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      Did the Packers try to bribe Brett Favre to stay retired?

      July 31, 2008 /

      WTMJ-TV in Milwaukee is reporting that the Packers are willing to bribe Brett Favre to stay retired.

      WTMJ-TV Channel 4 in Milwaukee, citing two sources, reported Wednesday that Packers president Mark Murphy at least floated the idea to Favre of paying him a package in the neighborhood of $20 million over 10 years to remain retired. Murphy met most of Wednesday with Favre and his agent, Bus Cook, in Hattiesburg, Miss.

      A source subsequently confirmed that the Packers have discussed monetary compensation with Favre and Cook.

      Murphy arrived back in Green Bay at approximately 9 p.m. and did not stop to talk to reporters as he was driven from the airport. A few minutes later, the Packers released this statement from Murphy:

      “I was in Hattiesburg today and had a nice visit with Brett Favre. We discussed a number of topics not related to football, including Brett’s long-term relationship with the Packers. I consider our conversation to be confidential and am going to be respectful of Brett and his family and keep the details private.”

      When asked if the Packers had a specific comment on WTMJ’s report, Murphy’s spokesman, Aaron Popkey, said no further comment would be coming from the Packers this evening.

      Obviously, this doesn’t look good for the Packers. It appears to be a desperate attempt to keep the Favre circus from making a stop in Green Bay. Given their obvious (yet bizarre) distaste for bringing Favre back as the starter, coupled with their inability to agree on the appropriate compensation for a potential trade package, the Packers have grossly mishandled the situation.

      If this report is true, the leak clearly came from Favre’s camp. I highly doubt that anyone loyal to the Green Bay Packers would reveal that the team president tried to buy off the franchise’s most beloved player (of the modern era, anyway). This news will only serve to poison a difficult situation even further. For that, Favre (or his camp) is to blame.

      I still believe that Favre gives the Packers the best chance to win a title this season. Pundits across the country continue to debate about which team is the “best fit” for Favre. They talk about how he should go to a team that would be a contender if only it didn’t have an unsettled quarterback situation. Isn’t the “best fit” the Green Bay Packers?

      But if the team is 100% committed to moving on with Aaron Rodgers, then they should trade Favre for whatever they can get, whether it be a second- or a third-round pick.

      This ordeal needs to end, and not with a bribe.

      NFL, Rumors & Gossip

      Mike Greenberg said something stupid today

      July 30, 2008 /

      I was watching the Best of Mike & Mike in the Morning on good ol’ ESPN2 (the same network that brings us the daily rantings of Skip Bayless), and heard Mike Greenberg say the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard him say. I’m not a regular watcher/listener, but I’m familiar with the guy.

      He and Mike Golic were discussing John Lackey’s near no-hitter against Boston, and “Greeny” said that since the Red Sox were going to lose anyway (they were down 6-0, so the chances of a comeback were indeed slim), if he were a Boston player he would root for the no-no because he would want to witness history.

      This is the problem with having people who don’t have a competitive sports background commenting on sports. He does a fine job of giving his opinion of an average sports fan, but in a case like this – when he’s saying that the Red Sox players should be rooting for Lackey to complete the no-hitter – he’s spouting utter nonsense.

      Anyone who has played sports at a high level – I’m talking about most college programs as well as a few of the more successful high school programs – would cringe at this thought. No one, and I mean no one, who considers themselves a true competitor would want to see a no-hitter thrown against their team. It’s not just a sign of great pitching; it’s a sign of inept hitting. No competitor wants the opposing team to have its way.

      To my point, Golic, who had a long NFL career, disagreed with Greenberg’s comments.

      My advice for Greeny is to stop trying to put yourself in the shoes of the athletes – just comment on sports from a fan’s perspective.

      MLB, Television

      Tigers trade catcher Ivan Rodriguez to Yankees

      July 30, 2008 /

      ESPN’s Buster Onley is reporting that the Detroit Tigers have traded catcher Ivan Rodriguez to the New York Yankees for relief pitcher Kyle Farnsworth.

      Rodriguez, who is in the final year of his contract, waived his no-trade clause to join the Yankees, sources told ESPN.com.

      “He’s hitting over .290 I believe and he’s been hot so we’re looking forward to having him,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi said after New York’s 13-3 rout of the Orioles on Wednesday.

      Farnsworth played for the Tigers in 2005.

      Posada, a five-time All-Star catcher, announced he would have season-ending surgery on his right shoulder on Monday. He has struggled with shoulder pain for most of the season, limiting his ability to throw out baserunners and cutting down his playing time behind the plate.

      Jorge Posada will miss the rest of the season due to shoulder surgery and the Yankees wanted a better option than Jose Molina and Chad Moeller. “Pudge” is a free swinger, but he usually hovers around.280 and he still has a little pop left. Unless I’m missing something, it’s a little surprising that all the Yankees had to give up was Farnsworth. How do the Yankees get these kinds of deals done?

      MLB

      Emmitt Smith tossed from NFL Countdown

      July 30, 2008 /

      SPORTSbyBROOKS.com blogs that ESPN will not bring Emmitt Smith back to NFL Countdown. Along with many other folks, SnB rejoices at the thought of Emmitt-less Countdown.

      Point being, if you stink at your job, you should get fired. ESPN finally woke up and smelled the roses, deciding not to bring Emmitt Smith back to NFL Countdown. PRO FOOTBALL TALK reports that Cris Carter will be brought in instead to torture give us the news on Sundays with Chris Berman & crew.

      I would like to extend a hearty “WHAT THE HELL TOOK SO LONG?!?!?!?!?!” to everyone involved in this decision making process.

      Emmitt is brutal. Personally, I’m not even a huge fan of him as the all-time leading rusher, but there’s not a whole lot any of us can do about that. Except maybe hope Tavaris Jackson figures out that he is, in fact, supposed to hit his receivers’ hands.

      Finally though, what’s with this graduated move off of ESPN? Let’s make this whole thing happen, please. No Monday night, no Sportscenter, nothing. Stick him and Berman on a boat bound for that “Lost” island and let’s all just move on. Kthxbai.

      Hear-hear to that last comment about sticking Smith and Berman on a boat. ESPN should blow up NFL Countdown and start fresh. No more talking heads – get some people in there that know the game/league and not someone who thinks yelling at viewers for two hours makes for good commentary.

      NFL, Television

      The top 20 baseball quotes of all-time

      July 30, 2008 /

      THE LOVE OF SPORTS has compiled a list of the top 20 baseball quotes of all-time.

      8. Casey Stengel, Former Mets Manager
      “Come out and see my Amazin’ Mets. I’ve been in the game a hundred years, but I see new ways to lose I never knew existed.”

      5. Yogi Berra, Former New York Yankee
      “Slump? I ain’t in no slump. I just ain’t hittin’.”

      4. Ted Williams, Former Boston Red Sox
      “All I want out of life is that when I walk down the street folks will say, ‘There goes the greatest hitter that ever lived.’”

      3. Jim Bouton, Former New York Yankee
      “You see, you spend a good piece of your life gripping a baseball; and in the end, it turns out that it was the other way around all the time.”

      2. Lou Gehrig, Former New York Yankee
      “Today, I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the Earth.”

      1. W.P. Kinsella, Author of “Shoeless Joe” (adapted to the screen as “Field of Dreams”)
      “The one constant through all the years has been baseball. America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers. It’s been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt and erased again. But baseball has marked the time. This field, this game, is part of our past. It reminds us of all that once was good, and what could be again.”

      What’s great about this list is that no player is talking about money or trying to show someone up. All of these quotes are about the game – the way it should be.

      MLB

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