I was up late last night for no other reason than...I was up late last night. Actually this is important to my post because...after being up late last night...I didn't get up to help my wife at church. Let he who has stayed up late at night and didn't get up to help the wife at church...throw stones if you want...and the rest of you just...just...well...don't throw stones. My wife has taken care of the guilt thing pretty well. Of course...I've given her a lot of opportunity to know how to do that in the gazillion years we have been together...don't ya know!

So anyway...the paper was on the table when I got up today at noon...felt like one of my kids...and in feeling like my kids I popped open the old box of Trix...silly freakin' rabbit...and had my standard mid size tupperware bowl of cereal and coffee while I read the paper. Sports page first...come to think of it...and last...and realized a few things. There is a whole lot of Held for Ransom...no, yes, um, maybe, yes, definately...hard work...ain't it a beotch going on out there!

I picked up the paper and had ESPN on the tube and realized just how quickly the NFL season is getting here. It is that traditional time of year when...first round draft picks...make their respective teams...feel like they are being...Held for Ransom! Orakpo sits out the first day of Redskins camp until he hears there is a 20 million dollar contract on the table. Beanie Wells signs and reports a day late...and there are others who have their respective head coach's giving the standard..."I don't know where he is...we need him here soon...we are movinig ahead with the guys we have"...etc., etc. speech! Michael Crabtree...the all everything WR from Texas Tech...is nowhere to be found. Hasn't participated in a thing...other than rehab on his injured foot. Yet he is holding the San Francisco 49'ers for ransom. Percy Harvin is nowhere to be seen in Minnesota, either. No other reason other than contract issue. And this is good...for Harvin and his adventure in MN...because he has had health issues attending most things football related in MN...although he has participated in more things that Crabtree has. You all know the scenario...pay me what I'm worth...as a 10th pick in the first round based on last years 10th pick...in the first round...even though I haven't played a down for you yet...kind of thing! I know all the "logic" behind the demands...and still I don't agree with them. Physically challenging career (their choice)...shorter than most careers (their choice)...protecting themselves from injuries that could leave them physically challenged in their post-playing careers (their choice)! It actually isn't that I don't agree with them...it is that I don't agree they need to have all of that money...right away! Earn it...you selfish turds! Do something...at the current level...before you go making outlandish demands on the financial resources of your new employer! But...you know...that is just me. I remember when guy's like Max McGee, Jerry Kramer, Bill Brown, Y.A. Tittle, Johnny Unitas...and their peers...had jobs in the off-season to maintain financial stability in their lives. Seems to me we didn't have a lot of the behavioral issues we see now which...result from...in a lot of cases...throwing all this money to...mentally immature...individuals...who don't have the common sense to use it wisely...or...quite often...appropriately! How was that for a rant?

So Brett Favre has decided to stay retired and the "brain trust"...stop me before I start cryin' in my cereal bowl...of the Vikings has decided to put up the unified front in response to Brett not coming to MN. "When a HOF quality player becomes available you have to go after him...we have closed the door on Brett Favre and we will move ahead with the 2 guys that have been here all along...we are really happy to have Sage and Tarvaris as our QB's...it is time for these guys to compete for the job...etc." Ziggy Wilf and Brad Childress sound like a really bad version of Simon and Garfunkel in the way they are harmonizing their comments. And all of that is great...and really doesn't have a lot to do with the point of my comment...which is...have you heard of Derrick Mason...the Baltimore (?) WR who retired 3 weeks ago...and then...un-retired yesterday...and will be in uniform on Sunday? Favre will long be remembered as a HOF QB...an intense competitor...a never say never leader on the field...who probably played 2 years too long...and set the precedent for retiring...and not retiring...and retiriing...and not retiring! Alas...no, yes, um, maybe, yes, definately! I hope guys like Mason don't start doing this stuff on a regular basis. The Fave saga is stale and boring. Imagine if...marginal players...start doing his gig...regularly! If that happened...Michael Vick returning...and Brian Urlacher has a love/hate relationship with new QB Jay Cutler...according to Bobby Wade...who doesn't even play in Chicago...so why should anyone care...would be welcome fodder for NFL fans...from the news hungry media morons who can't report any real news...anyway! AAAHHHH! I'm starting to feel better.

But I know someone who isn't. I wouldn't want to be Tarvaris Jackson right now. I mean it ain't bad enough this kid has had...on a good note...a challenging professional career...right out of the gate...but things just got worse. Okay...hold on...I'll explain. Super coach...excuse me while I get the milk out of my nose...Brad Childress...basically sets this kid up as the Vikings answer to Joe Montana...Steve Young...Tom Brady...(cough, cough, gurgle, gurgle) Brett Favre...right out of college! Setting expectations high is a good thing...as long as you give those who you set the bar high for...time to get to the bar...something Childress did NOT do...with Jackson. I have read...heard...discussed...how long it takes to develop a QB in the fast paced world of the NFL...when the QB had a stellar pedigree. The talk is always around...3 to 5 years. I had barely heard of Jackson when the Vikings drafted him and yet I was led to believe by Mr. Happy Coach Brad...that this kid was going to be the one who led the Vikings to the promised land. We are on the front side of that 3 to 5 year window with Jackson (injuries have helped to slow his progression) but old...stoic...gonna do it my way...Coach Brad...pulled the plug on Jackson faster than...than...well...anything that is really, really...fast...when the masses started to complain. Then he (Jackson) spends this off-season...in Minnesota...not Houston...where his family was...working very hard on his physical condition...and his playbook and the systems the Vikings use. And virtually the entire summer...he gets to hear about the Vikings pursuing Mr. Will He or Won't He Brett Favre...to the point that the Bobsy Twins...Brad and Ziggy...were encouraging Jackson's teammates...to contact the Mississippi Missile...to tell him that they can't win a Super Bowl...without him. Then...when Bubbling Brett stays on the retired side of things...the aforementioned twins...babble about how happy they are to have him (Tarvaris)...and then he goes and gets...hurt! A first degree Medial Collateral Ligament strain in his knee. If that is what it is...he is a day to day prospect. They need to do an MRI to make sure that is the extent of the inury. I'm hoping that is all it is. I was told I had a MCL strain one time...and needed major surgery to repair a torn ACL. With all he has been through...you just can't help but like this kid...and you would if you heard his responses in regard with what happens to this team that affect him...you seriously hope it isn't a serious injury. There may have never been a better case of someone who put in the Hard Work...and can actually say...Ain't it a Beotch!" Go get 'em, Tarvaris! gcoach is cheering for you!

Tiger Woods was almost completely out of this tournament on the first day...something like 8 strokes back. Well...after today...he has a 2 stroke lead at -17 under. I don't mind the occasional weekend when Tiger isn't around...and I get really freakin' tired of people who hold him to standards no one should be held to...and those who cram him down my throat...but you have to appreciate the talent. Right now he is right...a long way right...off of the tee box...and he still has enough game to recover...and lead tournaments...at -17 under. I should really hate the guy! But then someone would totally misconstrue that...and accuse me of being racist...or a Tiger basher...Mental Morons!

And that's the bottom line...

See ya SOONER,

BOOMER SOONER!!!