NFL 2010 Preview and Predictions: AFC East

For the next week, this blog will be dominated by football. One division will be discussed per day, with my predicted records for each team and how they'll finish. I will also post my fantasy team, which will be drafted on Sunday.

I will start with a bang in what could be the most exciting division in football. This division definitely has the toughest strength of schedule. Having to play the AFC and NFC Norths - Ravens, Bengals, Packers, Vikings, Steelers, Bears - could all result in losses for these AFC East teams. Here is how it will end up.

New York Jets: 10-6; 1st place

The Jets talk the talk and because of that, they will have plenty to prove. Reaching the AFC Championship game last year makes this season's obvious goal should be a Super Bowl win. Their road was made even more tough given the Darrelle Revis holdout. If he joins the team, they will easily take 1st place. I have them losing to the Bengals, Texans, Packers and Vikings. All four of those offenses can be shut down by Revis and result in Jet wins. I assume Revis will play, but as of now, I can't see the Jets' D shutting down those potent offenses.

The addition of LaDainian Tomlinson appears to be significant to the Jets offense. They'll definitely need him, as Mark Sanchez still needs time to mature. Having LT available to drop passes underneath will be crucial. LT seems unstoppable in his preseason games, and he will need to carry this offense until Sanchez is able to effectively pass to his top level receivers; Jericho Cotchery, Braylon Edwards, and when he returns from suspension, Santonio Holmes.

New England Patriots: 10-6; 2nd place

Correct, that is the same record as the Jets, and I actually have them 4-2 in their division. Like I said though, I expect Revis to play, so the Jets record will improve to at least 12-4. The Patriots will win a Wild Card spot. With Bill Belichick and a healthy Tom Brady running the team, anything but a postseason berth would be a failure. Even though the Jets reached the AFC Championship, the Pats were the team to win the division. This is the Pats' division until the Jets or Dolphins can pry it from Belichick's cheating little hands.

The best part about this team besides "Brady to Moss," is their linebacking unit; Derrick Burgess, Brandon Spikes, Jerod Mayo, and Tully Banta-Cain. They are all hard-hitting, aggressive players who can make a difference on that defense. Their question mark is their running game, as it is every year. Laurence Maroney has looked good in preseason and Brady throwing 50 passes per game hasn't really hurt them in the past.

Miami Dolphins: 9-7; 3rd place

The Fins are in too tough of a division, with too tough of a schedule for me to fall into picking them as a sleeper. They will be good, and continue their improvement, but will fall just short of making the playoffs. Playoffs? After losing down the stretch last season, and missing the playoffs, the Dolphins goal this year should be to steal the Wild Card from the AFC. That will not happen.

The Dolphins do have talent on both sides of the ball. On offense, Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams can run the ball effectively while also causing night terrors for opposing defensive coordinators by utilizing the wildcat. Brandon Marshall could prove to be a solid acquisition if Chad Henne can get him the ball, which I'm not so sure will happen. On defense, like the Patriots, the Dolphins have a solid linebacking core, with Channing Crowder and Karlos Dansby on the inside. Like I said, they have talent, just not enough.

Buffalo Bills: 4-12; 4th place

4-12 is a despicable season, and I am probably being too harsh on this team, especially having them go 0-6 in their division. Really though, given their strength of schedule and weak team, four wins is not unthinkable. On paper, I have them beating the Jaguars, Bears, Lions, and Browns. They may be able to sneak a win or two in the division, but I doubt it.

Last year this team was wildly inconsistent, winning games, losing close games, then being blown out. They lost the distraction, but also the talent of Terrell Owens. Marshawn Lynch is returning from an injury, but drafting CJ Spiller will solidify their running game. Their passing game will be lame again, as will their defense, and having an unproven coach will lead to another disappointing season for Bills fans.


Tomorrow: AFC North

Manny Being Manny

It appears that within the next 24 hours, Manny Ramirez will be traded to the Chicago White Sox after being put on waivers by the Los Angeles Dodgers. This will be the second time Manny bailed on a team fighting for the postseason. The Red Sox know all too well the entertainment of "Manny being Manny." The White Sox will find out what that really means in the near future.

Manny ran himself out of Boston despite being a fan favorite. It really seemed that he just got bored and wanted new scenery. A move to La La Land definitely provides an antidote for boredom, and he was received well by the fans immediately. Regardless of how he weaseled his way out from the shadow of the Green Monster, Manny is wildly entertaining and one of the most clutch performers at bat.

While the Boston breakup took a couple of months, Manny's relationship with LA took merely a couple of days. He returned from injury, was put on waivers, rode the bench for a few days, then seemingly intentionally had himself ejected from a pinch hitting appearance. Manny had a right to be mad, and purposefully being ejected does not leave a black mark on his career. He expected to return from the disabled list and immediately make a difference to the Dodgers' lineup. Instead, management listened to waiver offers, and kept him on the bench.

Manny's bat will be a difference maker in Chicago. His hitting in the clutch is valuable in any lineup. He may prove to be detrimental in the field, if they choose to play him there on occasion, but his bat definitely makes up for that. He is in a contract year, so the ChiSox know he'll be playing his hardest. This trade could boost them over the Twins in the AL Central, providing the bullpen steps their game up.

Manny will forever be remembered for his antics rather than his playing ability. He is more fun off the field than on it. My favorite image is of him riding the adult tricycle in LA. Mannywood is being relocated to Chicago and his name will remain in the headlines until the end of the season. Then some other American League team will be suckered into signing him. The White Sox are taking Manny solely as a rental. They wouldn't sign an aging Jermaine Dye, and they won't resign an aging Manny.

The Yankees on the other hand...

Strasburg Surgery

Well, Curt Schilling was right.

Stephen Strasburg has a tear in his ulnar collateral ligament, which will probably require Tommy John surgery. This is just utterly devastating news for many recipients, Strasburg, the Washington Nationals, baseball and its fans. Strasburg had the hope of millions on his shoulders, specifically on his arm. The hype surrounding him as a pitcher was astronomical, and he surpassed that hype in his first starts. Fourteen strike-outs in his first game is just unprecedented for that type of hype-machine. He made batters look silly, throwing his 98 MPH fastball, following with a devastating curveball.

Tommy John surgery will change all of that. Plenty of pitchers come back from this surgery and win games again. Most of these pitchers though, must alter their pitching. They need to adapt from being power pitchers to finesse pitchers. Strasburg is still young, so there's no denying he could enjoy a long, productive career. He seems to have the drive and attitude needed to succeed, so this could just be a minor setback in an illustrious career.

Strasburg wasn't meant to be a Greg Maddux, or a Tom Glavine. Sure, they were great pitchers, the best of their generation. Fans pay to see the power though, both in batting and pitching. Teams were seeing their attendance skyrocket when he was scheduled to pitch. People wanted to see Strasburg just dominate, which he did in nearly every start. He was supposed to be the next great power pitcher, the likes that haven't been seen since Roger Clemens and Randy Johnson in their prime. People around the league, fans all over, wanted to see this kid succeed and live up to the hype.

The Nationals learned the hard way not to allow Scott Boras decide how much athletes should be paid. Strasburg had not faced MLB batters yet, but the Nationals had to give him the bank. Without doing that, he would have gone to some other team and the Nats would have looked incredibly stupid for not signing a "once in a generation" talent. It seems funny that for the second year in a row, the Nats signed another Scott Boras talent, Bryce Harper, who is also described as "once in a generation." The Nats now are back to square one, without their future top of the line thrower, and their next great hitter also years from being great.

This story is just sad. The Nats did everything right; Strasburg was not overworked and when injury was lurking, they sat him. This injury just shows that statistics mean nothing to the individual. Pitch counts do not matter. The Nats did everything to ensure he would be free of injury. There have been plenty of pitchers throwing for over 130 pitches this season in a start. They are not injured. Strasburg's elbow was destined for surgery, whether he pitched 10 innings, 100 innings, or 1,000 innings. While conditioning is better now than was 50 years ago, it seems more and more injuries occur. Blame is placed everywhere. The biggest is the fact that, as children, many athletes no longer play multiple sports, just focusing on perfecting one.

So, those people, who went to see Strasburg this year will probably be the only ones to see that domination. Strasburg will have a great career, but not the career we wanted. We are all losers in this, fans, MLB, and the Nats. But really Strasburg loses the most. He was already supposed to be the best pitcher, ever. Because of the surgery, that will remain to be seen.

18 Weeks Later

Do we really need two more games?

Roger Goodell and NFL owners have proposed to take away two preseason games and replace them with two regular season games and adding a bye week. This is simply a grab for more money. Two more regular season games means two more weeks of sellouts for games with meaning.

Sports have evolved from just a game, to one of the most lucrative businesses on the planet. Athletes start playing games as youths, becomming more competitve in college, honing the craft of their trade, then becoming businessmen as they make a career of playing a sport. Some athletes treat sports as "just a job," something they are good at to provide for their family.

Sports has evolved to that.

In the beginning when a sport, such as baseball, was just gaining popularity, from Babe Ruth to the start of free agency, most athletes needed second jobs. These subsequent jobs were to provide for their family and future so that they could play a game they loved during the summer. This is why Spring Training and a preseason were originally necessary. Players became out of shape in the offseasons while they were working, so preseason helped them regain their form.

Now, given the size of athletes' contracts, subsequent jobs are not necessary, and they are expected to show up to training camps already in their top physical shape. Albert Haynesworth was supposed attend conditioning camp, and when he skipped that, was expected to complete a conditioning test. Training camps are not meant for players to get in shape, rather learn the coach's system and bond with teammates.

That is why removing two preseason games would not improve the overall quality of a season. A coach on a new team needs time too teach and his school would extend into the season, most likely losing the first couple of games, which could mean making or missing the playoffs in the end. Same for teams with new quarterbacks. I am sure the Washington Redskins, with Donovan McNabb, and the St. Louis Rams, with Sam Bradford, would suffer greatly without two extra preseason games.

Adding two games to the regular season is fine. All sports have extended their seasons. Again though, this won't add to the quality of the season, just the wad in owners' wallets.

Of course fans do not care about preseason games. The starters do not play all game, teams are still working out the kinks, and the games hold zero significance. This is no different than baseball's Spring Training. We realize preseason games offer no importance, but we still watch them. Fans still buy tickets to watch.

There is a strong chance this could all be moot though, as most players seem to be opposed to the idea of adding regular season games without adding money to their contracts. It is already a distinct possibility that there will be a lockout, and this will add fuel to that. Players are concerned that two more games can lead to more injuries as well.

Fans of course want to see as much football as possible, but we would much rather see players not lockout than play two extra weeks to per season.

Tiger's Loss of Stability

Tiger Woods and Elin Nordegren finalized their divorce this week. Unfortunately for Tiger, this conclusion will not mean success on the Tour. He will remain as lost as he has been for quite a while, probably until he finds someone to guide his path and steer his moral compass correctly. His father was that compass, and Elin took on that role after his passing.

Tiger was the most recognizable athlete during his time as the number one golfer on the planet. He is not the best golfer anymore, regardless of what the PGA computers say. Being the biggest celebrity on the tour did not mean Tiger couldn't lead a private life. Until he drove his car into a tree, Tiger's life remained hidden. No one knew about a sex addiction, or a possible prescription drug problem. He was the greatest golfer in the world, but also a quiet family man, so everyone thought.

His secret actions proved Tiger cared about one thing, winning. He won on the golf course and won in his private life by keeping his secrets hidden. He learned that secrets are hard to keep hidden though, now in the age of technology. Elin learned of Tiger's whorish ways, and Tiger lost his stability. The world then learned who Tiger really was, a dishonest man, with a superiority complex. The only thing that could take Tiger down, was himself.

It is clear that we are not witnessing the same Tiger on the course. Besides the fact he is playing worse than ever before, he is easily exasperated when hitting a bad shot. He seems more easily frazzled with the press. Things will only get worse for Tiger before they get better.

Tiger will not play well if invited to the Ryder Cup and will drop down the golf rankings. (Actually it would benefit Tiger to not be invited to the Cup. He would take it as a smack in the face, IN THE FACE, and would play with the same intensity of fist-pumping, red shirt-Sunday, everyday). Assuming he is invited to the Ryder Cup though, we will continue to see the same above average golfer at each tournament. He may win some, he will win a couple more majors, but Jack Nicklaus can rest easy.

(Side note: I have a friend, we'll call him "Jeffy." He made a bet with his father, we'll call him "The Man." Jeffy bet The Man that Tiger would pass Nicklaus to have won the most Majors ever. He looked to easily make that $10 grand. Now, it looks like Jeffy should start saving his money since Tiger doesn't have a shot at passing Nicklaus. Poor Jeffy.)

"I hate the Jets"

"Honestly, I haven't turned it on," Brady said when asked about Hard Knocks. "I hate the Jets, so I refuse to support that show. I'm sure it's great TV. I'm glad people are liking it. But that's just something that I have no interest in watching. I'd love to say a lot of mean things, but I'd rather not do that, either."

It is refreshing to hear hatred out of rivals. Obviously Tom Brady should hate the Jets, just as he should hate the Dolphins and Bills. And they should, and do, hate him right back, which was the Jets response yesterday.

"Hell, he knows we hate the Patriots, so what's the difference?" Rex said with a smile. "My brother's got a couple of Super Bowl rings. He loves Tom Brady, but I don't have them, so I don't like Tom Brady. I respect him, but I don't like him."

As fans, we like to see when players have the same intensity of hatred toward their rivals. Real fanatics grow to despise entire cities, just because of sport. Yankee fans grow to abhor the city of Boston, stemming from their hatred of the Red Sox. And vice versa. It adds to the allure of sports. It brings arguments, and discussion as to which city is superior. (New York, clearly).

There are rivals in every league, all over the US; Yanks vs. Sox, Duke vs. UNC, Celtics vs. Lakers. A lot of the time, especially recently, the fans care more than the players. The Lakers and Celtics' rivalry is nothing like it was back in the 1980s. Even the Yanks and Sox's rivalry has seemed to die down some in the past few years.

Seeing Tom Brady basically reignite the AFC East fire in preseason is fantastic. This division is definitely the toughest in the AFC, with the Jets, Patriots, and Dolphins all competing for the divisional title. The Jets are predicted to be Super Bowl champions. Well, predicted by Rex Ryan at least. The Pats are probably hating the Jets even more because of that. This is their division until Brady and Bill Belichick bow out. The Jets have to earn their respect, and one divisional crown with a trip to the AFC Championship will mean nothing if they can't back it up. The Dolphins added key pieces, a big one being Brandon Marshall, but are flying under the radar, since the Jets and Pats are grabbing all of the headlines.

Look for this to be the most compelling division in the AFC this season. Not just the headlines of contracts will draw the attention of fans, but now, because of Brady's hatred, the games will definitely be interesting. You can be sure many eyes will be on CBS, at 4:15, week 2. The Pats will be in NY, and only then will we see how much these teams truly loathe each other.

Little League vs. MLB

It's that time of the summer again, the Little League World Series is back on ESPN and the nation is drawn to watching little kids play America's pastime. MLB should take notice of the Little League's successes because that's where the big boys are failing.There are two aspects in particular where Little League has done better than MLB - umpiring and broadening the game internationally.

This year, Little League officials have decided to institute expanded replay, with coaches given challenges to decide close plays. It has been used a few times so far, averaging less than one minute to decide the call. Little League has proven usage of replay does not add significantly to the length of game. The officials would rather see the calls made correctly even though coaches rarely argue.

As I've said before, MLB needs to expand replay to encompass other close plays besides only home run calls. It will not ruin the game, it will make it better. Coaches won't be able to argue for minutes, as the replay, as proven by Little League, will take less than one minute. Coaches and players can't argue video evidence. If there is enough evidence in the video footage, the umps can reverse certain calls. If the play is crucial to the outcome of the game, players, umpires, coaches, and fans should want it to be correct.

In addition to umpiring, the international expansion is paramount to the success of Little League. Little League truly has a "World Series" every summer, whereas MLB just holds a league championship. Little League has 80 countries competing for the crown, while MLB has one. Sure, MLB began the World Baseball Classic, but that is slow to gain attention as teams are worried their star players will be injured. Plus, since it's during spring training, players aren't fully ready to play competitively. I still think it would be great to see the "World Series" winner play the Japanese champion.

The Little League definitely has faults though. The most glaring is ensuring players are the age that's listed on their birth certificate. It is clearly difficult to prove a players age from countries where birth certificates can be easily forged. Having older players ruins these games, as skill levels of children just a year or two older are vastly superior.However this does not even compare to MLB's biggest problem, which is PED's.

Overall though, it is fun to watch these Little League games. Even in blowouts, the losing team, while surely disheartened, is seen smiling. MLB should really use some of the finer points of Little League to improve. Obviously MLB is doing good financially, even the Pittsburgh Pirates make money, but change is necessary and could make "The Show" even better.

Liar, Liar

Roger Clemens was indicted for perjury yesterday, and could face many, many years in prison if found guilty. In 2008, Clemens appeared before Congress denying any use of HGH or steroids. He was not forced to make that appearance, but did so by choice. He tried to clear his name while others were burying it in the mud. Anytime an athlete's name is associated with enhancers, there is no exoneration. Barry Bonds and Clemens will learn that even if the court finds them innocent of perjury, and thus never enhanced, the public will still look at them warily, and the Hall of Fame voters may not change their votes.

Congress must have good reason to present this case. They wouldn't indict without a strong chance of proving guilt. Enough evidence and witnesses must be accounted for prior to indicting an innocent person. These athletes need to learn not to mess with Congress. The money and fame may get them out of jams, but Congress does not like being lied to. Clemens' maximum possible sentence of 30 years in prison with a $1.5 million fine is proof of that.

The most damning aspect of the case against Clemens is the statements of Brian McNamee and Andy Pettitte. Both should be considered friends of Clemens, McNamee being his personal trainer, and Pettitte, his teammate. Both have spoken out against Clemens, saying he took enhancers, and speaking those words before Congress. Neither has anything to gain by lying against Clemens before Congress, which makes it seem Clemens is, in fact, the liar.

More than just words though, there needs to be evidence, proof that Clemens did enhance. McNamee claims to have kept vials containing DNA and steroids from Clemens' usage years ago. McNamee does seem odd, and creepy to keep such evidence, but if allowed by the court, the evidence could be the final straw.

It is sad to see the legends of this generation fall so low. So many stories are told of the legends of yesterday; Mickey Mantle, Hank Aaron, Ted Williams, etc., but how will future generations judge the current one? What stories can be told of these tainted legends? The enhancing mess could just be a slippery slope of science staying ahead of sports, creating substances harder to detect. MLB still does not properly test for HGH, so players now could still be enhancing. Until the testing ensures there is no possible enhancement in sports, fans will remain jaded to accomplishments.

Unless Bonds and Clemens accept plea bargains, and admit to lying, they will remain in baseball exile. Bonds should be as loved in San Fransisco like Willie Stargell, or Willie Mays, but he is shunned by the team, as they have moved on to focus on their current young players, keeping the focus on their current roster, and off their tainted marvel. Clemens should be universally loved in Houston as Nolan Ryan is, instead, the town is split, as is New York over how he should be treated. These players let their ego get the best of them and felt untouchable. Now they're unlikely to make the Hall of Fame any time soon, and the teams that employed them don't really want them around. Their shining stars have quickly faded into black holes, and the only escape is truth.

Lest ye be judged...

"I'm disappointed with all the profanity. I think Rex can make his points without all that."
Asked if he would hire a coach who talks the way Ryan does - "I would not. I personally don't want my players to be around that. I don't want to be around that. . . . It's hard for me to be around that, and if I were in charge, no, I wouldn't hire someone like that. Now, I've been around 'F' bombs, so it's not like it's new. I just don't think that has to be part of your every-minute, everyday vocabulary to get your point across."
On the possibility of Goodell getting involved -"I would hope that he does. I don't know that he will or not but I hope that he does because I just don't think the league needs that. I don't think our young people need to hear that that's what's done to be successful. Because it doesn't have to be that way."

Tony Dungy was completely off-base in putting Rex Ryan on blast. He shouldn't have broadcast how he felt about Ryan's cursing to the world. If he was truly offended, he could have just gone to Roger Goodell's office and told him to monitor the bad language coming from "Hard Knocks." The cursing is something he should take a look at as it may alienate some judgmental fans, like Dungy.

Goodell probably has more important issues to deal with, such as arrests, drug use, etc. The cursing becomes an issue when the NFL starts to look bad, but currently the legal issues compounded with the possible lockout leaves Goodell little room to concern him with cursing.

In addition to that, what can Goodell do, but fine people for cursing? That would be obnoxious, annoying and unnecessary. "Hard Knocks" is meant to display the real training camp of an NFL team. Put a group of men together, no, put a group of people together of any profession, even ministers and priest, you will find some who curse. Sure the NFL is a business, but they're still playing a game, a sport that has man characters, many men who need Orbitz to clean up their dirty mouths.

Sure, in a perfect world, Dungy is right, the NFL should clean up the language, mostly so children can watch "Hard Knocks," and parents can leave the corrupting to the internet. This was none of Dungy's business though. He has led a great career, both on and off the field; leading the Colts to a Super Bowl win, and mentoring a troubled Michael Vick upon being released from prison. Rex Ryan took the high road in defending himself as a good person, and it will be interesting to see if Dungy takes up Ryan's offer to visit the Jets training camp. Maybe just being there will cause Dungy to drop an F-bomb or two.

Awkward Nuggets

It is promising to be a very awkward season for the Denver Nuggets. Carmelo Anthony, by all accounts will not be a Nugget-lifer. He will either be traded before this season, during the season, or will sign elsewhere after the season. Melo has indicated that he is done in Denver, putting together a Chris Paul-like wish list of where he wants to be shipped - NY or Orlando.

If Melo goes to the Knicks, they become an instant 5 seed, and the Garden will be sold out all season. Melo in Orlando is battling for supremacy of Florida and the number one seed. Staying in Denver for the duration of the season would have the Nuggets battling for the second seed. He brings that much talent to wherever he lands.

The Nuggets best chance at a championship would be to convince Melo to play his hardest for this season, to try to bring Denver a championship. He can have his own summer of free agency similar to LeBron James', his own "Decision." Denver has a good enough team, with a cancer-free George Karl to make a legitimate run for a title. Trading Melo now, or mid season, would drop them significantly and thus mean rebuilding.

This summer of free agency brought together a dream team of 2 superstars and one of the best power forwards of the game in Lebron, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh. The joining of these three caused a shift of power in the league from the team to the player. Chris Paul and Melo both are stuck in contracts, yet made demands for trades. They really have no leg to stand on by making these demands. Sure they could sit out, and lose money, or play halfheartedly, but really all they need is a little patience.

The star players will have to sit and watch the All-Star Heat win a ton of games. Melo can join the Knicks or Magic after the season, a season that could end with the Nuggets going very far into the postseason. Chris Paul can leave New Orleans in a few years if they are unable to build around him. They can do nothing now but play ball.

All of these players demanding trades puts the teams they play for in awkward situations. They obviously want to keep the great talent they have, but if the player wants out, what else can the team do, but oblige? Otherwise the team has an unhappy player, an unhappy fan base, and unhappy management, all trying to pretend that everything is OK. Denver will not be OK this season if nothing is resolved and Melo's issue is hanging over their heads. They either need to trade him now, or tell him to suck it up for a season.

Keep it from being awkward.

If it Ain't Completely Broke...

Editor's Note: Harper looks like a wannabe member of KISS

The current MLB Draft system is clearly broken. The best players aren't necessarily drafted by the worst teams, and when drafted, there is no guarantee those players will sign with those teams. The Washington Nationals, for the second straight year, signed the number one pick in the draft at the last possible second. This year it was Bryce Harper, the sensation that graced the cover of Sports Illustrated at the age of 16.

Bryce Harper's deal is similar to Mark Teixeira's rookie deal, both receiving more money than most of their peers. He is catching now, but will be moved to the outfield to preserve his health. By signing him, the Nationals now have two of the most hyped baseball prospects ever. The buzz around the District went from excitement over an occasional Adam Dunn home run, to sell outs every time Stephen Strasburg pitches, and dreams of what's to come when Harper matures into a big-leaguer.

That hope and excitement was almost never there. The Nationals are a lower budget franchise. Strasburg and Harper were to be paid large sums of money based on speculation. Will they become legends, or fade away as many hyped athletes do? The Harper hype remains to be proven, but the Nationals made the right choice in signing Strasburg - both were necessary to improve the franchise.

MLB got lucky. They were lucky the Nats signed both of these future superstars. If they had not, the true flaws of the draft would be seen and these talented players would go to the highest bidder, instead of the team with the highest need. There needs to be a cap on what draftees are to be paid. Low budget teams shouldn't be concerned with whether they'll be able to sign the player they draft, just whether the player they drafted will succeed in the organization.

This may not be as big an issue in the coming years, as Strasburg and Harper are described as once in a generation talent. But there are plenty of players every year that either drop down the draft board, or aren't signed because teams do not want to risk dropping money bags on unproven talent. Not drafting well is the easiest way to ruin a franchise. Little risk on proven mediocre talent reaps little reward, while big risk on unproven hype machines could turn a franchise around.

The MLB is not the only draft needing fixing. The NFL's best rookies make more than some of their best veterans too. Sam Bradford signed with the Rams for six years, $78 million, with $50 million guaranteed. There needs to be a cap on rookie signings, which can filter some extra money to NFL retirement, and veteran players. This could be discussed in more detail next season when there's no football and changes will be forced.

MLB though has an opportunity to fix it now, before rookie signings become out of hand, and it is more an auction than a draft. The worst teams should have the right to draft the best players, and their financial situation should not come into play.

Pitching Change

Yesterday, Kevin Slowey finished the 7th inning with a no-hitter intact. Ron Gardenhire did not bring Slowey in the 8th to finish what he started, instead bringing in the relief. They went on to immediately blow the no-hitter, and the shut-out in that inning. Gardenhire was booed, Slowey was "disappointed," but most importantly, the Minnesota Twins won the game, and Slowey will go on to pitch another day.

The reason Slowey was pulled was simple. He finished the 7th inning with 106 pitches, averaging 15 per inning. To finish the no-hitter, he would finish with close to 140 pitches. This would be fine, if he didn't miss his previous start due to elbow tendinitis. Even if he weren't experiencing elbow issues though, 140 pitches is a lot. Just ask Al Leiter.

It must be devastating to not be allowed to finish an attempt at a no-hitter, but the Twins are in the midst of another divisional showdown in the AL Central. Baseball is entering it's last 1/4 portion of the season, and the Twins need Slowey, ranked 2nd in their depth chart to win more games than just last night's. If this were April, and not August, maybe he would have been allowed to start the 8th, but games are more important now and the Twins need to keep winning to hold off the Chigago White Sox.

Slowey is not an example of pitchers being coddled, just of one avoiding injury. Baseball has changed though to ensure teams get the most years out of their most coveted arms. This is seen by the Yankees, with the "Joba Rules," and now with Phil Hughes, the Nationals with Stephen Strasburg, and many other teams. Teams don't want to overwork their young players to make them last as long as possible. Games are limited to 100 pitches, seasons are limited to 150-200 innings.

The Rangers though, with Nolan Ryan, have a different approach, trying to extend pitchers' outings by one more inning, one more at-bat, to see the pitcher battle back against the opposition. They haven't seen any big injuries due to their strategy, and have a scary team destined for a divisional title. A World Series win this year could force a change to other teams' strategies of how they work their pitchers.

Statistics mean nothing to the individual. If a pitcher is going to need Tommy John surgery or reconstructive shoulder surgery, there is little to do to prevent that. Bob Gibson pitched 3 complete games in one World Series. Pitchers back then pitched more innings, more complete games than pitchers now. Part is due to relievers and closers being able to shut down the opposition at the end of games, but part is due to pitcher coddling. Teams want to see long term benefit from their investments rather than short term brilliance.

Hopefully teams take note of the Rangers' pitching strategy and stop coddling so much, seeing pitchers go late into games is fun. Too much money is invested in the young guns though, and innings and pitch count will be here to stay.

BOYCOTT ARIZONA

Five people have been arrested in a hundred person protest outside the quarterly MLB owners' meeting in Minneapolis. They are protesting the MLB All-Star Game scheduled to be in Arizona in 2011. After the immigration law was passed, plenty have either protested or approved of this law. Essentially, Arizona took the immigration issue into their own hands, making it law that immigrants must carry their immigration papers or face arrest. While Bud Selig does not want to face this issue and venture into politics, he must.

This issue is a challenge for MLB more than the other major sports due to the large influx of Hispanic players. Every team has some, and while there are the insanely popular, David Ortiz, Miguel Cabrera, Ubaldo Jimenez; there are plenty of unknown Hispanic players. All of these players will face scrutiny by the Arizona police if not recognized as professional athletes. Without their immigration papers, these players could be arrested.

Already, Chicago White Sox coach, Ozzie Guillen said he would not attend the game if invited. (The World Series' managers are managers of the All-Star Game the following year, but they also choose what coaches accompany them). I am sure he will not be the only manager, coach, or player to boycott the event. They are right to do so, and all of MLB should stay out of Arizona, not just in protest of the law, but to protect their employees. The Players' Union and MLB have an opportunity to prove they care about their Hispanic players and front office employees by boycotting Arizona and bringing the 2011 All-Star Game elsewhere.

Boycotting the event would be detrimental to Arizona given it would bring tens of millions of dollars to their economy. There were 3 American League (Miguel Cabrera, Vladimir Guerrero, Robinson Cano ) and 5 National League starters (Hanley Ramirez, Martin Prado, Albert Pujols, Yadier Molina, Ubaldo Jimenez) with Hispanic background. If those and the reserve All-Stars were to boycott next year's game, what would be the point of having it? Selig and the Players' Union could remedy this now by moving the game to a different state. If Arizona overturns the law, then keep the game there, but until they do, keep such a large event out of that state.

I'm sure many may agree and many may disagree with me, but this law is wrong. The last time people had to show their papers was in Nazi Germany, and no one ever wants to be compared with Nazis. Sure, immigration may be out of hand along the US-Mexico border, but Arizona needs to find a better way to slow it down. I'm sure there are plenty of Hispanics in that state, employees of MLB, tourists to that state have been citizens for years, but they could face arrest without proper documentation on hand. This is wrong. They are Americans, but will not be treated as such.

Look for Bud Selig to do nothing to protect his employees though, as he normally does the opposite of what is right. He doesn't want to venture into the politics of the law, and it is not hard to see why he wouldn't want to given the last time he was forced into politics was the steroid scandal. That didn't go so well for him or the rest of MLB when having to stand before the Senate. This is his chance to fight back, and fight for his employees. Whether he agrees with the law or not, he should boycott Arizona till the law is overturned. He won't though and it will be interesting to see what happens next summer when Hispanic players choose to boycott and whether that causes issues with other players.

Old Man Holyfield

Evander Holyfield is set to fight Sherman Williams in November. A victory in that fight could set up a title bout for Holyfield in 2011. Holyfield has had a long, memorable career, emphasis on long. The man will be 48 in October.

Forty-eight.

He has decided he wants to retire as a unified champion (holding the WBA, WBC, and IBF belts). To achieve such a dream would be remarkable. Holyfield would have to beat the current champions, in their prime. This could make him the best heavyweight of all time. Too bad he'll be just like all of the greats, Muhammad Ali, George Foreman, etc; being the best in the world, but not being able to retire with dignity.

Boxing, not unlike the other major sports, sees their heroes crumble into human form and look pathetic. In one of Ali's final fights, Larry Holmes destroyed him. Ali was beaten to a pulp, but his stubbornness and pride would not let him go down. Holmes even went to the hospital after the fight to apologize to Ali, for bringing down such a legend. Ali, of course told him he'd get revenge in the rematch.

Holyfield isn't the boxer that Ali was, but in his prime, he was one of the best in the world, when Mike Tyson wasn't biting his ear off. That ear biting incident though was in 1997. His prime has come and gone. In fact, winning now, and unifying the belts would be bad for boxing. I am not saying unifying the belts would be wrong. That should and needs to happen. Boxing needs an undisputed champion, but having an old man beat the young whippersnappers to achieve that would be terrible. Who would be boxing's future if Holyfield just beat all of them. Sure it would be a testament to a fantastic boxer, but you're telling me there is no 25-year old beast that can take on a man who is old enough to be his father?

Boxing needs a fresh young, American heavyweight to regain interest. It needs to be a young'n that unifies the belt, that the country can get behind and take down the Russians, Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko, Nikolai Valuev, and Alexander Povetkin. Boxing sees Ultimate Fighting growing at an insane pace. Most kids now would surely rather be an ultimate fighter than a boxer. Not only does it sound more badass, ultimate fighting is actually now more legitamite. The UFC is like the MLB of ultimate fighting, while the rest of the circuits out there are the minor leagues. Boxing has not one top league, it has three, so the champion of each claims to be the best, without proof of beating the rest.

Plus, the dirty money surrounding boxing is rampant. The best fighters don't fight each other until they absolutely have to. Instead, they beef up their resume winning good matches, not great ones. There is no reason that Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather have not fought yet. Mayweather considers himself the best fighter ever. Ever. He needs to beat Pacquiao to prove it, so he should be pushing hard for the fight, instead he seems resistant as not to ruin his legacy.

Pacquiao and Mayweather bring the most drama now, but boxing's most illustrious fight is the heavyweight. There are no headliners now though in the heavyweight class. The Russians have dominated that category, and as Americans, we lose interest in anything we can't win. Until the next great, American heavyweight comes along, we will have to settle for watching Holyfield most likely get pummeled and reminisce about his glory days battling Tyson. While those days were memorable, they offer little for the future of boxing, which right now, looks bleak.

The Lonely Island Boy

They say no man is an island, but in Darrelle Revis's case, this phrase could not be anymore false. I'm sure that first sentence was used plenty times before, but it was too good to not pass up. Last season, Revis had one of the best seasons ever for a cornerback. Whatever receiver he was matched up with had one of their worst games of the season. He was so good the nickname "Revis Island" was coined because he was where receivers went to get stranded.

After such a dominant season, leading the New York Jets to the best defense in the NFL, taking them to the AFC Championship game, Revis expected to be paid. That expectation and the Jets lack of adherence to Revis has led to him holding out, for over a week now. The Jets claim they'll play the season without him and still win a Super Bowl. Rex Ryan is a confident man. But Rex Ryan is a wrong man.

With Revis, the Jets could potentially have the best D in football for a second straight year. They acquired Antonio Cromartie, another great corner, and an aged Jason Taylor. Revis has the ability to singlehandedly shut down the opposing team's best receiver. That leaves the rest of the defense to blitz, stop the run, and double cover the rest of the receiving corps. Without Revis, the Jets defense may be very good, but they'll be missing the spark that makes them great.

Because of Revis's ability, the Jets are the ones backed into a corner. They NEED to sign a treaty with Revis Island to reform the alliance that's prime to take down the league. The Jets can beat bad teams with their current team, but without Revis, beating good teams and making a playoff run like last season will be much tougher.

Sure, Revis wants to play, and if the Jets really do not appease him, he loses big also. They have so far offered him a 10 year, $120 million deal, but without any guaranteed money. Revis is right to hold out without anything guaranteed. While it is hard to side with athletes making a boatload of money, Revis needs this extension done now. With a possible lockout next season, and this year being an uncapped season, Revis is right to want to be shown the money. He just came off a career year and anything could happen this year; injury, or a not as dominant season to make next offseason's payday less.

Though the Jets are saying they don't need him and are preparing to play without him, Revis will start in game 1 vs. the Ravens. They do need him, and being a fan favorite, Revis playing will have more fans in the seats than Revis not playing. With him, the Jets win the division, without, they don't make the playoffs. So, just as I said TO was going to find a team, preferably a contender, Revis Island will be back on QB's radar this season, and the J-E-T-S JETS JETS JETS will be the team to beat in the AFC.

Blame the Manager

The two worst teams in the American League saw their futures change within the past couple of weeks; one for the better - Baltimore Orioles - and one for the worse (can it get much worse?) - the Seattle Mariners. Both of those changes were due not to changes on the field, but in the managerial positions. Buck Showalter was hired as new manager of the O's and since he started, they have swept the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, and took 3 of 4 from the Chicago White Sox. Don Wakamatsu was fired from the Mariners yesterday after having managed one of the worst months ever, finishing July at 6-22.

Buck Showalter has proven throughout the years to be a pretty decent manager, he boasts a winning record, and twice received Manager of the Year honors. Most importantly though, in the years after being let go from the New York Yankees, and then the Arizona Diamondbacks, those teams went on to win the World Series, in 1996 and 2001 respectively. He had a subpar tenure with the Texas Rangers, but O's fans can hope that firing him and then winning the World Series will happen a third time.

Wakamatsu came into a terrible situation in Seattle. The M's were coming off an awful 2008, and hired an inexperienced manager. The outlook for 2009 was dismal, but Wakamatsu managed the M's to a winning record, for probably one of the best turn arounds in baseball history. 2010 offered a ton of promise following that great season and offseason acquisitions of Cliff Lee, Chone Figgins, and Milton Bradley. All of that promised was squandered as they started the season slow and never sped up. The best 1-2 punch in the big leagues in Felix Hernandez and Lee was split up when Lee was traded to their divisional rival, the Rangers.

So the M's have to hire yet another manager, it seems like they go through managers like players go through cleats. The O's also have a new manager, who fans hope can bring them the hope that Jeffrey Maier snatched away. This brings in question as to how critical the right manager is, and how much managers really mean to a team.

Football and basketball head coaches are crucial to their teams winning. Without them calling plays, and substituting the right players, both sports are essentially streetball. A coach is needed in both of those sports to win, whether it be deciding to go for it on 4th down, or who to give the ball to for the final shot. Even if teams play their very best, a good coach is needed to win, as proven by Phil Jackson and Bill Bellicheck winning so much with Kobe and Brady, while Mike Brown and Wade Phillips not winning with LeBron James and Tony Romo. It takes the perfect combination of good players, and good coaching.

In baseball, I see the managerial role as being more limited. It's the pitching and hitting coaches' jobs to ensure each player is technically playing right, in their swing and pitching motions. The manager decides when to substitute pitchers, who to pinch hit and many other small facets of each game. In baseball though, either the team is good or bad, and the managers have little say in winning the game, only losing. If CC Sabathia is pitching a gem, obviously he'll pitch at least 8, then depending on the score, Mariano Rivera comes in to close it out. If AJ Burnett can't get through 3 innings, there is not much a manager can do to bring the team back.

Pitchers have more say than coaches in baseball. If they have a good day, their team will win, if not their team will lose. Sure, there are games where a manager needs to decide when to take the pitcher out because the game is close, but even then, their decision is scrutinized if either the starter or reliever then fails. This is why, I think Joe Girardi has yet to be offered an extension. The Yanks have such a good team on paper, only a bad manager could mess it up.

This may be just me being a fan, but I think I could manage the Yankees. Given that talent, winning games shouldn't be difficult. What are your thoughts? Am I not giving managers enough credit? Or are they given too much credit? Joe Torre is considered one of the best managers in the game right now, but could Buck Showalter have managed the late 90s Yanks to multiple World Series? I'm more inclined to believe Torre got lucky landing the job in 96, going to a team prime for glory.

Change is necessary in sports to keep teams from getting stale, but the M's seem to change too often. Managers who are considered to be good, aren't very good on bad teams, take Lou Pinella in Tampa for example. Managers need good talent to flourish. Showalter may have arrived in Baltimore at just the right time, as they finally have some hype surrounding their young talent. Wakamatsu had a talented team but couldn't succeed.

How much of that is his fault, and how much can be blamed on the GM, who took away his best pitcher? And how much is blamed on the underperforming players, and is their underperforming Wakamatsu's fault?

Answers anyone?

Dez Bryant, Take Notice

Hazing has been making news this summer, some good, some bad. Respect is a quality that is earned, and hazing enforces that. Most rookies, especially those picked early in the draft, are considered the best college had to offer from the previous season. This causes inflated egos that need to be taken down a notch before the rest of the league takes it down for them.

A few weeks ago, Dez Bryant refused to carry Roy Williams' shoulder pads. Granted, the pads are probably wet from sweat and thus, not smelling like roses; but as the number 1 rookie on the Cowboys, Bryant should have carried the pads, and volunteered to carry Miles Austin's pads as well. Bryant went into the draft with "character issues," causing him to nearly drop out of the 1st round. Every chance he gets, he needs to prove that those issues are in the past. Being the best rookie on the team, the other rookies are looking to him for example. Carrying the pads would have strengthened the team instead of leaving the door open for rookie mutiny.

The complete other side of the spectrum is Tim Tebow. As part of Tebow's hazing, he was given a haircut, seen above. If given the choice of that haircut, and carrying pads, pads seem like the easiest choice, unless you are Jared Allen. Tebow may look ridiculous, but his teammates definitely respect his ability to take a joke and appear as a normal dude, even though he may be the most hyped rookie coming into this season.

Once he was drafted by the Denver Broncos, Tebow jerseys starting selling like hot cakes. Mmmmmm hot cakes. He is hyped, even though most analysts figure he won't excel as a QB in the NFL. I'm inclined to believe that as well. He was a perfect fit in Florida, but running QB's with subpar throwing ability usually fail in the NFL. You need accuracy and power, which come from throwing technique, and Tebow didn't learn that in Florida.

Even though he may not be great, he earned respect this weekend. I know I wouldn't do that to my head, mostly because the Lady wouldn't be happy, and I like keeping her happy. Tebow had no character issues going into the draft, except for maybe loving Jesus a little too much. He proved to be a cool dude, unlike Bryant, who just came off as a child.

Hazing should be a part of sports. It is now and those who take part seem to enjoy themselves. Take the Yankees and Red Sox the past couple years, dressing their rookies up as girls and characters from the Wizard of Oz. Tebow doesn't seem to mind the 'do, nor do the other players in the league who carry pads or are tied to goalposts.

Hazing can get out of hand, when mental and physical abuse occurs, seen mostly in fraternities and sororities. Professional sports hazing though is mostly light-hearted and makes everyone laugh. I hope to see more in the next few weeks, and I hope to see Tebow maintain the haircut all season, as it is quite legen-DARY.

Haynesworth isn't Hurt, Just Lazy

The tests results are back and Albert Haynesworth, you are the father. Whoops wrong channel, turned on Maury instead of Sportscenter. Haynesworth did receive MRI test results today though concerning his knee, and they came back negative for any injury. If I had the talent, I'd photoshop Haynesworth's face on Peter Griffin's body when he falls and hurts his knee.

I'm seeing this whole "my knee hurts," as a ploy by Haynesworth to weasel his way out of conditioning, and maybe all of training camp. How long will Mike Shanahan have the Washington Redskins' highest paid player sit through practice? Will Haynesworth be allowed to start games if he can't complete this conditioning test?

Haynesworth is coming off looking lazy due to all of this. Laziness is one of the worst qualities to have, not only for athletes, but for any profession. It is especially worse for Haynesworth though, given his enormous paycheck. Sure, Shanahan wants to make a lesson out of him, and some Redskins' players say the test is too hard, but Haynesworth has no one to blame but himself. If he showed up to the team's mandatory conditioning camp, instead of being a Bitter Betsy about Shanahan's 3-4 defensive scheme, there would be no discussion.

Haynesworth just looks bitter and lazy though. I'm inclined to believe that if he were only a couple seconds slow, but was showing the necessary effort, Shanahan would let him through. Athletes tend to forget that they have the jobs the rest of us average men dream of. They are paid enormous sums of dough, so we expect them to work for their paycheck. Steinbrenner paid his players more than they deserved because he expected them to work harder after payday. It is a pride issue. You get paid $10 million, but you work as if you are paid $20 million. Haynesworth is paid $100 million but plays like he is paid $1 million.

This hurts the Redskins greatly. They have much higher expectations coming into this season than usual. Winning the division over the Cowboys or Giants may be out of the question, but an 8-8 season is within reach; and following the debacle of last season, 8-8 would be success. After acquiring Donovan McNabb, the Redskins offense went from a QB that could manage games, Jason Campbell, to a QB that can win them. Plus he'll have a grudge against the Eagles, so those 2 games will be exciting.

Without the giant mass of Haynesworth putting forth 100% effort on the D-Line though, the Skins' D is vulnerable. Even with McNabb, the Skins' offense will need some help from the D. Haynesworth needs to show some effort, join the practice squad and when the season starts, sack some QBs, stomp some faces, and win some games.

If he is the reason the Skins don't win games this year, he could be more hated in the district than Dan Snyder.

The 600 Club*

There are plenty of clubs us males would like to be in; the Mile High Club, the 40/40 club (both the establishment, and MLB standard of 40 home runs and stolen bases in a season), the He-Man Woman Haters Club, and before the Steroid Era, the 600 Club. Before the Steroid Era of baseball, there were only three members of that elite club; Babe Ruth, Willie Mays, and Hank Aaron. Four have been added in this Club in this past decade alone, Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa, Ken Griffey Jr., and now Alex Rodriguez. This "Club" is now jaded in the eyes of fans and only time, and definite proof of an enhancing free league, will have the fans respecting these records again.

Of the new four, three are at least suspected enhancers; Sosa, Bonds, and Rodriguez. Of those 3, Bonds and Rodriguez would have made the Club, regardless of enhancing. Bonds finished his career with 762 and Rodriguez could finish with over 800. These numbers are inflated due to the Era, but given their talent, 600 would have definitely been attainable had they not enhanced. 600 would not have happened for Sosa, since he only ended with 609.

Comparing players of yesterday to the ones of today is impossible, which renders all of these records useless. Reggie Jackson was one of the bigger players of his day, but looks tiny next to Rodriguez. Even without enhancing, players have an advantage now, that wasn't available in the past. Scouting is better, conditioning is better, and the pay is better. Players don't have to take on second jobs to support their families while they play a game all summer. Spring training isn't as necessary for position players anymore due to the year round conditioning. And teams hire numerous scouts in addition to the countless hours of film watched to prepare for opponents.

This is true in every sport. The game evolves, players improve, and records are broken. As fans, we like to see the better style of play, we just don't like to hear about the enhancing. Players are held to a insanely high standard as role models. Some can handle that pressure, but for every Derek Jeter there are 10 Jose Canseco's. We don't put ourselves in the players shoes enough. Once a player breaks a rule, the law or just does something wrong, they are immediately judged. "How could they do that?", "What were they thinking?"

If I were in any of their shoes, I can't say I wouldn't enhance. Take Rodriguez for example. He knew very early on that he was the most talented hitter of his generation. Someone whispers into his ear telling him he could hit 800+ home runs, but he'll probably need to enhance. Don't worry, there is no testing yet. You won't get into any trouble.

800 home runs!

That is a ridiculous number. Given the fame that's already clouded his vision, it is not surprising the best hitter at the time would enhance. It is attributed to his competitive nature and cocky attitude. He wants to be the best, and wants everyone's eyes on him. Hitting 800 home runs would put his name on top. He would be mentioned forever as the best baseball hitter ever, probably best player ever given his excellent fielding.

Then he got caught.

So reaching 600 didn't matter. Reaching 700 probably won't matter. And now who knows about 800? But putting Rodriguez, Bonds, and Sosa in the same sentence as Ruth, Mays, Aaron, and Griffey Jr. certainly makes people cringe. Ruth was fat, drank and smoke as did many players. Mickey Mantle would show up severely hungover to games. Imagine what they could have done in this Era, even without enhancing. Ruth probably could have hit 1000 home runs. But now we'll just have to deal with tainted numbers, and this generation's best players being kept out of the Hall of Fame because of enhancing.

Why do I still like this sport?

Brett Farve.

Ah, yes. The never ending story of Brett Favre's career in the NFL. He texted his teammates that he would be retiring this summer, setting off a media fury. It's not really the dog days of summer without the speculation surrounding Favre's "Indecision." (Why didn't ESPN pay Favre's charity of choice some dough to air an hour long broadcast of this?) It would end in the same fashion as LeBron James' "Decision," with fans disappointed their star player won't be with them to lead a struggling franchise to glory.

The Vikings NEED Favre this year. Losing him drops them from contending for a Super Bowl to struggling to make the playoffs. They need a healthy Favre though and his main reason for not returning this time is a bum ankle. Old man Favre with one leg is still better than Tarvaris Jackson or Sage Rosenthal. The Vikings should plead with Favre to play one more season. Finish up at an even twenty. Promise the offensive line will step their game up and not let Julius Peppers eat him alive.

If Favre returns again, for the 3rd time out of retirement, his legacy will not be tarnished. He tarnished it enough by joining his long time rivals, the Vikings. Him joining the Vikings would be liking Derek Jeter playing for the Boston Red Sox. It's just hurtful to a fanbase and shows how little athletes care who they play for, or what it represents.

Also tarnishing his legacy is ESPN. Their 24/7 coverage of the "Favre Saga" is tiresome. There is plenty of baseball on and football training camps are underway, yet 80% of their programming is devoted to Favre and speculation as to if this time it's for real. ESPN speculates about everything, and they beat every compelling topic to death. Beaten so much that I'll turn off sports and watch "Teen Mom" or "Real Housewives of NJ" with the lady.

Other than that, his legacy is solidified in the record books. Just open them up, and Favre's name is at the top of all quarterback categories, including interceptions. For all of the good games he has had, there have been plenty riddled with gun-slinging atrocities. Having said that, Favre will still be remembered as one of the top 5 quarterbacks of all time.

If the ankle really is the issue, Favre is done. Problem is, his ankle will probably feel better with a few more weeks of rest. Once he realizes his ankle will support playing in an NFL game, the urge to play, which he hasn't been able to quell yet, will be irresistible. Given this is an uncapped year in football, the Vikings can open their checkbook and give Favre whatever he wants.

Favre is the boy who cried retirement, giving this claim zero credibility, and won't be believed till the season is over without him playing one snap. He'll be back though and I hope he comes back every season til he's 50. Try to break his records then Peyton Manning.

UPDATE 12:45 PM - Brett Favre has already told ESPN today in an interview that he has not ruled out playing if the ankle feels better. Sounds like someone just wants to skip training camp. Maybe Coach Brad Childress should force him to run 300 yard shuttle runs like Albert Haynesworth.

The "World" Series

“I say, why do we have Japanese interpreters and we don’t have a Spanish one. I always say that. Why do they have that privilege and we don’t? Don’t take this wrong, but they take advantage of us. We bring a Japanese player and they are very good and they bring all these privileges to them. We bring a Dominican kid … go to the minor leagues, good luck. Good luck. And it’s always going to be like that. It’s never going to change. But that’s the way it is.”

.. (on PEDs)"It's somebody behind the scene making money out of those kids and telling them to take something they're not supposed to. If you tell me, you take this ... you're going to be Vladimir Guerrero, you're going to be Miguel Cabrera, you're going to be this guy ... I'll do it. Because I have seven brothers that sleep in the same room. I have to take care of my mother, my dad. ... Out of this I'm going to make money to make them better. I'm the only one to teach the Latinos about not to use. I'm the only one and Major League Baseball doesn't (care). All they care about - how many times I argue with the umpires, what I say to the media. But I'm the only one in baseball to come up to the Latino kids and say not to use this and I don't get any credit for that."

Ozzie Guillen is known to be a highly entertaining crazy person. You could fill a book with all of the quotes he has spewed throughout the his career. He is a volatile manager, who while being crazy, usually brings up good discussion. Because of his lack of a filter though, his rants are littered with profanity and sometimes the point is missed. His rant this time approaches some new, undiscussed topics and interesting scenarios.

It is not surprising that Japanese players are treated better by teams than the Latin players. The Japanese are already proven professionals by the time they sign with an American team, and normally sign for large contracts. The emphasis on the amount of money they are receiving means teams will ensure that investment is taken care of as to bring back plenty of return. Wouldn't you take better care of a Rolls Royce than a Hyundai, until that Hyundai develops into a Rolls?

Latin players on the other hand are usually signed as unproven, raw talent at a young age. It is a vicious cycle for the Dominican Winter Baseball League and Venezuelan Professional Baseball League. Until they gain the legitimacy of the US and Japanese professional leagues, players will continue to jump ship, literally if they're coming from Cuba, and play in the MLB. They will never gain the legitimacy unless players stay.

The lure of the American dollar is what attracts most Latin players to the MLB. The countries they are leaving aren't the most wealthy, and their talents can provide their families a much better life than others. Without proper education as to why enhancing is wrong, Guillen is certainly correct as to why players enhance. The more home runs you hit, the more money you make. If enhancing will make you more money, wouldn't you? These players did not grow up in America, why should they care about the "sacred" record book of MLB?

The reason Japanese players have never been speculated to have enhanced is not just education, it is their culture. Bringing shame to a family is not something people want to be doing in most Asian cultures. Being caught enhancing would certainly bring shame to a player, and his family, so I don't think Japanese players would risk that. Latin players on the other hand won't experience that much shame, as their families would be grateful their player did everything possible to bring them out of poverty.

Speaking of shame, it is shameful that MLB does not provide translators to Latin players. If they aren't even offering, they should start. I would think many players would accept a translator, if only just for press conferences or interviews so that they could sound more intelligent and understand the questions better. The schools MLB provides in Latin America teach players English, but many players are still difficult to understand and some in the league never learned.

My solution for this is to have MLB fund the Latin leagues. Bring those leagues to the level of MLB and Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball. I think then it would be cool to have a "real" World Series. It would be a dream to see the New York Yankees play the Yomiuri Giants for the title of champion of the world.

Unfortunately, that's all it will be, a dream. It is in MLB's best interest, financially, to keep those Latin leagues from thriving. The best talent in the world needs to come to the best league in the world. That is why the Japanese players come - for the challenge. To create similar leagues, with money to pay players similar to what they're making here, would diminish the MLB.

So Ozzie seems correct in his statements this time. The MLB should do something to have players treated more fairly. Bring in Spanish translators, educate Latinos more on why not to enhance. Pretty simple and inexpensive solutions. Until Bud Selig resigns though, simple solutions are never the way. Maybe now that a Latin voice has spoke out, something will be done. Just maybe.

I Give Up

There was a flurry of trades just before the deadline as many teams made improvements for the push to the postseason. The Phillies needed starting pitching, so they traded for the best starting pitcher available, Roy Oswalt. The Yankees needed help at DH, off the bench, and in the bullpen, so Brian Cashman traded for Lance Berkman, Austin Kearns, and Kerry Wood; all upgrades. The Braves and Rays made trades to upgrade their weak spots as well. This builds compelling divisional races in both the AL and NL East.

Two notable teams are left out of the races, the Boston Red Sox and New York Mets. While the BoSox were decimated by injuries, and could see a burst once everyone returns, upper management better hope no one else goes down for the stretch.

By not making any trades by the deadline, it seems the upper management of the BoSox and Mets have given up on this season. Both teams are less than 10 games out of first, over .500, and have plenty of games left with the teams above them. With a few key trades, both could make a run for at least the Wild Card. Instead, both teams just told their players and manager, you're on your own.

Both teams enter every season with high expectations. Fans expect them to make the playoffs. The Mets, for the third time now, saw the best pitcher available go to their biggest rival. First was Cliff Lee, last year's deadline, then Roy Halladay in the offseason, now Oswalt. There wasn't even discussion of him going to NY. Their starting pitching hasn't been bad this season, but Mike Pelfrey hasn't been able to continue his hot start, and a trade like this would show the players that management still thinks they have a shot to climb the standings.

As I said earlier, the BoSox have many players returning from injury over the next few weeks. That may be too little too late. They have a 4 game series with the Yanks coming up and a few losses there could seal their season's fate. Theo Epstein should have put some band-aids on the wounds the injuries created, but did nothing for months, and can only hope something comes off the waiver wire.

Epstein has a job in Boston for life, as does Terry Francona since they ended the curse, but Omar Minaya and definitely Jerry Manuel, are on the firing block if the Mets don't pull off a miracle. Manuel doesn't deserve it as much, since Minaya did nothing this deadline, and little in the offseason, but the Mets are missing the playoffs all too often, while the Yankees keep winning.

Who knows if any of the trades will work out? Oswalt looked awful outing and Berkman has 1 hit in 2 games and 1 flop at 1st base. Just the fact that management brought help shows belief in the players and pumps up the team.

We'll see if management caring turns into competitive players on the field. And vice versa for management not caring. Will the BoSox and Mets rise or fall in the standings? At this point, I say the Mets finish just above the Nationals, and the BoSox finish barely above the Blue Jays, with the top 2 teams in each division, Yanks and Rays, Braves and Phils, finishing only a game or two from each other.