Can Someone Tell Me Why ?

Can Someone Tell Me Why ?

The biggest mistake an athlete can make is to carry on long after the height of their athletic abilities . Far too often we’ve seen athletes such as Muhammad Ali, Brett Favre and now mixed martial artist Randy Couture . Seemingly,carry on as if , they’re still at the height of their athletic prowess.

Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (left) and Randy Couture (right) mix it up at UFC 102 . Nogueira would go on to defeat Couture with a unanimous decision in the title elimination bout. The winner has a lucrative title matchup against the UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar. A date has yet to be scheduled for the highly anticipated bout. picture appears courtesy of ap/photo/ Mark Jasper ......................

We’ve seen Favre come back for the umpteenth time , well at least it appears that way ! Ali, as we know came back for that one or shall we say that four or five fights too many ? Unfortunately for the man, himself , he’s no longer the athlete that so many of came to love and grew up watching.. He’s seemingly a broken and irreparably damaged individual, not only physically but also mentally. Now a sufferer of Parkinson’s disease , Ali lives within a shell , and a silent world where he can neither speak or communicate with anyone with any semblance of normalcy.

Nogueira lands a left hook to the side of the head of Couture in their title elimination bout at UFC 102 held at the Rose Garden Arena in Portland Oregon this past Saturday night. picture appears courtesy of getty images/ Jon Kopaloff .....................

Favre , for all of his misgivings and the belief that he can come back and lead the Minnesota Vikings to a title. It has to be said that his failings as a player were all too prominent last season in his tenure, with the New York Jets . Not only as a player but as a leader by example. If there’s one thing that has been abundantly clear as to Favre’s demeanor as a player in his latter years in the NFL, as a teammate. It has been the fact that it has to be about him and being center stage, as the turmoil unfolds. If you doubt my view then here’s an actual quote from the player, himself. ” I don’t have to be a teammate or teach anyone anything !” If you can guess that Favre was actually stating this about his then teammate , Aaron Rodgers.As the then rookie, had been drafted by the Green Bay Packers. Then you can understand the reservations that may now well be , being felt within the Vikings’ camp at present. On the outside everything may well seem rosy. But then again what’s a schism amongst friends ?

On Saturday night at UFC 102 , Randy Couture , the grand-daddy of the UFC veterans now still competing in the octagon. ‘The Natural’ ,as he’s come to be known showed for all sense and purpose that his best years are indeed most definitely behind him. Much like Muhammad Ali , who’d returned to the ring to have those five fights too many. Therein ,he became the punch bag for fighters who in his prime he’d have destroyed within the blink of an eye. But that was then and this about the here and now. It’s not about what you did then but what have you done lately ? And for Couture his last few fights have been absolutely nothing to write home about. He’s suffered the ignominy of having been beaten by fighters who in many respects aren’t as experienced . But their main advantage was the presence of youth and in many respects Couture as a practitioner is now said to be on the downside of an illustrious career. Where in reality, it’s no longer a young man’s game.

His opponent on Saturday night, in the none title eliminator was Brazilian ju-jitsu expert Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira . Thirteen years younger than the veteran Couture , 46. Nogueira totally dominated the bout from start to finish. It was an emphatic and decisive win for the Brazilian. And it was understandable that all three judges decided in Nogueira’s favor. Not at anytime, in this headlined event, was Couture able to anything worthwhile inside the octagon. And if anything , it was quite embarrassing having to watch Couture try and even take down his much younger opponent. As I’d alluded to earlier, this is in every way a young man’s sport. And for all of the expertize that Couture is said to have. It was a totally lacking and embarrassing effort on his part. It’s hard to see where he can now go from here.

UFC , for all of the hype behind it . It’s now at a crossroads in terms of real visibility and credibility. Its heavyweight champion, in Brock Lesnar , while being a dominant physical specimen. He is by no means the best practitioner within the heavyweight division, given the various faceted organizations within MMA genre. But until we actually see Lesnar face off against Russia’s Fedor Emelianenko . We’ll continue to see a great deal of hype placed around Lesnar , as to the alleged belief that he’s the best of the best within the heavyweight division.As to an anticipated defense of his title against Noguiera. UFC Chairman , Dana White , has started the ball rolling in that endeavor. However ,if anything , it is hoped that particular event will be a great deal more entertaining than the main bout that took place at UFC 102 between Nogueira and Couture.

Randy Couture has parlayed his success into several entrepreneurial endeavors. From a clothing line , bearing his name. To several small roles on tv and on film within Hollywood. And with a burgeoning gym establishment where he’s taking on young aspiring talent within his stable and training them in the art of the genre of MMA. It is hoped that he’ll finally walk away from the sport with his head held high ,that he once graced so successfully. If nothing else , that’s how a lot of his more erstwhile fans would like to see him bow out. Rather than under the impediment of having to be either dragged out kicking and screaming.
Or quite possibly not under his own steam but on a gurney, physically unable to perform and actually not knowing where or who he actually is.

Ali (left) seen here facing onetime sparring partner Larry Holmes in their much lauded bout. It would prove to be the penultimate fight of Ali's career. He lost in a unanimous decision to Larry Holmes. picture appears courtesy of getty images/ archives/ Lou Parrello .....................

Having seen that sort of situation befall Muhammad Ali. I’d like to think Couture and others of that ilk would know when it is indeed “….. time to call it quits. “ But then again, there are those among us who’d rather see our heroes go out battling with that do or die attitude. That tends to work for those who actually have some semblance of knowing what it is that they’re doing. Not so , I think now, in the case of Couture of Favre and for that matter, Ali. Great as they once were, there came a time when in reality they had in-fact made that one unnecessary journey too many. And in the end it came back to haunt them in one way or another. Certainly that was the case for Couture on Saturday night. And it was most definitely the case for Ali , in the several bouts that he took after having regained the heavyweight title for then an unprecedented third time.

Brett Favre (background) alongside teammate Tavaris Jackson (foreground) seen here at the Vikings' training camp in Eden Priarie , Minnesota. Favre hopes to lead the Vikings to the Superbowl in the 2009-10 season. picture appears courtesy of ap/photo/Star Ledger/ Elizabeth Flores ...................

In the case of Favre , he’ll be contending with his own ego and pride. And if anything we’ll see how he’ll fare this upcoming season with the Minnesota Vikings. One thing for is for sure however. There can be no excuses made on his behalf should everything implode. Declining skills and the mere fact that as a team the Vikings are merely considering the hear and now as to their immediacy of their ambitions. It can only lead but to one scenario , should things not meet the fans’ expectations.

So can someone tell me why it is that we have to witness this all , as to the ego driven athlete who doesn’t know when to call time ?

Oh To Be A Cleveland Browns’ Fan …..Who’s Laughing ? Shame On You !

I can only surmise that there’s some dark plot going on as the Cleveland Browns’ two quarterbacks , Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn , systematically fight it out, to see who’ll become the team’s starter. That being said the Browns’ travails as of late haven’t been all that empirical. Their long suffering fans have had , their ups and downs. More downs, than ups, one would dare to say , over the last decade. But such are the vagaries when it comes to the National Football League .

Defensive end Robaire Smith(left) of the Cleveland Browns and the Detroit Lions Daunte Culpepper leave the field after their preseason game in Cleveland, Oh. The Browns would defeat the Lions 27-10 in the game. picture appears courtesy of ap/photo/ Mark Duncan ...................

And with coach Eric Mangini , now set to take over the reins after his less than auspicious tenure with the New York Jets . One can only hope that Mangini will be bringing more to the table than he did with the Jets. Their meltdown under his presence with future Hall of Famer, Brett Favre served notice to many. That Mangini as a coach , still has a great deal to learn . Even if his was a Bill Belichick disciple to begin with.

Cleveland Browns' coach Eric Mangini watches from the sidelines as his team succumbs to the Detroit Lions. picture appears courtesy of ap/photo/ Mark Duncan .........

And for a team that as of late, has been a complete anathema as to its inadequacies on both sides of the ball. There’s the feeling that the franchise will labor this upcoming season , no matter whether or obstacles are placed in-front of them. The absurdity of it all isn’t so much that it has been management where the problems really lay. But it really has been the personnel decisions made over the years by the franchise’s then GM, Phil Savage . Who has since been replaced by George Kokinis .That being said Kokinis, as Savage’s successor will now have to prove himself up to the task as to that of his predecessor. Not a great deal to ask you might think. But when one considers the woes of the franchise and their anemic play. You can only but wish the best for them .

Browns' running back James Davis scampers on for an 81 yard touchdown run against the Detroit Lions. picture appears courtesy of ap/photo/ Mark Duncan ................

In spite of this all you can only hope that Mangini , apart from saying all of the right things. Can actually show some real intrinsic coaching talent , rather than still basking off the achievements made under his mentor , Bill Belichick. Granted, Mangini ironically takes over from another Belichick disciple in Romeo Crennel . A great coordinator , but to my mind he was never really NFL coaching material to begin with ! Far too laid back and something of a somnambulist . Inspiring confidence in his players wasn’t something that Crennel was born with , much less being able to communicate with them to begin with. That being said you’ve got to understand that these are the Cleveland Browns that we’re talking about. Much like the Detroit Lions ,their relevance within the NFL hasn’t been one, where we can opine as to the greatness of the franchise. Because those years, are indeed from a bygone age.

Browns' quarterback Derek Anderson (3) looks for a receiver of his intended pass against the Lions in their preseason game played at Cleveland Browns Stadium in Cleveland , Ohio. picture appears courtesy of getty images/ Matt Sullivan ............

Looking at the Browns’ roster, one can attest to the fact that on the face it. The roster is made up of solid veterans and a number of draftees that they’re no doubt pinning their hopes on to show their worth. But in terms of leadership it’ll have to come from either Anderson or Quinn. That being said both players in terms of their presence and play has showed that they’re also lacking on that front. And it certainly hasn’t helped that with the impending loss of Donte’ Stallworth , due to his legal problems . One doesn’t hold out much hope that this team’ll have anything by way of an offensive presence.And defensively the team has its problems there too . Run defense and against the pass , the Browns are very much like The Titanic. The moment it started it to take on water , you just knew that the vessel was doomed for disaster. It’s been the sheer ineptitude shown by the players and the coaching staff , that has led this franchise to its present predicament.

And perhaps no one personified this more, than another of the team’s wide receivers in Braylon Edwards. His dropped passes were too numerous to mention and a bane to the Browns’ fans in attendance. But it’s been his constant bickering and not wanting to be held accountable for his lack of performance or actions, that if anything, has come to embody what this team has been about. It’s been their lack of discipline and leadership that if anything personifies how inept this team really is.

The feeling may well be that with the infusion of young players via the draft. We may well begin to see some changes in the identity of this team. But much of that’ll be predicated upon the coaching prowess of Mangini and his staff. Never-mind, the fact that within AFC North , they’ll face the likes of the Baltimore Ravens , Cincinnati Bengals and the reigning Superbowl champions , the Pittsburgh Steelers Though one wouldn’t view the division as one of the more glamorous around the league. It’s been often thought of as the meat and potatoes grind , in terms of its quality. But then football and beauty is in the eye of the beholder and all that counts at the end of the day are the results. And nothing would suggest that better than winning. Which is something that the Cleveland Browns have been hard pressed to do.

As I’d alluded to earlier it’s hoped that their younger recruits can contribute to the fortunes of the franchise considerably. And with the likes of Josh Cribbs , Chris Jennings ,Brian Robiskie and a slew of other young players that could very well be ready to acquit themselves well. One can only but hope that Mangini can harness that talent and communicate to them what will be required of them as players. If the coaching staff isn’t able to do that. Then there’s little hope of seeing the Cleveland Browns have a modicum success on the field of play.

Lions' running back Jamal Lewis carves his way through the Lions' defense for a score. picture appears courtesy of ap/photo/ Amy Sancetta ...................

As dark as the Browns’ travails have been. This once storied franchise having fallen upon hard times , can but only hope that the worst is indeed behind them. Their long suffering fans have seen the carpet pulled from beneath them in the guise of Art Modell and his notorious antics. That being , said with present owner , Randy Lerner , trying to do his best to rejuvenate the fans and bring back some semblance of respect and decency to this proud city. These, are now some testing times for that of the Browns’ ownership , that of its fans and players alike. Whatever success that can be attained will first have to be garnered on the field of play. It may well be only incremental but it’s got to be better than what they’ve had to put up with over the past five years or more.

The NFL and its legacy is great when its storied franchises are at the top of their game. No one really likes to see franchises such as the Cleveland Browns down on their luck. Even when it’s said, to be of their own making. But then again , some might prefer it to be that way. Rather than having their own team lodged in the abyss of mediocrity. What say you on the matter ?

Quarterback Friday

I’ve been waiting all week for this, and now I’m turning in my work past 9:30 at night. I’m pathetic. Anyway, I have been waiting all week to say this…

BRETT FAVRE IS THE MOST ANNOYING PLAYER IN THE NFL.

You know, he’s not the only one in this though, the Vikings put this in his face and he couldn’t resist. He’s not the only one to blame but he’s getting the most blame – you should’ve said no, Farve…You should’ve said no.

You know, not to long ago I was proud of Favre. I was proud because he said NO. Guess what, he changed his mind – AGAIN – and said yes. Why, Favre? Sure your an NFL legend, sure you’ve broken all the records, and yes your an easy HOFer. But quite honestly, I’m tired of seeing ya’ – go down to Mississippi and stay away from the NFL.

Enough of Favre, lets see what the Vikings are doing here. They had Tarvaris Jackson, who did better (numbers wise) than Brett Favre. Then they picked up the always underrated talent of Sage Rosenfels. Lets count, they had 2 very reasonable starters here. Yet they still cry for Favre. That’s not cool. You don’t just shun Jackson and Sage like that, they were fine and now you’ve practically crushed their season. I remember Sgae saying he was very excited in battling for position with Tarvaris.

I’m going generic with my question again this week:

Do you like Brett being back?

I think I’ve expressed my opinion enough on the question…I DO NOT like Favre being back. He waits till the end of camp to do all this. He reminds me of the 9 year old that says, “Dad, do I have to go to practice?” Then dad says, “If you want to play you do.” Then Brett the nine year old say, “But I don’t feel like it,” then goes and cries about it.

Anyway, thanks for reading QB Friday – See ya’ next week!

Wednesday Round-Up

Hello, and welcome to this weeks edition of Wednesday Round-Up. This week’s topics were tough to pick, there weren’t that many headlines other than Brett Favre. Obviously though,  I was brought to a conclusion – I went with T.O. OUT, KANE INDICTED, FIST-FLYING RAIDERS, and as always the QB FRIDAY PREVIEW.

T.O. OUT

Terrell Owens is out for the Bills @ Packers game with a sprained toe. It’s shouldn’t be much of a concern for Bills fans as Coach Dick Jauron says he  should be back in practice “next week some time.”

KANE INDICTED

The jury dismissed the felony robbery charge on Patrick and James James, then indicted them on some lesser charges.

Those charges would be…

1. 3rd degree assault(misdemeanor)
2. theft of services(misdemeanor)
3. harassment(violation-level offense)

You know, this really is a crazy story. The first time I heard of the story was on ESPN’s Mike and Mike. It was insane! Attacking a cab driver because he didn’t have 20 cents change! The only comment I even have on the story is, “Why?”

FIST-FLYING RAIDERS

How Raider-ish of them, huh? He says “nothing happened”, but who wouldn’t deny it? In my opinion, it doesn’t matter that much.Yeah, it’s a little interesting story at first but no noise is honestly coming from the incident (if it even happened). It would be different if the assistant had came out with a bloody jaw, saying he’d never took a hit like that. Maybe something comes from the story…but I’m not planning on it.

QB FRIDAY PREVIEW

Do  even need to do this? It’s obvious that I’m going with, Stafford wins debut! Ha ha! Just messing with ya’! We’ll be talking Brett this Friday

I’m Going to Have Trouble Waiting Till Friday

I walked out of the school, got on the bus, and turned on my phone – same routine everyday. I turn it on and just wait for about ten seconds…I get message number one, half a second later I got message number two. I wait till it stops, and today’s magic number was 15.

In those 15, about 10 were about the same exact old man – Brett Favre. I thought,”Wow, this guy is really trying to taint his career.” The next thing I thought was good ‘ole QB Friday, I had my story and it was only Tuesday. Then I noticed the bad part about it being Tuesday, now I have to wait till Friday to post a Brett Favre story! I know what your thinking…Why not post it now? If I did that, what would call it? QB Tuesday? First I’d be Tuesday then I’d start doing it early every week! We’d have to just call it QB random day! I’d have to make seven different logos and everything! So I ain’t doing that!

But really, I’m not going to like the wait for Friday.

You know something, the American Sports Blog never got last weeks edition of QB Friday. I wrote it at a school computer and forgot to transfer it from my personal blog to this one. So, I’m going to have to hit you with it in this next post…

Favre: “I’m in it for the right reasons”

In classic Brett Favre-fashion, a press conference originally scheduled for 6:00pm EST didn’t begin until nearly a quarter-till seven. The delay for the start is not known, but it did enhance the anticipation for Favre to discuss the reasoning behind his decision to sign with the Minnesota Vikings.

Between helicopters flying over the Vikings practice facility this morning and traffic being stalled as fans flooded the area, it was certainly a wild day in St. Paul for everyone involved. Favre, who had just finished his first practice, seemed genuinely excited to be a member of the Vikings. “I’m in it for the right reasons,” he said.

Favre admitted that it was a long process to get to this point, and much of it was due to his surgically repaired biceps tendon. The surgery was performed by Dr. James Andrews — one of the most respected  surgeons in the country — sometime between May and June. From there, Favre went through a rehabilitation period in order to see if his arm was healed enough to play football. “For me, I had to be reassured from Dr. Andrews and the doctors here as well that this [the injury] wouldn’t be an issue,” Favre said.

There has certainly been concern about Favre’s arm and whether it will be able to withstand a 16-game NFL season. Favre, for his part, sounded adamant that his arm would be fine. “My arm has felt pretty good – good enough for me to feel confident in making the throws I need to make.”

Last season, Favre and the New York Jets started the season with a record of 8-3 and appeared to be legitimate Super Bowl contenders, especially after two stirring road victories over the New England Patriots and Tennesee Titans. The wheels came after late in the season, as Favre struggled to make the necessary throws and ultimately cost the Jets a playoff spot. Favre admitted that he can no longer make the throws that made him so great earlier in his career. “I don’t think I’m capable of doing some of the plays I used to make. I understand my limitations and how it pertains to what we’re trying to do,” he said.

The Jets had an extremely talented roster, but it wasn’t as good as what the Vikings have put together for 2009. Minnesota was arguably the best team in the NFC North before Favre’s arrival, but expectations have now been raised enormously. Favre himself has high expectations for the upcoming season. “My expectations are high. This team is a good football team. I didn’t come here to lose. I think we can be as good as we want to be.”

Speaking of the NFC North, Favre will now get to play two games against his former team, the Green Bay Packers. Many have speculated that Favre is simply coming out of retirement to defeat the Packers, but he denies anything to that effect. “This is not about revenge, believe me. They’ve moved on, I’ve moved on.”

“If you’re coming back for those two games, it’ll be a long year,” Favre said. “If it was about revenge, I would have signed on the dotted line the first day.”

Favre is right in that he can’t spend the whole season thinking about the Packers. While that seemed to play somewhat of a role in his return to the NFL, it wouldn’t be fair to the Vikings for Favre to think about nothing but playing Green Bay when their are 14 other games on the schedule.

With expectations so high for the team, preparation will be key in the coming weeks. Favre will have a lot of work to get done before the start of the regular season, but working to his advantage is the fact that Minnesota runs a similar offense to what he ran in Green Bay. “The system is what I’m used to — calling the plays was easy.”

Seeing Favre run onto the field at Lambeau Field in a Vikings uniform will be strange, to say the least. “16 years playing in Green Bay were great years and that was home to me,” said Favre.

The legacy of Favre as a Packer may be tainted because of his decision to play for the hated Vikings, and it may not be. Only time will tell, but no matter what happens this upcoming season, Favre’s No.4 jersey will be retired by the Packers at some point. Favre believes his legacy will be defined be what he thinks of it, not what others think. ”First of all, when people start talking about my legacy, it’s mine, he said. “It’s what I think of it. I know the way I played the game. I know the way I handled myself as a teammate and leader, in the public.

That is the future. The present is what Favre and the Vikings are solely focused on. Favre will need as many reps as possible with the first-team before the regular season. The Vikings still have three preseason games remaining, and that is where the process of developing chemistry will take place. Though Favre hasn’t had much time to get a feel for how his teammates play football, he may start on Friday night against the Kansas City Chiefs. “Obviously I’m behind the 8- ball a little bit,” Favre said. “I don’t think it’s smart to go out and play a whole half. As much as I’ve played my career, there’s a difference year to year.”

While he may or not play on Friday night, he can already start to help the Vikings in different ways. Favre said he spoke with the team’s other quarterbacks — Sage Rosenfels, Tarvaris Jackson and John David Booty — and said he would offer his help if any of the three had questions. Favre’s veteran presence can certainly help the development of the Jackson and Booty, who are still in the elementary stages of their careers.

His leadership is another aspect where he can help the Vikings. “I felt like all along I could offer some experience and leadership,” he said.

Leadership is something that a quarterback should always have, but first Favre must gain the trust of his teammates.. “Even though I’ve played a long time, you still have to earn the respect of this team,” Favre said.

Favre makes his regular season debut on September 13, when the Vikings travel to Cleveland to take on the Browns.

Brett Favre Is Back…. Are You At All Suprised?

It’s official. Brett Favre is now a member of the Minnesota Vikings.

Rumors ran wild this morning of Favre and his wife boarding a private plane that was heading for St. Paul, and the situation escalated from there. Vikings head coach Brad Childress confirmed earlier today that the Vikings will sign Favre, and No.4 arrived in St. Paularound 1:00pm EST.

The contract is reportedly a 2-year deal worth $10-12 million for the first season. The second year of the deal is likely there for salary cap reasons rather than it being a commitment from Favre that he will also play in 2010. Prior to the signing of Favre, Sage Rosenfels and Tarvaris Jackson were engaged in a competition to see who would earn the right to become the Vikings starting quarterback. R0senfels looked to have the best shot at becoming a starter, especially after completing 10-of-13 passes for 93 yards in the team’s first preseason game, against the Indianapolis Colts. With Favre’s arrival, Rosenfels likely will become the No.2 quarterback, withJackson as the No.3.

The Vikings had been courting Favre for weeks, only to find out that he was going to stay retired. But now that he has decided to return, it’s entirely possible that the Vikings had a deal “under the table” with Favre so that he could become a member of the team after training camp. After all, Favre has never displayed a love for camp. Now that the Vikings have broken camp and the preseason is underway, Favre is now a member of the team.

According to ESPN’s Cris Carter, Favre will start for the Vikings on Friday against the Kansas City Chiefs. The game will be played inMinnesota, where the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome is sure to be filled with loads of anticipation. The Vikings have one of the best rosters in all of football, but the quarterback was always a question mark. That question has now been answered, as Favre is expected to produce big time for the Vikings. Minnesota runs the West Coast offense, a system Favre thrived in while playing with the Green Bay Packers.

Much of the reason Favre is returning to the NFL likely has to do with getting revenge on the Packers, who didn’t want Favre to return to the team in the summer of 2008 after Favre had first retired. He ultimately was traded to the New York Jets, where the team failed to make the playoffs. Reports emerged after Favre retired again that he never established a chemistry with teammates and separated himself from the group. There likely won’t be any problems in Minnesota, however, because the Vikings players apparently had been begging Favre to come and play for the team.

Since the learning curve for Favre in Minnesota doesn’t appear to be great, the biggest obstacle will be quickly establishing chemistry with teammates. That effort is already underway, as Favre has stepped onto the practice field with the Vikings.

While questions still remain about Favre’s health, it is hard to imagine he would return unless he was fully healthy. ESPN’s Ed Werder reported earlier today that Favre has a torn rotator cuff and the Vikings are aware of the injury, but it appears to be only a minor injury.

Should Favre stay healthy, one reason the signing could pay dividends is the fact that he won’t have to carry the load for the Vikings offense. Running back Adrian Peterson is arguably the best in the league at his position, and the bulk  of the offense will center around him. Favre will also have a talented group of skills players to work with besides Peterson, including receivers Bernard Berrian and Percy Harvin, as well as tight end Visanthe Shiancoe.

Minnesota was already a favorite to win the NFC North, and those odds have increased with the addition of Favre. Conveniently for Favre, the Vikings toughest divisional opponent will be the Packers. Both of those games will be appointment viewing, especially when Favre and the Vikings travel to Lambeau Field in Week 8, a game that will take place November 1. The kind of reception Favre receives will be fascinating to watch. When Favre was traded to Jets last summer, some Packers fans bought Favre’s Jets jersey to show their love. But the fact that he is now a member of one of the Packers’ rivals undoubtedly changes everything. Scouring Packers blogs on the internet, there is a portion of fans who will always love No.4 because of how much he meant to Green Bay. There are also those who believe he has now tarnished his legacy as a Packer.

The Vikings first game against the Packers come at Week 5, a Monday Night Football game on October 5. Tickets for that game will be at a premium. On StubHub.com, the cheapest ticket available is currently $179, which is well above face value.

A press conference announcing the move is scheduled for 6:00pm EST. I’ll be posting some comments from Favre afterwards.

Press Coverage: 8/17/09

As the NFL’s regular season approaches, more and more stories emerge every day. Whether it be about a quarterback controversy, a team’s chances to succeed or a potential problems down the road, there is seemingly always something to talk about when it comes to the NFL. Twice a week, this post will look at the three biggest headlines of the day. I’ll give some background on the story and also provide my opinion. Here we go for August 17:

1. Donovan McNabb addressed the Philadelphia media today after practice, and discussed candidly the signing of quarterback Michael Vick. McNabb had lots to say on the subject, the most interesting of which is that he first broached the subject of the Eagles signing Vick in July. There had been some reports in the days after Vick was signed that McNabb was not happy with the move and felt threatened by Vick’s presence. McNabb seemed to debunk those rumors today:

“I’ve been through many situations here throughout my career when they’ve cheered for the backup,” McNabb said. “It happened with Garcia. It happened with (Kevin) Kolb. It happened with A.J. (Feeley). I’m used to that.”

McNabb certainly has been through a lot during his career in Philly. Fans have never seemed to appreciate all he has accomplished, and the presence of Vick won’t provide a dynamic that he hasn’t experienced before.

For the most part, McNabb was focused more on Vick’s personal well-being than what he can contribute to the Eagles on the football field. “I believe in second chances and I have strong faith in God that he forgives our sins,” said McNabb, a dog lover who owns two American bulldogs and a Belgian Malinois. “Yes, it was a bad thing and a malicious act, but somewhere in your heart, you have to have forgiveness.”

“I kind of can be a mentor to him, give him an opportunity to get his feet under him, get his life together,” McNabb said.

From a football perspective, how Vick is used will be interesting to watch. Since McNabb is entrenched as the team’s starting quarterback, Vick likely will be used in a wildcat role. Vick is one of the best athletes to have ever put on a football jersey, and even though he has missed two seasons, he still should have the ability to be a threat in certain situations.

2. Is Brett Fave coming back? Jay Glazer of FoxSports.com seems to think so. Glazer spoke with several unnamed Vikings players, one of whom thinks that the deal is “already done.”

When Favre told the Vikings a few weeks ago that he was staying retired, many believed him. He told ESPN that he couldn’t handle the mental and physical grind of an entire season, and people believed him. Favre has fooled fans before, and now he could be making yet another return to the league. It’s not a surprising development considering the Vikings still need a quarterback that can take them to the next level. In Friday’s preseason game against the Colts, Sage Rosenfels got the start and went 10-of-13 for 91 yards. Yes, he was accurate, but he couldn’t convert on the deep plays that change the momentum in football games. Favre can do that, which is why the Vikings still want him.

Even though Favre has missed vital training camp time, it’s not like he needs to learn a new offense. The Vikings run a similar offense to the one Favre ran for the bulk of his career in Green Bay, so there wouldn’t be a steep learning curve. The main thing that hurt Favre when he came to the Jets last year was that he didn’t know the offense. That won’t be a problem in Minnesota.

While the Vikings have been chastised in some ways for their continued pursuit of Favre, you can’t blame Brad Childress for trying to make the team better. After all, aren’t coaches supposed to do all in their power to improve their football team? If Childress feels this is the move that will take the Vikings deep in the playoffs, he should do it.

Hopefully, Favre will address his intentions shortly. If he plans on playing for the Vikings this season, it would be best for him to let everyone know, because I don’t know if I can take much more of the Favre drama.

3. According to FanHouse.com, Tom Cable punched an assistant on August 5. Randy Hanson, a defensive coach for the Raiders, was the man on the receiving end of the punch. Hanson reportedly didn’t see the punch coming, as he was in engaged in a conversation with defensive coordinator John Marshall when it occurred. The National Football Post first had the report, but did not name the coach who punched Hanson.

Hanson had to go to the hospital because his jaw was injured, and a police report was subsequently filed. Hanson refused to name the man who punched him, but FanHouse’s sources say that Cable was the man who delivered the blow.

The circumstances behind the punch are not yet known, but Cable could be facing criminal charges if Hanson tells the truth to police. Whether he does is in doubt, because he may fear that his job will be in jeopardy if he gives Cable up.

If this report turns out to be accurate, Cable should face some sort of punishment from the league and/or the Raiders. Punching an assistant coach is out-of-line, to say the least, and Cable must be made an example of. While I don’t think he should be suspended, I do think Cable should be fined for his actions.The Raiders almost have an obligation to punish Cable, because when a player punches a fellow player, a fine or suspension always seems to follow. Steve Smith of the Panthers punched teammate Ken Lucas during training camp last year, and Smith was subsequently suspended for the first two games of the season by the team. Coaches shouldn’t receive special treatment, and as a result Cable deserves to reprimanded for his conduct.