Jets Drama "Favre" From Over

Who's tired of the Brett Favre drama? I thought that maybe a new team would mean a new revived life for the aging quarterback. He's looking more like college basketball player, one and done.

All the Green Bay haters were furious when they heard that the Packers were done with the Favre drama and shipped Brett to New York. Let's all face it, Brett is not a city boy and that's apparent. He's a country boy, no doubt and there's nothing wrong with that. Who can blame Brett? New York is a tough sports city. Compared, Green Bay has a population of roughly 101,203 citizens while New York bolsters an outrageous population of 8,274,527.

So was the Favre move the right thing at the beginning of the season? Who knows. You get different answers depending on who you ask. One thing was for sure though, Brett would stir up more drama at the end of this season and he's proved everyone right.

ESPN also reported that an anonymous veteran Jets player described Favre as a "distant" teammate when at the Jets' practice facility, spent his down time away from teammates in an office specially designated just for him. This source also commented, "There was a lot of resentment in the room about him. He never socialized with us, never went to dinner with anyone."

We've all been led to believe that the NEW York Jets were built to win now. In August, they traded for Favre and spent $140 million on additional personnel moves. The Jets soared to a 8-3 start while knocking off New England and then unbeaten Tennessee, then watched everything unravel.

Jets MVP running back, Thomas Jones, recently blasted Favre's final game performance while suggesting the QB's play called for his benching. Favre threw nine interceptions and only two touchdown passes in the final five games of the season.

Jones commented, "If somebody is not playing well, they need to come out of the game." Pulling a quarterback during a game is always a tough decision. Just ask Andy Reid with the Eagles. His stunt actually paid off since McNabb turned his play around and squeaked his team into the playoffs.

Who saw Favre's season ending news conference? Favre commented with concern, "Obviously I have to pay attention to how I'm feeling. I'm 39 years old." Of course, coming back depends on his shoulder which he should make sure he's physically capable. Not having to undergo a serious operation may upgrade his chances of returning in 2009. Favre only needs simple arthroscopic surgery to repair a torn bicep in his throwing arm which is causing him pain.

It seems that Favre may wait for the Jets to hire a replacement for former head coach Eric Mangini before making an official announcement. Could getting a new coach really help Brett stay? At this point, it couldn't hurt. It should be interesting to see if he comes back for the right reasons.

2008 NFL Season Statistics: Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers Comparison

Favre Total Passing TD's: 22
Rodgers Total Passing TD's: 28

Favre Total Passing Yards: 3,472
Rodgers Total Passing Yards: 4,038

Favre Avg Passing Yards/Game: 217.0
Rodgers Avg Passing Yards/Game: 252.4

Favre Total Interceptions: 22
Rodgers Total Interceptions: 13

Favre Total Pass Completions: 343
Rodgers Total Pass Completions: 341

Favre Pass Completion Percentage: 65.7
Rodgers Pass Completion Percentage: 63.6

Favre Avg Yards/Completion: 6.7
Rodgers Avg Yards/Completion: 7.5

Favre QB Rating: 81.0
Rodgers QB Rating: 93.8

Favre Total Rushing Yards: 43
Rodgers Total Rushing Yards: 207

Favre Total Rushing TD's: 1
Rodgers Total Rushing TD's: 4

After a year of stats, games, and fan enthusiasm, the Green Bay Packers and the New York Jets are in the same position. They both will be watching the NFL playoffs from the comfort of home.

My solution: Brett needs to give up the New York scheme and retire. The Green Bay Packers however need to sign him to a one day, one dollar contract to allow Brett to retire a Packer. This achieves a couple of things. First it shows that the Packers have let go of the past and prove they want Favre to retire a Packer. Then it also shows that Brett is doing it for the love of Green Bay, not the money.

This is one last attempt to mend fences between the two and the fans. Maybe then we can all put this whole thing behind us and move towards the future, not thinking what could have been.

John Kasay Kicks Carolina to NFC South Championship

The Cardiac Cats were in full force against the New Orleans Saints at the Super Dome. John Kasay came through in the end with a field goal that would give Carolin the NFC South Division title and a first round bye. This would also give the Panthers a playoff game on their home field, where they were the only team in the NFL to remain unbeaten.

FUN FACT: The Carolina Panthers receive their third division title in franchise history and first since 2003 when they advanced to Super Bowl XXXVIII.

John Kasay commented, “You guys dubbed us the Cardiac Cats a few years ago, right? Well, I think you can pull out the old hats and t-shirts and get ready for the ride. By God's grace, this one went in. Any time you don't capitalize by scoring points on offense, it can quickly bite you. They're not easy. None of them are."

DeAngelo Williams commented on John Kasay's greatness, “We knew they weren’t going to fold their tent and that we had to come out and keep fighting. John Kasay is the Ice Man and did a great job for us tonight.”

FUN FACT: The Panthers' 12 wins ties a franchise record set in 1996 (also 12-4).
The first quarter was all John Kasay. His leg was getting a workout with a 45 yard and a 26 yard field goal to score the only points of the quarter.

The second quarter was a little more competitive with a Saints, Garrett Hartley 21-yard field goal. Not to be out kicked John Kasay added another 34-yard field goal. Then Carolina added two touchdowns with a Muhsin Muhammad eight yard pass and a Dante Wesley 12-yard kick off fumble return for a touchdown. After a controversial reversal call, the Saints, Marques Colston nabbed a 26-yard TD pass to make the game 23-10 Carolina at the half.

I'm sure all who watched the game are still trying to figure out how officials overturned the catch and fumble by Saints receiver Marques Colston near the end of the first half.

I'm still scratching my head after watching Colston clearly catch the ball, get two feet down, and make a "football" move up the field. Colston then clearly had the ball knocked out of his hand before he went down which was without a doubt recovered by Carolina. Another call that proves the officials need to get back in school during the off season.

This was a huge play because the Panthers were up 23-3. I believe this interception would have put the Saints away for good. Maybe the officials wanted a close game? This official decision which was then ruled an incompletion allowed New Orleans to score two plays later on a 26-yard touchdown reception from Drew Brees to cut Carolina’s lead to 13 at the half.

The third quarter was slow with Jonathan Stewart scoring the only points of the quarter with a two yard TD run.

The fourth quarter was when the game got interesting for Saints fans and scary for Panther fans. New Orleans scored three unanswered touchdowns, Robert Meachem seven yard TD reception, Lance Moore nine yard TD reception and another Lance Moore 13-yard TD reception.

Then the man of the hour was getting set to shine. John Kasay launched a 42-yard bullet to win the game 33-31 and secure the NFC South Division Title while ending up the only NFC South team to beat another NFC south in their home.

FUN FACT: DeAngelo Williams rushed for a total, 178 yards and broke the Panthers' single-season record for rush yards (1,515) and 100-yard games (8), both previously held by Stephen Davis in 2003. Williams also had 18 rushing touchdowns coming into this game which leads the NFL. DeAngelo Williams had the highest first half rushing yards by a running back this season (15 rushes, 143 yards)

FUN FACT: Jonathan Stewart rushed for a touchdown, giving the Panthers the fourth set of teammates in NFL history to have 10 rushing TDs in a single season.

Steve Smith responded to the victory, which Carolina needed to avoid going on the road in the first round of the playoffs. "It's a huge relief. If we lose this game, the cards would have been stacked against us."


Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme said, “It feels great. This division is probably the toughest in football. I’ve never had a bye week before and believe me when I say we need a week off, both the offense and the defense. After a week off we have a home game. This is it. We’ll be down to eight teams and we are one of them. The future is right ahead of us now. When you have a player like Brees, you know he can chuck it. They have the firepower and the weapons to make it a game. So I never thought they were out of it."

Carolina head coach, John Fox said, “That all looks good on paper, but it’s what you do with that (No. 2) seed. It doesn’t matter who it is or where it is, whether you are the one seed or the sixth seed. Either way we knew we had a spot in the playoffs. I think the week off helps players and hopefully we get guys rested up and healed up. But again, unless you do something with it, that seed means nothing.”

FUN FACT: John Fox is 7-0 all time at the Saints.

FUN FACT: Drew Brees finished with 5,069 passing yards, this makes him the second quarterback in NFL history to pass for 5,000 yards in a season. However, he finished 15 yards shy of tying Dan Marino's single-season record set in 1984 (5,084). Marino's record is safe for another season.

I was watching this game with my wife and we both agreed that this was another ugly win. Don't get me wrong, it's great to win the division again and to secure a first round bye but the Panthers can't afford to let teams come back into the game and expect to win playoff games.


The Panthers were up 23-10 at the half. The first half was wonderful, Carolina was firing in all cylinders but it seemed to us they abandoned the run the second half. Maybe the were resting Williams, I don't know. The one thing I do know, the game should have NEVER been this close.

AIFA Economic Question Answered

I listen to a weekly internet radio show about the American Indoor Football Association (AIFA).

This radio show is hosted by AIFA Director of Media Relations, Bill Hazen. What I love about this show is they go behind the scenes and allow their listeners watch the development of their league.

My wife and I have been to several Fayetteville Guard games which are affiliated with the AIFA. If you love indoor football, then you'll love this league.

I proposed a question to this league about the recent developments of sports economics. The question was answered by John Morris (CEO/Co-Owner, Business Operations), the interview takes place about 8:30 minutes into the show and last till about 22 minutes.

Click here to listen!

Giants Outlast Panthers in OT

The Panthers are disappointed that the road to the Super Bowl will not be running through Charlotte, NC but instead will travel through East Rutherford, NJ. The Panthers did have some good new this weekend though as they secured a playoff birth when Dallas lost.

FUN FACT: With Tampa Bay’s loss to San Diego, the Panthers are the only NFL team with an unbeaten record at home (8-0).

Carolina can clinch the NFC South and the No. 2 seed in the NFC with a win at New Orleans next weekend. Despite the disappointing Pro Bowl snub, DeAngelo Williams responded by tying his own team record with four touchdown runs against the Giants to take the NFL lead in with 20 overall, including 18 on the ground.

FUN FACT: DeAngelo Williams has a Panthers' single-season record 20 touchdowns.


This battle was destined not to disappoint. In the first quarter the Giants scored first with a John Carney 32-yard field goal. Carolina responded with a 13-yard rush from DeAngelo Williams.

The second quarter was back and forth with a Giants two yard run from Brandon Jacobs. Carolina's DeAngelo Williams had a pair of TD runs for five yard and one yard respectively. New York's John Carney nailed a 35-yard field goal to inch closer before the half, 13-21.

The second half was a different story all together. It was very quiet in the third quarter with the only score coming from the Giant's four yard TD pass from Eli Manning to Kevin Boss.

There were only two touchdowns scored in the fourth quarter, one from each team. DeAngelo Williams 30-yard for Carolina and Brandon Jacobs for New York with a one yard rush. The difference making was Eli Manning's Two-Point Conversion Pass To Domenik Hixon to tie the game 28-28 sending it into overtime.

Overtime was a back and fourth battle resulting in the Giants Brandon Jacobs scoring a two yard rush to win the game 34-28.

FUN FACT: The Giants rushed for their most yards in a game since 1959. New York also wrapped up home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs.

While I was watching the game, I noticed the big difference for Carolina in the second half was that Steve Smith was pretty much a non-factor, failing to register a catch. How can you not use one of your biggest weapons during such an important time. The running game was on but need more from Smith and the Panthers defense.

Giants quarterback Eli Manning commented, "It's great for our fans to be able to play here at Giants Stadium. You never know what the weather is going to be like here. We're used to playing in those cold and windy games and I would like to think we would have the advantage in some of those. I think it will be fun playing the games at home."

Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme said it best for all Panthers fans, "Disappointing would be putting it mildly. The road to the Super Bowl goes through New York. We had a chance. We didn't get it done. We've got to back to work and get ready for New Orleans. Give them credit. They battled back and made the plays they had to. They beat us. That's why this game is so much fun. One is excited. The other is totally devastated. That would be us. I have a lot more anger and despair inside. That is why we play this game, to win. The highs are extremely high and the lows are extremely low.”

Jake Delhomme responded to the wind factor, "The second half was a lot different than the first half. I think the wind picked up tremendously in the second half. In the third quarter we ran some players where we were trying to take some shots down the field, and just the way that wind was blowing, it didn't give us too much of an opportunity. But they had to play in it too. If we are lucky enough to get back here that would be fantastic. That would mean things are going well. But we have to worry about going to New Orleans and clinching the division.”

Panthers Damione Lewis commented about the Panthers defensive performance, “We ended up giving up long plays on defense and allowing them to move down the field and get a touchdown and a two-point conversion. That's where it is on us as a defense. It’s very disappointing, but we’re still in the dance. We just might have to (get to the Super Bowl) a different way then we planned on doing. But sometimes things don’t work out the way you want them to but in the end the goal is the same. This was a heavyweight slug fest and they happened to get the best of us tonight.”

Carolina head coach John Fox replied in his post game press conference, "We're in the playoffs. That was a goal in the season. The team a year ago that won the Super Bowl (the Giants), it wasn't a number one seed. I don't think there's been a team that's won it in awhile (as the first seed). That would have been something. It was something that we had as a priority, but it just wasn't meant to be."

AFL Lost Season Good for Arena Football?

I'm sure by now we've all heard about the lost 2009 season for the Arena Football League. In fact, the Cleveland Gladiators owner James Ferraro told The New York Times, "It's a historic day for the league. This league will be much, much stronger, and it will be here for a long time because of what happened. This is the farthest thing from the league folding. This is, in my opinion, just showing us the league will not fold. The league is developing a long-term plan to improve its economic model."

Originally founded in 1987, the AFL currently has 16 teams. There was a report that a number of AFL teams in large cities had said they would not return in 2009 which could include markets like Dallas, Philadelphia, Colorado, Georgia, Chicago and Cleveland.

This may allow other small market arena leagues to be more successful during their 2009 season. These league are located in smaller cities through out the U.S. and are normally cheaper to operate.

The arenafootball2 league (af2), American Indoor Football Association (AIFA), Continental Indoor Football League (CIFL), Indoor Football League (IFL), and Southern Indoor Football League (SIFL) just to name a few.

Teams from these smaller leagues now have the opportunity to nab AFL players at discount prices. Like the Saginaw Sting coming off a CIFL championship, reported prospects of landing AFL players from the Grand Rapids Rampage. Trumbull also reported that, "The AFL's departure could mean more sponsorships or even television coverage for the Sting. You might end up seeing us on TV this year, who knows."

IFL officials, like Abilene Ruff Riders' Communications Director Dane Lisser, see the AFL cancellation as an opportunity. Lisser commented, "Part of the Arena Football League's problem, is there is too much money involved with arena football. With the way we're paying our players, we're going to be OK. There's not any cause for worry."

According to the Ruff Riders' Web site, their players make on average, $225 per game plus a $35 win bonus. Housing and other benefits are also factored in to total the average salary is in the $10,000 to $20,000 range for a four-month season. From other reports, this seems to be a goof average for other small arena leagues. The Wall Street Journal has reported, the AFL boasts an average salary of $85,000. Well, we can now see where the issue lays.

Lisser also commented, "There may be some trickle down of players from the higher-level arena league to leagues lower-level league such as the IFL. There are definite possibilities. This is a step down, but they can continue to play."

The IFL will play its inaugural season in 2009. This league was formed over the past summer by the merger of the Intense Football League and the United Indoor Football League. The new league includes 18 teams that were held over from the merged leagues, and IFL officials are expected to have more than 20 franchises by the time the season starts which is more that the AFL currently carries.

So I guess looking back, the lost season for the AFL springs new life in smaller leagues that can seed their brands in their communities. Score one for the little guy.