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Want To Tell Me How Wrong I am

Friday, January 18, 2008

Looking back at the Favre deal

It’s always good to take a look back. It shows how much things can change. Some times we see that even the bad times will pass. Some times we look back and see how wrong we were. I mean look at former Atlanta Falcons GM, Ken Horecks quote at the end of this article. Man how wrong can you be.

(I found this Milwaukee Journal Sentinel article while researching another post)

Atlanta - The reaction when the Atlanta Falcons traded Brett Favre to the Green
Bay Packers was immediate.
"Lots of heat," former Green Bay general manager
Ron Wolf remembered this week.
Mind you, Wolf was the guy who got Favre, not
the one who traded for his services.
The Falcons? They had just acquired a
first-round pick for a player they drafted in the second round the previous year
who was overweight, loved carousing and was so undisciplined that he didn't show
up for the team picture.
Besides, they already had a quarterback - Chris
Miller - who had led the team to its first playoff victory in 13 years, had just
returned from the Pro Bowl and was only 26 years old.
History will not
remember that 1992 trade that way, of course.
The Packers got the National
Football League's only three-time league MVP, a quarterback some argue to be the
greatest ever, and a player who in 11 seasons has led the Packers to 115
regular-season victories, seven post-seasons and two Super Bowls. In addition,
he has started 173 consecutive regular-season games, an NFL record for
quarterbacks.
The Falcons got Tony Smith.
Said Lee Remmel, the Packers
public relations director and team historian: "It was a master stroke."
When
Favre goes under center against Atlanta in a wild-card playoff game Saturday
night in Green Bay, Falcons fans probably won't remember it that way. Favre, at
least, understands why the trade went down.
"If I was in their position," he
said this week from Green Bay, "I would have done the same thing."
Favre
fondly remembers his one season as a Falcon, particularly the team and its run
to the playoffs, a wild-card berth with a 10-6 record.
"Not really knowing
what was going on, but knowing it was really something special," he said. "I've
never taken the playoffs for granted."
Those who were around him remember a
huge talent and a character who infuriated coach Jerry Glanville with his
frequent tardiness, poor work habits and a taste for night life. Glanville had
four rules: 1) Be on time. 2) Prepare all week to play. 3) Spill your guts on
the field. 4) Only accept victory.
"If he'd have got to 3 and 4, he'd have
been fine," Glanville said. "But you had to get past 1 and 2."
Said Favre:
"I'm sure I didn't help my cause by trying to drink up Atlanta."
How the
trade happened depends on whom you believe. Time and coming up on the short end
of one of the most lopsided trades in sports have a way of playing with one's
memory.
Glanville says the trade was made without his knowledge, that the
first he heard of it was when he showed up to work on the day of the
trade.
Then-player personnel vice president Ken Herock could not see it more
differently. Herock says he was enamored of Favre's talent but that Glanville
pushed him to make the trade.
"I'd go scouting for three or four days a week
(during the season) and come back, and all I'd hear is 'Take a look at this tape
(from practice). He ain't doing nothing,' " Herock said. "I used to get sick of
it."
Favre has heard a lot of versions.
"Ken has always said that he was
in my corner," Favre said. "And, of course, Jerry, since I came here and played
well, he's always said that, 'I told 'em I wanted you,' but I question
that.
"I don't have any beefs with anybody from Atlanta. I can't blame them
for getting rid of me, to be totally honest with you."
June Jones, who was
Glanville's offensive coordinator, later succeeded Glanville as head coach and
now coaches at the University of Hawaii, said the Falcons coaches thought Favre
could play down the road, but they felt pressure to win immediately.
Trading
Favre for a first-round pick would help them do that. Where a general manager's
motive is team building, coaches feel heat to win games, or as Jones put it,
"Don't tell me about three years from now. I might not be here."
Said Jones:
"I think, in general, both guys were right."
Or wrong.
Either way, Favre
was traded. Miller tore up his knee the next season. His final season with the
Falcons was 1993, same as Glanville. Herock left the team in 1997, shortly after
the arrival of coach Dan Reeves.
Today, Mike Vick is the Falcons' 11th
starting quarterback since the trade.
The mistake was compounded when the
Falcons spent the Packers' first-round pick on Smith, a running back who had
been Favre's teammate at Southern Mississippi. He played in 33 games and was out
of the league by 1995, the first of Favre's three consecutive MVP
seasons.
Favre says he often is asked what would have happened if he hadn't
been traded, but doesn't give it much thought.
Said Wolf: "I'm sure what
would have happened is what happened in Green Bay."
Maybe the Falcons
eventually received some sort of payback.
As Herock pointed out, if the
Falcons had never traded Favre, "They wouldn't have Vick now."

NFL Conference Championship Weekend

Cinderella or Clash of the Titans
So which are you rooting for the Cinderella story or the Clash of the Titans. You can have the aging legend and the golden boy quarterback. You could go the other route and opt for the continually beaten down little brother, to receive some kind of passing of the torch on Sunday. Then he would get that rematch against the golden boy. The match ups involving the loud mouth quarterback?? You ask. Let’s not waste each others time.
The Story line machine is cranking this week. The Eli Manning vs. Phillip Rivers, who got the better side of that deal. The 19-0 season on the line. The "we all might have put Brett Favre out to pasture just a bit to early" story line. I also like the which is a bigger steal; Moss for a 4th rounder or Favre for a first rounder that the Falcons used on Tony Smith.
Either way I can’t wait to see the NFL Championship. The story should be great either way. As great as the story could be, the potential for the upset could make it the best Superbowl game in recent memory

Things you really don't need to say outloud

In response to the fact that a man who was killed along with two friends who were mauled may have taunted a the tiger who attacked them.

Clearly there's the lesson to be learned here," said zoo spokesman Sam Singer. "The lesson is that it's not a good idea to drink, it's not a good idea to be high on dope, and it's not a good idea to taunt a man-eating tiger."

Really?, is that a lesson that needs to be learned. I am pretty sure that is called common sense.

Georgia Frontiere Dies

Georgia Frontiere passed away today at the age of 80. She had been hospitalized due to suffering from breast cancer.
I do however have to say she was extremely detrimental to my early football life. I saw my first football game when my Vikings came to town and played the Rams in Anaheim stadium (I have no idea if that was the name at the time). This is one of my earliest memories and also one of my fondest as it was something I got to share with my dad. I never again got the opportunity as Frontiere opted to move the Rams to St. Louis. In what, at the time appeared to be a wholly self serving move. She however deserves all the credit in the world, it ended up being an extremely beneficial move for all those involved (except the Southern California fan). It was believed to be a financial mistake, to move the team to an area that had already failed. The actual results were quite unexpected. The city of St. Louis funded the stadium at 260 million dollar price tag. The team would eventually go on to win a championship. That team came to be known as “the greatest show on turf”.
My own personal feeling aside, she made an amazing contribution as a leader of that franchise. Considering she inherited the franchise from her husband Carroll Rosenbloom in 1979. It would be nice to see some of the owners in the NFL, who actually chose to purchase their teams. Put in the work to advance the cause of those teams as much as Frontiere did hers.
Commissioner Roger Goodell said of Frontiere “Georgia Frontiere was the first lady of sports in her native St. Louis. She returned pro football to St. Louis and brought the city its first Super Bowl championship. She had a deep love for her Rams and all the people who contributed to the success of her franchise and the NFL, especially former players. Her philanthropic work was legendary and wide ranging, but her special focus was retired NFL players and the arts. She was a talented and wonderful person. On behalf of the entire NFL, we extend our sympathy and prayers to her family and the Rams organization.”

Who makes these decisions

Bill Callahan was hired by the to be the Assistant Head coach, as well as run the Offense. Honestly who makes these decisions. I mean was it the prolific offensive outburst by Nebraska last season. Leading the Cornhuskers he managed to take the program to its only losing seasons in 45 years. He didn’t set that distinction in his prior stint as the Oakland Raiders coach, instead he took over a succesfull team from Jon Gruden who promptly pounded him in the superbowl. Callahan then finished up in Oakland by posting a 4-12 record and drawing the criticism of almost every veteran in his locker room.
What, in that resume, had you clamoring for him. I mean honestly, find a college coordinator who wants a shot, find a kid who is good at Madden. Something, anything just don’t recycle empty garbage.

How Much is Bud Seligs soul worth

So Bud managed to wrangle a new contract yesterday, taking him through 2012 as the commissioner. This comes days after he faced congress in relation to MLB’s involvement in steroids. A showdown which featured Selig admitting to his responsibility in the steroids scandal. It also comes a year after the fact that he said he wasn’t interested in continuing past 2009.
I could live with him going back on what he said, I mean this is professional sports. I even understand them extending his contract, who else is going to take that job right now. What I can’t deal with is the raise, somewhere in the 2 million a year range which would bump him up to 16.5 million.
Are you serious!? Don’t start rattling off about increased revenue, and the popularity of the sport. If you want to hand out 2 mil a year for that go ahead and address that check to former Balco boss, Victor Conti. The man who skyrocketed the use of performance enhancers in baseball. I don’t know his address but you can send it to the Federal Prison system and I am sure they will get it to him.
Just curious Bud, when you sold your soul to the steroids devil, did even you think that came with a raise.

How NBA players view each other

Just a quick link to a interesting story that shows how NBA players view each other...here

NBA Rumor Mill

So let's play make believe. Let's pretend that we are very concerned about Rajon Rondo's back, not his inability to stop a bigger guard. Let's pretend that all is fine in Shamrock land. Let's pretend the games against Detroit are concerning. Let's act like we are fine being a three deep team, and we haven't noticed the signicant drop off in back-to-back games.
Reality Check. Rondo can't guard a big point man. If the Celtics were to bring in another guard, it would be partially to insure Rondo'sinjury but it would also be to solove the Chuancy Billups Big guard problem.There are really only two considerations here, well maybe three.
First lets look at least likely. Stephon Marbury. Ok he has been a grease fire in New York. This situation couldn't have gone worse. But he was successful in Minnesota, with Garnett reigning him in. He is a physical guard and could work. In all reality though as big a mess as this guy is, he just announced he will miss the remainder of the season with an ankle problem. He can't be foolish enough to comeback if a trade is on the table. Right? I mean Right? then again who comes out and says that he has dirt on his head coach.
Damon Stoudemire. Are you kidding me, available doesn't mean appropriate. I mean nobody with a mighty mouse tatoo is getting brought in to guard Billups.
Now to the real possibility. Sam Cassell, I didn't really like this option purely because I didn't see the Clippers giving him up but they aren't doing anybetter with him in than when they were using Brevin Knight to replace him. They also will have somewhat of a log jam at the point once Sean Livingston retruns(current rumors have him returning sometime after the All-Star break). There is also the fact that Cassell and Garnett had a great relationship in Minnesota, as well as the fact he is a bigger Point who can defend Billups, as well as provide veteran leadership on a team pushing toward the playoffs. Don't forget Cassell has won it all before.
I like Cassell as the most likely option but I also think it really depends on Livingstons progress.

Cincinnati Bengals Offseason

Cincinnati Bengals - I can’t even start this without addressing the most recent rumblings from Ocho Cinco’s camp. He basically feels that he is not really wanted, and feels like he is viewed as a cancer. His assessment of that is, “If I am cancer, then this team needs chemo” The reality is he isn’t going anywhere. He is under contract and why would you trade him.
The Bengals made a good move to improve their defense with the hire of Mike Zimmer, away from Atlanta.(look on the bright side Falcon fans, at least he didn’t slink off in the middle of the season)
Now they need to upgrade the players, I don’t mean the talent. That seems to be at a reasonable level. The real issue here is a bunch of players on this team (see: everyone but Houshmanzada) don’t play up to their potential. I am not normally one to give a hall pass to a professional athlete. I wouldn’t be willing to give a pass to ONE here either. But it isn’t just one. When basically everyone on a team doesn’t show up prepared to play on Sunday, I can’t help but looking towards the head coach.
But this attitude of apathy seems to run down hill from the front office and ownership. The Bengals seem to be much more interested in the profit Margin than the win-loss margin.
"I think we're efficient. I don't apologize for that. [Other teams] can do what they do. We do what we do," says owner Mike Brown.
Bengals Fans I have a plan of action for you. Reach out to the Oakland Athletic’s who get to suffer through this same model of leadership. OK don’t, do something about it If you allow your team to continue on feeling that fiscal success is not tied to playoff success or god forbid a championship. Then that is your own fault.
As far as the draft, They will probably look defense hoping that the offensive slump this year was just a fluke. If James Lauranitas(LB-OSU) makes it this far he would be hard to pass, as would be Kieth Rivers(LB-USC). Their real number one priority should be Sedrick Ellis(DT-USC) With a presence like that in the middle the Bengals could actually see the production of defensive ends Justin Smith and Robert Geathers increase past the 4.2 million per sack mark they set this year. Beyond his presence in the middle his real value might be his presence as a leader in the locker. This team could use his presence.

Kupchak to Chris Webber - Call Transcript

I know I am going back to the same well of a topic, but I can't let it go.

::ring::,::ring::
“Hello”
“Yeah is Chris there”
“Speaking”
“Hey Chris, it’s me Mitch again”
“Hey Mitch, You know I was expecting another call soon. I just finished watching the game against Phoenix”
“Oh… oh, you did”
“Yeah Mitch I did, you know that price for the rest of the year just went up a little bit every time Kwame Brown dribbled off his foot, and then again when he missed a point blank dunk.”
“Yeah Chris let’s get down to the part where you tell us exactly what it’s going to take to get Kwame Brown back on the pine”

Seriously the Lakers are ridiculous in the middle. Kwame Brown is just a head case, the minute he heard booing from the stands(which should never happen at home, not to the extent it did any way) he was done, he couldn't even dribble racking up 3 of his seven turnovers on consecutive plays. I like Ronny Turiaf he is a great spark off the bench but, that is what he is. He is not a starting center in this league, not even for two months.