Month: December 2008 (Page 11 of 65)

      Here we go again: Brett Favre hints at retirement

      December 26, 2008 /

      Hurry up and get in line – the Brett Favre retirement talk merry-go-round is ready to kick off again.

      Brett FavreFavre said he’ll meet with general manager Mike Tannenbaum and coach Eric Mangini soon after the season because he doesn’t want things to drag on and get ugly, as they did last season in Green Bay.
      Favre talked about how he has had a great career and he’s not going to chase ghosts, meaning another shot at the Super Bowl.

      And, Favre dropped a bombshell, revealing that his shoulder doesn’t feel quite right and he’s looking forward to his exit physical and an MRI to find out if there’s any damage.

      Though Favre said it’s premature to talk about retirement, he sounded as if he can’t wait to get back to his hometown of Hattiesburg, Miss., and go hunting. But first, the Jets (9-6) meet the Dolphins (10-5) on Sunday in an AFC East clash with playoff implications for both teams.

      If the Jets win, they could win the AFC East if the Patriots lose to Buffalo or earn a wild-card berth if the Ravens lose to Jacksonville.

      “This very well could be my last game,” Favre said Wednesday. “I’m aware of that. I’d like to make it a memorable one. .¤.¤. It’s been a great career. This year was a gamble, a risk, whatever you want to call it. It’s been good and bad times as far as our season has gone, but I’m glad I came. I made the right decision.

      “It’s been fun fighting with these guys. Whatever happens after this happens. Mike and I and I’m sure Eric, we may talk about (plans) this week, just more or less set a time, if we’re not in the playoffs, talk about it the first part of next week.

      “I don’t want to go through what happened last year, for me and for everyone else. And physically, that has something to do with it as well.

      This is the same thing he’s been saying for years – he loves the game, but doesn’t know if he can physically play anymore and therefore he’s leaning towards retirement. Then he’ll proceed to change his mind 900 times and eventually come back.

      Or maybe this is it for Brett. I don’t know. Nobody knows – not even him. The guy lives and breathes football and if he can physically play, then he should. It’s his decision, although he needs to make one quickly this time around. If the Jets miss the playoffs, there might be major turnover within the organization and it’s only fair to them for Brett to make a quick decision so they can figure out which direction they want to go in.

      NFL

      Did NFL give Cowboys unfair advantage this Sunday?

      December 26, 2008 /

      Thanks to flex scheduling, the Dallas-Philadelphia game this Sunday was moved to 4:15PM ET, which means the Eagles may already be eliminated from playoff contention by the time they teams are set for kickoff.

      Tony RomoNobody can deny the decision gives Dallas a potential competitive advantage, with Chicago, Minnesota and Tampa Bay playing at 1 o’clock. If the Bucs defeat the lowly Raiders — or if the Bears and Vikings both win — the Eagles would take the field knowing they’ve been eliminated.

      “To learn after you have warmed up and just before kickoff that you have been eliminated can be devastating,” writes Dallas Morning News columnist Tim Cowlishaw, in his item on the controversial switch.
      Venerable Philadelphia Daily News scribe Bill Conlin says the decision may spoil a dramatic fight to the finish in the wild-card chase — to the advantage of Dallas.

      It would have been dramatically correct for the Bucs, Bears, Vikings, Birds and Cowboys all simultaneously slugging away for that second NFC wild-card berth. Bucs win, it’s over for Andy and the South Philly Air Force. Vikes and Bears both win, it’s over. That’s a lot of possible overs to overcome. And if the Bucs, Vikes and Bears all lose, the Eagles still have to beat the Cowboys.

      It appears the NFL liked the long odds against the Vikings and Bears both losing and went all-in on a dispirited Eagles team playing a so-what game at 4:15[.]

      Psychologically, yes, this could be an advantage for the Cowboys. But this isn’t an attempt by the NFL to give Dallas an advantage – this is about national coverage. This is a huge game and the purpose of flex scheduling is to give fans the best matchup possibly during primetime.

      But considering the NFL Network is dedicated to giving fans as much Dallas Cowboys coverage as possible, I could see why some would be up in arms about this.

      NFL

      Mike Singletary in as head coach for 49ers – Mike Martz out?

      December 26, 2008 /

      Word out of San Francisco is that Mike Singletary is going to get a crack at becoming the permanent fixture at head coach next season, which isn’t good news for offensive coordinator Mike Martz. Singletary reportedly doesn’t like Martz’s coaching style and if he becomes head coach, would look to replace the “Mad Scientist.”

      Mike SingletaryIt’s not official yet. But it’s getting pretty darn close. Barring some unforeseen event, Mike Singletary will be the 49ers head coach in 2009, perhaps as soon as the Monday after the team’s finale against the Redskins, according to a source close to the situation. When team officials, including owner Jed York, made Singletary the 49ers’ interim coach in late October, they told him that the team would have to show progress in order for him to keep his job. They have done just that, going 4-4 under Singletary. But Singletary sealed the deal – or came tantalizingly close to doing so – on Monday when he met with team officials and laid out his plan for the future, including both offense and defense. Singletary’s vision had been the one remaining question in the minds of team officials.

      Under Singletary, defensive coordinator Greg Manusky would be retained. Offensive coordinator Mike Martz, however, would not. With Martz directing the offense, the 49ers have climbed from dead last in the league in total offense to 24th this season. But Martz’s pass-first mentality, on display in recent games against Miami and St. Louis, clashes with Singletary’s ball-control philosophy. It also seems to be at odds with the type of players the 49ers have drafted on offense in recent years. Singletary not only discussed his offensive philosophy in the Monday meeting, he cited several candidates to take over at offensive coordinator next season. Those names are not yet known, although they are believed to include both current head coaches and assistants. The 49ers’ biggest concern is for offensive continuity over the next several seasons.

      Singletary deserves a shot to be a full-time head coach. It’s apparent that since he took over as interim coach, the Niners have played with more passion and emotion. He’s a fiery competitor who should be very successful.

      One has to wonder if Martz is long for this league. His offense has been successful every where he’s gone, but the same criticisms come up no matter where he lands – he doesn’t run the football enough. Some team is going to want his offense, but I wonder if he’ll have to change his approach and develop a more balanced offense.

      NFL

      Jay Cutler is a punk

      December 25, 2008 /

      At least according to San Diego’s Matt Wilhelm he’s a punk.

      During my turn guest-hosting yesterday on XX 1090, Matt Wilhelm came on the show, and I suggested at the start of the interview, “Jay Cutler is a punk, isn’t he?”

      I was joking. I mean, I think Jay Cutler is arrogant and off-putting, but I was totally joking and never expected a response. I was saying it for a laugh. I had suggested the same thing in an earlier interview with Clinton Hart.

      But Wilhelm, who is a great interview, took my suggestion and ran.

      “He is a punk,” Wilhelm said. “I’m just not a huge fan of his.”

      Wilhelm compared Philip Rivers and Jay Cutler, saying both were leaders and wanted to win badly.

      “But Jay Cutler,” Wilhelm said, “he and Tony Gonzalez are the biggest crybabies in the league.”

      Does anyone want to disgree with Wilhelm? Cutler is the humble genius who claimed that his arm was stronger than John Elway’s arm.

      Photo courtesy of Jeffrey Beall via Flickr.

      General Sports, NFL

      Lakers win the battle, but will they win the war?

      December 25, 2008 /

      Kobe Bryant said this was a “statement game” and it seemed that the Lakers were taking it a little more seriously than the Celtics were. Not that C’s weren’t focused — they were — but there’s a certain swagger that comes with being the defending champs; you’re going to get everyone’s “A” game, but it’s important to remember that one regular season does not a championship make. That seemed to be Boston’s mindset.

      The difference in this game, specifically in the fourth quarter, was the play of Pau Gasol. The Laker big man scored seven points in a 80-second span in the closing moments of the final period. The Celtics were shading over to help on Kobe, and as a consequence they were letting a wide-open Gasol catch the ball at the free throw line. He used an array of driving moves to score three buckets (with one three-point play) to put the C’s in a corner. Then, with 1:16 to play and the Lakers leading by five, he came up with a crucial block of Ray Allen’s three-point attempt to put the game away.

      Fantasy Basketball, NBA, NBA Finals

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