- Part 4

Brett Favre Has One More Comeback Left In Him

Posted by Michael Emdeyar on January 4th, 2011

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After sitting out the final game of the season, Brett Favre announced his retirement from the NFL. Again. But, this time he means it. Really.

“I know it’s time, and that’s OK. It is. Again, I hold no regrets, and I can’t think of too many players offhand that can walk away and say that. Individually and from a team standpoint, it was way more than I ever dreamed of.”

“I don’t know for me if it’s ever easy. I’m sure throughout this year, the comment has been made that, ‘We’ll wait and see in August or September’ and that’s fine. It’s time. I’m OK with it.”

For me, with all the hoopla of his comebacks have brought over the past few years, he should have one more.

The Chicago Bears knocked Favre loopy in week 15, causing him to miss the final two games of the season. He was unable to take a ceremonial final snap and run off into the sunset, in typical gunslinger fashion.

I say, the NFL should bring Favre back for a series, or a snap, during this season’s Pro Bowl. That’s all. Just a formal farewell to arguably the best quarterback the NFL has seen.

The Pro Bowl lacks attention. Last season, the NFL moved it to the off-week between the conference championships and the Super Bowl to raise interest. What better way to add a spark than to trot #4 onto the field to open the game?

Now, if you’ve ever read any of my other Brett Favre posts, you know I’m not a big fan. Heck, I grew up a Bears fan who loathed everything Green Bay. But, in this case, allowing Favre to throw just one more pass would be appropriate.

Pitt to Mike Haywood — Thanks for Nothing

Posted by Michael Emdeyar on January 2nd, 2011

[picappgallerysingle id="10398215"]Two weeks ago, the Pitt Panthers handed over the football team to Mike Haywood, who had been at Miami (Ohio) and had a promising future in Big East football.

Today, we’re about to find out who came in second in the search for the next Pitt football coach. Haywood has been fired after being arrested for felony domestic assault stemming from a custody dispute with a woman he shares a child.

Big 10 Whiffs on New Year’s Day

Posted by Michael Emdeyar on January 1st, 2011

[picappgallerysingle id="9780365"]Wisconsin? Nice try. Penn State? Valiant effort. Northwestern scored a lot but lost. The Michigans? Really? Did the Big 10 really finish the day 0-5?

Iowa and Illinois had started the conference off well, winning the first two bowl games of the 2010 post-season. Now, all that’s left is the Ohio State Buckeyes as they take on the Arkansas Razorbacks in the Sugar Bowl on Tuesday.

Rich Rodriguez probably has seen his last of the Big 10. Michigan embarrassed themselves today. Michigan State too. Joe Paterno and the Penn State Nittany Lions represented themselves well in Florda, but the cards were stacked against them in Urban Myers’ last game. And, the Badgers came close to ruining the TCU Horned Frogs’ perfect season, but what would the BCS controversy be without an undefeated team sitting on the outside looking in?

Big 10 football has been down in recent years. Today’s showing did nothing to dispute that. We’ll see if the addition of the Nebraska Cornhuskers can turn that around. But, they too came up empty against the Washington Huskies. Bowl season is not good for the Big 10.

For Georgia Bulldogs, Russ Gets No Love

Posted by Michael Emdeyar on December 31st, 2010

[picappgallerysingle id="10109034"]When the Georgia Bulldogs take the field today for the Liberty Bowl in Memphis, they will be without a key member of their team. Team mascot Uga VIII will be back home in Savannah with an upset stomach.

So, like last season when Uga VII passed unexpectedly due to a heart condition, the face of the Bulldogs will be Russ.

Unfortunately for Russ, he’s not an Uga. He is ”only” a half-brother of Uga VII, the dawg he replaced last year. He’s simply a stand-in for the unhealthy Ugas. Apparently, he’s too old. He’s six,which is considered too old to handle the rigors of a full season. Yet, when the Ugas break down, they turn to Russ.

In the end, Russ will never be remembered and recognized with the distinguished Ugas after death. You see, the Ugas are laid to rest in a marble mausoleum in Georgia’s Sanford Stadium. Russ will have to rest elsewhere. He’ll be back home in Savannah, out in the yard. Forever reminded that he was a good ‘ol bulldog…just not an Uga.

In Philly, NFL More Important Than Safety

Posted by Michael Emdeyar on December 27th, 2010

[picappgallerysingle id="5575500"]The NFL made a bold move Sunday in postponing the Eagles/Vikings game two days to Tuesday in the interest of public safety.

Today, Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell was outspoken in stating that the NFL made a bad decision in moving the game.

“It’s an absolute joke. I was looking forward to this. It would have been a real experience. This is what football is all about. We’re becoming a nation of wussies.”

Wussies. Wow.

Here’s the thing. Weather can be very unpredictable. The best we have is the forecast for weather. The forecast was for a blizzard to hit Philadelphia during the game, leaving fans with a nearly impossible task of driving home after the game.

As a resident of Florida, I’ll compare this moron of a governor to a common issue that faces the Sunshine State and any other coastal state. His quote is this.

“I think it’s a joke. We cancel the game and there’s less than 3 inches of snow … I think the fans can make their own decisions about their own safety.”

In Florida, a real governor is faced with real life and death decisions. He doesn’t have to worry about the triviality of an NFL football game. He has to decide whether to declare a state of emergency or announce evacuation orders based on weather forecasts related to hurricanes. Can you imagine if a governor of Florida, or Texas, or any coastal state said “I think the fans (residents) can make their own decisions about their own safety”?

Essentially, he’s saying that a governor should say…”make your own decision about life or death, you’re on your own. And, stop being a baby.”

I get that Philadelphia is “different” about their professional sports teams. But, at some point, they really need to stop seeming so “different” to the rest of us. Governor Rendell owes it to the people of Pennsylvania to be a little more responsible than this “suck it up” mentality.

Lions Defensive Coordinator Gunther Cunningham Hates Crackback Blocks

Posted by Michael Emdeyar on December 24th, 2010

[picappgallerysingle id="9716096"]Miami Dolphins running back Ricky Williams has been warned. If he delivers a crackback block to a Lions defensive player, Gunther Cunningham is coming after him.

“All I can say to Ricky Williams — I want him to know this — if he hits one of our DBs in the back on a crack block, then I’m coming on the field. I mean, he’s had a couple of knockouts, but they’ve been nonlegal. I’ll just put it as that.”

The crackback block catches an unsuspecting defender from behind and below the waist. The 64-year-old defensive guru and ex-head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs doesn’t mind warning Ricky that he’s not going to allow his players to get hit like that.

Terrelle Pryor and Ohio State Proves NCAA Ruled by Dimwits

Posted by Michael Emdeyar on December 23rd, 2010

[picappgallerysingle id="10114598"]Several star Ohio State football players are in trouble. Not enough trouble to miss the Sugar Bowl, mind you…but trouble enough.

The face behind the headlines is Buckeyes quarterback Terrelle Pryor. But, those in trouble also include leading rusher “Boom” Herron, receiver DeVier Posey and offensive lineman Mike Adams. The NCAA announced today that these players will be suspended for the first five games next season for selling stuff of value.

In the end, the players get to play in the bowl game because the NCAA decided that the school failed to educate the players on the rules. Good to know. An institute of higher learning neglects to educate their students completely.

The players were found guilty of selling championship rings, game gear and personal awards. The NCAA doesn’t want to hear that these college students were using their entrepreneurial mindset to better their peronal situations. They simply want to penalize these players for the next season.

But seriously, next season? All the NCAA is doing is driving these young athletes out of college. Does that really make sense? We’re talking about a better-than-average quarterback, a #1 running back, a top reciever and an all-conference offensive lineman. Do you think any of these players stick around to be suspended? Heck no, these guys head to the NFL for a paycheck.

The NCAA could have penalized these players by making them it out the Sugar Bowl and perhaps the Akron game to open next season. Take away five-twelths of the 2011 season and the players say “see ya”. The NCAA would prefer to thank these college-athletes for their time already served at Ohio State and send them on their way. It’s too bad a college education holds so little value.

Is Yankees Starter Andy Pettitte Retiring or Holding Out?

Posted by Michael Emdeyar on December 22nd, 2010

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The New York Yankees have had a bad off-season. They have failed to sign baseball’s top free agents, specifically prized lefty Cliff Lee. Now, they have to play a waiting game with one of their own.

Having Andy Pettitte return for the 2011 season is huge to the chances of the Yankees in keeping up with the Boston Red Sox. In fact, it’s so important to Yankees president Randy Levine, he’s dreaming of a Pettitte return.

“I go to sleep every night hoping that Andy Pettitte makes his decision to come back and pitch another year. That is his decision. He has not made a decision to retire. He has not made a decision to come back.

“He is with his family. Hopefully, over the holidays he will come to peace with whatever his decision is and knowing Andy, he will give it a lot of thought. He has a big heart. There is no bigger Yankee than him. Let’s just hope he wakes up one day in the next couple of weeks and says, ‘I want to pitch for the New York Yankees.’ “

Really? For Levine to call Pettitte the biggest Yankee is probably a stretch, or a swipe at Derek Jeter. While the Yankees played hardball with their shortstop, challenging him to find a better deal elsewhere, they seem to be doing just the opposite for Pettitte.

Personally, I think Andy Pettitte knows this and is playing the Yankees. How high might his price tag go to come back? With the list of available starters moving down to near nothing, he could be in for quite a paycheck.

A Giants Choke in New York — Blame Punter

Posted by Michael Emdeyar on December 19th, 2010

[picappgallerysingle id="10339956"]I get that when things go bad, it’s natural to find someone to blame, a scapegoat. Tom Coughlin’s immediate reaction to today’s epic choke job was to get in the face of his rookie punter Matt Dodge, clearly placing the blame on his punter’s shoulders.

The New York Giants controlled today’s matchup with their division rivals, the Philadelphia Eagles, for most of the game. In fact, with only 8:17 left in the game, the Giants held 31-10 lead.

In the end, while coach Tom Coughlin made sure that everyone watching the end of the game knew that he had told his punter to kick the ball out of bounds, it was the long Brent Celek touchdown catch, the lost on-sides kick and the many scrambles of Michael Vick that did the Giants in.

Matt Dodge could very well lose his job within the next few minutes, tonight or this week. Punters, it seems, are a dime a dozen. But, what about Tom Coughlin? His team is now, once again, teetering on missing the playoffs. The Giants let a must-win game on their home field slip through their fingers. Everyone in New York is mad at Matt Dodge. I’d say losing today was a total team effort.

NBA Fans Vote Yao — Really?

Posted by Michael Emdeyar on December 18th, 2010

[picappgallerysingle id="10069174"]Yao Ming is the runaway favorite to start at center or the NBA Western Conference All-Stars this year. He’s over 200,00 votes ahead of the next best center. Andrew Bynum.

Huh? What’s wrong with the NBA and their fans? Shouldn’t they want to see the NBA’s best in their All-Star game? Yao missed all of last season, hasn’t played since November 10…and is now out for the season. Andrew Bynum has only played in a few games this season. What have these guys done to make NBA fans want to watch them play with the elite?

In the end, it should be Denver Nuggets center Nene starting at center for the Western Conference. He’s probably the best they can throw out there. But, it sure appears that Yao will be voted in. And, that’s a shame. That does not make NBA fans look very smart.