Author: John Paulsen (Page 190 of 937)

Is Favre worse than LeBron?

Green Bay Packers fans mock Minnesota Vikings quarterback Brett Favre during the first quarter at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin on November 1, 2009. Favre returned to Lambeau Sunday for the first time in an opposing team's uniform. UPI/Brian Kersey Photo via Newscom

As a longtime Packer fan, the last few years of the Brett Favre saga have been particularly tough, especially his decision to sign with the Green Bay’s arch-rival. But the fitting end to the Vikings’ playoff run quenched every Packer fans thirst for karma, comeuppance, whatever. On one hand it would have been fun if Minnesota had crashed and burned to a 6-10 season, but there’s something wonderful about the fact that the Vikings were thisclose to a Super Bowl and their (adopted) prodigal son threw a horrible pass — in a season where he didn’t throw very many (for a change) — that sealed the hugely disappointing loss.

Now he’s doing his annual retirement dance again and appears to be stirring up the media to satisfy his need for attention.

Kevin Hench of Fox Sports argues that Favre’s antics are worse than LeBron’s.

Which is worse for a fan, death by a thousand cuts (Favre) or one swift decapitation (LeBron)?

Nice!

Favre put his loyal lady through hell for several offseasons, took up with a far-off mistress for a year, then came back to town with the one woman he had to know would most devastate his ex.

Compare that with LeBron. He didn’t waffle. His heart didn’t wander and return, wander and return, wander and return year after year. He was ramrod loyal to his betrothed. Until he wasn’t.

Blam.

The doors to the bedroom flew open, and there was South Beach astride LeBron. End of story.

LeBron announced his departure from Cleveland the way Rudy Giuliani conveyed that he was leaving wife Donna Hanover for a younger coworker with more upside. On TV.

It may not have been classy, but it was definitive.

For a month, LeBron has been annihilated for the way he handled “The Decision.” But Favre’s latest retirement reminds us there was actually a much worse way to handle things: the Brett Favre Way.

Sometime last summer, the tide turned against Favre. People still enjoy watching him play, but given his annual antics, far more football fans are rooting against him than ever before.

Other than in a few households in Wisconsin, he’s not as hated or reviled like LeBron is, because Favre’s history with Green Bay was far more successful than LeBron’s run in Cleveland. People are just sick of his act.

What’s worse — death by a thousand cuts or one swift decapitation?

Indeed.

(I love you, Aaron Rodgers.)

Melo to test free agency next summer?

Alex Kennedy of HOOPSWORLD reported this yesterday…

Sources close to the situation don’t expect Carmelo Anthony to sign an extension with the Denver Nuggets this summer.

Anthony is leaning towards testing free agency next offseason, said sources on the same day that the Nuggets let go of Warkentien, Chapman.

Sources say that Carmelo isn’t too worried about next season’s potential lockout and he wants to explore his options next summer.

The Nuggets have been pretty good the last few years, but pretty good doesn’t seem to cut it anymore. It’s possible that Anthony saw what LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh did this summer and wants to form a ‘Super Friends’ of his own, potentially hooking up with Amare Stoudemire and Chris Paul in New York. Paul said as much in his toast at Anthony’s wedding a few weeks ago.

With an aging Chauncey Billups as Melo’s sidekick, the Nuggets don’t appear to be on the verge of challenging for a title. If they were serious about contending, they wouldn’t have given Marcus Camby away two summers ago. They did, however, sign 30-year-old Al Harrington to a mid-level deal this summer, which was a curious addition seeing as he’s something of a poor man’s Melo.

While the Nuggets have a couple of expiring salaries — Kenyon Martin ($16.5 M), J.R. Smith ($6.8 M) — they won’t have enough cap space next summer to re-sign Anthony and add another big-name free agent. Their best bet is to try to acquire a good player by dangling Martin’s expiring contract. Perhaps the Sixers would want to unload Andre Iguodala, whose defense and slashing ability would fit well with Melo and Billups.

The bottom line is that if Anthony ends up ‘testing’ free agency, he’s probably leaving. In all likelihood, if he doesn’t sign the extension, the Nuggets have until the February trade deadline to reshape the roster enough to convince him to stay.

Nike hoping to clean up the recruiting mess

High school recruiting, especially in the summer, has to this point consisted of a hodgepodge of camps and tournaments, but Nike took a step towards streamlining in this summer with its Elite Youth Basketball League.

The EYBL is a first-ever league featuring 42 high-level, U17 grassroots teams playing for a championship. It culminates in July at the Nike Peach Jam in North Augusta, Ga.

The concept is simple. The teams, divided into four divisions, will play a predetermined schedule during three weekends this spring — in Hampton (Friday through Sunday), Houston (May 14-16) and Los Angeles (May 29-31). After the third event, the top five teams in each of the four divisions will automatically advance to the Peach Jam bracket, with four at-large teams added to round out the 24-team championship tournament. Teams that receive an automatic bid are guaranteed spots for 2011.

The ongoing nature of the tournament (qualification for the Peach Jam and the Peach Jam itself) gives it more value, because a championship will be won over a few months instead of a few days. And since winning is required for advancement, players *should* put personal success aside for the team’s success.

The only thing that is puzzling to me is the lack of a Midwestern location (Chicago? St. Louis?). I looked at the Los Angeles event that happened in May and there was a team from Wisconsin there. It seems like Chicago would be an ideal spot for all the talent in the Great Lakes region.

Shaq the Celtic?

Cleveland Cavaliers Shaquille O'Neal (L) is guarded by Boston Celtics Kevin Garnett during the third quarter in Game 6 of their NBA Eastern Conference playoff basketball series in Boston, Massachusetts May 13, 2010. REUTERS/Adam Hunger (UNITED STATES - Tags: SPORT BASKETBALL)

It looks that way.

Shaquille O’Neal has decided to join the Boston Celtics, according to sources with knowledge of the situation. He is expected to tell the team of his intentions Wednesday morning.

The length of the contract is not known, but O’Neal, who has been seeking a two-year deal, will play for the veteran’s minimum of $1.4 million annually.

It’s hard to say if this is a good signing. It seems so on paper — the Celtics now have a guy who can score in the post and rebound, and it shores up the front line, which will be missing Kendrick Perkins for the first few months. Offensively, Shaq’s clogging of the lane — which didn’t work well in Cleveland alongside the slashing LeBron James — won’t be as disruptive to Boston’s attack, as the C’s are essentially Rajon Rondo and a team of jumpshooters.

But there is so much else that comes along with signing Shaq, namely the ego. Can the Celtics’ locker room with its vaunted ‘ubuntu’ handle Shaq’s massive personality? Is he going to start grumbling about minutes or touches if he’s not getting enough? Will he stay in shape? Will he stay healthy?

From an intrigue standpoint, other than Miami, he couldn’t have landed in a better spot. A possible Boston/Miami matchup now has no fewer than eight potential Hall of Famers: Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, Rondo, Shaq, Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and Chris Bosh.

In the end, if the report is accurate, Shaq chose relevancy over money. Kudos to him for that.

NBA announces Christmas Day schedule

Mar. 04, 2010 - Miami, FL - Florida, USA - United States - Miami---fl-heat-04d----NBA basketball with the Los Angeles Lakers visiting the Miami Heat at the American Airlines Arena. Miami's Dwyane Wade works past ex-heat player now Laker Lamar Odom.  Robert Duyos, Sun Sentinel.

The NBA season will open on 10/26 with the Heat/Celtics and Rockets/Lakers on TNT. The Heat will face the Magic on 10/29, which looks like Miami’s home opener.

The Christmas Day lineup is headlined by the Heat @ Lakers and Celtics @ Magic. Also, there are matchup between the Bulls/Knicks, Thunder/Nuggets and the Blazers/Warriors to round out the day.

The entire schedule will be released on 8/10.

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