Even Favre Can’t Help The Lions Win! Is That So Wrong?

If one can believe Fox Sports, than it seems Brett Favre might have spent an hour on the phone with Lions’ coaches going over how to beat the Packers in the week prior to their match up.  This wouldn’t be such a big deal if:
a – Favre was QB-ing the hapless Lions rather than the looking more and more hapless Jets

b – Favre was retired

c – The Packers weren’t his old team and if Green Bay fans still didn’t view him as the second coming

But, sadly items a, b and c are all not true.  According to Fox, Brett Favre did take time away from learning his new team’s playbook to spend quite some time making it easier for Detroit to match up against his former teammates in Green Bay.  The Lions being the Lions.  They lost anyway.

As odd as this all is, there’s nothing against the NFL rules in Favre’s behavior.  In fact, in a Yahoo article, I just saw, it says Favre was known for making such calls before, but that they usually didn’t take up so much of his time.

Guess he really wanted the Lions to beat the Pack, huh?

While I’ll never understand why Favre would bother, I can’t fathom why the NFL doesn’t make this against the rules.  I get that if you’re a waiver wire pick up that the first thing you do is download all you know about your old team to the team now writing out your checks.

That’s not the situation in the Favre case.  Isn’t this tampering?  If Favre had done this before, why did he?  As a Packer, was he trying to help Green Bay by seeing to it that their rivals had a tougher road?  If not.  Then why?  Couldn’t behavior like Favre’s, if widespread, lead to accusations of gambling interests at play?  And is ANY of this in the spirit of fair competition?

I don’t think so.  I think each team should be left to their own resources and should not have access to inside information from other teams.  The NFL should put in a rule pronto.

In fact it’s shocking that the NFL, which is accused of being the “no fun league” has soooooo many rules, yet none for this.

Once again, Brett Favre is changing how the game is played…

Favre-Watch! The New York Jets Are Destined To Be Suckers Again!

Do any of these look right to you?

Of course not!

For those who didn’t figure it out by themselves, from left to right that’s noted acquited murder suspect and Buffalo Bills icon OJ Simpson as a 49er, Patrick “I guarantee but have no rings” Ewing as one of the Orlando Magic and finally the Jets’ own Joe Willie Namath as a Los Angeles Ram.

The ending in sports is rarely pretty.  Few careers wrap up as John Elway’s did with back to back Super Bowl wins (thank you, Terrell Davis) and a ride off into the sunset.  Most end with a former star athlete taking one too many punches or falling down in center field while chasing a ball he might have easily caught in his prime.

Brett Favre is destined to go out the same way.  In fact, he kind of already did.  Last season, in what was supposed to be his last game ever, he threw a game clinching interception to the delight of Giants’ fans everywhere.  Maybe that’s part of the reason Favre is so determined to come back.  Of course, we know we’ll never really know.

What we do know is that with a lifer like Favre it won’t end pretty.  Whether it’s later this season or next year or the year after, sooner or later, Brett Favre’s skills will have deteriorated just enough to either get him benched for a much less accomplished QB or get him hurt.

Favre has a right to pursue his career as long as he wants.  There’s no doubt after last season and despite the way he ended his team’s playoff run with pick, that Favre still has something left in the tank.  Furthermore, with so much money on the line, there’s a huge financial upside to Brett risking his legacy.  So clearly there is method and some kind of reasoning behind his madness.

What I’ll never understand is why the Jets have any interest in Brett Favre.  Tampa, I get, they made the playoffs last year, their coach collects quarterbacks like others collect sports memorabilia, and maybe just maybe Favre with a lot of luck could put them over the top.

The Jets can NOT say the same thing.  Brett Favre is not going to take this team to the Super Bowl this year or next.  In fact, he may not be enough to take them to the playoffs.  So why jump in?

My only answer is tradition.

The Jets organization has been snake bitten for the most part since their amazing Super Bowl upset way back when I was too young to appreciate the magnitude of the moment.  Since then, of course, one bad decision has followed the other and fueled the team’s desperation to again taste glory.  Half my lifetime later, the Jets are still searching to recapture that one magical moment.  Now, as their coach and GM face the critical third year of their rebuilding scheme, the organization is going all out to gamble their resources on a quarterback who is clearly on borrowed time.

Maybe they figure that karma owes them something what with Joe Namath going out a Ram and all.

Mark my words. 

They are about to find out karma is a b#tch…

Brett Favre Could Learn A Thing Or Two From Cindy McCain!

Here’s an angle on the endless Brett Favre drama that you haven’t heard before!  Promise or this blog is free!

Earlier today, John McCain volunteered his wife Cindy for a topless beauty pageant in front of thousands of cheering and one can safely assume buzzed motorcycle enthusiasts.  Cindy McCain, being the team player that she is, stood there politely as the crowd hooted, hollered and whistled at her.  See?  I’m telling you buzzed.

Anyway, the point being Cindy McCain knows how to take one for the team.  Being married to a powerful man, it’s quite likely this isn’t the first time she’s had to put up with a bit of silliness to further his career agenda.  Cindy McCain doesn’t hold grudges.  And… she isn’t a potential campaign liability like Michelle Obama.  She’s not opening her mouth and handing her husband’s opponents talking points.  Nope, through it all, Cindy McCain holds on and holds John McCain’s hand.

Contrast that with the most over-hyped quarterback ever, Brett Favre.  I won’t bore you with all the back and forth.  I know you’re well versed on all of Favre’s flip flopping.  Today, after marathon discussions with Packer brass, Favre came right out and admitted that he’s just too hurt by what he perceives as slights by the organization to ever make things right.

Brett Favre, who’s won a grand total of exactly one Super Bowl (putting him up there with all timers like Eli Manning, Brad Johnson and Trent Dilfer) has a bruised ego that HE just won’t let heal.  Don’t let any of the recent back and forth fool you.  It was made chrystal clear today by Favre’s comments that he absolutely never intended or desired to come back to Green Bay.  All of this drama is about Brett Favre getting what he wants rather than doing what’s best for the team (and by the way, his own legacy).

Brett Favre could learn about being a true team player from Cindy McCain. Sure, the Packers moved on.  Of course, it had to hurt.  But given his waffling, what were they to do?

Now, he’s come back and the team has welcomed him back to an open competition.  But, that’s not good enough for Favre and he let the whole world know it today.  Cindy McCain wouldn’t do that.  If John McCain has ever put her in a questionable position, Cindy McCain it seems to me realizes that’s what good for McCain’s political career is good for her ambitions as well.  Cindy McCain isn’t all about herself.  Cindy McCain is all about Team McCain.  Cindy McCain knows that for Team McCain it’s best she sometimes remains quite.

Brett Favre plays only on his team of personal self interest.  Lately, Favre reminds me of that one girlfriend (or boyfriend) everyone’s had that you can never win with.  Heck, I’m sure some of you poor bast#rds actually went ahead and married a guy or girl like that.

You know the type.  You did something wrong.  Could be something small like say… jetting off to a Caribbean Island for three days with a dancer named Kit Kat that you met at your best buddy’s bachelor party.  After sobering up on the way back through customs, you know you’re in the wrong.  You finally return your girlfriend’s 817 calls to your cellphone and you beg and plead for forgiveness.  Three years, four months and 17 days later, you’re still with your girlfriend faithfully and yet somehow she can’t seem to ever get over your three day disappearance.  Some people can never be happy.

Brett Favre is like that.

What A Week! I Was Right About Favre AND Elton!

I’m on fire!  It’s been one heck of a week.  First, Elton Brand reads my post and takes my very sound advice to get out of LA while he has the chance.

Now, Brett Favre has asked the Packers for his release.  Brett is coming back.  There’s no doubt.

For some of you this is news.  For those of you who are regular readers of this blog it NOT!

Check out this post from way back in April:

https://fullcontactsports.wordpress.com/2008/04/10/you-heard-it-hear-first-favre-is-coming-back/

Thanks to both my regular readers and you new folks.  Please spread the word and come on back!

My Favorite NFL Draft Pick Happened In The Second Round!

I’m no Mel Kiper Jr.  For one, my hair is better.  But, more importantly, Mel knows college football.  I know about college football what Mel Kiper Jr. says or writes about college football.

So, that’s my disclaimer.  If you’re brave read on…

I LOVE Green Bay’s pick up of Louisville’s Brian Brohm in the second round today.  I’m thrilled with it and I’m not even a Packer fan.

Replacing a legend is never an easy thing.  Replacing a legend with a guy who’s never started an NFL football game or played much more than a couple of quarters is a huge gamble. 

Don’t get me wrong.  Aaron Rogers looked great against the Cowboys last season, but he’s given you little else to make you feel like he’s capable of steping into #4’s shoes.  Not saying he can’t, but if I’m running things for The Pack and the future of the franchise (let alone my mortgage) is on the line, I’m looking for some fall back options.

When Brian Brohm was still available in the second round.  Packer fans and the team’s executives and coaches must have been besides themselves with joy.  Even I, who as mentioned at the top knows little about college ball, knows that Brohm was the top rated quarterback at the beginning of the college season.  There was talk he was coming out after his junior season too.  So, people have been high on Brohm for a while.  Unfortunately, a less than stellar senior season dropped Brohm to the second round.

Some day, other teams may regret letting Brohm drop so far. 

Today, Pack fans all across America have to be rejoicing.  They’ve got two young quarterbacks set to compete to take over for the guy who let Michael Strahan break the single season sack record.  If I’m a Green Bay fan, I’m liking the odds that one of them will at least turn out to be competent.

Competent isn’t sexy.  Competent isn’t hall of fame.  But, competency at quarterback can help a team with strengths at other positions win a super bowl.

Don’t believe me?  Consider this.  In the new millennium, the NFL has played nine super bowls.  In about half of those, the guy at the switches was mearly solid.  Sure you’ve got the 2000 version of Kurt Warner, Tom Brady and Peyton Manning quarterbacking their teams to glory.  On the flip side, the rest of the field includes Trent Dilfer, Brad Johnson, Ben Roethlisberger and Peyton’s little brother.

The verdict???

Green Bay’s got a shot at a winning season with either Aaron Rogers or Brian Brohm at QB.  All one of them has to be is solid.

My Absolute Final Brett Favre Post Ever! (AKA How Come These Packers’ Numbers Aren’t Retired?)

Come September 8th, Brett Favre’s number 4 will be officially retired by the Green Bay Packers.  The honor is much deserved and will come during the Packs’ season opener against their hated rivals the Minnesota Vikings. 

Favre will be just the sixth player to be so honored.  The others are WR Don Hutson, FB Tony Canadeo, QB Bart Starr, LB Ray Nitschke and DE Reggie White.  In all honesty, I haven’t heard of Mr. Canadeo but the rest are all no brainers for Green Bay. 

Here’s the question.  Why so few?  What’s wrong with these guys:

Willie Wood – Hall of Fame Safety.  9 Times All NFL, 8 Pro Bowls, 3 Time NFL Champion, 2 Time Super Bowl Champ, Played for the team during its glory years and was named to the Sixties All Decade Team

JIm Taylor – Hall of Fame RB, Only guy to lead the league in rushing other than Jim Brown during Jim Brown’s career, Career Pack Rushing Yards leader, Held the Packers single season mark for many years, 1962 AP NFL MVP, Super Bowl Champion, Three Time NFL Champ

Sterling Sharpe – 5 Time All Pro WR, Career cut short by injuries, Led NFL in receptions three times and receiving TDs three times

Jim Ringo – Hall of Fame Center – Played 10 years for Green Bay, 10 Time Pro Bowler, 2 Time NFL Champion, Named to the Sixties All Decade Team

James Lofton – Not a fan of Sharpe’s?  How about Hall of Fame WR James Lofton?  Played for the Pack from 78-86 making 7 Pro Bowls and being named to the Eighties All Decade Team

Jerry Kramer – Should Be Hall of Famer Guard, Five Time All Pro, Named to the NFL’s 50th Anniversary team and the Sixties All Decade Team.  It’s not enough the NFL Hall of Fame snubs him, but the Pack has to rub it in by not retiring his number.  Football is a cruel game indeed…

Paul Hornung – Do I really have to make the case for the golden boy?

At this point, I could go on (do the names Herb Adderley, Forrest Gregg or Willie Davis ring a bell?), but I’m boring myself.

 

Fact is the Packers have one heck of a football tradition.  For some reason they’ve decided to cheat some of it by being really stingy when it comes to retiring numbers…

You Heard It Here First… Favre is Coming Back!

Ok, so Mr. Brett Favre has been retired for what?  A couple of weeks, tops.  In that time, we’ve heard that his agent has been checking if there are contending teams that are willing to trade for the future Hall of Famer.  Of course, both Favre and his agent denied the trade rumors. 

Now, comes word from Favre himself that if his replacement, young Aaron Rogers, gets injured and The Pack called begging him to come back, that it’d be “enticing”.

Here’s the truth.  Favre is bound to come back.  Maybe it will be because he regrets retiring in reaction to the Packers inability to land wide receiver Randy Moss for the second straight year.  Or maybe it will be because Favre will realize he’s a player and players play until they can’t.

Whatever the reason, I’m guaranteeing they’ll be a Brett Comeback.  Chances are it’ll be ugly.  Most of them are.  But, the more I hear and see Brett Favre struggle with the concept of retirement, I’m convinced the only was Favre is leaving the NFL for good is if he’s knocked out.

Just remember, you heard it here first when you’re watching them carry the great one off the field…

Eli Manning – Not Too Shabby

So Eli Manning and the road warrior Giants managed to beat the legendary Brett Favre and his Pack in Lambeau Field, where the weather was somewhere below zero.  And in do so, Eli has clearly shown his detractors that he’s taken the next step in his fulfilling his potential. 

Eli still isn’t Peyton.  Heck, he never will be.  But, young Eli has the Giants back in the Super Bowl in just his fourth season in the NFL.  By comparison, Peyton took nine long years to get the Colts to the biggest game of them all.  Think back to the kind of talent that surrounded Peyton in Indy during all those non-Super years and little bro’s achievement becomes even more impressive.

In taking out Brett Favre and company, Eli outplayed the future hall of famer.  He threw for more yards and most importantly despite playing in enemy territory never turned the ball over while Favre was picked twice.  Take away that one 90 yard pass play, which frankly was kind of a fluke, and Favre’s numbers look even worse.

Week after week, Eli Manning is playing in the biggest game of his life on the road against better teams than his.  Yet, week after week, the Giants are advancing and Eli is growing into a really good starting quarterback.

Next, he’ll get to prove he’s the kind of quarterback that can win a Super Bowl.  I’m not betting against him or the Giants.

Brett Favre Proves He’s Not The Best Quarterback Ever

In a year in which he’s smashed most of the biggest career records for quarterbacks, Brett Favre also proved he’s the absolutely not the best quarterback of all time.  That honor still goes to Joe Montana or Tom Brady or Johnny Unitas or maybe Dan Marino, despite his zero Super Bowl victories.

No question Favre has had a magical career.  17 years, all the career records that matter, the consecutive games streak, 2 Super Bowls and the one win.  And this season was going to be the icing on the cake.  Favre at the twilight of his football playing days was set to return Green Bay to Super Bowl glory once more.  Inhuman weather conditions, a distinct home field advantage and a huge comparative advantage between Eli Manning and himself, all pointed to a Green Bay victory that would secure Favre’s legacy as the greatest their ever was.

Only one small problem.  Green Bay didn’t win.  And Favre did what he does more often than some of his fans would care to admit.  In a big spot, he took too much on himself and forced things that aren’t there.  He turned the ball over twice and was lucky that the first pick didn’t end up costing him more when McQuarters coughed it right back up to Green Bay.

Certainly Brett Favre is in the conversation of the top five NFL QBs of all time.  He just isn’t number one.  For the simple reason that when it comes down to crunch time he’s about as likely to win the game for you as throw it away.  He’s a gunslinger.  Gunslingers live and die by taking big risks.  And today he was a little slower on the draw than Eli Manning and the New York Giant’s D.