engaging, magnetic, popular personality as opposed to Cutler and Rivers, who people don't really like that much.

I hope Cy's wrong, but he's right more often than I (or perhaps even he) would like to admit.

Oh, Philip

So I find out this morning that the quarterback for my favorite NFL team supports Rick Santorum.

Joy.

Philip Rivers said: "I am supporting Rick Santorum for President because of his stance on issues that attack vital Christian values our country was founded upon: no abortion, upholding traditional marriage, defending religious freedom, no euthanasia.  Rick Santorum will also fight to create jobs and expand opportunities for all Americans.  I am proud to endorse Senator Santorum and do what I can to help him secure the Republican nomination for President of the United States."

Personally, I'd like to find out what the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution -- you know, the two main documents in the founding of this country -- have to say about "traditional marriage," and I'd bet any amount of money that "defending religious freedom" is really "defending the right to use my religion to tell you how to live your life."

If Philip Rivers ran for office, I wouldn't vote for him. But he's a quarterback for the team that I like, so I'll root for him anyway.

After all, I'm sure he's not the only one who feels that way.

Why, Philip? Why?