Amid all of the speculation surrounding one of the greatest NFL quarterbacks my generation has had the priviledge of watching, I feel compelled to offer some insight apart from what the ratings-invested, sports media is reporting. A comment I received from an ESPN friend (thank you pgath) is really what pushed me to set the record straight. Not only am I a "Packerbacking Cheesehead", I am also one of the biggest Brett Favre fans the state of Maryland has ever seen--if not THE biggest Favre fan (which, admittedly, in "Hog Country" is not really a difficult feat). Realistically, I should be one of those wishing for his return to once again grace the hardened field of the Frozen Tundra--his sanctuary. I should be one of those football fans who are buying into this mumbo jumbo as if it were legit reporting. I should be one of the homers looking up his projected worth as a starter vs backup in fantasy football. But I'm not. Why? Because I'm smarter than the 89.867% of sports readers who "know" he's returning.

1. He told Coach McCarthy he has an "itch" to play.

I'm sure Bradshaw, Unitas, Elway, Marino, and Montana all got the itch to play after they retired too. When you're used to preparing yourself physically and mentally to lead your team in the upcoming football season (which is not only your job, but will also inevitably define who you are and what you're worth) for so many years, it's difficult to just stop. No one has an easy time stopping what they enjoy doing, and Favre is no exception. Not to mention, the way Packer fans have embraced him and the way the NFL has embraced him is hard to ignore. Part of it's ego I'm sure--if you're considered "god-like" you don't want to end up being "a thing of the past". And with training camp just around the corner, I'd be offended if he had absolutely no desire to play another season in Green Bay.

2. He texted Ted Thompson.

And? What was Thompson's response? He was on vacation and they'd talk later. If Favre was returning, wouldn't they have some sort of conference call or something immediately? For one thing, I'm not entirely sure Thompson wants Favre back. [While he'd be crazy to favor Aaron Rodgers in place of Favre, just hear me out. 1. It's a gamble--is it certain Favre will have the kind of season that he did last year? Is it certain he won't get hurt (which, in his older age, is likely) at some point and be out for the season anyway? 2. All that the fans, team, and city went through when Favre retired--Thompson doesn't seem eager to reverse all of that just to endure it all again later.] For another thing, Favre needs to sign his retirement papers and still workout those last minute details before training camp on July 28. Sure he has his agent for this kind of thing, but the Packers organization isn't known for talking through their agents anyway. Not to mention, I have a feeling Favre will be invested in some way in the goings on of the Packers. If for nothing else, to offer occasional advice to new players.

3. Brett always holds Green Bay "hostage" during the month of July and ends up playing.

Yes, but this year he actually held a press conference and officially retired. The media turns this into a "hostage"-type situation year after year; heightening the intensity and drama for ratings purposes. All because baseball (which is the only other thing to write about during the month of July) isn't exciting to report on until the playoffs.

4. He hasn't signed his retirement papers.

Many retired athletes don't sign their retirement papers right away. MANY. It's called initially having better things to do. Like endorsements.

5. He said when he retired that he could still play.

He could, but that doesn't mean he would. I can drive my car into a tree, but that doesn't mean I will. It's not like he had a career-ending injury. And Coach McCarthy's offense doesn't require Favre to throw the bombs like he did in the good-old days. It's much more QB-friendly given the fact that it relies more on the YAC than it does on the arm of the QB.

6. There are two years still left on his contract.

And? Given the fact that he took a pay cut a few seasons ago to acquire/afford more talent means that 2 years on his contract is not comparable to 2 years on Tom Brady's contract or 2 years on Peyton Manning's contract. Plus, the team doesn't consist of a number of Randy Moss/T.O.-type players who's salaries are insanely demanding. Not to mention the amount of revenue accrued from the fans. The Packers organization has money, and they can afford those 2 years.

7. It's not impossible to unretire. Plus, he's going to the Dolphins. Or maybe even the Vikings.

It's not impossible, but it's not entirely respectable. Favre is too classy. He cares too much about his family, the team, the fans, the sport to unretire. But, for the sake of humoring this question, if he did unretire, he would stay with the Packers. No question. If he played for any other team, the fans would castrate Ted Thompson.

8. The fans are the ones who own shares in the team. And the fans (aka owners) want Favre, not Rodgers, next season.

Yes, but the fans have moved on enough to refrain from demanding a return by Favre (who are we to demand anything from him anyway?). Not to mention, we've all embraced the fact that it'll be another building year in Green Bay. However, I don't think Rodgers will do terrible. And our newbies last season proved that our youngins have talent and know what they're doing. Inexperience is a thing of the past. Now, if we could only get that pesky defense upgraded...

9. He said he'd come back if Rodgers got hurt.

Well, he certainly has proven his status as a knight-in-shining- armor after leading the Pack into many 4th-Quarter/last-minute/come-from-behind victories. But I wouldn't count on it. He said that high on emotion (he had just said he was retiring) and before we got Brian Brohm and Matt Flynn (that's 2 back-up QBs).

10. Favre isn't denouncing the rumors of a possible return.

Isn't Madden '09 coming out soon? Marketing people--it's got his mug on the cover lest ye forgot. He may be a simple boy from Mississippi, but he ain't stupid. Not to mention, if I were him, I wouldn't even acknowledge the media with a response. He doesn't owe anyone anything. Just because players have unretired in the past and the media is turning this into something with all of their speculation--that doesn't mean he has to respond to it. Nor should he. When the Olympics start, this will all be old news anyway.

Back in April (after the whole "itching" comment leaked in March), Favre was quoted as saying, "There are always second thoughts, but that’s not saying I am coming back...It might be nice to dream about it, but no." On a side note: I love #4 to death, and it'll be weird not seeing him play, but I wouldn't want him to come back. He went out after a fantastic season with dignity and class. I want him to be remembered for this past season and not some ill-attempted, come-back season. He'll be missed, but missed with nothing short of positive memories.

So, before you add him as a contender for a coveted QB spot on your fantasy team, keep in mind that ESPN just wants to boost their ratings, and you're stupid if you honestly think he's unretiring (you probably shouldn't play fantasy football to begin with if you're that stupid). If any of you readers out there would like me to offer a common sense explanation for any other "reason" that contributes to this fooey of "unretirement", feel free to ask. I am more than happy to oblige and let you know why ESPN is full of idiot writers and has an idiot audience that hangs on every word these idiot writers have to say as if ESPN were the holy grail of sports reporting.

One day in the distant future, I plan on being the demise of ESPN.

Author: Brenda Niemeyer
Contact: bniemeyern@gmail.com

No one.

I've been a Marylander my whole life, but my Cheeseheaded-self could easily overpower the likes of a Redskin fan---right on down to the skivvies (I say Skins fan because along with the Cowboys, the Packers and Skins are the top, fan-favorite teams in the league). I'm often quizzed/challenged on all things Packers and/or football in general. I welcome it though because it feels almost like an initiation of sorts, and it also gives me the opportunity to stick it to the naysayers. I attribute my knowledge, love, adoration, and the possession of a cheesehead (the old school one that's bigger and a darker shade of yellow) for this organization to family friends out in Wisconsin. Without them, I would never have been introduced to the amazing athlete known simply as "Brett".

From the moment I laid eyes on #4 at the ripe old age of 8, I knew he was special. For the past 16 years, I have watched Brett Favre walk out onto the field to play his game. Through the turmoil, the illnesses, the bitter defeats, and all-empowering wins, he has been my quarterback. It was more than the good looks (any female with eyes will tell you Brett Favre is hot---grey and all), I felt some sort of comfort; a relief. Oddly enough I counted on him more than anyone else to give it his all, and he never disappointed. In a cliché kind of way that only a chick football fan could say---Brett and I grew up together. So if there was anyone on the east coast devastated by his retirement back in March, it was definitely me.

I was at work when I first heard the news, and I'd be lying if I said I didn't cry over it. I had been in the office for maybe an hour, when I checked into ESPN. My heart sank. I immediately sat and stared---I knew he would retire, but I wasn't ready for it to happen. Overcome with emotion and feeling utterly nostalgic, I poured it all into a fan blog on ESPN. I got a ton of responses from fans, non-fans, and ESPN friends who really were indifferent, but got wrapped up in the emotion of it all. ESPN even quoted me on the front page of their website. For the rest of the day people knew to keep their distance. Even my 10 y/o cousin knew not to mention his name or anything resembling it. For a week I was in a state of melancholy, trying to accept the inevitable. With a little help from my Brett Favre rookie card (which I give thanks to my twin brother for---Brett was a nobody when I traded for his card, just a no-name QB on my new favorite team the Packers. He looks better in Green and Gold than he did in Falcons gear; and no, I'm not selling it), countless memorabilia, and some fond memories, I was able to move on.

Fast-forward a month or two, and there's already speculation regarding his return. If there was anyone who wanted Brett to return, it would be me. But he's not going to, and we shouldn't assume he will. Like I kept telling people this weekend, I've been through enough pain without these insinuations that everyone is reporting as fact. I can only attribute this sudden attention on "will he/won't he" to two very different sources, but equally as important to NFL culture---Madden '09 and the NFL Draft.

Hearing the news of Brett gracing the cover of Madden '09 got me ecstatic. This honor reflects the quality of performance and character the player had during the past NFL season. It sparked debate, and I found myself defending Favre---at 38, the man ended his career with one of the best seasons he's ever had. "Brett Favre" and "football" are synonymous with one another, and he rightly deserved the cover. Needless to say, immediately people started telling me that he would be coming back. Without a doubt. My response---it's a videogame box cover people! Get a grip. What he and the fans went through during the whole retirement week would not be reversed by a piece of plastic. During and interview with ESPN, they asked Brett about making the Madden cover. In response, he flatly said (as only Brett could do), "I'm not savvy enough to play this game. Most of the younger generation has no idea [Madden] coached...Some of our guys play Madden better than they play on Sundays. And they spend more time talking about playing Madden." Sounds like he's going to come back. His enthusiasm over Madden '09 just makes it so.

Because it was draft time this past weekend, the Packers organization had to officially put Brett on the reserve-retired list. However, because he hasn't signed his retirement papers, people thinks he's coming back. Let me point out a couple of things: 1. The retirement papers are just a formality. He's hardly the first, and he's far from being the last to not sign his retirement papers right away. 2. Why would the Packers pick up two more QBs in the draft if they were anticipating Favre's return? In case you missed it, they picked up Brian Brohm and Matt Flynn. After getting WR Jordy Nelson for their first pick (I'm not entirely sure why), I don't think they would've wasted the attention there in lieu of a return by #4.

This past Friday, Brett further explained to ESPN, "There are always second thoughts, but that's not saying I am coming back. It's never a clear-cut decision. It's something I can't expect everyone to understand. No, there's no perfect time. First of all, I won't keep myself in shape. I'm sure after training camp is over and all that hard work is done, it might be 'OK, now.' It might be nice to dream about it, but no." Even reminiscing with old friends and relishing in personal achievements couldn't get #4 to change his mind on Friday. He doesn't expect the skeptics to understand. In fact, I doubt he expects anyone to truly understand outside the likes of John Elway, Joe Montana, or Dan Marino. However, he has hinted he intends to be a part of football in some aspect in the near future. For now, he simply said, "I'm eager to get home."

The Greenbay Packers picked up Brian Brohm who has the record for being the first player to ever throw over 10,000 yds (10,7750).  His Record as a starter is 24-9.  A great addition to the Favreless Packers.

The New England Patriots draft Terrence Wheatley as cornerback to replace Pro Bowler Asante Samuel and veteran Randall Gay in the second round.  This along with their third round pick gives them two great linebackers now.

Get additional information on the draft here: http://www.nfl.com/draft

And let us know what you think about this years draft picks.   

A Tribute To Brett Favre...

And weirdly i tend to like American football movie the most. I'm not entirely sure this is contributed by my first such movie that moved me to tears (and if you know where i can get this dvd here, let me know, really appreciate that), or is it the physciality that attracts me.

And in case that you're wondering, i do like rugby and Australian Rule Football as well.

Staying on topic, frankly i do care about how much the movie differs from the true story that it is based on. I would say compared to other so-called adaptions, i would think that Invincible is relatively closer to the real-life account of Vince Papale. That's my opinion, seriously. Don't bash me up for that. I deduced that from reading Wikipedia. Go read and make your comparison, or figure that out from other sources.

Hardwork, talent, character - recipe for a sportsman.

Sad to say, i don't have all of these. I suck at sports, but i do love sports.

I even have a Greenbay Packers' no. 56 jersey Nick Barnett's alternative away jersey (hey mind you it's not a fake) that Mrs Chongky forbids me to wear. I'm not sure if the issue was the size, though it's already a S. But i'm happy enough to take it out sometimes and walk around in the house in it.

Damn the adrenaline rush throughout the evening. And the good movie didn't quite help either. 1 hour 10 minutes away from waking up time, 3 hours 40 minutes before the start of my wave at Singapore Biathlon 08, 5 hours 40 minutes from the start of games at Waikiki 08. I haven't got my sleep...

LOL.

peter piaskoski, Shorewood, Wisconsin

maryt

Two weeks ago, I wrote about how it was bad business to help a hated rival get into the playoffs. I was referring to the Cowboys giving a horrible performance against the Washington Redskins. Although Dallas did not face the Redskins in the playoffs, it is the same logic, with Washington, as it is with the Giants:

You do not want to have to play the same team three times in one season.

It may be somewhat debatable, but I still stick to my guns when arguing that the NFC East is the best division in professional football. The Dallas Cowboys have long histories with all three of those other ball-clubs, and they are not exactly friendly histories. This is well evidenced. There are 27 other non-divisional teams in the NFL, including New England, that I would have rather had my hometown team go up against, especially this division in particular. It doesn't matter that Dallas beat them twice. This isn't college football or high school football. We are talking about grown men, professionals, all of whom work in a tension filled, reward oriented, strive-for-perfection workplace. These people are professionals. They know how to watch game film, they know tendencies, they perceive and they react to those perceptions with split-second timing. And that is from the players to the staff to the management. I don't like my chances to win a third straight game against a professional opponent who not only hates my guts, but who was also good enough to qualify for the second round of the playoffs.

It is just a puzzle, folks. Teams do what they do, offensively and defensively, based on strengths and weaknesses. Playoff teams do not run out there with a passing offense when their QB is terrible and they have a great running game, or try and run man coverage on defense when you have the worst corners in the league. It is logical that a professional opposition can perceive and react, correctly. Even the Rosetta Stone was eventually decyphered. Even the Enigma was eventually decoded. All this is, at the end of the day, is a puzzle.

And your opponent, in the second round of the playoffs, has 16 or 17 games worth of material that helps figure out that puzzle, not to mention the fact they already played you twice. A 13-3 season with home-field advantage, with terrible efforts given by the Cowboys in the last weeks being very overlooked. Take this all into consideration. Is it really that big of a stretch to think New York wins that playoff game? I looked at the evidence and I reluctantly took the Giants. I was unsatisfyingly correct.

A few things happened in that game that led to the Dallas loss. Throughout the course of this season, everyone's favorite head-coaching candidate Jason Garrett has thrown the running plays out the window for what is essentially no good reason. I question if this guy is actually ready for an NFL head-coaching job. I'm not saying he won't be, but from where I am personally sitting, as of right now I am asking questions. A lot of the success of this team was because of Romo's ability to think on his feet and make plays happen. It is not just genius coaching, it is Tony Romo's addition to the plays as well. Defensively in this game, the tackling was so poor that I don't even want to talk any more about it. This team has holes, defensively, mainly in corner depth, Hamlin is decent, and Roy Williams' money needs to be swallowed and he needs to be sent packing immediately. If you get enough pressure on any quarterback, you affect his rhythm and judgment, even if just by flushing the pocket, and New York was smart enough to get back there and put Romo on the ground. Mick told Rocky that women weaken legs, and although that is probably true, I don't blame Jessica Simpson for the loss, or for the Cowboys' skid, but I do know as well as everybody else the power in being comfortable. It is not her fault directly (its his) but if they're as serious as the rumors suggest, I think there's validity to pointing out how comfortable people can become with life when that void is filled. That's all I'm saying about that. There is validity to pointing that out.

_{This came up on Google under "Tony Romo".}

With the Cowboys finished, how do these playoffs look when you no longer have a horse in the race? I'm inclined to think that New England is going to put a beating on San Diego, and it won't even be worth the effort to watch the game. Likewise in the NFC battle, I have Green Bay taking care of New York with relative ease. San Diego got a lot of lucky breaks in that game with Indianapolis, and that outcome was above their level of worth. New York's outcome over Dallas was also a game where they played above their own level of worth. Unfortunately, I do not think either of these games will be too jaw-dropping.

I want to thank everybody for reading my rants every week this season, and I especially want to thank everyone here at The Huddle Network for allowing me a podium each week to rail about football. With two first-round picks in this year's draft, there is plenty of discussion that needs to be had over what Dallas needs, immediately, and I'm looking forward to workout and combine results to fuel a draft article. Until then, focus on which of these 75 bumbling candidates you think will do the least amount of damage to the country for the next four years.