Every once in a while, someone does something that they regret.  I know I’ve taken a job or two in my life that I often thought, after about the second day, “what in the world did I get myself into?”  Granted, the following situation is a little different, as not everyone gets to retire, at least not at a time where they are more than capable of doing their current job and being the best in the business at it.  If we did, I’m sure people would cry foul, simply because they didn’t want to leave something they are good at, even four months later.  And if the market will have them, they would immediately find their way back into the mainstream work force, probably going to the highest bidder that they could find.

 I find myself wondering about Brett Favre and what he is thinking about now.  Is he wondering how he got to this point?  Is he wondering why Green Bay Packers General Manager Ted Thompson and Head Coach Mike McCarthy could be so cold and distant from him, basically pushing him out the door?  I get the distinct feeling at this point, it is a “don’t let the door hit ya on the behind on the way out,” type of situation.  Maybe Favre is wondering how long this deadlock will go on.  I myself would be asking, “What else can these morons want?”

Then what I really wonder about is why the Packers are so adamant that they have the final say in when and where Favre is going.  I understand the logic that you don’t want to give up something for nothing.  If Favre is worth a player or two in return, or draft picks, you certainly don’t want to let him get away.  That would be poor management at its finest, if they didn’t earn a return on investment.  The thing is, if they are content with letting him make his own decisions, then don’t waste all of this time playing the media game, and trying to make Packers management and coaches into some kind of martyr because Favre wants to play and you don’t want him anymore.

 Ted Thompson has certainly held this stance up until this point, and it seems as if Mike McCarthy is in lock-step right behind him.  The question is, why?  Are they that worried that Favre would head to go to the Bears or Vikings and make it his personal vendetta to make sure that he beats the Packers twice?  If they are that concerned that he has that type of potential then it’s a no-brainer, you bring him back, no matter what misgivings Aaron Rodgers may have about it.  Rodgers hasn’t done anything for the organization that remotely resembles what Favre has put into it.  Not only that, but Favre was within striking distance of beating the Super Bowl Champion Giants, just last season.  Has he slipped that far already?  If that is what the Packers brass thinks, then let him go and take your chances with Rodgers.  Eventually if you think he is the future, you sure as heck need to take a chance that head to head, you can compete with any team Favre is on, no matter the circumstances, because you are ready to move on, and you think this young and talented team is prepared to win with Rodgers.

 Look, I’m not a Favre fan. Fact is I think that for someone whose career is very similar to Dan Marino’s, the fans and media put him into a stratosphere that should be reserved for the most elite of the QB fraternity.  I think Favre is a Hall of Fame QB, no doubt about that.    The thing is, his one Super Bowl victory came with a team that was loaded, and he also didn’t bear the burden of being the leader of the entire team at the time, as the late Reggie White certainly took on the role of the required veteran leader.  Of course, there also were many roadblocks in his career, when great teams or great seasons (by other teams) kept Favre from playing in and winning more Super Bowls.  All of this however, is not going to have an effect on his legacy (neither would switching teams late in his career, if that’s what the media is concerned about.)  Believe me, as a Bears fan, I was more than excited to see him hang up the cleats, moving the Favre legend into history forever.

 What I don’t get from all of this, is where the Packers think they are going with this “he said” “he said” debacle that they are currently working though.  Release him, trade him or let him play.  Quit playing games.  I think the man has at the very least earned that.  What have Thompson and McCarthy earned?  Not the respect of the people who are watching this play out from afar.  Probably not the respect of the Packer faithful, or at least they shouldn’t.  (Although, I don’t think they are as faithful as they may let on, at least according to local media polls that are split down the middle about whether Favre should come back.) 

 As an outsider that doesn’t have much of a horse in this race at this point, I don’t know whether my contempt is more for the Packers or the media firestorm that this has created.  I don’t blame Favre.  It has been proven over time, if you don’t look out for yourself, non one will.  I’m reminded of an old saying “you ride her ‘til she bucks ya, or ya don’t ride her at all.”  At this point in the process, just turn him out. 

A friend of mine recently sent me an e-mail that got me a little fired up.  This is the meat of what he asked...

"when has a college superstar come out and really lit things on fire at the next level when compared to those that came before them?  How many of them can you name?  Are they household names today because of what they did their rookie year?  I can only think of one of these stars recently and his name is LeBron.  He didn't even go to college, so maybe that's not a decent comparison to what's came out of college."

He goes on to ask...

"Are Beasley and Rose really like the guys we've compared them to, or will they just be a face in the crowd after a few years? "

Finally, in what was bound to get my goat,

"Maybe the fact they are coming out so young is skewing what I'm thinking and it just takes longer to make the kind of impact I'm talking about that others have made that came before these guys.  They are still 19-20 yr olds playing against seasoned vetrans.  Bird and Magic weren't 19 when they came out.

  Who really will be the next Rice, Favre, Sanders, Smith, or Montana in the NFL?  Who will be the next Jordan, Magic, Bird, or Alcindor in the NBA?  What % of the players in the NBA are run of the mill NBA players?  Half?"

As you can tell, these questions are related to the Bull's recent run of luck in aquiring the first pick in the NBA draft...so it got me to thinking...and so I replied...

Well, Magic was 19 when he was drafted.  I think some players like Edgerrin James really separated themselves from the pack.  LaDanian Tomlinson also had a pretty sizable impact as a rookie.  In the NFL though, RB and interior positions are really the only spots that you can have a "dynamic" impact and as we know those aren't the positions that get you noticed like a QB would, and it's next to impossible to star as a rookie in the NFL as a QB.  That being said, Montana, Elway, even Marino to some extent had to be in the league for a while before they found sustainable success.  

The NBA is a different animal.  I think it's taken about 15 years to recover from expansion, and to some extent it may never happen.  When you had 5 less teams in the league, that dropped about 65 players back in the pool, that meant that the days of someone like Piatkowski roaming the sidelins for the Suns never would have happened, because they would have had to stash young good players on the bench instead of carrying veteran insurance.  The talent level just doesn't allow for that anymore.  If you can play, because of the salary cap and because of the dearth of talent, you play today.  The problem this creates is that players don't have to work as hard to earn a job, therefore driving the desire level down, in turn lowering the level of competition and play.  

The reason I bring that last paragraph up was to illustrate this point.  Young players get on crappy teams that are bad because of whatever reason, (poor management, terrible coaching, bad drafts, injuries) and they are asked to carry a load on a nightly basis that even a veteran All-Star would struggle with.  Case in point, Dwyane Wade.  When the Heat had some players on their team, he was able to play at another level, because other teams couldn't double him every time he touched the ball and he wasn't expected to be the playmaker each and every time down the court.  Since the team basically disbanded after the championship run, and no suitable replacements were found, Wade has had to carry the load, so to speak, and he and the Heat have been downright dreadful.  Kevin Durant falls into that same category.  Who on the Sonics roster would start for a playoff contender?  Nick Collison?  Earl Watson??  How should we expect Durant to make any more of a "Star" impact?  The way the talent in the league is distributed makes it almost impossible for a player to lead a team that was horrible before he got there.  

One last thing to consider is, who are the "Stars" in either league?  Favre, Jordan, Rice and Montana really were once in a lifetime players, so to put anyone in their category really isn't realistic.  It takes time to develop players like that, but I think that there are players on their way to that type of status.  Peyton Manning and Tom Brady are certainly moving into that territory.  LaDanian Tomlinson maybe as well.  Randy Moss may be the most talented player to ever play the game.  In the NBA, you could argue that Tim Duncan and Kobe Bryant are moving into the "Greatest at their position" status and certainly are Hall of Fame bound.  LeBron will probably be in that group in a year or two, especially if he ever takes Cleveland to the Finals again.   

And for good measure, the NBA was probably in it's peak at the end of the 80's, and it climaxed with the Dream Team.  You probably won't ever see a group of stars as dynamic as those again, because of personality, professionalism, athleticism and locality.  You have Hall of Famers for whatever reason, (Jordan, mostly) that never even won a championship. (Barkley, Ewing, Malone, Stockton)  If it weren't for Jordan's brief retirement, you may have had to add Olajuwon and Drexler to that list.  That was a golden era for the league that they will try to replicate, but never be able to duplicate.  The timing will probably just never allow for it again, and you aren't going to see someone with any more athletic ability than Jordan with that type of skill level.  Kobe is close, but because of the non-originality, "we've seen this before" nature of what he does, it will never be as special.   There is a learning curve in sports, and I don't know if a "Star" comes about more than once or twice a generation, and LeBron is already out there.  I don't know if that is anyone or anything's fault.  That's just the way it works.  

If none of that makes sense, you could always blame soccer...

It's amazing isn't it, at least the first month and a half of Cubs baseball!  I hear some people complaing that they stil haven't traded for Brian Roberts, they need to move Marmol to the closer spot and replace Wood, they need to move Soriano from the leadoff spot.  Well, what I hear from myself is, Sweet Lou, keep doing that VooDoo that you do so well! 

Since the Bartman episode, I haven't felt as confident as I do in this years team.  Adding Fukudome was the icing on the cake to me.  The Cubs needed someone to take pitches and earn walks, something that has plagued them mor years.  Everyone has notated that this has been too free swinging of a team in the last few years, and it has.  The one thing that has helped more than anything, (and one thing the cubs have done a poor job of) is allowing young players like Theriot, Cedeno and Fontenot to grow into themselves and alow for more pitches per at bat. 

I haven't even touched the fact that Dempster and Lilly have been outstanding as starters behind Zambrano!  It seems as though if they could find a fourth starter (Marquis, Hill and Gallagher are not it)  they could finally position themselves for a World Series title...Maybe Greg Maddux will be available!!

Either way, GO CUBBIES!!

I haven't wrote anything on here since the draft, mainly because of time constraints, but I almost fell out of my chair when I saw that PJ Carlisemo might be a prime candidate for the Sacramento Kings coaching job.  I know that I'm not the only one who thinks that Ron Artest may be a more volatile version Latrell Sprewell, if that is possible.  I can hear the conversation.....

Ron:     Coach, I have to go out to my car and get a CD of my girls group to practice with.

PJ:     Ron, I don't have time for this bulls&*%!!!  Now, get off that screen and into the corner for the baseline jumper!

Ron:     I think I'm going to kill you now.

PJ:     ahhhhhh!!!!!  cough, cough.........

Brad Miller:     Someone call 911, I think Artest just killed PJ!!!

Artest is just a few degrees shy of Billy Madison's famous "Man, I'm glad I called that guy" reference.  I could see him killing PJ, possibly two or three trainers, and a player before he trances back in, and then wonders, why everyone is looking at him like he is Hannibal Lecter.

Other NBA ramblings:

Is there any reason to watch the Pistons vs. Lebrons?  I like the kid a lot, but this is like watching to see if the JV can upset the varsity in a scrimmage.  Who cares?

I am starting to sense that Tim Duncan may REALLY be hurt.  That is the only way to explain how Dallas handled them last night.  Now matter how good Dirk Nowitzki is, and he is good, Duncan is way better, and makes his team way better.  I thought Duncan was going to be able to step out of the phone booth any time his team needed him to help them get it done.  I guess that plantar faciatas, or whatever it's called, must really be kryptonite.

Please say that the Bulls are going to make a play for KG this offseason.....without giving up Kirk Hinrich, Luol Deng, or Andres Nocioni.

If the Kings owners are smart, (sometimes I really wonder), they would try and pry Stan Van Gundy away from the Heat, whatever capacity he is in.  Unless Pat Riley steps down at the end of what looks like a hugely disappointing season, the better Van Gundy might be the guy that can handle "Crazy-####" Artest.

If I here someone say that Steve Nash is better than Jason Kidd was in his prime, I think I may throw up a little bit in my mouth.  Nash is a great POINT GUARD.  Kidd is one of the best PLAYERS of the 90's.  I know that Nash is the back to back MVP, but when he starts guarding people on defense a little better than Steve Kerr, or rebounds to start a break, you let me know.  Kidd may not be a great shooter, but he could shoot a little, and there was nothing else that Nash was better at.........nothing!!

I'm tired of people saying that this era or the last era was better than the other.  Unless that era is the Michael Jordan era, then that era trumps all.

Does anyone else wish that Jai Lewis is the most dominating player from this years crop of rookies in the NFL.  I loved that kid in the NCAA tournament.  Oh, wait, that was in basketball.

Reading some of the stories out there, I have come to a conclusion.  No one thinks that the Texan's should pass on Reggie Bush, however this and many other things should be debated.

1.     Houston Texans-D'Brickishaw Ferguson   I realize that this pick is getting blasted all over the place, but I still think that they have enough fire power on offense to contend for the wild card if they can keep David Carr upright, that's why they shouldn't select Reggie Bush.

2.     New Orleans-Mario Williams  If the Saints hadn't signed Drew Brees and Michael Bennett, I would have changed this pick to either a QB or a RB, however, they have holes all over and this Julius Peppers look-a-like should stop one for a while.

3.     Tennessee Titans-Matt Leinart  This is a no brainer.  Despite this, it sounds like some in the orginization are thinking Vince Young.  I don't get this, unless that someone is Norm Chow, who I think still likes the kid?

4.     NY Jets-Reggie Bush  If only this were really going to happen, J-E-T-S fans could get out their party hats.  Unfortunately, Bush won't fall this far, and the Jets, will probably wind up with Ferguson or AJ Hawk, but that is for another blog.  Bush would fill a big hole for the Jets, with Curtis Martin probably running on his last leg, and Cedric Houston probably no better than a goal line option.  NY, go get your Marshall Faulk!

5.     Green Bay-Michael Huff   I doubt that anyone in Green Bay can pull their head out of the Favre long enough to notice, but they have holes everywhere, and this guy could play a couple of positions, and they need as much help as they can get.  Hawk would be great, but this draft is full of outside linebackers, and this kid is a star waiting to happen.

6.     San Francisco-AJ Hawk   Not that they couldn't use a playmaker in the caliber of Vernon Davis, but they need someone who is less of a risk, and they need a LOT of help, this would be a good place to start.  Plus, if they needed someone to put next to Eric Johnson, TE is deep in this draft, and they should be able to pull one out in the later rounds.

7.     Oakland-Haloti Ngata   I know Raiders fans, what about a QB.  Well, Vince Young was great in college, and Jay Cutler has a big arm.  My guess however is that Aaron Brooks will be all right with all of the weapons that they have, and they couldn't stop anybody up the middle last year.  This should help.

8.     Buffalo-Brodrick Bunkley   I wanted to say that they should take Young, but they have so many other issues, bringing in the most dynamic player in the draft really doesn't help Marv Levy get back to the top very fast.  They have little depth at interior D-Line, and if this kid is as good as scouts keep saying, this should shore up some of that problem.

9.     Detroit-Manny Lawson     Pretty sure that Matt Millon will screw this up, but maybe with Rod Marinelli there, they will avoid the temptation to draft Vernon Davis, and draft a player that they need.  Don't ask if that will actually happen.

10.     Arizona-Vince Young    If there is any hope for this franchise, this guy is it.  Kurt Warner has maybe one solid season left in him, Dennis Green always seems to get a QB to play well, hence, match made in Heaven.  He won't make it this far, because someone else will be enamored with his talent, but the teams picking ahead don't have the luxury to pick something they don't need immediately. 

11.     St. Louis-Vernon Davis   A bit o####amble for the Rams, who have some major holes on defense, but this guy is dynamic, and they don't have anyone close to him at TE.  The scary part is, this guy may be a workout warrior, which should shy everyone else away from him, but there isn't anyone else on the board rated higher at this point.

12.     Cleveland-Chad Greenway     Give Romeo Crennel a major steal at this point.  He knows that New England will probably be after someone like this kid.  Crennel is from the Patriots drafting system, and this fills a need, not a luxury.  Sounds like the smart pick, not a reach.

13.     Baltimore-Jimmy Williams    Probably a weaker version of Michael Huff, but teamed with Ed Reed, this could give the Ravens a huge boost in the secondary.  This is speculating that they are going to sign Steve McNair, and they don't need Cutler.  They could go for Winston Justice if they actually think they are on the same level, board-wise.

14.     Philadelphia-LenDale White    Say what you want about this pick, but I thought the Eagles have been a bruiser away from the Super Bowl win that Coach Andy Reid is destined for.  This guy has been nothing but a stud all through college, and I doubt that it will be any different in the Pros.  No WR shakes me up at this point, so gotta go RB.

15.     Denver-Chad Jackson    I know what I just typed, but if the Eagles take who they should, the Broncos must take what they should.  Unless Mike Shanahan thinks he can make Winston Justice work in there system, this kid is right for them.  He reminds me a little of Rod Smith, and we all know how that has worked out.

16.     Miami-DeMeco Ryans    Somehow in one year, this team shored up all over.  Getting Culpepper will end up lookin genius, and Nick Saban is one, just ask him.  Santonio Holmes would be a solid pick here as well, but I think Saban is D-first, this pick fits.

17.     Minnesota-Jay Cutler    Pretty soon, every Vikings fan will forgive me for killing that Culpepper trade, this guy is Brett Favre, only like the good old Favre, not this wavering version.  I get the feeling that if Cutler is available, they may finally build a new stadium in the Land o' Lakes.

18.     Dallas-Winston Justice    This guy won't fall anywhere near this far, but he would be a great fit for the Cowboys, and they need the help keeping Drew Bledsoe upright.  The longer you give T.O. to get open, the harder it will be to stop this team.

19.     San Diego-Tye Hill    Not sure what is going to happen to this team in the first season of team Rivers, but this is a good place to start.  I keep reading how this guy is moving up the draft board.  He should be moving up the Charger's as well.

20.     Kansas City-Johnathan Joseph    So much help needed on defense, so little time.  I would say that they should take Santonio Holmes, but Tiki "Torch" Barber destroyed them last year, when they needed the defense to step up the most.  If I'm Herm Edwards, I don't know if I take and offensive player in this draft.

21.     New England-Santonio Holmes    Cracks are starting to show on this team.  Not big ones, but they are starting to show as teams pick away at them little by little.  DeAngelo Williams could also be a good fit here, but I think WR is a little more pressing at this point.  However, arguing with Scott Pioli and Bill Belicheck is not the business to get into it with, and they may decide to go defense with this pick.

22.     San Francisco-Kamerion Wimbley    They could go with Bobby Carpenter, and keep him with AJ Hawk, but since they replaced Julian Peterson with Hawk, they can replace Andre Carter with Wimbley.  There are just so many issues with this team, they need to get as much talent as possible.

23.     Tampa Bay-Bobby Carpenter    Nick Mangold would be a good selection here as well, but I have a feeling that this defense could use another young relentless linebacker who can learn under Derrick Brooks.

24.     Cincinnati-Tambia Hall    They could use Mangold as well, but I have a feeling that Marvin Lewis wants this defense to be as stout as possible to compliment there potent offense.  I could see them going for Antonio Cromartie as well.  It's just a matter of time before the Bengals are Super Bowl ready, this will help that cause.

25.     NY Giants-Taitusi Lutui    This pick would be a ideal for the Giants after signing Lavar Arrington.  They aren't in any great need that could be covered at this point, so drafting Lutui would be the steal of the draft at this point.  I doubt that Lutui will fall this far, but if he does, the Giants would be idiotic to pass this up.

26.    Chicago-Marcedes Lewis    Oh, my beloved Bears, what will they do?  Well for starters, they could probably use a cornerback after the Ricky Manning Jr. debacle, but this is someone that could really help them on offense, and we all know that the Bears could use help on offense. 

27.     Carolina-Laurence Maroney    I can't help but wonder what this team is going to be like next year, and are probably the favorites to get to the Super Bowl in the NFC.  This would help get them there.  They could go for a TE here, but Moroney is the best be at this point.

28.     Jacksonville-Leanard Pope    This team could be a pain in the side for the rest of the AFC, but until they start scoring more points, they aren't going to get past the Steelers or Colts.  Ernie Sims would be a solid choice here as well, but they need to get more potent on offense first.

29.     NY Jets-Marcus McNeill    After getting Reggie Bush, they need someone to block for him.  Losing a veteran like Kevin Mawae was a huge hit, and they will need to start stocking the offensive line to protect Chad Pennington.

30.     Indianapolis-Ernie Sims    This may not be the time to bring on a player with an injury history, but this team needs an OLB, and this guy could really help them out if he stays healthy.  The Colts are on the verge of the Super Bowl right now, and this is a way to make sure that they don't fall off.

31.     Seattle-Mathias Kiwanuka    Seattle probably lost too much with Steve Hutchison leaving, and this won't help soften the blow.  It will be interesting to see how the Seahawks rebound from the Super Bowl, we all know that the losing team doesn't always fair so well, but I don't see that happening with the leadership that this team has.  This pick is for the future, and this is an athlete that they can't pass up.

32.     Pittsburgh-Daniel Bullocks    I realize that the Steelers don't need any help selecting players, but I can tell you that they would be getting a good one with Bullocks.  There are not any more WRs that are worth taking at this point in the draft, but they may swing a defensive lineman at this point, such as Claude Wroten.