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 Who has since been replaced by George Kokinis .That being said Kokinis, as Savage’s successor will now have to prove himself up to the task as to that of his predecessor.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 ?

Sanchez, Clemens Battle Could End Tonight

When the New York Jets selected Mark Sanchez with the fifth overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft, it was widely assumed that he would quickly become the team’s starting quarterback. Coach Rex Ryan hasn’t handed the job to Sanchez; instead, he’s made him work for it. Heading into the Jets second preseason game on Monday night against the Baltimore Ravens, Sanchez is still in a battle with veteran Kellen Clemens to become the starter.

A case can be made for either player. Sanchez is the quarterback that most Jets fans would like to see start — he has all the talent and was given a large contract. Clemens has the support of few, but he certainly won’t make some of the rookie mistakes that Sanchez is sure to make. This makes the decision that much tougher for Ryan, who must avoid listening to those who believe that Sanchez should start simply because of where he was drafted, and not based on merit. As the coach, Ryan must choose the quarterback that gives the Jets the best chance to win football games.

Since teams generally like to use the third preseason game as somewhat of a dress rehearsal for the regular season, it would be fair to assume that the Jets will name a starter by August 29, when the Jets play a “road” game against the New York Giants. Tonight’s game therefore takes on all the more importance. Plus, this game will give the coaching staff the best chance to see how each quarterback deals with adversity. The Ravens have one of the best defenses in the league — Ryan would know, since he was the defensive coordinator in Baltimore before accepting the job with the Jets — and both quarterbacks will have their work cut out for them in this contest. Baltimore is likely to bring pressure all night long, and how Sanchez and Clemens respond should be interesting.

Clemens has a veteran presence, but he hasn’t had a great amount of experience in the regular season. He played in 10 games in 2007, throwing five touchdowns compared to 10 interceptions. Four years of playing in the NFL will give a player confidence, but that doesn’t mean Sanchez doesn’t have any, either. Sanchez has come in to the league and said and done all the right things. Coming from playing his college career in Los Angeles, Sanchez isn’t afraid of pressure and media scrutiny. He has embraced the pressure that comes along with playing in New York, and that alone erases some concerns that a coaching staff would have with a starting a rookie quarterback. Sanchez has a great work ethic and already seems to have earned respect from his teammates.

In the Jets first preseason game, Clemens got the start against the St. Louis Rams and went 4-of-4 for 24 yards. Though it is encouraging that he was accurate, those aren’t even close to the numbers a coach would want to see from a quarterback who is competing for the starting job. Sanchez, on the other hand, started off with a bang, completing his first pass to David Clowney for 48 yards; he finished his night 3-of-4 for 88 yards. After one game, advantage Sanchez.

Against Ryan’s former team tonight, Sanchez will get the start. Based on his performance against the Rams, a strong showing against the Ravens would cement his place as the team’s starter. It’s not going to be easy, though. Statistically, the Ravens were the third best total defense in the NFL. Against the pass, Baltimore ranked second in the league (179.7 yards per game) behind only the Pittsburgh Steelers. How the loss of Ryan, who was instrumental to the defenses success, affects that particular unit is yet to be seen. Not only is Ryan’s coaching gone, but he also took linebacker Bart Scott and safety Jim Leonhard with him to New York. It’s been said that new defensive coordinator Greg Mattison won’t change much from the way Ryan ran the unit, meaning the Ryan should know what’s coming tonight; that should be an advantage to Clemens and Sanchez.

Clemens is at a disadvantage at this moment, and he’ll need to play extremely well tonight in order to win the starting job. Even if Sanchez plays a mediocre game, Clemens will have to give an extraordinary performance to convince offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer that he is the right man for the job. It’s almost unfair that Clemens is faced with having to play well against the Ravens, but not everything in the NFL is fair. This conceivably could be Clemens last chance to win a starting job, so he must take advantage of the opportunity. Working in his favor is that Ryan and Schottenheimer will not give Sanchez the job just because he was the star draft pick. Whomever is starting Week 1 against the Houston Texans will have earned that right.

Clemens and Sanchez bring different attributes to the table, but both appear to be quality leaders. Leadership is arguably the most important quality a quarterback must possess, and it’s never easy for a rookie to come in and be able to command a locker room and huddle. That alone would steer most coaches away from starting the rookie quarterback, but unfortunately for Clemens, Ryan has a different perspective. Last year, the Ravens road rookie quarterback Joe Flacco all the way to the AFC Championship Game. It’s rare that a rookie quarterback performs well, but it isn’t unprecedented.

Many questions must be answered before the Jets coaching staff makes a decision. Sanchez is the front-runner, and must turn in a terrible game tonight in order to relinquish his position. By the end of tonight’s game, he may be the winner of a battle that was probably his to lose from the beginning.

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.

Credibility , You Couldn’t Make This Sh_t Up If You Tried Because It Just Makes You Laugh !

Traditionally , I like to sit down and watch many of the sports’ magazine programs that are on television . Primarily , to hear the views of the analysts out there and to see how they might view various situations that are arising around the sports arena. Funnily enough , as I’m sitting in bar with several friends enjoying some light hearted banter. While much of this happens to be going on. I look up to see none other than Matt Millen and Herm Edwards on ESPN , discussing the NFL . Now don’t get me wrong , but while both of these men were successful over the course of their playing careers. When it came to being on the sidelines either from the executive standpoint or from a coach’s . Both Edwards and Millen , shall we say , were less than successful ?

Former Lions' President & CEO Matt Millen. He's now been hired by ESPN to provide analysis on the NFL as well as college football. picture appears courtesy of ap/photo / Paul Sancya ..........................

Millen presided in taking the Detroit Lions from being a once respected franchise within the NFL and then proceeded to turn them into a pedantic and absolutely atrocious football team. In the 2008-09 season the Lions showed us ineptitude that no one thought that they’d ever witness within the NFL . Losing all sixteen regular season games tends to take a great deal effort. For the Detroit Lions under Matt Millen’s tenure , they made it all look so effortlessly easy. And that’d usually take some doing.

Trey Wingo (left), Herm Edwards (center) and Mark Schlereth of ESPN discuss the NFL on the network's NFL Live . picture appears courtesy of espn.go.com/ Alex Hughes copyrighted material @ All rights reserved .................

For Herm Edwards, let’s just say that the most memorable sound byte uttered from his lips, has been “…you play the game to win.” Unfortunately, for dear old Herm, winning wasn’t something that came along with a great deal of regularity in either of his tenureships as a coach, with the New York Jets or the Kansas City Chiefs . I can only surmise that ESPN had turned to these two individuals , merely because on the food chain when it came to former NFL players or coaches or any other perceived doyenne of that ilk. Both Edwards and Millen were so far down on the totem pole , that their asking price may well have been a cardboard box to sleep in and a cup of soup. In reality though , ESPN may well the largest sport’s broadcasting unit in the world. But when it comes to credible sports’ journalism, they lie up there , somewhere between the guys responsible for the ‘Watergate Scandal’ and the idiots who presided over the Jayson Blair cover up .

ESPN now has become for all sense purpose , purely an enteratinment outlet source , rather than a venue being well informed source of sports information. In many respects it borders on watching a three ringed circus with the presenters acting like a bunch of circus clowns. All that’s left out of the programming is the perfunctory pie in the face routine . But then again a pie in the face is definitely meant to be funny , isn’t it ?

Wayne Gretzky a principal partner in the now bankrupt Phoenix Coyotes' NHL franchise. picture appears courtesy of ap/photo/ Matt Trahern ............

It’d appear that Gary Bettman in his own perceived urgency to see the NHL remain relevant. He can only be aghast, with what’s allegedly happening with regard to what was deemed to be the impending auction of the almost defunct Phoenix Coyotes . It has been a complete farce ! Bettman and the Board of Governors of the NHL have refused the bid of Jim Balsillie , who as founder and CEO of RIM , the makers of the Palm Pilot and Blackberry, had stated that should he acquire the franchise , he would move it to Canada. Something that the NHL seems to have no desire for. The other potential bidder is Chicago White Sox and Bulls’ owner Jerry Reinsdorf . And it certainly hasn’t helped that it’s now perceived that Reinsdorf is said to be having cold feet as to continuing his pursual of the bid. Especially as the litigation process surrounding the Coyotes gets murkier by the minute . Much of this has gone on primarily because the franchise has been mismanaged , while onetime hockey great, Wayne Gretzky has presided over the debacle. The team is literally bankrupt, not only financially , but also in terms of their competitive being. There mightn’t be a worse ran franchise in all of professional sports . And that’d include Donald Sterling’s Los Angeles Clippers .

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman speaks with the press prior to the 2008 NHL Stanley Cup Finals between the Detroit Red Wings and Pittsburgh Penguins . picture appears courtesy of getty images/ Jim McIsaac ......................

Much of this has come from the franchise’s eagerness to rid itself of its debts, incurred in operating in the middle of nowhere. Whoever felt, that it was a good idea to have a franchise in Phoenix , couldn’t have done a great deal of research to begin with. And while the curiosity factor initially brought in the fans. After that initial impact , it wouldn’t have been remiss to state that was the only malaise for the Coyotes. But it clearly stems from the fact that the hierarchy of the NHL and its players have always been at an impasse when it comes to the business aspect of making the sport a truly successful entity. And even after their historical labor shutdown. It’d appear that the NHL and its players simply haven’t learnt their lesson.

Bulls and Chicago White Sox owner, Jerry Reinsdorf. He's now pursuing the purchase of the Phoenix Coyotes of the NHL. But it'd also appear that he's reluctant to meet the over inflated price that the NHL and Coyotes' owners are said to be looking for. At the same time the NHL have turned down the bid put forward by RIM CEO , Jim Balsillie. Bettman as Governor of the NHL has been openly critical of Balsillie and as to his honesty and intentions with regard to the Coyotes. picture appears courtesy of afp/ Arun Jawall .................

The NHL franchises are simply back to their idiocy of paying the players exorbitantly large sums in the form of long term contracts when the revenues just aren’t simply there to justify it at all. But then again watching the NHL conduct their business is very much like watching a drunk taking a field sobriety test. They’re just bound to screw things up one way or another and then simply look to blame someone else for their problems.

Falcons' wide receiver Roddy White. The fifth year starter is holding out hoping to have his contract reneogiated whereupon he's paid in line with the likes of Larry Fitzgerald of the Arizona Cardinals. I expect the tooth fairy to be laughing at this juncture. Because not even she's of the belief that White is that good . Much less is due to paid on par of player of Fitzgerald's caliber. picture appears courtesy of ap/photo/ Matthew Gibbons .......................

I’ve no doubt that there are some electrifying players around the NFL. Larry Fitzgerald simply springs to mind. Randy Moss and Tom Brady of the New England Patriots . Peyton Manning of the Indianapolis Colts and Adrian Peterson of the Minnesota Vikings . But would anyone deem to put the Atlanta Falcons’ Roddy White in that particular category ? The player is obviously besides himself , if he’s off the impression that the Falcons are about to acquiesce to his demands , and pay him Fitzgerald type money. Then he’s a bigger idiot than the comedian , Carrot Top ! Roddy White has yet to make his mark within the NFL , let alone be considered one of the pre-eminent wide receivers in the NFL. But yet hear we have a fifth year starter looking to be treated like he’s veteran of the league who ought to be getting more respect than he deserves. His stats and presence are nowhere on par with that of Fitzgerald , at all.
And he’s by no means a friggin’ game changer by any stretch of the imagination !

It’s enough that the league and Commissioner Roger Goodell now has an image problem , that borders on being made comparison to that of the gangsters of the roaring twenties and thirties. We’ve got players being jailed for vehicular homicide and another even more prominent player in Michael Vick coming off federal jail term but now looking to be reinstated get by the NFL. And at the same time resume his career in football at the professional level.

Well now comes the even more arduous task facing Goodell and that of the newly designated NFLPA Executive Director in DeMaurice Smith. With the NFL about to opt of the collective bargaining agreement which expires at the end of the 2010-11 season. The negotiations will no doubt , become somehwhat contentious. The players seek a larger part of what they believe to be an even larger slice of a pie that runs into billions of dollars. And the NFL now knows that in this uncertain economic climate, many of their patrons in terms of the corporate clients may not be willing to impart with their funds the way that they once did. Furthermore, the broadcast and cable networks though they tend to make their contract agreements several years in advance. They’ll be watching with great intense scrutiny as to how everything plays out. They more than anyone else have more to lose should things go up in smoke. And at the same time the fans may well be the biggest losers of all, should an agreement not be reached between the two parties. An uncapped season could lead to ticket prices rising in order for many of the franchises recoup some of the lost revenues. But then again, what’s new ?

Giants' linebacker addresses members of the press at the Giants' training camp held on the campus of the University of Albany , Albany , New York. The player insists that he acted approriately with regard to the Plaxico Burress incident. And has stated that he'd carry out the same course of action again, without fail. picture appears courtesy of ap/photo/ Mike Groll .......................

Plaxico Burress’ lawyer Benjamin Brafman, states that there were mitigating circumstances concerning his client’s predsiposition , with regard to him being indicted on illegal possession of a firearm and criminal neglect. Unless I’m mistaken there can be no mitigating circumstances for carrying a weapon that was unlicensed in any of the states where Burress apparently either has a home or that was his place of employment. Brafman is merely adding insult to injury by disprespecting the public and above all the integrity of the judicial system within the state of New York. But then again one merely has to look at what occured at the Latin Quarter Club in Manahattan , to realize what a complete ass Burress is to begin with ! I can only hope that the judicial system within the state of New York and in particular Manhattan makes sure that an example is made of Burress to begin with. As to Buress’ former teammate, Antonio Pierce . Who states , that he acted responsibly and would do the same thing all over again. I’ve this to say to him ” … did it not for one instance occur to you , that with Burress having a concealed weapon in a night club they were asking for trouble to begin with ” ?

Well there you have it my take on issues such as credibility within the realms of the sports arena and what I for one find completely comedic about it all. Hopefully there are one or two stories that you’ve indeed come across as of late. That’ve ended up with you asking yourself the question . Are they really that stupid ? And surely they didn’t just do that or actually want us to believe that was what they meant ?

I gladly look forward to reading your responses as to the content matter and that of your own particular sport’s stories that you found amusing.

Quarterback Friday: Favre is gone?

Now, on the Wednesday Round-Up I said I was undecided as far as Quarterback Friday. And if you couldn’t tell by the title, I went with the retired one.

We all know the news by now, Favre is “staying retired”, believe it or not. I’m mad too, it’s much easier to write a story about a HOF QB coming out of retirement, than a guy that made no real move at all. Still, I’m not so sure th Fat Lady has sung just yet. The door is still open for a return.

To be honest, I’m surprised – I really saw Brett pulling another return. But hey, you don’t know till you know. Now I know, and I was wrong. I’m not the only one that made a wrong prediction. ESPN’s own John Clayton said he was go into return – and he said that about a month ago. Anyway, we can all make the wrong call.

Now I’m going to ask for an opinion. Does Favre going to the Jets change your opinion of him? What I’m asking is, does Brett pulling all these shenanigans change your view of him. Because before all this, if I heard Brett Favre I thought Packers. Now, I think of him as a decisive and somewhat annoying QB. I still see Packers at heart. But the stint as a Jet will taint that vision.

Anyway, that was today’s QB Friday. Comment, or don’t. Just hope you enjoyed it.

Training Camps Are Here, And So Are The Storylines

The long NFL offseason is finally over. All of the minicamps, OTAs and voluntary practice sessions are over. It’s finally time for teams to step out onto the field and begin preparing for the 2009 season. The Cleveland Browns rookies became the first to begin camp when they got went onto the field this morning, which means the push towards the regular season has officially started. The grind of training camp will hit teams shortly, as two-a-day sessions are just around the corner. The sweltering summer heat will undoubtedly test the mental fortitude of all players, and that’s what training camp is all about. It’s where championship teams are built. New offensive and defensive schemes were implemented in after the draft. New plays and concepts were drawn up and practiced during OTAs and minicamps. Training camp is a time to build team chemistry and camaraderie. There’s a reason coaches love training camp — it’s where the strength of the team is crafted.

This is always a great time in the NFL, because each team’s city is optimistic that this is their year. Every time is undefeated right now, meaning everyone can dream of making a trip to Miami, the site of Super Bowl XLIV in February 2010. Each and every team that struggled last season can think of being this year’s Miami Dolphins or Arizona Cardinals.

With the start of training camps comes the endless storylines that NFL fans around the country will be debating day-after-day. The list of intriguing camp battles, coaching changes and players returning from injury will make every training camp exciting to follow. These are just some of the intriguing storylines as we head into camps:

>> The quarterback battles: Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn will battle all of training camp to determine who will be the starting quarterback battle when the team opens up the season on September 13 against the Minnesota Vikings. This won’t be an easy competition by any stretch, as new head coach Eric Mangini is expected to work Anderson and Quinn vigorously. Who wins this competition is anyone’s guess. Anderson has the bigger arm by far and therefore is a better threat to bring the team’s vertical passing game back to its 2007 form, when Anderson routinely hooked up with wide receiver Braylon Edwards to make the Browns one of the best offenses in the league. Quinn, meanwhile, is more accurate and a much better game manager. This battle is likely to extend well into camp, as Mangini has indicated that he won’t make a decision until the third preseason game.

San Francisco is another team with a QB competition about to start. Alex Smith(pictured, left), the No.1 pick of the 2005 draft, has recovered from injury and will look to win back the starting job. He will have to beat out Shaun Hill, who has performed surprisingly well over the last few seasons for the 49ers. Smith took a dramatically reduced salary to stay with the 49ers, because this is without question his best start to win a starting job. The coaching regime that drafted him is gone, but that doesn’t mean the team does not want to see him succeed. Those in the organization who were apart of the drafting process who love to see Smith do well. Ultimately it will come down to who gives the 49ers the best chance to win football games. Smith has had trouble staying healthy over his career, while Hill has seemed to have always played well when the team has called his number. Head coach Mike Singletary will have a tough decision to make this summer.

Another fierce competition will be taking place in Tampa Bay, where three QBs are likely to be involved in the competition for the Buccaneers. Luke McCown, Byron Leftwich, and first-round draft pick Josh Freeman are the participants, but not one of them particularly stood out in the spring. There will undoubtedly be pressure on the organization to start Freeman, especially considering the team traded up two spots in the draft to select him. But Freeman is viewed by many as a project who will need 2-3 years to develop, meaning it is unlikely he will earn the starting job at the start of the season. Then, the battle is down to Leftwich and McCown. McCown has indicated that he think this is “his job to lose,” and he’s probably right. Leftwich, the No.7 overall pick by the Jaguars in 2003, hasn’t yet made his mark on the league. He has always had a slow delivery, which is a no-no in the NFL. Still, he’s a solid QB, as is McCown. The way this battle is shaping up, the player who immediately steps up will earn the starting job.

>> Coaching Changes: Like every offseason, 2009 featured a number of coaching changes throughout the league. Each new coach brings energy, enthusiasm and a different perspective to his new team. The coach with the toughest job this upcoming season will be Jim Schwartz (pictured, right) trying to rebuild the Detroit Lions, who last year became the first team to go 0-16 in a single season.  Steve Spagnuolo won’t have an easy job, either, as he will try to rebuild a Rams franchise that has won just 5 games over the last two seasons. Eric Mangini takes over in Cleveland, and questions about how effective his demanding coaching style is persist throughout the league. Rex Ryan, the fiery defensive coordinator from Baltimore, inherits a New York Jets team that was just one game away from reaching the playoffs last season. Josh McDanies tenure as coach of Denver Broncos hasn’t gotten off to a great start, as he traded away franchise QB Jay Cutler, making his job in 2009 much more difficult. Todd Haley steps in as new coach of the Kansas City Chiefs, and he had the good fortune of acquiring QB Matt Cassel from New England; unfortunately, most of the rest of the team is mediocre at best. Tom Cable stepped in as interim coach for the Oakland Raiders last season, and did a good enough job to shed off the interim tag, but QB questions, a mediocre receiver corp and a shaky defense won’t make his job easy. Rahim Moore takes over in Tampay Bay, and he did not get on the fans’ good side by dumping veterans such as Derrick Brooks and Warrick Dunn. Mike Singletary steps in for the 49ers, and it will be interesting to see how much his hard-nosed style will improve the team. Finally, Jim Mora is the new coach in Seattle, where the window to win with veteran QB Matt Hasselbeck is closing.

All are good coaches who could make a big impact on the league in 2009. Ryan may have the best chance of them all to make the playoffs, as he has a veteran group, with the exception of rookie QB Mark Sanchez, who is likely to start. Also, don’t count out Mora, who was with the team last year as the secondary coach. He knows the team well and is playing in a wide-open NFC West.

Two injured players make their return: Tom Brady of the New England Patriots and Shawne Merriman of the San Diego Chargers will be back on the field in 2009.

Brady tore his anterior cruciate ligament in the first quarter of the first game of the 2008 regular season game against the Chiefs. He has had a lot of time to recover, and all indications are that he will be ready to go at the beginning of the regular season. The Patriots traded away backup QB Matt Cassel, which should be a clear indication that they feel Brady is fully healthy and will have no trouble recovering. There has to be some level of consternation among the Patriots fans, though, as most QBs who tear their ACLs take two years to recover. Donovan McNabb and Carson Palmer ar good examples of what to expect in the first season back from a knee injury. Both didn’t play up their ability, as they were still in the recovering process. Working to Brady’s advantage, however, is the fact that the injury has had so much time to heal.  When he steps onto the field on September 14, the injury will have occured over a year ago. How he moves in training camp will be a good sign of how he is feeling.

Merriman, meanwhile, tore multiple ligaments in knee during last year’s training camp. He was able to play in the season opener against the Panthers but was forced to sit out the rest of the season, as it was clear that he simply wasn’t himself. Merriman is one of the best linebackers in the league and his absence was certainly felt by the Chargers. The defense’s production declined without Merriman, proving just how valuable he is to the team. The is a crucial year for Merriman, as his contract expires after this season. Absent a new Collective Bargaining Agreement, he will only be a restricted free agent next offseason. According to league rules, only players with at least six years of service can become unrestricted free agents when there is no salary cap due to the lack of a CBA. Therefore, Merriman will need to performn extremely well and prove to the Chargers that he deserves a new contract. If he doesn’t, the Chargers will have the ability to offer him a low-ball contract offer because of the fact that he will be restricted.

Rookie holdouts: Teams will have rookies report to training camp over the next week, but how many of the actually show up is in question. Only two first-rounders — Matthew Stafford and Mark Sanchez — are under contract with their respective teams. Teams are going to work hard over the next few days to try and get their first-round picks under contract, but it’s not going to be easy. Negotiations usually depend on other signings. For example, Cincinatti OT Andre Smith was the sixth overall pick in the draft. His agent, Alvin Keels, will look at the contract given to last year’s sixth pick, Jets LB Vernon Gholston, as well as the contract of Sanchez — taken directly ahead of Smith — and Oakland WR Darrius Heyward-Bey — taken directly behind him. There are multiple problems with that strategy, however. First off, Sanchez’s $50.5 million deal with $28 million guaranteed has to be looked at differently considering QBs always make the most money. Second, Heyward-Bey has not yet been signed by the Raiders, so Keels does not have the ability to ask for something in between the 5 and 7 draft slots.

More disconcerting is the lack of second-round selections that have signed. As of this post, only seven second-rounders have signed contracts. A flurry of deals should be signed sometime soon, but teams are going to have to work extra hard to make sure that these rookies get to camp in a timely fashion. It is imperative that the rookies get to camp on time, because they all have a lot to learn. Showing up late can hamper a rookie’s progress — just ask Raiders QB JaMarcus Russel, who held in ‘07 and played in only four games that season.

The Brett Favre Saga

As we enter the dark period in the NFL summer — the month right after minicamps and just before training camps — fans and writers alike tend to reach out to left field to find topics to discuss. Topics have been much easier to find this summer, just as it will be this summer. That is because we have Brett Favre, who has trouble deciding whether or not he should remain retired. Favre, one of the best QBs in NFL history, loves the game too much to walk away, though he has done so twice now under the belief that he had nothing left to give.

And so writers and fans have beaten to death the Favre “will he or won’t he?” story. That’s what happens when there is nothing else to talk about. 2008 was the “Summer of Favre,” and 2009 is quickly joining the party.

Favre, after being released by the New York Jets on April 28, is a free-agent, meaning he is able to sign with whichever team he chooses. Last season, Favre was still a member of the Green Bay Packers — he was on the reserve/retired list. When Favre began to indicate that he wanted to come back last summer, the Packers were against the idea since they had already given the starting QB job to Aaron Rodgers, who watched and learned from Favre for three seasons. At that point, Favre asked for his release, which the Packers immediately rejected. Instead, the Packers looked for trade partners. Because of the way the Packers handled the situation, Favre’s preferred choice was the Minnesota Vikings, the team’s division rival. Favre, however, was traded to the Jets.

After playing for a season with New York and nearly leading them to the playoffs, he once-again retired, and now we are back to a similar situation that we had last year, only different. Now, Favre can go play for the Vikings. Ever since the Favre-return talks began last summer, the Vikings have shown interest. Favre spoke with Vikings offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell — a good friend — during that summer, which led to tampering allegations.

It’s The Gift That Keeps On Ticking And Giving….Well It Is If You’re A Long Time Favre Fan

As much as I’m an avid NFL fan. I take little of note in the ongoing saga that is Brett Favre. He’s now become a one man soap opera that essentially has become the bread and butter for the likes of ESPN and their round the clock reporting on the latest details concerning the player.

Vikings' season ticket holders listen to a panel of Vikings' personnel discuss the upcoming season at a press conference convened in Minneapolis , Minnesota. picture appears courtesy of ap/photo/Craig Warren......

And it’d appear that for all sense and purpose the Minnesota Vikings are quite prepared to hitch their reins to the aged veteran. It speaks little of their faith in the team’s incumbent quarterback in Tavaris Jackson. But then again that too is understandable. The player has struggled to find his footing within the league. Albeit that he’s now in his third year as a player but has yet to come into his own as a starter.

And for coach Brad Childress this may well be seen as a last ditch attempt by the franchise to actually make something of themselves. Widely considered to be amongst the favorites to make it to the NFC championship game last season. The Vikings having clinched the NFC North posting a 10-6 record, merely showed that they weren’t up to the task of being legitimately considered a postseason contender. Their postseason ambitions came to an abrupt end against the wild card berthed Philadelphia Eagles, with an unspiring performance in a 26-14 loss at the Hubert H Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis, Minnesota. That being said the way that the Eagles perfomed on the day. One seriously doubts that the Vkings had what it’d take to be their conferenc rivals. They played some inspired football and the Eagles’ Brian Westbrook had a career day against a Vikings’ defense that was found wanting.

Vikings' owner Zygi Wilf(left) seated alongside team coach Brad Childress with VP of Player Personnel Rick Spielman and player Chad Greenway take questions from the Vikings' season ticket holders . One of the main topics of discussion was the possible acquisition of retired quarterback Brett Favre. picture appears courtesy of ap/photo/ Michael Washington ..............

This upcoming season the team had what they believe to be a saitisfactory draft in terms of their picks. And with them having picks in the first , second , third, fifth and seventh rounds. They made sure that they bolstered their roster with the players they felt could contribute the team . Their most prized acquisition may well have been that of Florida Gator wideout Percy Harvin. A player with explosive presence and play. Albeit that along with the player there comes questions as to his attitude and other off the field issues. But all that may well be overlooked if he can replicate any of the form shown as when he played on the national championship winning team. Especially if he’s able to assist the Vikings’ versatile running back Adrian Peterson.

Vikings' quarterback Tavaris Jackson (7) watches as fellow quartetrback and temmate Sage Rosensels (2) throws a pass during mini camp at the team's training facility in Eden Prairie , Minn,. picture appears courtesy of ap/photo/ Aaron Breslin .......................

But with each passing moment that the clock ticks away. The more we’re now being held hostage by the antics of Favre. Over the past few seasons. It has been his custom that as the season ends , he makes that farewell announcement that he’s about to leave the game. Unfortunately for us there has yet to be a finality to this all. Last season it was no different as he exited stage left having left the New York Jets. There too we saw all of the traits that’ve become customary as to his play. There were moments of brilliance but then more often than not there were moments which indicated that his best days are now long gone and far behind him. His was the tendency wherein if all else failed . He’d resort to becoming the gunslinger with the errant arm. And it led to his and the Jets’ demise with the preponderance of turnovers and the sheer ineptitude shown by the team under Eric Mangini’s guidance.