An Old Tree Finally Fell...

It's 8:00 pm Eastern time as I write this column. At last check, Brett Favre retired about 2 hours ago and is still retired. When I heard this news, my first reaction was, "does anyone even care at this point?" It reminded me of the old expression: If a tree falls in the forest and there is no one there to hear it, does it make a sound? This is what's become of Brett Favre's legacy - he's nothing but an old tree in the forest that just got chopped down and no one was there to hear it fall (aside from perhaps Chris Mortensen), and no one really cares.

This novelty of anticipating another season from this future Hall of Fame quarterback wore off on me about three retirements ago. I grew up in Milwaukee and while it's not Green Bay, you are pretty much born with green and gold in your blood. It's a blue collar town and what better franchise to claim than one started by Curly Lambeau in 1919 with a $500 donation from a meat packing company.

Here is why I should care (but, don't):

If you are like me, and were born after 1970, you didn't exactly get to experience the 'glory days' this franchise once saw. I probably didn't start to follow the Packers until about 1980 when I was 9 years old. That team was led by quarterback Lynn Dickey,along with guys like James Lofton, Eddie Lee Ivory, and Paul Coffman. For my first two decades on this earth, I had absolutely nothing to get excited about with this NFL team which I was designated to follow, by the mere fact my parents gave birth to me in Wisconsin. By the time I was in high school, I thought this had to be a cruel joke. Every winter my right of passage was watching miserable, losing pro football. All I knew was there was some teenager just like me in Washington DC or San Francisco whom every September had a little extra pep in their step, a fire in their heart, as their teams opened up a new season of promise. I'm thinking, this can't be my lot in life is it? It has to get better. Right? Right Don Majkowski? Please tell me there is more! Please tell me Vince Lombardi and Curly Lambeau didn't leave us with this broken down product!?!

Flashforward to 1992, I'm a senior in college at University of Southern California in Los Angeles. I'm surrounded by college kids from Dallas to Denver, Chicago and of course, at that time, LA Raiders and Rams fans. From 1989-1991, Sunday's around the dorms or college apartments were like a trip to the dentist for me. Until week 2 of that 1992 season.... It all changed when quarterback Don Majkowski got benched in a game vs. Tampa Bay. The Packers were getting crushed and head coach Mike Holmgren decided to put in newly acquired quarterback from the Falcons, Brett Favre. Aside from completing his first pass to himself, not much registered with me as this Favre kid came in to clean up Majkowski's mess. Week 3 rolls around and Majkowski had to sit out with an injury and Favre got the start. Down 23–17 with 1:07 left in the game, the Packers started an offensive series on their own 8 yard line. Still at the quarterback position, Favre completed a 42 yard pass to Sterling Sharpe. Three plays later, Favre threw the game–winning touchdown pass to Kitrick Taylor with 13 seconds remaining. The next week Favre started against the Pittsburgh Steelers in what would become the beginning of the longest consecutive starts streak for a QB in NFL history.

Well lookee here!! This was it.....I had my guy! We had our guy! The Green Bay Packers had a hero they could rally behind. We had a gun-slinging, blue collar, Southern talkin', unshaven, tough as nails quarterback leading our team. For 15 years, I was that teenager who grew up in Washington DC in the 80's. I was the kid that was born into the great tradition of the 49ers and Joe Montana. Now it was my turn. My time. My Favre! He quickly became a legend. He was the most popular athlete in any sport in the state of Wisconsin.

So what happened?

March 4th 2008 happened. I will never forget where I was. I happened to be, of all places, in the state of Wisconsin. I was in downtown Milwaukee for business sitting in a restaurant called Mason Street Grill watching Brett Favre announce his retirement from the NFL. The entire place was quiet, shocked and quite honestly, a little misty eyed. Our hero, who brought us so much joy for so many years, was hanging up the cleats, gracefully.

Gracefully. Hmmmmm.... Did I just say that word? Gracefully. Little did I know at the time, that word would only be appropriate for about 4 months time. By July of that summer, there were rumblings that Favre possibly wanted to return to the Packers. He was having second thoughts and knew he still had something left in the tank. Well fast forward to the 2008 season, and our hero was wearing green, but not green and gold....green and white - the color of the NY Jets jerseys. What's wrong with this picture? Let's see............LIKE EVERYTHING! I'm not going to bore you with too much detail about his season with the Jets, because when we look back on his career, his one season in New York will be nothing more than a mosquito flying smack into a windshield on the highway - quick and forgettable.

By the time the 2008-09 season ended, the Brett Favre quotation frustration began. We heard everything from: "I'm retiring" - "I'm thinking about playing" - "I don't' have it anymore" - "I have nothing but great things to say about the Packers organization." - "I want to kick their ass in a Vikings uniform." (ok, I made that last one up, but you get the picture). By the Summer of 2009, I didn't even know who Brett Favre was anymore. Could this possibly be the same hero I hung my hat on to for 15 years? This man was a traitor to 5.5 million people (approximate population of the State of Wisconsin according to me). How dare he not only erase the memories I had of that tearful press conference in April 2008 by sporting a Jets jersey for a season, but now he wants to seek revenge on the team I grew up with? The team he took from the depths of Lake Michigan to the top of world!

Well, I slowly grew tired of his indecisiveness. I didn't even care about his next soundbite on Sportscenter. I grew numb to his antics and started to distance myself from my hero. I began to speak negatively about him. It became therapeutic to let people to know how I felt.

It's one thing in sports to feel betrayed by an organization when your favorite player is traded. You still have the ability to root for "your guy" on his new team. Then, of course, there is the pain you feel when "your guy" leaves your club as a free agent. That one stings, but you subconsciously gravitate towards someone new on the team. That tends to pacify you for a season or two. But there is nothing, I mean nothing, in the Sports Fan Loyalty Rule Book about how to deal with a living legend who retires, un-retires to play for another team, retires again, then un-retires and wants to play for your division rival to seek revenge on the team you cheered for, for 15 glorious years with him as the leader! Oh, and then retires again.

Finally, today, I have closure. Brett Favre "says" he is staying retired. I don't believe him and sadly, I don't care. He can hold another press conference, and Chris Mortensen can cover it, but I will be no where to be found, deep in the forest, at peace.

Just Married...Honeymoon....Reality

Since we are about 7 weeks away from the upcoming 2009-2010 NFL season, I started to think about the expectations for a few teams. Typically, expectations come from previous success or major off-season moves. There were a few surprising success stories last year for some rookie head coaches, as well as first year quarterbacks. In sports we like to call these, "honeymoon" seasons.

Early success in sports is always watched with a careful eye. We are never sure if this is a preview of things to come, or something we just chalk up as beginners luck or an aberration. Last season was a terrific "honeymoon" for rookie head coaches Mike Smith of the Falcons, Tony Sporano of the Dolphins and the Raven's John Harbaugh. Ironically all three teams exceeded expectations by finishing with an 11-5 record. The Ravens and Falcons accomplished this feat with rookie quarterbacks. Again, "honeymoon" seasons for Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco.

These three teams are now thrown into the pressure cooker. These teams have to prove to their fans and to themselves that last year was no fluke. Consistency is critical in the NFL. In a league loaded a parody, only a few teams have been able to maintain that level of consistency, namely the Steelers, Patriots and Colts. When you go from zero expectations to immediate success, the spotlight shines brightly on a franchise.

Success is never guaranteed based on one honeymoon season. Ask Jim Mora Jr. In 2004, his first season as head coach of the Falcons, he led the team to an 11-5 record and an NFC Championship game. Things were peachy in Georgia. The team had a swagger, the city was an NFL town once again. and....expectations were high the following year. Well, sadly, that next season (2005), the Falcons finished 8-8 and missed the playoffs. In 2006, the team took another step backwards and went 7-9, and Jim Mora, Jr. was fired by team owner Arthur Blank, and that honeymoon season of 2004 seemed like a decade ago to fans and undoubtedly to Jim Mora, Jr.

Keep in mind, without a "honeymoon season", we wouldn't have the expression "sophomore slump." Those two phrases almost go hand in hand. Matt Ryan, Joe Flacco, Tony Sporano are all hoping and praying privately to avoid a colossal disastrous 2nd season with their respective teams. In a sick and twisted way, many sports fans welcome the sophomore slump -- as long as it's not their guys. It brings a sense of calmness to their world. No one wants to see "the other guy" suddenly realize their team has a future superstar or reason for hope.

As a resident of Atlanta, I would be shocked and disappointed to see a sophomore slump from Matt Ryan. He's too bright and spends too much time studying film to improve his craft. However, this is a city whose pro sports divorce rate is pretty high - one year it's a beautiful marriage, but 12 months later its like your bags have been packed for you and left curbside in front of the Georgia Dome. All you can do is hope and pray that next year, you find that special draft pick or meet that new coach and think about how wonderful your honeymoon will be....

Precision over Power - Greatest of a Generation

Tonight in Atlanta, the Atlanta Braves retired the jersey number of Greg Maddux. If there was ever a quiet superstar it was this guy. I don't want to bore you with a bunch of stats, because I'm sure Maddux wouldn't want to be remembered by numbers. However, it's worth noting his 4 consecutive (yes, consecutive!) Cy Young Awards, 8-Time All Star Selection, World Series title in 1995, and 18 Gold Glove Awards. In 1995, Maddux went 19-2 with an ERA of 1.63. Let me repeat that: He went 19-2! We might never see that again in baseball!

What's always been so fascinating about this "under appreciated" superstar is that he wasn't a power pitcher. His "out pitch" was never the 95 mph fast ball. Maddux's out pitch was placing the ball exactly where the batter wasn't comfortable hitting it. His skill-set was all about command. He painted corners better than anyone over the past 20 years.

Maddux was also one of those guys that you could sense wasn't comfortable being a "superstar." Even tonight during the ceremony for retiring his jersey number, you could sense he wanted to just get it over with fairly quickly, which ironically, was like the way he pitched. Maddux was notorious for throwing a very quick game. If you went to see him pitch at 7pm, you were home by 9:30pm. His performance was masterful, but you never really left the park feeling "wow'd!"

In sports we have a tendency to get caught up in over-valuing a guy's greatness in the present. Ironically for Maddux it is just the opposite. His value in the present was never over-valued, but rather undervalued. However, 10 years from now we will all look back and realize we witnessed something remarkable. We will never see another pitcher win 4 straight Cy Young Awards or win at least 15 games for 17 straight seasons. More importantly, we will never see the number 31 worn again in Atlanta.

Greg Maddux, the "professor," as he was called by many, received a standing ovation Friday night at Turner Field. Ironically, on a night he didn't pitch, Braves fans will drive home and appreciate what they saw...

My Vacation Connection

Well it's definitely the dog days of summer. Its the day after the baseball all-star game, which means there is literally NOTHING to watch on TV tonite, so I thought I would jump on here and vent about one recurring thought that ran through my mind while out of the country last week.

I find that when I'm on vacation, particularly out of the country, Sportscenter is as refreshing as a poolside pina colada. All of a sudden, this becomes my connection to "the real world." No, not CNN to catch up on current events, not what's happening with the economy, or Michael Jackson's white kids, but rather, how many hits Ryan Braun had vs. the Dodgers last night.

After a long day at the beach or chillin at the pool, when I get back up to my hotel room to relax before it's time to head out to dinner, I grab that germ-infested remote control and surf through the channels until I come across the 6pm Sportscenter. When your in a small Caribbean island like St. Maarten, as sad as it sounds, seeing Brian Kenny's face is like finding a crumpled $5 bill in the jeans you just took out of the laundry machine.

Conversely, if I miss Sportscenter for 2 days, its like I've been living in a tent in the outback of Australia for a month! There is a strange sense of panic that can set in. A thousand questions run through my head: Did the Brewers get swept? Did Chipper Jones get hurt again? Have the Hawks traded Josh Smith? Has Tim Tebow cured cancer yet? An hour in my hotel room with Sportscenter on the tube is like being debriefed in the Pentagon with the latest Mid-East intel. I feel current and ready to continue my vacation.

Well, that's all for tonight. The second half of the baseball season begins tomorrow. There are going to be some fantastic pennant races down the stretch. NBA summer leagues are heating up, and it's always fun to get an early peak at this year's crop of rookies. Of course there is never a dull moment in the NFL, on and off the field, and college football practice is weeks away.

I'll do my best to stay topical, update the blog a few times per week and of course, keep one eye on Sportscenter.

BACK FROM VACATION

JUST GOT BACK FROM VACATION
NEW BLOG COMING THIS WEEK

Weekend Thoughts

The holiday weekend got off to a bang with the return of Manny Ramirez to the Dodger lineup. In his second game back, he went yard for the Dodgers even though the team lost the game to the Padres. It will be interesting to see how well he plays the rest of the season, now that he's off the woman's fertility drug he tested positive for back in May. I can hear it now...the next time he has a dust up with an umpire, the announcers will say, "perhaps it's that time of the month for Manny." The drug was also known to delay puberty in boys, which clearly explains why he hasn't grown up yet.

The unfortunate shocker over the weekend without question was the murder of former NFL quarterback Steve McNair. So many thoughts run through your mind when you hear, "he was killed." Was it an accident? Wrong place, wrong time? However, as this story began to unfold, the shock became greater and greater. McNair was one of the most respected players in the league and by all accounts, a community guy and family man. Once word got out that he was quietly "dating" a 20 year old waitress he met at a Dave & Busters, it was like a blow to the gut of everyone who thought they knew the real Steve McNair. I feel terrible for the pain and suffering the family is going through right now. What makes it worse is on top of that pain is humiliation. This story is going to unfold through the media and I get the sense the details are only going to be more sensational with each passing day. Whenever I hear about stories like this I can't help but think about the proverb: "You're judged by the company you keep." Just tragic all around....

On a much more positive note, the Wimbledon Gentleman's Championship Sunday morning (and well into the afternoon) was one for the ages! I set my alarm for 9am sharp to watch American Andy Roddick battle living legend Roger Federer. I wasn't anticipating much of a fight and quite frankly thought I'd be out of the house in time for Sunday brunch. However, Roddick was on his game and his 1st serve was spot on. Roddick will look back 10 years from now and remember that 2nd set tiebreaker, in which he held a commanding 6 pts to 2pts lead (it's the first one to 7pts by the way). All he needed was one big serve to go up 2 sets to 0. This would have certainly increased his chances against Goliath. However, proving why he is as mentally tough as anyone to ever play sport (yes, the same level as Tiger and Jordan), Federer rallied and went on to win the 2nd set tie break. I will give Roddick credit. He could have easily mailed it in the rest of the match, but this was a different Roddick over the past 2 weeks in London. He stayed toe-to-toe with Federer all the way to the final game of the 5th set, finally falling 16-14. Roger Federer has certainly made his case for "best ever" in the sport. It's always tough to compare players from one generation to the next, however, it's clear that for this generation, Federer reigns supreme. We probably never thought another Sampras would come around and break his record of 14 grand slam titles, however, it's the old cliche in sports - records are meant to be broken. The question is, might there be some young kid out there right now, whether it be in the States or in Europe, who could be the Federer for the next generation. One things for sure, Federer isn't done winning Slams!

Manny, McNair and Federer. Three greats in their respective sports. All in the news this weekend for different reasons. In sports, sadly, image can be everything. Manny is looking to rebuild his, McNair's is slowly unraveling, and Federer's continues to grow.

Have a great week. I'm on vacation this Thursday through next Monday. I probably won't be updating my blog, unless of course you want to hear about St. Maarten!

"Free" for the Rich

It's rather appropriate that NBA Free Agency begins just 3 days before July 4th because we've seen quite the fireworks from coast to coast already. However, if your a fan of a team that wasn't in the playoffs last year, or your team just squeezed in through the back door, you might be knocking on that door a little harder next April begging to get invited to the party.

I don't recall an off season where the elite teams from the year before all made major roster moves by adding big time stars, enhancing their already dangerous rosters. Many of the top teams from last year (based on record) have all added critical pieces: Lakers - Artest, Cavs - Shaq, Orlando - Vince Carter, Spurs - Richard Jefferson. As I type this column, the Celtics are in heavy discussions to add Rasheed Wallace to their squad. The only top team from last year that hasn't made any meaningful moves is Denver.

So what does all this say about the state of the NBA? Do we say the league is healthy? To use a college analogy: do we say it's "top heavy?" In these tough economic times is it simply the case of the rich getting richer? The teams listed above all have a strong fan base, more importantly, a large season ticket base. A large season ticket base equals stability. It allows for owners to make moves without worrying too much about the repercussions. Conversely, if you are the Milwaukee Bucks or Charlotte Bobcats, you have to scratch and claw to sell out a few games per year and hope that a big time free agent will want the challenge of turning around your franchise.

Keep in mind, this is a league with a salary cap. Every owner has the same budget to spend. However, some owners (the ones with the strong season ticket base) have no problem going over budget and paying the luxury tax. So how does a Minnesota or Sacramento level the playing field? How do you convince a star free agent to come to your city? Hope and promise? Free agents, for the most part, are looking to play for a winner (unless your last name is Ariza). If that is the general philosophy, then how do the bad teams get better? Or more important - competitive. Their only hope is to draft well. If you're consistently a bad team, who can't land free agents, it's so important to draft well and efficiently. You cannot afford to blow a lottery pick (i.e. Sheldon Williams in Atlanta). You must hope that you find that next diamond in the rough and use that player, that chip, to once again sell "hope and promise" to a free agent.

In the meantime, the top seeds from last year continue to make improvements to enhance and stabilize their position as a "contender" for the upcoming season.

They say there is no 'free lunch' in life. However, for the NBA elite, there is 'free agency'.