THE ALMIGHTY EURO

This season the Hawks had two exciting things happen. They made the playoffs, and as a result of that accomplishment they actually got to see what Philips Arena looked like with people inside. One would think that a team that had finally gotten a small taste of success (I say small because they were still 37–45 in the regular season) would be eager to take advantage of the excited fan base and continue to build toward a championship. For the Hawks to continue to improve, it was very important that they re-sign two of their key contributors, Josh Smith and Josh Childress, both of whom were restricted free-agents. In the NBA, being a restricted free-agent means that you can negotiate a contract with other teams, but your current team has the right to keep you by simply matching whatever offer you receive. There are generally two different approaches that teams take when dealing with their restricted free-agents. Some negotiate a contract that is fair to the player and the team, with the player before he even starts to negotiate with other teams. Others decide to let the player shop for a contract with other teams, thus letting the league establish the market value for the player. The Hawks decided to take the lazy approach in dealing with their restricted free agents. That is, they offered them below market value contracts and allowed them to test the market for a better deal. They also vowed to match any offer that they received from any other NBA team. This approach ultimately cost them Josh Childress.

Childress decided to leave the Hawks, but not for another NBA team. He decided to take his Awesome Afro and his very good all-around game to Athens Greece, to play for Olympiacos of the EUROLEAGUE. You might ask, “Why in the world would any player who is wanted in the NBA, decide to play basketball in Europe?” That question can be answered with three simple words (you know what they are, so say them with me), STRAIGHT CASH HOMEY!!!!

This off-season there are not very many NBA teams with a lot of salary cap space to sign free-agents. Therefore the market for restricted free-agents is particularly tough. With this in mind the Hawks thought that they had the upper hand in the negotiations with Childress, because they felt that his options were limited. Apparently someone forgot to tell new Hawks GM, Rick Sund that the US is not the only place in the world where really rich guys own sports teams. Little did they know that a team from the EUROLEAGUE would come into play. Traditionally, the US looked at the EUROLEAGUE as basically minor league basketball. The Americans that chose to make their living playing in Europe were either players who could not make it in the NBA or players who wanted to lengthen their careers by playing a couple of extra years. These former NBA players were looked at as superstars in Europe and were treated like they were in the prime of their NBA careers. In the past such NBA stars as Dominique Wilkins, Bill Bradley, and Bob McAdoo enjoyed the limelight in Europe at or near the tail end of their careers. There have been many cases where European-born role players in the NBA have returned to Europe to play and be a superstar, but never has an American player entering the prime of his career chosen to leave the NBA for the EUROLEAGUE.

Josh Childress has now blazed that trail. He turned down a 5-year $33 million (which is basically 5-years for $17 million after HE pays his taxes) offer from the Hawks, in favor of a 3-year $20.1 million (that figure is the net amount because the team will be covering his taxes). So basically he will make $3.1 million more in two less years. Oh, it gets better. In addition to the tax free $20.1 million, the team will also provide him with luxury accommodations (usually an extremely nice condo), maid service, a car, and a personal driver. All of which is free of charge. Looking at these figures, Childress would be an absolute idiot to pass up this opportunity. In addition to the cash (or should I say EURO’s) and perks, Childress can also opt to return to the NBA after each of the three seasons at no penalty to him.

I feel as though this deal has done three things, which are:

1. Changed the way the NBA teams will deal with restricted free agents in the future
2. Started an arms race between EUROLEAGUE teams to find NBA talent.
3. Set the stage for an NBA All-Star to go to Europe to play for an absolutely ridiculous amount of money.

I am predicting that in the next five years that an American born NBA All-Star will go to Europe in the prime of his career. This will happen because there is NO SALARY CAP IN THE EUROLEAGUE. When it happens, remember that you read it first on STRAIGHT CASH HOMEY!!!!

The signing of Josh Childress was not the only big move recently made by a European team. Except this blow was not only directed at the NBA, but also the NCAA. The NBA now has a rule stating that a player must be one year removed from high school and 19 years old to enter the NBA. This rule was instituted to prevent players from jumping directly from high school to the NBA. I think that this rule is absolutely asinine. There is no way that an organization should be allowed to deny employment to a qualified applicant simply based on age. That is blatant discrimination. If you ask me, the intent of this rule is to protect teams from using draft picks on players who may never be able to contribute on the NBA level. While that sounds good, it is not the job of the league to protect teams from themselves. There is also another very obvious social reason for this rule, which I don’t care to discuss at this moment. Let’s just say that this rule disproportionately affects one specific segment of society (I’ll let you figure that out). This rule also forces kids who have no intent of ever getting a college degree to spend a year on a college campus (where I’m sure that they take such difficult classes as SIT IN CHAIR 1000, and Principles of Basketball 1200) in order for the NCAA to exploit them for one season. This one season also allows NBA fans to get to know the next crop of NBA stars, so that their jerseys can begin selling before they ever touch the NBA hardwood. So basically everyone wins, except the “student-athlete”. That is until now.

Brandon Jennings, the top rated High School point guard in the Class of 2008 has decided to take a different route to the NBA. Instead of going to the University of Arizona and selling out their arena for a year, he has decided to spend next season playing in Europe. He will be playing for Pallacanestro Virtus Roma of the Italian Pro League. Not only will he be spending everyday concentrating on basketball, instead of sleeping through classes. He will earn somewhere in the neighborhood of $300,000 for his services. This decision is certainly unprecedented and will serve as a slap in the face to both the NBA and the NCAA, who I am sure never thought that this would ever happen. Don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against being college educated. In fact I myself hold a Bachelor’s Degree and am currently working toward my Master’s Degree. But in addition to receiving a great education during my college career, I also learned two other important things about college. The first is that college is not for everyone. Just because I have enjoyed my pursuit of higher education, doesn’t mean that my route is the route that everyone should take. The second thing that I have learned is that most people go to college to learn the necessary skills to get a job. Last I checked, you didn’t need to pass Differential Equations to shoot a mid-range jump shot.

It’s time for the NBA to stop being so arrogant and acting as though they are the only option for high quality professional basketball. We are truly living in a global marketplace and although you may be the only game in town, you are not the only game in the world. Teams all-around the world are ready, willing, and able to compete with you by spending lots of STRAIGHT CASH HOMEY!!!!



****STRAIGHT CASH HOMEY!!!! HAD A BIRTHDAY****
Complete with a great dinner, a STRAIGHT CASH HOMEY!!!! Cookie Cake, gifts, and a FAT GOLD CHAIN complete with a dollar sign ($). Thanks to my Wife, Mother, Cousins, and especially my Little Sister for making it all happen. Thanks for all of the support. I couldn’t do it without you all.

SPEND YOUR STRAIGHT CASH HOMEY!!!!

This week I tossed around several possible blog topics in my head and with friends. The world of sports did not do me any favors, because nothing of note really took place. I’m sorry, I meant nothing of note that I really care to write about took place. There was the Home Run Derby and the All-Star game. In short, 8 players hit a lot of batting practice home runs Monday night, and the American League won again (they have a 12 game unbeaten streak) on Tuesday night. See, that wasn’t enough to constitute an entry. I also thought about doing a recap of the continuing saga that is Brett Favre. That could have possibly been a good idea except for the fact that the DIVA himself has been a ONE MAN MEDIA CIRCUS for the past week. He has done nothing more than confirm (what was first written on STRAIGHT CASH HOMEY!!!!) that he is by far the biggest Diva in the NFL and possibly in all of sports. After his interview with Gretta Van Susteren, even die-hard Brett Favre supporters are telling me that they are sick of him and that he is in danger of having his man-card revoked. I also thought, ‘I can write about the NBA Summer League.’ Then I remembered that NO ONE CARES ABOUT THE NBA SUMMER LEAGUE, NOT EVEN THE PLAYERS PLAYING!!!! I also decided against writing another NFL related entry, because there will be plenty of that to come in the upcoming months. Then I got a brilliant idea. I remembered a conversation that I had with one of my readers, “Northside Marty” (representing the Northside of the ATL to the fullest) about great sports commercials.

Companies spend millions upon millions of dollars each year on advertising. They make this investment hoping that someone will see their commercial or their print or online advertisements and immediately want to buy their product. In order for their advertising dollars to give them the desired return on their investment, these advertisements must be memorable.

I now present to you some of my favorite and most memorable sports commercials. Sit back and enjoy….

THE CLASSICS:



This is arguably the best McDonalds commercial ever. I vividly remember it from its premier at during a SUPERBOWL. This commercial pitted two rival Hall of Famers in the most outrageous game of H-O-R-S-E ever played. I can’t believe the shots that they came up with and made (I’m sure that there were no camera tricks involved, YEAH RIGHT). Simply a great commercial, that set a new standard for SUPERBOWL commercials.




Every person who has touched a basketball since the debut of this commercial has wanted to be like Mike. Current NBA players are still trying to be like Mike. What makes this a classic commercial is the fact that anyone old enough to remember it when it premiered, still remembers the song.




Michael Jordan and Mars Blackmon, CLASSIC!!!! It might not be the shoes that made Jordan so great, but millions upon millions people believe that it is based on the sales of Air Jordan’s over the years.




Don’t get me wrong Penny Hardaway had mad game before injuries derailed his career, but Lil’ Penny was even better. This character is classic Chris Rock and was really hilarious. The shoes that they were selling were pretty cool too.


OTHER FAVORITES:



INSTANT CLASSIC!!!! One of the best and most creative commercials ever made. What more can I say?




This is by far one of the most creative commercials that I have ever seen. This had to take everyone by surprise. It is even funnier now, because it shows Mark McGwire at the height of his popularity and now he is has become one of the faces of what is perceived to be the biggest problem in baseball. Aside from that, Maddox and Glavine are hilarious.




This is by far one of my favorites. It is funny because every sports fan knows the fake sports fan. He is the guy that doesn’t know very much about sports but pretends to, just to fit in. I’ll admit that TJ Houshmandzadeh’s name is hard to pronounce to the average person. But it shouldn’t be to a football fan because you hear it all the time from commentators and during highlight packages. So, obviously this guy isn’t a real football fan.




This commercial proved that the only competition for Michael Jordan is Michael Jordan.




This commercial really captures the effect the Michael Jordan’s game has had on the new generation of basketball players, although many of them are too young to have vivid memories. It is awesome how they mimicked so many of Jordan’s trademarked moments. My favorite moment is the “Jumping Fist Pump after the Jumpshot over Craig Ehlo (he has to be the “other guy” in more Jordan posters than anyone else).




This commercial shows off Tiger’s sick golf club handling skills. Imagine if the Harlem Globetrotter could not only do the amazing tricks that they do, but also be the best team in the NBA. That is what Tiger is. He is the best showman on tour and is the BEST GOLFER EVER!!!!




This commercial is not only funny because they called out Warren Sapp and the pathetic Oakland Raiders, but it is also funny because neither of their teams made the playoffs the season after this commercial aired.




WHAT SELF RESPECTING MAN GETS MARRIED ON THE DAY OF THE FANTASY FOOTBALL DRAFT? MAN-CARD REVOKED!!!!


THE FUTURE:



THE FUTURE OF SPORTS COMMERCIALS. This is by far one of the most innovative sports commercials ever made. The main character in the commercial is YOU (the viewer). It shows your rise up the ranks of elite Soccer, culminating in you representing your country in an international match. Hopefully more commercials like this are coming.


You may not feel as though these are the best sports commercials ever made, but they are definitely some of my favorites. You may have noticed that most of them were made by Nike, feature Michael Jordan, or are for the NFL. It makes me wonder if it’s a coincidence that Nike is the most popular brand of athletic shoe, that Michael Jordan is one of the most recognizable faces on the planet, and that the NFL is by far the most popular of the American sports leagues. Or is advertising simply that important? YOU DECIDE!!!!

If you have any other sports commercials that you feel are great. Please let me know. This may be a topic that I revisit again at a later date.


****ON A TOTALLY DIFFERENT NOTE****
Mike Hampton the oft-injured Atlanta Braves starting pictured (discussed in the entry titled WANTED: FOR UN-ARMED ROBBERY) was injured again during a Double A rehab start. I don’t know what kind of bad vibes that he has put out into the world or who he has wronged, but Karma is really getting to him. I think that it’s time to hang it up.

IT ALL STARTS WITH THE QUARTERBACK

The countdown to the beginning of the NFL season has officially begun. In exactly 53 days the New York Giants and the Washington Redskins will kick off the NFL regular season, which is by far my favorite time of the year. There are those people whose favorite season is Winter, some like Spring, others like Summer, and many people like Fall. But me, I prefer FOOTBALL SEASON!!!!

All of the recent news coverage of Brett Favre’s latest cry for attention got me thinking about NFL Quarterbacks. The quarterback position is by far the most important position in the NFL and arguably in all of sports. I decided to have a little fun and rank all 32 starting NFL quarterbacks. This would allow me to look at each of them against their contemporaries and decide exactly how they measure up to one another.

To make it even more interesting, I decided to rank the quarterbacks without looking up any of their statistics or win – loss records (any statistics mentioned are those that I knew without having to look them up). I am simply looking at what I have seen with my own eyes and what I predict will happen in the future (I also ranked the rookie QB's that I thought would be a starter at some point this season. Also, I didn’t rank them according to who I thought would have the best 2008 season. I simply asked myself one simple question, which was, “If I was starting a team today, who would I want under center?”

Without further ado, my rankings are as follows….

1. Peyton Manning (Colts) – Simply the best in the game and will probably be considered the best ever when his career is over. If his career ended tomorrow, he would already be a Hall of Famer. He will hold every major QB record and have another Super Bowl victory or two before it is all said and done.

2. Tom Brady (Patriots) – People usually debate whether he or Manning is number one. That used to be a valid argument before we discovered his extensive DVD collection of opposing defenses. How many championships would he have won without his “extra” film study? We will never know, but the 2007 season (supposedly without the aid of any illegal tapes) proved that you can’t drop him below number two.

3. Carson Palmer (Bengals) – I like to call him the “PROTOTYPE”. This guy is the most fundamentally sound quarterback in the NFL. He has perfect footwork, a perfect release, perfect form, a rocket arm, and is the ideal size of an NFL quarterback (6’5” 230lbs.). He should be the example in all of the QB training videos used to teach kids to play quarterback. Along with all of that, he can make all of the throws with ease and accuracy. If his team ever gets a defense, he will certainly win a Super Bowl before it’s all over.

4. Donovan McNabb (Eagles) – I know that he is not exactly an Iron Man and he gives his backup a chance to play virtually every year, but I still rank him as the fourth best QB in the league. He is the perfect blend of the run and pass option at quarterback. He has had a potential Hall of Fame career although he has played only one full season with an elite receiver.

5. Tony Romo (Cowboys) – You gotta love the fact that he loves all of the perks that come with being the QB of the Dallas Cowboys. It’s funny I don’t remember him having all of these celebrity girlfriends when he was backing up Quincy Carter. Things really have changed quickly. On the football field he has all of the tools to move up to the level of the four players ranked ahead of him. He is a very confident player who is only going to get better. If he stays focused on football, he will be a Hall of Famer.

6. Philip Rivers (Chargers) – Better than Ben Roethlisberger and Eli Manning (who were both drafted the same year) although they both have Super Bowl Rings. Also, is tough as nails and lays it all on the line.

7. David Garrard (Jaguars) – Some people would feel that this is too high for Garrard. I don’t, and this is my list so I can do what I want to. He has the most important trait that I look for in a quarterback. He does not throw interceptions. He didn’t throw his first interception until well into the second half of last season. I would take him over ANY of the players ranked below him in a heartbeat.

8. Ben Roethlisberger (Steelers) – It has become obvious that he sold his soul to the devil to win the Super Bowl. He had a string of bad luck following that game, but has bounced back nicely. Personally I am not a big fan, but I must give credit where credit is due.

9. Matt Hasselbeck (Seahawks)

10. Eli Manning (Giants) – Would have never put him in the top ten before the Giants’ playoff run. It’s possible that they finally got electricity in Mayberry and someone has turned the light on for Gomer Pyle.

11. Drew Brees (Saints) – Quite possibly the best pre-season QB of his era, but needs to be consistent in the regular season when the games count. He is not a bad QB, but he isn’t as good as his 2006 season (that was a total aberration).

12. Derrick Anderson (Browns) – I will be the first to admit that I was wrong in thinking that the Browns would be horrible in 2007. They would have indeed been horrible if they had never given Derrick Anderson a chance. Just think Charlie Frye opened last season as the starter. What were they thinking?

13. Marc Bulger (Rams)

14. Jay Cutler (Broncos)

15. Jon Kitna (Lions)

16. Matt Schaub (Texans) – Why couldn’t Michael Vick get indicted before he was traded? The Federal Justice System has no love for the Atlanta Falcons.

17. Jeff Garcia (Buccaneers) – Graduated High School with Dikembe Mutombo, but is still playing at a high level. I can’t figure out what makes him so good, but he has proven that he still has it.

18. Jason Campbell (Redskins)

19. Trent Edwards (Bills)

20. Josh McCown (Dolphins) – The best quarterback to never get a fair shot to start. Hopefully he gets that In Miami.

21. Vince Young (Titans) – Great athlete, not a very good quarterback. He has a lot of work to do to become a decent quarterback. His passing ability makes Michael Vick look like Dan Marino. It’s his athleticism that keeps him on the field.

22. Aaron Rodgers (Packers) – Has been placed in a horrible situation. Not only is he following a legend, but the Packers also drafted two quarterbacks in the draft.

23. JaMarcus Russell (Raiders) – Has the potential to be what we all thought Daunte Culpepper would be. He has a rocket arm and is surprisingly athletic for a guy his size. The only problem is that he plays for the most dysfunctional organization in football, so there is a good chance that he will never reach his full potential.

24. Matt Leinart (Cardinals)

25. Tavaris Jackson (Vikings) – Don’t laugh when you read this, but I think this kid has all the tools to be the next Donovan McNabb. He is mobile and has a good arm. He simply needs to work on his accuracy, which can be improved through hard work and coaching. Truthfully, if he can simply not fumble the snap, hand the ball safely to Adrian Peterson and complete 10 – 12 passes a game (with minimal interceptions), the Vikings will win the division. As I mentioned, they have Adrian Peterson and their defense will be the best in the NFL this year.

26. Jake Delhomme (Panthers) – He’s done. Only ranked this high because the players below him have not shown anything as of yet.

27. Kellen Clemons (Jets) – Not very good and will never be very good. Trust me the Jets will be acquiring another quarterback within the next two years.

28. Matt Ryan (Falcons) – Is believed by some to be a can’t miss quarterback. I am not one of those people. I think that he will be good enough to make you feel like you don’t need to draft a quarterback for the next 6 to 8 years, but not good enough to win big. He will have a solid career and a terrible 2008 season playing behind a terrible offensive line in Atlanta. His college coach said it correctly by saying that he is the next Matt Hasselbeck. He will be better than the average quarterback at the peak of his career. By the way, he also makes more money than Tom Brady, GO FIGURE!!!!

29. Joe Flaco (Ravens)

30. Rex Grossman (Bears) – He isn’t the typical Steve Sprurier system-quarterback that can’t play in the NFL. He has all of the tools and is capable of being a legit NFL starter, but there is one thing holding him back. He is about as smart as Homer Simpson. Can’t you hear him saying D’oh!!!! After every interception. He must have some compromising pictures of Bears coach Lovie Smith and other members of the front office. That is the only way to explain them re-signing him after his dreadful play. (Note to Rex: If you are in a quarterback competition with Kyle Orton, you aren’t any good.)

31. Alex Smith (49ers) – I called him a bust on draft day 2005 and it looks like I was right. THERE IS NO WAY THAT A SYSTEM QUARTERBACK FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF UTAH SHOULD EVER BE SELECTED #1 IN THE DRAFT. He is absolutely horrible and has no chance of getting any better. He will be someone’s backup when the 2009 season begins and will be out of the league in the next three years (he will only last that long because he was a former #1 pick). Either way it goes, he will definitely cost Coach Mike Nolan (the coach that drafted him) his job in the very near future.

32. Brodie Croyle – Was there ever any doubt who would be #32. This guy is the worst NFL quarterback I have seen since Cade McNown and Akili Smith. He is yet to win a game in the NFL, and quite frankly I’m not sure if he ever will. With Chan Gailey as the Offensive Coordinator, don’t be surprised if Reggie Ball surfaces on their depth chart. The scary thing about that is that Reggie Ball would be an upgrade. But fear not Chiefs fans, HE IS SIMPLY KEEPING THE SEAT WARM UNTIL MICHAEL VICK IS REINSTATED!!!! That’s right, you read it here first, MICHAEL VICK WILL BE A CHIEF.

Remember these rankings were done without the use of any stats. I compiled this list as if I were having a debate with friends or in a barbershop, using only common knowledge and what I have seen with my own eyes. If there are any players that you feel are ranked incorrectly, please comment and let me know.

NOTE: Brett Favre was not included in my rankings because I don’t think that he is coming back and there is NO ROOM FOR A DIVA ON MY LIST!!!!

****Also****
I would like to thank my wife for helping me to compile this list. To all of the guys out there who are not married to a sports fan, DON'T HATE!!!!

THE BIGGEST DIVA IN THE NFL

By looking at the title of this entry, you’re probably thinking that I’m talking about Terrell Owens (WRONG!!!!), or Chad Johnson (WRONG!!!!), or maybe even DeAngelo Hall (WRONG AGAIN!!!!). Although all of these players are well-known Diva’s, none of them qualify as the BIGGEST DIVA IN THE NFL. That distinction belongs to none other than the tractor-riding, King of the Cheese Heads himself, Mr. Brett Favre.

It pains me to look at Brett Favre as a Diva, because I have always looked at him as the ultimate tough guy. He has been under center for 275 consecutive games (counting playoffs). That means that he has always been dependable and there for his team, despite injuries or turmoil in his personal life. That certainly isn’t Diva behavior. As a matter of fact, I felt honored to be able to see him play in person. I was at the Georgia Dome on November 13, 2005 to witness Favre and the irrepressible Samkon Gado beat the Atlanta Falcons. For those who play Fantasy Football, that was the game that made Samkon Gado the hottest commodity on the waiver wire (he had 103 yards and 2 touchdowns on 23 carries and also 1 touchdown reception). Although I admire Brett, and acknowledge that he is a certain first ballot Hall of Famer, I must call a spade a spade. HE IS THE BIGGEST DIVA IN THE NFL.

What makes Brett Favre a Diva? The fact that he has been contemplating retirement FOR THREE CONSECUTIVE YEARS!!!! So for three straight years, Brett Favre got the full behind kissing treatment from the media, the NFL, and most noticeably his biggest fan Troy Aikman. For a guy who is the face of a TEAM, he seems to enjoy having all of the attention on HIMSELF. The hype started early. I remember watching the NFL Schedule Release show (what can I say, I love the NFL) on the NFL Network prior to the 2005 season. They were already selling the fact that “Brett Favre’s last game” will be televised on the NFL Network. On the day of the game, they even had a live broadcast of the pre-game show from Lambeau Field, complete with the dramatic scene of Favre coming on set and giving Steve Mariucci (his former QB coach) a hug. The Diva behavior continued after the game, with his victory lap around the stadium to take in all the love from the fans (he did a great job of making it look like he was actually retiring). Then suddenly, he said GOTCHA to everyone and decided to play again. He then went through the same song and dance after the 2006 season before playing again in 2007. Then after the 2007 season he finally decided to retire.

Now, the Diva has decided that he would like more attention. There are reports that say that Favre wants to comeback. If these reports are true, Brett Favre is essentially continuing to hold the Packers hostage and making it all about him, yet again. The Packers now have their backs against the wall in the court of public opinion. Although Ted Thompson (General Manager) and Mike McCarthy (Head Coach) don’t want to be known as the people who turned away Brett Favre, it is obvious that they are ready to move on without him. As a matter of fact, one report stated that his agent contacted the Packers about a possible return, and was told that the team had already moved on. In addition to that, they also scheduled his jersey retirement ceremony for the first game of the season and drafted not one but two quarterbacks in the recent NFL draft. Also, notice that no one from the Packers has stood behind a microphone and said, “We would love to have Brett Favre back.” If the Packers really wanted Brett Favre back, don’t you think that someone would say so.

It is not unusual for a professional athlete to struggle with the idea of retiring, and there are many cases where athletes actually retire, then decide to play again. I don’t have a problem with that, because everyone should have the right to change their mind. What I do have a problem with is when a player purposely holds a franchise hostage year after year, for his own selfish reasons. Brett Favre has long been looked at as the ultimate Packer, a great leader, and a great teammate. I for one, think that perception is not reality in this case. There have been many instances where he has proven not to be a great teammate and definitely not a leader. Along with his constant waffling about retiring or playing, I also point to two instances that show the real Diva in Brett Favre. The first being his refusal to serve as a mentor to Aaron Rodgers after Rodgers was drafted in 2005. I think that this is ridiculous because he knows that Rodgers is no threat to replace MR. PACKER in Green Bay, so why not help him learn the ropes in case he is forced into action due to an injury or you ACTUALLY RETIRING. The second instance occurred after the 2004 season. Javon Walker (a then Packer wide receiver) was threatening to hold out for a new contract. After having a breakout season (89 catches, 1,382 yards, 12 touchdowns), Walker wanted to renegotiate his contract. That is when the Diva himself, broke a man-law, and interfered in another player’s contract situation by speaking out against Walker holding out and trying to get a new contract. A good teammate never does that. His comments essentially turned the whole state of Wisconsin against Javon Walker.

Brett Favre is an all-time great and certainly a delight to watch each Sunday. He is definitely the KING OF THE CHEESE HEADS. Although he is universally loved (I am a huge fan of him on the field), we must look at him as we do all other NFL players. If any other player did the things that he has done, such as hold his team hostage each year and speak out about another players contract situation, he would be vilified by all sports fans. Favre is no different.

He has really backed the Packers into a tough spot. Everyone affiliated with the Packers know that having Favre gives them a better chance to win than not having Favre, but I’m sure that his yearly song and dance is getting old. There is a simple solution to this situation that should satisfy all parties involved. They should welcome him back with open arms, but with a totally redone contract. They should give him a two-year deal at his current pay rate, with one condition. That condition is that he must return for the second year of the contract or pay back his entire salary from the first year of the contract. This will allow Favre to continue his pursuit for a second Super Bowl ring and pad his records. The Packers will also be protected against Favre’s Waffling Version 2009. He will have the option of either giving them a two year commitment or playing for free.

As much as we all like (or love in the case of Troy Aikman) Brett Favre, we must look at the situation objectively and admit to ourselves that HE IS THE BIGGEST DIVA IN THE NFL, whether he has earned the right to be or not.