Lets all hope last Sundays horrible home game (week 17 loss that eliminated the N.Y.Jets from any playoff consideration) played by Brett Favre is his last ever as a NFL QB. He like any other professional athlete has the right to play until there good and ready to retire with no questions asked--[okay maybe a few questions asked], (and u can throw Evander Holyfield and Oscar De La Hoya in there as well...Oscar was beaten so bad by a younger stronger Manny Pacquaio 3 weeks ago he didn't answer the bell for the 9th round and a slurred speech-punch drunk 46 year old Holyfield was beaten by a lesser known low-quality opponent--Nikolay Valuev--for the WBA heavyweight title) but Favre looks old, tired and clearly pass his prime and slightly post-prime years in terms of quality-competent production

I'm sure if the New York Jets could do it over they would of thrown caution to the wind and not signed a player like Brett who's instinct to retire has been in question, by his own self, the last 4 years; thats why the Packers finally said 'enough is enough' and released him prior to this season. Green Bay made a smart move and the J.E.T.S.--Jets Jets Jets made a very regrettable move, in hindsight, considering how they just fired head coach Eric Mangini, amidst the collapse loss to the Miami Dolphins and losing 3 of 4 games to end the year, that now trickles down to a ton of front office and personnel/on the-field philosophy questions heading into this offseason

Brett Favre is a Hall of Fame athlete (Holyfied and De La Hoya as well) but you can clearly tell by watching his body language during the last few weeks of this '08 season and towards the end of the '07 playoff season with the Green BayPackers he had mentally checked out--he was only on the field in 'Body'. 2008 will be remembered as possibly the greatest over-all Sports Accomplishment year off all-time but it will also be rememebered for the unfortunate Sad-Forced Out-Retirements of 3 Iconic athletes who should of left there respective sports a hand full of years ago

In the grand scheme of things the subject matter of this post doesn't matter much to most NFL Fans but I know for a fact that the portion of fanz in this world that make up the Pittsburgh Steelers Following (i.e. Steeler-Nation) cares or will care about what I'm going to write next

Towards the end of the Titans-Steelers game this past Sunday (week16) running back Lendale White took the legendary Steeler Fan tool...The Terrible Towel....and preceded to step on it harshly and dig it into the ground while scraping dirt on it (the Titans handled the Steelers quite convincingly in the game by forcing 5 turnovers and winning 31-14). Now like I said earlier this is small potato's to most fans and even in the Steeler organization it will pubicly be brushed over; but i got a feeling coaches and players in that Pitt locker room will remember what Lendale did,  if indeed they meet again in the AFC Championship game--and there's strong evidence that proves that could likely happen--Pittsburgh will have extra motivation to end the Titans season in front of their home crowd

Along with the players and coaches I know most Steeler Nation fans will remember that gesture by L.White and if I know SNF like I do they will let Lendale, his teammates--coaches and of course the fans know how pissed off they were by buying out half of the playoff tickets for that game and show up to LP Field with more fire, fervor and a heavy dose of annoyance to make sure its a miserable day/night through-out Nashville

I expect a potential Titan-Steeler game a 2nd time around will be more competitive and easily matched and play down to the very end of the last quarter; and I also expect Lendale White will get a chance to back up all the 'Smack' he instagated by  burying the Terrible Towel. But I wouldn't bet my money on the Titans winning that 2nd matchup if both teams meet up in the playoffs, the Steelers has proven before they can go on the road during the playoffs and win especially if they've played that team before during the regular season and there seeing them again in the playoffs

You best believe Coach Tomlin will take that short clip of Lendale stomping on the T. Towel and use that as extra motivation to continue to push his team thru the playoffs and on to the Super Bowl in Tampa, Florida. But its not like the Steelers need extra motivation, they dont, but I'm sure  White's act of dominant spontaneity will come back to haunt him and his team come playoff time. You would of thought most teams opposing the Steelers would of known better than to rile up the Steelers because 3 years ago during the regular season, @ Heinz Field, the Bengals T.J. Houshmandzadeh infamously wiped his shoes with the T.T., in a game the Bengals won,  disrespected everybody in the Black & Gold that day but revenge was so sweet for Pitt because 3 or 4 weeks later (during the 1st rds. of playoffs)  Pitt went in to the Bengals backyard and beat them soundly on route to their 5th super bowl ring

Bad omen for Lendale White? Maybe, but what I do know is that Steeler Nation Fans will be all over the internet tonite and all week screaming loud and clear about their team and how they feel about other organizations, their coaches and players on the field who show Disrespect to the Steeeelers. Believe me when I say this, its going to get nasty

U thought Michael Vick going to jail for dog-fighting was stupid and ignorant, and it was (what most people fail to realize is that Vick went to prison for the interstate operation of the dog fighting ring and not for the actual act of dog fighting, thats just a misdemeanor charge but when u operate an illegal activity from state to state the Feds get involved), but I must say the recent Plaxico Burress incident of shooting himself in the leg accidentally tops all Stupid Athletes Activites in recent memory. Below are a few more stupid athlete moments from the past, if u can think of more please add to the list:

1. In 2006, Ben Roethlisberger survived an offseason near-death experience after he crashed his motorcycle into the side of a moving automobile; Big Ben was not wearing a helmet

2. The NBA's second overall pick in 2002, Jason Williams, suffered multiple injuries, including a fractured pelvis and a torn ACL, when he crashed his motorcycle. His injuries were so severe that amputation to one of his legs was a possibility. Like Roethlisberger, he was also not wearing a helmet at the time of the accident. Not exactly the smartest move to make after signing an $11 million, three-year deal.

3. In 2002, Jeff Kent , of the then San Francisco Giants, missed the beginning of the season due to a broken wrist. He claims to have suffered the injury while washing his truck

4. MLB's Marty Cordova bought himself some time on the disabled list in 2002 after getting a burn at a tanning salon

5. Detroit Tigers closer Joel Zumaya sat out three games in 2006 after he strained his throwing arm playing "Guitar Hero" on Playstation 2

6. NBA's Golden State Warrior point guard Monta Ellis tore a deltoid ligament in his left ankle after falling off a moving mo-ped a month before training camp was to start ('08-'09 season). All of this just after signing a six-year $66 million deal a month earlier, this activity is clearly prohibited under chapter 12 of the NBA's uniform player contract. He is not the first player in the NBA to disobey the contract, and I'm sure won't be the last...In the middle of the 2007-2008 season, L.A. Lakers Forward Vladamir Radmonovic was fined $500,000 by his team for separating his shoulder while snowboarding, an activity that is also forbidden in all contracts

MATT RYAN just like his rookie predessor of 2004 BEN ROETHLISBERGER will more than likely be named Rooke of the Year (although Joe Flacco of the Baltimore Ravens, Chris Johnson of the Tennesse Titans and Matt Forte of the Chicago Bears will garner a few sympathy votes) and deservedly so, Ryan has played like a QB who's been in the NFL for 4 to 5 years and he's very much the Franchise Leader the Atlanta Falcons were hoping he would be when they drafted him #2 overall. The Falcons are having a fantastic season (8-5) considering all the chaos of last year, Michal Vick going to jail and their cowardly coach Bobby Petrino quitting on the team with a few games left in the season, and its not to far out of possibility to see the Falcons make a deep run into playoffs if in fact they get in and can stay focused on what they do best--(running the ball and play-action passing)

Now it might be too early to ask this question because Ryan has a few more games left in this season but I was wondering and wanted to know what u guys thought....no matter what happens with Matt and his Falcons the rest of the way who will have had the best rookie qb season of all time--Ryan, Roethlisberger or is it another QB in the history of the NFL who's rookie season stands out in your mind?

I'm never one to knock the hustle of a NFL referee, they have a hard enough job in real time that I totally respect and wouldn't dare attempt, but we all have to admit this year has been a down year in terms of execution for the REFS. Every fan has had his moments of hatred and confusion while watching there favorite team on any given Sunday-Monday-Thursday or that occasional Saturday toward the men in stripe shirts and most of it this year has been deserved; but when its all said and done the NFL refs have the hardest job of all the professional sports because of the speed and size of the athletes. Just like your favorite team or player or that team the NFL referees will bounce back next year with a quality season after having a down year this season

Drew Brees was on pace to break Dan Marino's single season passing yards record but as of this coming week it looks like that record will stay in tact and thats good because the comparisons between the two should stop right there. Drew is a fighter and gutsy QB and when its all said and done he will put up Hall of Fame type statistics but will he be worthy of the Hall of Fame? I'm not sure but what I do know is Marino went into the Hall on his very first ballot and deservingly so, he was a Star as soon as he hit the NFL and he took a under-deserving Dolphin team to the Super Bowl in his second full season in the league on his way to a career where he was feared by most defenses and defensive coordinator. Brees doesn't strike that type of fear but he goes out each and every week looking to lead his team to a win and he doesn't go down without a fight....I like that about Brees but I'm not prepared to make him out as the next Marino but what he might be able to do that 'Dan the Man' never did was bring home a Super Bowl Victory--maybe

I know its still early in Roy Williams tenure with the Dallas Cowboys but I'm prepared to say right now that the acquisition of the WR by the Cowboys is a full-on BUST. When its all said and done the Detroit Lions will have gotten the better of the deal (they received 2 first round picks from Dallas) and the Cowboys will be left with another player that can't deliver on the super-star level that owner Jerry Jones expected when he signed them. Roy Williams is good and use to be great a few years back with the Lions but he now looks slow, overweight and disinterested