Love the Cardinals:

Matt Leinart. Leinart recently said that he needed to "realize [he's] a role model and act like one," and I probably should agree, but I like Leinart the way he is. No less of an authority than Paul Hornung says that a young fellow like Matt Leinart should be able to run through chicks like cars at a green light and still play effectively. I'm in support of as much personality and transparency as possible in NFL players, and Leinart brings the entertainment.

Phyllis! While the joy in the life of Phyllis from The Office is now provided by Bob Vance, Vance Refrigeration, it was once supplied by Cardinals touchdowns. Phyllis used to be a Cardinals cheerleader when they played in St. Louis.

Hate the Cardinals:

No love for Kurt Warner? Are you aware that Kurt Warner threw for over 3400 yards last year, with 27 TDs against 17 INTs? And yet, everyone assumes that the starting job belongs to Matt Leinart. Again, I dig Leinart, but in what NFL universe does a season like Kurt Warner had last year not even get him consideration for the #1 quarterback slot next year? I hope no one smites you, Ken Whisenhunt.

Anquan Boldin's been done dirty. It always saps a little bit of the joy out of sports when you see a guy playing for a team you know he hates. And that apparently will be the case with Anquan Boldin for the next three years.

Alex Marvez of FoxSports.com is convinced that Brett Favre will be in another uniform in the next 24-48 hours. And since he knows more about such things than I do, there's a video of him talking about it. He seems to like to talk.

One thing that would lead me to believe that Marvez is right about the timeframe is that Roger Goodell wants this process to be a quick one. What Roger wants, Roger generally gets. Hopefully, he doesn't have to promise Green Bay a Super Bowl to get it.

Like everyone else, Tampa Bay is Marvez's location of choice for Favre. But as a dark horse, he mentions the New York Jets, and the headline that ran in today's New York Daily News -- "On Day 1 of traning camp, Jets fans beg for Brett Favre" -- won't do much to harm such speculation.

Personally, I don't want Favre anywhere near the Jets. It's nothing against the Jets, it's just that if Tom Brady played against Brett Favre twice a year, I fear the health risk that this would pose to John Madden. Halfway into the second quarter of the first Jets/Patriots game, I can picture Madden having a major meltdown while trying to control his overwhelming simultaneous man-crushes and screaming, "BRADYFAVREBRADYFAVREBRADYFAVRE," before he had to be rushed to the hospital to be treated for a cerebral brain hemorrhage and priapism. And I don't think anyone wants that.

But flash be damned, Rod Smith was the most consistent son of a bee sting to ever play fantasy football. Check out some of the game logs. He just caught ball after ball after ball. I've always played in leagues that give points for receptions, and while Rod Smith would rarely ever win a game for you ... he would never ever let you down.

If Rod Smith's fantasy football career was a woman, it would be the kind of woman you bring home to mom and marry. Yeah, there might have been prettier girls out there. There might have been others out there who could bring you more short-term thrills. But while those broads might have wowed you one minute, they've have been cheating on you the next, splicing in 1-catch, 11-yard performances next to the 9-catch, 154-yard performances.

Not Rod. Rod was going to be there for you, night after night, and week after week. He wouldn't leave you. No matter what you did, or whatever other dalliances you had with other receivers, Rod did what you expected him to, every time out. Dinner was ready, and Rod was always serving up about 6 catches for 85 yards.

In a way, that sort of nutshells Rod's actual NFL career, too. He was never the fastest, the biggest, or the strongest guy on the field, but he found a way to produce. If you needed someone to get open for a tough catch on 3rd down, Rod Smith was your guy. He was as solid and dependable as they come.

I've always placed a high value on consistency in fantasy leagues, and thus, I've loved Rod Smith. He shall be missed.

Kevin Gilbride once ran the "run-and shoot" offense as Ryan's offensive coordinator, and it got him punched in the face. And that was a simple one quarterback, 4 wide receiver set. The A-11 features one center, two quarterbacks, and then ... well, whatever the hell you want, really. Ryan would've beaten Gilbride to death with a rusty railroad spike had he tried that.

It's legal, it's legit, and it's happening in high school football in California. It was developed by Kurt Bryan and Steve Humphries of Piedmont High School, and college and NFL coaches have come to Piedmont to study it. Bryan estimates that 35-40 Division 1A schools have contacted him seeking more information.

Here's how it works. You've got a center, most of the time flanked by two tight ends. Behind that, you've got two quarterbacks. Other than that, you've got receivers and running backs all over the place, and the idea is that the field becomes waaaaay spread out, and there are about a billion different places the football can go.

As long as they get the requisite number of players on the line of scrimmage, and the requisite number of players don't take off downfield, it's as legal and wacky as a Reno brothel. You can see it in action here.

Will it ever become commonplace in the NFL? I'd love to scoff and say no, it's too quirky and it's just a fad, but someone once probably said that about the forward pass, too.

Gracias, Pro Football Talk.

It's not really for me, as I'm more of a "hand the ball to the ref" kind of a guy (mostly because I'm usually up by 40), but there's some neat stuff in there. Steven Jackson does a little supermanning of that young lady (I wonder if Soulja Boy gets royalties from that) and I dig LaDainian Tomlinson's touchdown signature.

But there are some slightly unrealistic things, too. For instance, Ryan Grant makes the Lambeau Leap, but just sort of hangs on the wall, instead of falling into the arms of the Green Bay faithful (or, alternately, being molested). Also, there's an Oakland Raider pictured scoring a touchdown. That's just not realistic.

From ChicagoSports.com, via Zoner Sports:

“My mind-set is I want to be the best quarterback in the NFL. And I feel like we’ve got the talent around the quarterback position to let that happen.”

You know, I can't bring myself to make fun of that. I can't make fun of that for the same reasons that I can't make fun of the filthy, bearded guy in the Santa Claus hat who walks around town all day screaming, "MY PANTS ARE MADE OF MAYONNAISE, NOW GIVE ME A DOLLAR!" It's just not polite.

But I applaud Rex for not limiting his delusions to himself. It's crazy enough for him to think that he could actually be the best quarterback in the NFL ... but to also believe that a skill position group that features Marty Booker, Brandon Lloyd, Matt Forte, and the other Adrian Peterson is a quality group? That's not just delusional; Rex has to be hallucinating and seeing Walter Payton out there. There's no other explanation.

So I admire the delusional optimism. But there's also this: Once upon a time, Rex Grossman looked like a good quarterback. He's got 9 career starts where he had a passer rating of 98 or better. And these weren't dink-and-dunk performances ... Rex liked to air it out. Rex was once a weapon. A cannon, if you will.

Most people see Rex as a bad NFL quarterback, and I guess I do, too. But I don't see him as just a bad NFL quarterback. I see him as sort of the NFL's David Duval. Someone who once had the goods, but under a tremendous amount of pressure, lost all confidence, and began to just urinate all over himself when he had to perform in public.

I'm rooting for him to get that confidence back. Somewhere deep inside Rex Grossman, there's a swaggering, gunslinging (©Brett Favre), fearless quarterback, fighting to get out. In Kyle Orton, I see a dinker-and-dunker who has a Dilfer-esque ceiling.

But there's greatness in Rex. Granted, right now, it's buried underneath 85 layers of putrid quarterback, but I believe it's still there. I'd rather see the Bears take a shot at trying to uncover that, as opposed to just giving up and handing the offense to Kyle Orton, who represents mediocrity buried under mediocrity buried under mediocrity.

Vintage Chicago Bears Ditka Sweater
$86.23 (and rising), eBay

If you buy this, and you don't have a mustache and wear regular aviator sunglasses, then you should be beaten with a pillowcase full of bars of soap.

Seriously. Please don't buy this sweater unless you plan to give it the proper mustachioed respect.

It's a majestic item. The one for sale is the model with sleeves, not the sportier sleeveless model sported by Ditka in the picture. But chances are, if you're buying this, you live in Chicago, where the weather provides you with plenty of opportunities to wear a sleeved sweater.

The size is XL, and the seller promises that is has no holes or stains (though some nacho cheese or mustache oil stains would likely up the value and authenticity). The tag reads "Authentic NFL Pro Line." They can call it whatever they want, but this sweater is branded for one man and one man only: DITKA.

When he was drafted by the Lions, he was thought to be blazing a new trail under a policy that allowed him to postpone his active duty obligations and work as a recruiter while pursuing a career in the NFL. But for some reason, on the eve of training camp, the Army said, "Ah, nevermind. We like you better in khaki."

On one hand, I feel bad that the guy doesn't get to follow his dream. But on the other, I remember what I did when I decided that I didn't that I didn't want to serve in the armed forces: I didn't sign up to serve in the armed forces.

I guess the Army has every right to hold Campbell to his obligation, I just think it's weird how they went about it. At one point, they obviously felt that Campbell could better serve his country by making the Lions, setting an example for the kids, and being a live-action recruiting poster.

So they let him try to make Matt Millen's roster, and the day before he was to show up and try to prove his worth to the Lions, the Army stepped in and said, "Whoa! Sorry, we changed our mind on your dream. You can try again in two years if you aren't dead."

It's their prerogative, but I find the timing odd, if not downright cruel. Granted, I'm in no position to make a call on how Caleb Campbell can best serve his country, but from an outsider's perspective, it does seem like the young man got jerked around a little bit here.

I wish him all the luck, wherever he ends up, and I hope he gets another crack at the NFL. And if he really doesn't want to serve in the military, he can always try going swimming in the ocean with a seal with a yellow bowtie.

Tampa Bay has become the preferred destination for Favre in the media, with Joe Theismann offering this opinion, via the Bucs Report:

“I think the odds are better than 50-50 Favre ends up with the Bucs,’’ Theismann said Wednesday. “If Brett Favre plays football in 2008, I think it’s in Tampa.’’

[...]

“There’s something going down,’’ Theismann said when informed of Garcia’s surprising decision to miss the start of camp. “He’s not happy with his contract and the Favre rumors don’t help this situation. Brett has a stronger arm than Jeff and we know that Jon Gruden doesn’t think twice about changing quarterbacks. The feeling down there in Tampa seems to be ‘If I can get a guy to help my team win, I’m sorry I hurt your feelings.’"

Tampa Bay is also the guess of SI's Peter King. And according to Chris Mortensen, Roger Goodell stuck his nose in the situation and "encouraged" the Packers to figure something out quickly with Favre. He mentioned the Bucs as a likely destination, too.

I think I've already decided to loathe whatever team Favre plays for in '08, and I wouldn't be thrilled if that was Tampa. I don't find them particularly loathesome. If it were to happen, though, I'm sure a couple weeks of John Madden and Chris Berman slobbering over Favre in pewter could do the trick for me.

They do so in a V-formation, and while wearing matching Reebok Speedwick Performance t-shirts. Awful Announcing spotted the debut of this commercial during yesterday's NFL Live.

I like it, even though I think it was rude of Matt Hasselbeck to just drop that fish like that. And if the Bengals had known that all it would take to get Chad Johnson to quietly show up for work was the sound of a few birds overheard, I'm sure they'd have sent some seagulls to his house months ago.

"This one's Jon Jansen's," Brown said, referring to the Redskins' veteran tackle who is a--gulp--Michigan alum. "He came over to me and said, 'Hey, rook. Carry my helmet. Where's Appalachian State now?'"

Well, they went 13-2 last year, and their head coach doesn't owe anyone $4 million. There are worse places to be.

Rookies carrying the helmets of veterans is a pretty common practice, so it's not like Jansen is sticking Brown with some cruel and unusual punishment here. If Brown wasn't carrying Jansen's helmet, he'd probably be carrying someone else's.

Still, Jansen bitterly singled out the App State player out for the task. Truthfully, I think it makes Jansen look like more of a weenie than Brown. The next time Brown hands the helmet back to Jansen, it should have "34-32" written all over the inside of the facemask.

Gracias, Hogs Haven, via AppFan.com.

In celebration of the Steelers victory in Super Bowl IX, 70 rings were made and handed out. The rings included the scores of every playoff game that the Steelers won on their way to the championship. In the first round of the playoffs, the Steelers beat the Bills 32-14. But the rings read, "Steelers - 32, Bills - 6."

For 34 years, not a single person noticed. I guess no one ever checked with OJ Simpson, who scored the Bills' last touchdown in that game. Ironically, in this case, it was something of O.J.'s that got hacked off.

A Steelers front office employee sold his rings from '74 and '75 on eBay, and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette ran a column about it. The ring was pictured in the column, and it was then that a reader noticed the error.

"I'll be damned," said Joe Gordon, who headed the Steelers public relations and marketing from 1969 to 1998. "I find it almost impossible to believe because so many of us checked it."

Mr. Gordon, who keeps his four Super Bowl rings in a Downtown safe deposit box, estimated that 70 Super Bowl IX rings were made and handed out to players, coaches and front-office workers. As is the case with nearly all Super Bowl rings, the design was penciled out by the team's owner. In this case, he said, that would have been Dan Rooney, acting on behalf of his father, Art Rooney Sr.

"Anytime something of that magnitude is involved, Dan Rooney would have handled it," Mr. Gordon said. "And Dan is so meticulous in everything he does. I find it almost incomprehensible."

It's about the biggest mistake that the Steelers organization made in the '70s. Fortunately, this one can be fixed with a little duct tape and a Sharpie.

It's only three days into the season and I have one sore ass body. If five different NFL camps have proven anything to me, it's that there is no way to fully prepare my body to take the beatings of football. I've tried working out twice a day, working out in altitude, racing my dog up and down the driveway, I've even tried sitting on my ass. Whether its preseason rest or work I've felt like dog [excrement] within the first week, progressively getting worse year after year. I think that’s what makes training camp so dreaded by all of us going through it.

Whether or not I feel like practicing,  it's gonna happen ... over…and over ... and over again. We will actually hit the field for "practice" over 50 times before we play the NYG in the season opener. What has recently become important in my career is a pre-practice routine. 

The evolution of this routine has been very interesting. As a rookie I showed up in the locker room around an hour early, put all my [stuff] on as fast as possible and sat nervously on my stool counting the minutes down. Even into my first season I was just as nervous for practice as I was for games. Sounds crazy, but Joe Gibbs was demanding.

I feel that this season I have begun a new and much improved routine. A couple factors have changed my mind set for pre-practice. First, obviously I do not get nervous for practice, that's a mistake which makes practice much more horrible than it already is. Second, although I feel like my body is in much better shape than 2004, it seems to take much longer to loosen up (maybe I'm just becoming more of a bitch). Finally, I seem to need an added 30 minutes to bull[expletive] with everyone around the training and locker room.

The new routine begins with about a 15 minute session with Todd Yoder about the better ways to do almost anything. I then make my way toward the hot tub. A shower is recommended before entering the tub, there is actually a sign posted above the tub noting this, but I think I may be the only player on the team to follow the rule. It's always pretty gross, usually little bits floating around on top of all the foam bubbles. Still, its part of the routine and I've deemed completely necessary in my preparation. Everyone showers coming out of the hot tub, big surprise there.

Training room is the next stop along the way. A couple years ago our training staff implemented foam rollers. Early on they were neglected by players, but have now become very popular. They are used to roll knots out of your legs, which may be one of the most unbearable pains I've ever felt. A player will put all of his weight on top of the roller and ease the roll over whatever spot you’re working on. Even as terrible as the knot roller is, it helps so much down the road and the more often the roller is used the less pain is involved.

After the foam roller, I go for a stretch. Static stretching is kind of going out of style, but serves its purpose for me. Usually takes about ten minutes for me but then I am loose. Then it's on to the shoe spat. Ankle taping is recommended, but I stick with just a spat which is pretty much just covering the shoes in tape. Looks cool, but provides no support.

The highlight of the day usually comes in the form of a surprise. On the way out the door there is always a new crude video to watch. Today was "Two girls one milkshake" and I was dry heaving for minutes after. Gross and fun at the same time. Needless to say I had a hard time forcing down the Advil (4) before I made my way out to the field.

This routine happens every day. If I don't get time to make all these things happen I'm pissed and practice may as well be ruined before I set foot on the field.

Chris Cooley is a Pro Bowl tight end for the Washington Redskins and blogs every Wednesday here on Shutdown Corner. Read more from Cooley on his personal blog, where he gets awesome all the time.

Remember those tampering charges that the Packers filed against the Vikings? And remember how I thought it would be difficult for the Packers to prove that Favre had made inappropriate contact with the Vikings?

Well, that assumed that Brett Favre wasn't using a Packers-issued cell phone to make those calls to the Vikings. As it turns out, Favre may have done exactly that.

From the Minneapolis Star-Tribune:

...Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel had an interesting bit of information in a piece he wrote about the quarterback today.

McGinn writes that a source said Favre had continued to use a Packers-issued cell phone and that when the team checked the phone records it found “repeated calls to coach Brad Childress and offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell.”

The possibility of Favre having used a phone issued by the Packers had been speculated on last week after the Associated Press reported that Green Bay informed the NFL it felt “an investigation of the phone records would show more than ‘normal contact’ between the Vikings and Favre, even before he formally asked for his release to play for another team.”

In fairness to Favre, it should be mentioned that any phone calls he made to the Vikings were made in a gunslinging fashion, and through the entire conversation, he looked like a kid out there, just having fun.

Say this turns out to be true, and tampering by the Vikings can be proved. And say that the Packers do what they're expected to do, and block Favre from playing for the Vikings. Favre could end up costing the Vikings draft picks and fines while never playing a down for them, while also putting the Packers in this miserable position.

Give him a couple more weeks, and he might just find a way to tear down the entire NFC North.

And despite earning his living in a state where Woody Hayes commemorative plates are treated with more care and love than newborn babies, Carson couldn't help but let loose with his hatred of all things Ohio State:

I cannot stand the Buckeyes. It's amazing to hear what those guys think about that university and what they think about that football program and Tressel and all the crap I gotta put up with being back there.

I just can't wait for two years from now when SC comes to the 'Shoe and hopefully we'll have a home game that weekend, and I can go up there and watch us pound on them in their own turf.

I'm really getting sick of it, and I just can't wait for this game to get here so they can come out to the Coliseum and experience LA and get an old-fashioned Pac-10 butt-whoopin' and go back to the Big Ten.

Goodness. That's some straight-up hate. And it's ill-advised hate, given that about 90% of the people who fill Paul Brown stadium to watch Carson Palmer play are also Buckeye fans.

Actually, let me rephrase that ... they're not just Buckeye fans. They're people who, if they were standing in front of Carson Palmer and Kirk Herbstreit, and both quarterbacks were engulfed in flames, and they had two fire extinguishers at their feet, they'd use the first extinguisher to put out the fire on Herbstreit, and they'd use the second extinguisher to beat to death anyone who suggested that Tom Brady was better-looking than Herbstreit.

So Carson did a little backpedaling today, via a statement on Bengals.com:

"I'm a Trojan all the way, and I was talking to a Trojan audience in California. I guess I got a little fired up, as all good fans will do. But I really do respect the Buckeyes, and I know their fans are passionate, too. I hope they all understand I'm just looking forward to a big game for my school against a very tough opponent, and that it's all in the good fun of a rivalry. You don't have a real rivalry unless both sides are great teams."

Mmhmm. I'll let you decide which quotes from Palmer sound more like a guy expressing his true feelings.

And under most circumstances, maybe it's not the smartest thing in the world to pop off like that. Humility plays better with the forces of karma, and Phillips doesn't need any pressure on him that he doesn't already have.

But that's the thing with Wade. That pressure's there, whether he wants it or not. Jerry Jones doesn't assemble this kind of a roster and not expect to win the Super Bowl. So he might as well embrace the expectations, spout off, and set the bar as high as it can go, because if he doesn't win a ring ... well, it's pretty much over for Wade Phillips anyway, isn't it?

It's like going into a fight to the death. You might as well go ahead and predict victory, because if you lose, you're not going to be around for the aftermath anyway.

"I said everything I needed to say. I meant all of it. I know it didn't sit well with some of the fans. They saw me (upset). They saw the media play it in their own light."

"I hope the fans understand it's a business. I love them to death. Some of the things I've done for them throughout the years, everything I do is for them. I do apologize. I'm back. I'm going to give a double-dose of Chad."

"I am sorry. I apologize to those I upset."

"You're going to see the same player - the laughter, the celebrations; I'm still going to get fined and still going to have Cincinnati on the edge of its seat wondering what I'm going to do next - but I am going to mature in some way, I just don't know how it will be."

As always, it's a mixed bag from Chad, but it sounds like he at least wants to stop being a douchenozzle. That's a step in the right direction.

But I still maintain, as I have along, that Chad just talks and doesn't give any thought to what he's actually saying. First, he says he meant everything he said this off-season and and made it clear that he's not taking any of it back. But then he apologized for it. Whatever.

And then -- and this is my favorite part -- he announced his plans to mature. Can you do that? Can you make plans to mature? Is there some kind of clinic you can visit, or a maturation pill you can take?

I think that one just has to happen on its own. And if Chad isn't catching a number of balls that he deems appropriate and the Bengals lose a few in a row, we'll see how closely he sticks to that plan.

If you want to make things right, Chad, just take the field and perform. If you're not screaming at your quarterback, or (allegedly) trying to fight your head coach at halftime, and you go out and put up the numbers you're capable of, then you can be taken off the d-bag list. I hope that happens. Until it does, however, talk -- especially yours -- is cheap.

Gracias, Pro Football Talk.

And that's why they insist that you pound can after can of Coors Light, but  that you go nowhere near Charles Woodson's wine.

Packers corner Charles Woodson owns his own signature line of wines called TwentyFour. According to Woodson, TwentyFour "embodies the abundant blessings that surround us. This is a wine of pure enjoyment, gratitude, giving back and paying forward. From our cellar to yours, we hope you enjoy."

Also, it gets you drunk.

So the NFL disapproves, as they have a policy that forbids NFL players from endorsing or promoting any kind of an alcoholic beverage. From Casually Obsessed:

The NFL sent Woodson a note saying that any interviews supporting alcohol would be seen as an endorsement and "may have a detrimental effect on the great number of young fans who follow our game."

And that just blows my mind. It's so hypocritical that I almost have to just stand back and applaud. That sets records for hypocrisy. I couldn't be any more in awe if Brett Favre released a public service announcement urging children to be strong and decisive in their decision-making.

The NFL has an official beer sponsor. You can't watch 2 minutes of an NFL game without seeing a beer ad in the stadium or seeing a beer commercial on TV (many of which I refuse to believe are aimed at anyone over the age of 14). The NFL does everything in their power to get you drinking beer, short of sending Shawne Merriman to your house to actually pour it down your throat.

And yet, Charles Woodson can't do an interview saying that his wine is chock-full of delicious alcohol. Absurd.

2. New York Giants Organization. They get 2nd and 5th round picks for Shockey, which, while it might not be equal value, was probably more than they thought they'd be getting.

3. Marques Colston. Finally, there's another target in the passing game to take pressure away from him. I don't mean to slight David Patten, Devery Henderson, and Lance Moore ... actually, yes, I suppose I do.

4. Drew Brees. Not only is he one of the best quarterbacks in the league, but he also loves his tight ends. In 2004 and 2005, Antonio Gates caught 170 balls for 23 touchdowns. In 2006 and 2007, from Philip Rivers, Gates caught 146 balls for 18 touchdowns.

5. Jay Glazer. I believe Glazer had the news first. He's just dominating the NFL scoop business these days.

And the three losers in the trade:

1. Eli Manning. Manning, from all accounts, really wanted Shockey to return to the Giants. And why wouldn't he? Shockey's young, extremely athletic, has great hands, and he blocks. He's a bonafide weapon, and Manning will have to do without him.

2. Kevin Boss. A lot of people last year felt like Boss was just as good a tight end as Shockey. He's not. But, fair or not, that label's been applied and the pressure's on. Good luck, Kevin.

3. Shockey's Tattoo. The big bald eagle/American flag tattoo matched so well with the Giants color scheme. Now it will clash.

If you're looking to plan a vacation sometime in September or October, might I suggest Schultz's Country Barn in Wisconsin? I mean, you could go somewhere where you don't need a parka and a ski mask, but ask yourself this: Where else can you pay tribute to Brett Favre and corn at the same time?

Of course, the people at the Schultz Country Barn put this plan in motion before any of the current "Waaah, I can't make a decision" controversy came into existence. Not nearly as many Wisconsiners are eager to thank Brett Favre now, but fortunately, the Schultz people left room to carve, "FOR STABBING US IN THE BACK, EGOMANIAC" under the "THANKS."

More info on the great Brett Favre '08 Corn Maze can be found here.

One, I expected Taylor and Bill Parcells to eventually sit down, share a bowl of ice cream, and work out their differences. Maybe Parcells doesn't like heavily-sequined mambo enthusiasts, but he does like guys who show up everyday, put in the work, and produce on the field. I thought his love of the latter would eventually overcome his distaste for the former.

And two, I thought that if Taylor was traded, he'd go to a better team than the Redskins. Not that the Redskins are bad, of course, but I thought if there was a team out there willing to cough up a 2nd-rounder for Taylor, it would be a Super Bowl contender looking for that one little thing to push them over the top.

The Redskins don't belong in that group. So on one hand, maybe they didn't have a pressing need to acquire an expensive veteran. But on the other hand, they'd already lost a starting defensive end for the season, so they did make a move to fill a need.

So that's the question on the table: Is this trade an example of Dan Snyder waving around gobs of cash and sacrificing future draft picks just because he had to have a shiny, colorful new toy? Or are 2nd and 6th round picks an appropriate price to pay for a quality football player who can still produce, at a position where he's sorely needed?

I say Snyder gets a break here. Just because the Redskins have set fire to staggering amounts of cash and cap space in the past (Adam Archuleta, Brandon Lloyd, Bruce Smith, Deion Sanders, etc.), it doesn't mean that every expensive acquisition is a mistake.

Taylor isn't getting the Redskins anywhere near the Lombardi trophy, but in a stacked division, he could mean the difference between making the playoffs or not making the playoffs. And that, for a team like the Redskins with a rabid fanbase, can mean a whole lot of money.

Without him, they'd have been taking the field with one of the weakest pass rushes in the league. With him, they've turned a weakness into a strength. If he gives them two years of performance anything like what he's done recently (and John Clayton says he has agreed to play out the two years left on his contract), then I don't think the price tag was unreasonable.

You?

Not the case, as it turns out. Sam Alipour, a writer for ESPN's Page 2, found out the hard way that Owens is a kind-hearted fellow. After the ESPYs were taped on Wednesday night, Alipour was hit by a car. When he came to, here's what he saw:

Terrell Owens was standing over me. I'm told he was the first do-gooder on the scene of the accident. That he helped me to my feet and off the street to safe ground. That he didn't leave my side. It seems the mercurial Dallas Cowboys receiver is my hero. But my hero looks scared, and this scares me.

"Wow, you all right, man?" Owens kept asking me, but in a manner that would suggest there is no possible way that I, in fact, could be all right. "Don't move. Just sit there. Breathe. Don't move."

It's now that I noticed the car's jacked windshield, which sports a hole the size of, well, my upper torso.

Yikes, I did that?

"That was crazy. Crazy," Owens confirmed. "You all right, man?

I'm fine, nothing to worry about, but Owens is so concerned, so kind, and I'm so touched by this -- we hardly know each other -- that I think my lip is quivering. There's a good chance I could break down like T.O. at that news conference. (It's just not fair. That's my receiver, man.)

Alipour wasn't seriously hurt, and Owens didn't stick around to be thanked or acknowledged.

But thanks go out to him here, just for being a solid guy. He deserves all the positive image rehabilitation that comes with being a good samaritan after a nearby car vs. pedestrian incident.

We do have some fantastic NFL-themed photos from last night's event, though, and it would be unfair to deprive you of them as well as Skeets' NBA-themed pics.

Hey there, sailor. Brady Quinn came straight to the ESPYs from his meeting at the local yacht club. It's just one of the many maritime activities enjoyed by Brady (warning: adult-themed picture at that link).

That's Terrell Owens with Kate Walsh, who is a pretty lady. Owens was very upset to learn later in the evening that Rajon Rondo stole his jacket.

She has nothing to do with the NFL, but that's Adriana Lima. Goodness gracious.

I don't know how to describe this look from Braylon Edwards. It's the undone-bowtie after party look, except it's on the pre-game red carpet, and it appears to be made of diamonds. This is not a look that I could pull off.

Justin Timberlake relives his last moment in the sporting spotlight. Justin, I don't know if you're going to continue that sort of behavior at the ESPYs, but if you are, could you please go find Adriana Lima? Thank you.

Baby blue sweater = Instant respect and credibility.

"Hey Brett. People getting sick of your act, too? I feel you."

For no particular reason ... Alan Thicke.

I'd like to think that Braylon Edwards and Antonio Cromartie heard yesterday about the NFL's new attempt to police gang signs being used by players, and one of them said, "Hey, let's just do random things with our hands and see if the commissioner tries to fine us."

And perhaps the happiest [player in the field] was Rodgers, who was introduced at the first tee on Sunday as a "Green Bay Packers quarterback." Rodgers corrected the announcer, "Starting quarterback."

I think this could turn into the most entertaining subplot in this whole ordeal; Aaron Rodgers trying and failing to keep his anger bottled up. It's not the first time he's let a little bit of it slip. A couple of weeks ago, he said that fans needed to get on board the Rodgers Express or shut their mouths. I don't know if he'll ever get to the point where his real feelings come out, but one senses that he gets closer and closer every day.

Kudos to Deuce of Davenport for digging up this beauty. And kudos to Paul Hornung for being an outspoken proponent of not only sex, but violence.

But this time, he's content to let you pick the bad idea he has permanently emblazoned into his skin ... for just $200 per square inch.

He says he'll get anything done, too. He doesn't even ask to reserve the right to reject anything he doesn't like.

"I am probably the first person in the world to do this. It's a one-time fee and you get a lifetime advertisement," said Thompson.

Thompson said he isn't going to use discretion no matter what business approaches him as long as it is a paying customer.

When asked if he would be embarrassed to advertise for certain companies or products, he responded by saying nothing is out of bounds.

"I don't care ... tattoos are my life I guess. I'd put a hotdog on my forehead as long as its under the helmet (tattoo)," said Thompson, a regular at Laconia's House of Tattoos on Union Avenue.

I'd like to get a picture of Sharon Shenocca french-kissing the Patriots logo on the side of his head. How much for that, Victor?

Actually, the guy's not selling off his head. It's saved for the more noble purpose of having his dome turned into an exact replica of the Patriots helmet. Seriously. His wife had to talk him out of having the facemask tattooed on his grill.

Hopefully, this decision leads to him being able to keep the mustache, which, for better or worse, has immediately become the best decision this man has ever made about his personal appearance.

Make your investment here.

Gracias, Deadspin.

But we'll start with Darrell Bevell, a friend of Favre's, a former coach of Favre's and currently the offensive coordinator of the Minnesota Vikings. He's at the center of the tampering allegations that the Packers have filed against the Vikings.

Meanwhile, ESPN.com has confirmed that the Packers have filed tampering charges with the NFL against the Minnesota Vikings, alleging "inappropriate dialogue" with offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell, a close friend of Favre's and a former Packers assistant.

The Vikings, according to a source, are expected to contend Bevell may have had conversations with Favre as a friend but had no involvement in discussing a job with the Vikings.

It's only tampering if Bevell talked with Favre about potentially playing for the Vikings. Even though Bevell is employed by the Vikings, it's perfectly legal for he and Favre to talk about anything else, like beard stubble that always seems to be the same length, Wrangler jeans, or what it might be like to re-enact the spaghetti scene from Lady and the Tramp with John Madden.

It's hard to envision the existence of any conclusive proof that Favre and his pal Bevell talked about putting #4 in a purple uniform. It's a fun little twist in the story, but I don't see anything real coming of it.

On to another Favre friend, James Campen, who probably isn't a Favre friend anymore. Campen is the Packers offensive line coach, and Favre, during an unaired portion of his interview with Greta van Susteren, said that Campen told him something interesting.

"He says, 'You know, I know they told you they're moving on and playing there's not an option," Favre said, according to a full transcript of the interview obtained by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "Playing here in Green Bay is not an option, which that's what they want. They want to move on. But I'm telling you, if you reinstate or you force their hand, back them in a corner, they feel like they have no other option, they're going to accept you back.'

"And he said, 'Just telling you.' And I said, 'OK.'"

If Campen did say that, I'm sure he really appreciates Brett Favre passing it along to his ladyfriend Greta on FOX News. That could cost Campen his job, couldn't it? At the very least, it has to earn him the scorn of a lot of higher-ups in the Packers organization.

That's not a very friendly thing for Favre to do. Essentially, he just sold out a friend because he wants to win the PR battle against the Packers. "Sorry, friend, some people out there don't like me anymore, so I'm going to paint you as someone eager to betray his employer. Have a nice day!"

So why not hear from Charles Barkley, too? (Note: Click the image to play the video. The video runs best in Internet Explorer)

I actually think Sir Charles has it about right. You can't begrudge a man the right to change his mind about retirement, but his decision certainly does put the Packers' and Aaron Rodgers's goodie bags pretty close the band saw.

And it doesn't hurt that everything Charles Barkley says somehow entertains the hell out of me. I think I could listen to Charles read the text of the Magna Carta, and I'd hang on every word he said.

At least for today, I've run out of things to say about Brett Favre. This looks like it's going to be a gripping, yet incredibly slow-moving situation ... the kind of thing where Favre can give a quote to Greta van Susteren, and the news will explode all over the place, even though he really didn't say anything we already didn't know.

I'm going to consider it a huge, huge upset if this situation finds a resolution before I end up hating Brett Favre.

Okay, so swimmers aren't the big, rough, burly type. They are generally thin, wear just enough spandex to cover their junk, and are shaved from head to toe. When you think "intimidation," rarely will you think "swimmer."

I have no idea how Phelps's speed in the water would translate to grass. I don't know if he can take a hit. And I have no idea what those freakish, fake-looking back muscles would do for him on the gridiron.

But I can tell you that he's 6'4", 195 pounds, one of the most gifted athletes ever born, has an ungodly work ethic, has set 25 world records, and has been able to master three different strokes, all of which use different sets of muscles, to the point where he is one of the best, if not the best, in the world.

To me, that's the biggest thing. If he's mastered the freestyle, butterfly, and backstroke, then clearly, he's the kind of guy who can set his sights on anything and be great at it.

Previously:
The Honorable Mentions
#11: Yao Ming
#10: Cristiano Ronaldo
#9: Dion Phaneuf
#8: Grady Sizemore
#7: Allen Iverson
#6: Ricky Hatton

Tuesday:
Non-NFL athlete who would excel in the NFL, #4

If you're the action figure type, though, here's one that might be a good option for the '08 season:

Brett Favre, on the bench, watching someone else play football.

Aaron Rodgers has ordered 45 of these, and he likes to set them up in his front lawn, while he runs around and performs drills in front of them, all the while screaming:

"Look at that, Brett! It's Aaron Rodgers time now! How do you like watching ME, old man?! Wooo! And Rodgers takes the snap, he drops back, evades a defender because he's young and has healthy knees, and it's a touchdown pass by Aaron Rodgers! Wooo! A touchdown, Brett, as in, not an interception! And Rodgers celebrates without the need for painkillers!"

And then he kicks the Favre figurine and yells, "Suck on that, grandpa."

But that's just him. You could use the action figure in any way you'd choose.

His name is Kevin Schmid, and he's been kind enough to share his thoughts with us.

In a month filled with bitter celebrity divorces, it's fitting that the 16-year marriage between the Green Bay Packers and Brett Favre is coming to an end. MJD has graciously allowed me to add two cents from a Packer fan's perspective.

Although Brett cried when he retired in March, I didn’t. After three years of offseason uncertainty, it was good to have closure. It felt like the right time. I didn't want him to retire off 2005’s 4-12 disaster, and I wanted him back after winning 4 straight games to close out 2006.

He rewarded us with a great year, broke all the records and took us to the NFC Championship Game. It's not quite Elway or Bettis retiring holding the Lombardi trophy, but 2007 seemed like a fitting ending to Brett's career.

But despite how good he was last year, he failed in the two biggest games of the season. He was abysmal against Dallas before he got hurt, and then he threw his patented back-breaking interception in the NFC Championship Game. Those games don't erase the terrific season, but they do make me question whether Brett is capable of winning another Super Bowl. 

I won't pretend to know whether or not Aaron Rodgers can win a Super Bowl. I won't pretend to know more about football than Ted Thompson and Mike McCarthy. After all, in 1992 I actually questioned why we would trade a first round pick for Favre when we already had Don Majkowski, Ty Detmer, and Mike Tomzcak.

Rodgers did look good in preseason and against Dallas, but he also injured himself in that game and missed the last month of the season, in stark contrast to Favre's legendary durability.

So I admit it takes some major stones to hitch your wagon to a guy with zero NFL starts and tell the guy with the most wins in NFL history to take a hike. But I am on board.

Brett wants his unconditional release, and I want to win the lottery, but neither one is likely. Thompson has never been popular, and while a 13-3 season buys a little goodwill, the sight of Favre coming into Lambeau in a purple Vikings jersey would erase that and then some. Still, if Brett wants to play, and the Packers don't want him, they should do everything possible to get him a place to play.

I'm not a "legacy" guy, so I'm not offended by the thought of Favre in another uniform. Nobody cares that Montana was a Chief, and in the long run we won't care if Favre played the last year of his career somewhere else. As long as it doesn't conflict with the Packers' interests, I could openly root for Brett on another team.

So sometime in the next two weeks, trade him to the AFC for twenty cents on the dollar and call it a day. I think the Jets would be ideal - send Favre to NY for Chad Pennington and a draft pick and everyone wins. The Jets get a QB to take them back to the playoffs, and the Packers get a veteran backup as insurance if Rodgers gets hurt.

The Ravens are another team that makes sense. Heck, even Miami could work, and it would be poetic to unite the wishy-washy retired QB with other guys who retired and came back, Ricky Williams and Bill Parcells.

The Packers are in a difficult situation, and while not a storybook ending, trading Favre to an AFC team before camp opens is the best outcome available. And, maybe the happy ending will come in the Super Bowl as Rodgers battles Favre, and this time Favre's back-breaking interception ends up in the hands of Al Harris or Charles Woodson.

I can live with that.

And that should get us one step closer to a world without Canseco. Had Jose won, we might be hearing today about what a tough guy he is, and his next big fight. But surely even Canseco has enough shame to just slink away now.

Canseco came out before the fight and made a throat-slash gesture at Sikahema. But he might as well have been pointing at his neck and chin, saying, "Hey, punch me here!" Either way, that was the highlight of Jose's evening. The gesture was followed by about a minute of merciless pounding.

"He's a very impressive-looking guy," Sikahema said. "But the guy is a walking corpse, because he's rotted inside out. He's a pathetic figure."

Well, if he wasn't before, he is now.

They won't do it because it would alienate the Favreophiles in Green Bay, but the Packers would be perfectly justified in telling Favre that they've put him in the rearview. Tell him he won't be traded, he won't be released, and if he insists on coming back, he can't do anything but hold the clipboard for Aaron Rodgers.

And whaddaya know? Favreophiles be damned, that's exactly what the Packers are doing. I'm really not patting myself on the back here, because I honestly believed my proposition to be unrealistic. I never thought they'd do it. But here we are.

“We’ve communicated that to Brett, that we have since moved forward,” [Packers general manager Ted] Thompson said Saturday, in his first public comments since Favre requested to be released this week. “At the same time, we’ve never said that there couldn’t be some role that he might play here. But I would understand his point that he would want to play.”

And while we're on the subject, I got dozens of emails about that post, about 90 percent of which accused me of hating the Packers. I trust that all of you will now email the Packers organization and complain that they also hate the Packers.

And here's another interesting little tidbit:

When asked whether that role might be as a backup or coach, Thompson said: "not a coach."

Added McCarthy: "He did ask about that, though."

Brett Favre asked about being a coach? Wait a second ... wouldn't that sort of solve everyone's problems here? Favre gets to scratch his itch in some way, the Packers get to welcome him back, they don't have to be the bad guy, and they don't have to watch him go play for Chicago or Minnesota. Doesn't that make perfect sense?

If it's true, and Favre did inquire about coaching, I don't know why they wouldn't jump on that offer in a second. Who's their current quarterbacks coach, that they wouldn't fire him for Brett Favre? Is it Jesus? Because short of that, I don't know if any position coach is that valuable to a football team.

Feel free to take this advice, too, Packers.

That day ... was not today. Thurman is currently being sought by police on a felony assault warrant for allegedly assaulting a man at a water park.

A former Cincinnati Bengals football player is sought by local law enforcement on a felonious assault warrant.

Odell L. Thurman, 24, of Cincinnati, was indicted this week by Erie County grand jurors on a felonious assault charge.

On May 27, Thurman was involved in an altercation at Kalahari Waterpark Resort, where he punched a 19-year old North Royalton man in the face, breaking his jaw, said Erie County Sheriff’s Det. Bob Lippert.

“They were both just guests at the resort,” Lippert said, adding that the argument was over a place in line.

Thurman's already missed the 2006 and 2007 seasons because of suspensions stemming from violations of the league's substance abuse and conduct policies. And back in June, he ran afoul of the league's substance abuse policy again, and was suspended indefinitely. He's not even eligible to apply for reinstatement again until after this season. It's at least going to be three consecutive years of suspension for him.

And it'll probably be longer, since he broke a dude's jaw over a place in line at the water park ... which I kind of get. I mean, who doesn't love going under a waterfall on an innertube? It's good, clean, wholesome fun. Especially when everyone acts surprised that they're getting wet.

That said, never have I ever thought to myself, "I cannot wait another 10 seconds to get on this water ride, and if anyone tries to impede my progress, I'm going to bust their face open without hesitation or mercy."

Everyone swears that Odell's a good guy who keeps putting himself in bad situations. And that might be true, and I might be pulling for him from the bottom of my heart ... but it's still hard to see a guy getting back in the league after three years off.

That information came from the same highly-placed NFL source that broke news of failed drug tests by both Miami Dolphins running back Ricky Williams and Henry to FOX 31 in the past.

Go to the emergency room, man. Pull it out, tell them it's broken, and see if they'll put it in a cast for you. It'll save you so much money and grief.

It might be too late, though. According to FOX 31 in Colorado, the positive test means that Travis Henry has earned himself a year suspension from the NFL. This doesn't have any tangible effects immediately, because Travis Henry isn't currently on a roster. The Broncos cut him because they didn't like his work ethic or his commitment.

Long term, though, it probably means that Travis Henry is done in the NFL. If the questions about his work ethic weren't enough, having to wait on a guy for a full year because he failed a peepee test ought to do the trick. At this point, I don't know if a Canadian team would even take a chance on him.

Among the topics covered are Bill Parcells and if he's as mean as he seems, fantasy football, Jason Taylor's pirouettes, and what Ricky Williams is really like.

MJD: Hey Ronnie. Thanks for taking the time, man.

Ronnie Brown: No problem.

MJD: Let me ask you for a couple predictions for this year. Number of wins for the Dolphins, and number of rushing yards for Ronnie Brown.

Ronnie Brown: For myself, I kind of stay away from that prediction stuff. But obviously, for yards at least over -- we have 16 games, 100 yards a game, give or take -- anything over 1400 would be great. As far as wins, you never know. I really can't even start to say that, especially coming off a season where you only win one game.

MJD: I'm sure you expect to win more than that this year. Is there any chance you guys will be as bad as you were last year?

Ronnie Brown: I think we've got an opportunity to be a lot better than we were last year. We've changed a lot, have a new coaching staff, coach Parcells came over, I think we have maybe 36 to 40 new guys on our roster. So I think we've got an opportunity, and we've got potential, but it's not until we've actually got an opportunity to put pads on against someone else, that's when you know where you are and what you're capable of doing.

MJD: Does Coach Parcells have a lot to do with the team's practices every day?

Ronnie Brown: Coach Sparano, I think he's making all the calls, but at the same time, as the GM, I think Coach Parcells kind of oversees everything. In their situation, I think they have a good relationship, to where they can talk about things and each have an opinion in a professional manner.

MJD: Have you talked a lot to Coach Parcells, and is he as mean as he seems?

Ronnie Brown: *laughs* Man, not at all. When I first met him, at our first encounter, I was kind of nervous about it because of how he's portrayed, as far as being one of those mean guys. But actually, he's a straight up guy, and I think that's what gets misconstrued a little bit, as far as being one of those guys who will tell you how he feels versus trying to sugarcoat things. I don't think you can really get that from Coach Parcells. It just depends on how you look at it, and obviously, you know what you're going to get each time, and I kind of like that.

MJD: Do people ask you a lot about fantasy football? Random people when they see you in the street?

Ronnie Brown: I've had individuals say, "I had you on my fantasy team, you got me some points," or, "You gonna be ready for the season this year, I'm thinking about drafting you in my fantasy league, how do you think you're going to do this year?"

MJD: I took you in the first round last year, and I was devastated at your injury. I'm still kind of mad at you, actually.

Ronnie Brown: *laughs* That makes two of us.

MJD: Has Jason Taylor taken any abuse from teammates about being on Dancing with the Stars?

Ronnie Brown: We joked him about it, especially his little wardrobe, and him in all these tight clothes. And the, what do you call them, pirouettes? However you say it, all those little dances he was doing, all the little arm-straightening and toe-touching types moves. We all joked him a little bit. When they had a clipping in the paper, I was gonna go cut it out and hang it in his locker.

MJD: What if they asked you to be on the show? Would you do something like that?

Ronnie Brown: I don't think they're gonna ask me. I don't think my dancing skills are up to par, especially to do some ballroom and different types of dance and all. I don't know, my partner might be disappointed.

MJD: Do you still follow Auburn football pretty closely?

Ronnie Brown: A little bit. Not so much. I'm not able to get down there, and I haven't been to a game in a couple of years, but a little bit. I still speak with our strength and conditioning coach, and I still speak with my coach.

MJD: Give me an example of some of the best trash talk you've heard on the field.

Ronnie Brown: Obviously, any time you see a clip where you've got Ray Lewis mic'd up, he's an exciting guy, not only to watch, but also to listen to. Chad Johnson's gonna give you something. Guys like that. Not only do they entertain you, which is what the game is about, but they perform at high levels, which is all you can ask for. Anytime you hear those two guys, you got a chance. And let's see, who else ... there's a few guys out there who have some good things to say.

MJD: Who's the best trash talker on the Dolphins?

Ronnie Brown: Joey Porter. Hands down.

MJD: I forgot about Joey. I wouldn't have even asked.

Ronnie Brown: *laughs*

MJD: What's Ricky like, hanging out with him off the field?

Ronnie Brown: Ricky's a cool guy. And I think people only know what they see and hear, you know what I mean? So they try to make a judgment about an individual without actually being around him and being able to form an educated opinion, it's pretty tough. But for myself, I've actually been in a situation where I've been able to spend time with Ricky, and we have a good relationship not only on the field, but also off the field. I have a lot of respect for him and the success he's had on this level, and the things he's accomplished thus far. I think that's what makes our relationship so good. We respect one another as individuals, but also as football players. He's a quiet guy, laid back, just likes to relax and doesn't really bother anyone. He's a peaceful guy. I think that's the main way I could form an opinion about him. He's a peaceful guy.

MJD: If you could have dinner with any three people, alive or dead, who would they be?

Ronnie Brown: Let's see. Um ... Michael Jordan. Him or Barry Sanders, because growing up, Barry Sanders was my guy. Muhammad Ali. And probably Martin Luther King.

MJD: You know, everyone I've asked that question to so far has had Martin Luther King in there.

Ronnie Brown: Just to be able to talk about some of the things that he went through as an individual, and the way he dealt with it. I think we all go through adversity and situations that make us uncomfortable, and to get his opinion on it, I think he'd be a great person to talk to. And then, Michael Jordan and Barry Sanders, those are guys who were athletes who were obviously at the top of their league. And Muhammad Ali, just the way that he not only entertained you, but he gave you a show. Just his whole demeanor and his confidence. To see where all that came from, I think would be exciting.

MJD: What's one thing you enjoy doing that people would be surprised to hear that a football player does?

Ronnie Brown: Well, I'm actually down here at the G2 thing, and everyone knows that G2 is a new, low-calorie hydrator from Gatorade, and with that in mind, I enjoy bowling. That's what we're doing down here. We're doing the Wii bowling thing, and this is the first time I've played the Wii, so I've got a little bit to learn. But when I'm away from football, I just like to relax. Occasionally, I'll go out with some of my old college teammates and we'll go bowling and enjoy ourselves.

MJD: Can I ask who you're voting for, for President in November?

Ronnie Brown: Probably Barack. Just on the things I've heard him say, just certain views. I've heard McCain is doing a fairly decent job lately, but just for me, that would be my opinion.

MJD: Say your house catches on fire. All your loved ones are safe, and you can go in and grab one thing, one possession. What would you grab?

Ronnie Brown: Probably all the shoes that I could grab?

MJD: You're a big shoe collector?

Ronnie Brown: Pretty much. I like tennis shoes, and I can't really think of one thing that just stands out that you might need more than any other. So that may be the one thing that just kind of sticks out.

MJD: Okay, last question for ya. If you could wake up tomorrow with one superhero power, what would you like to have?

Ronnie Brown: You know, I don't think anyone's ever said this, but the ability to not get tired. No fatigue.

MJD: Oh, man. So you wouldn't have to sleep at all? That would be awesome.

Ronnie Brown: I could just do whatever. Wouldn't have to worry about getting tired. I could run around all day, doing whatever I wanted to do.

MJD: Alright, I appreciate your time, man. Good luck with the bowling, and thanks a lot.

Ronnie Browns: Alright, thanks.

"When I was first interrogated and really had to give some information because of the physical pressures that were on me, I named the starting lineup -- defensive line -- of the Pittsburgh Steelers as my squadron-mates!"

What I like most about that story is that it's charming, it focuses on McCain's past as a war hero, and will make local people feel like McCain can relate to them and their simple-minded love of football. It's perfect! So perfect, in fact, that it seems made up!

What's that? It is made up? Oh.

From ABC's Political Punch blog:

[...]  the Steelers aren't the team whose defensive line McCain named for his Vietnamese tormentors. The Green Bay Packers are. At least according to every previous time McCain has told this story. And the McCain campaign just told ABC News that the senator made a mistake -- it was, indeed, the Packers.

Woopsie daisy.

I point this out because it's tangentially related to the NFL, and Steelers fans might find it of interest. I don't mean to imply that McCain is a liar, at least not in any way that isn't already implied by the label of "politician."

And I apologize to Packers fans if they find this news hurtful. Maybe when Wisconsin has as many electoral votes as Pennsylvania, Senator McCain will love the Packers again.

He was arrested this morning after a woman claimed she raped him (oops) he raped her.

Via TMZ:

The L.A. County D.A. says that in January, the 48-year-old owner of Zendejas Mexican Restaurant in Pomona gave a woman a drink at the popular bar which made her "groggy." They then say the victim woke up at a motel down the street and called police, saying she had been raped.

He was arrested this morning in San Dimas and is still in jail on $260k bail.

This news hasn't been picked up anywhere other than TMZ just yet, so there are no statements or denials from Zendejas out there. Innocent until proven guilty and all.

Either way, the mood will probably be somber tonight at Zendejas Mexican Restaurant & Sports Grill. Taco Thursday is ruined. The slogan on the website says, "It's Party Time, Zendejas Time," but it's probably difficult to carry that cheerful a mood into the pokey.

Big thanks to You Been Blinded.

I don't know what kind of a deal Drivers Select is offering, but I'd bet it's pretty good. They've certainly gone rock-bottom with their endorsers, so the company should be able to pass on the savings to you, the consumer.

We should all be so lucky to have friends as well-connected and giving as Deion.

Apparently, this is a service that the Washington County Sheriff's Office provides to everyone who gets arrested for possession of cocaine and marijuana.

From Jacksonville.com:

The police report said that three Fayetteville officers were walking toward an unlit parking lot when they spotted a white Toyota 4Runner parked with several people inside. The area is known for thefts and drug use, the report said.

One of the officers walked up to the passenger side rear door and saw Jones sitting inside. The report said he had in his lap a white card with a white powder and a credit card in his hand that he was using to chop up and scrape the powder.

The officer opened the door, identified himself and ordered Jones to put his hand in plain view. Jones did not initially comply and the officer pulled out his gun, keeping it at the “low ready,” the report said. Jones was then ordered out of the vehicle and complied.

[...]

Police found a corner of a plastic baggie with white powder on the floorboard where Jones was sitting, as well as the white card with powder on the seat. Police found a rolled up paper with another bag of white power on another seat. They also found a black bag with a jar containing suspected marijuana, the report said.

The report said that Jones told one of the officers that the white powder was cocaine. Six grams of the substance later tested positive for cocaine, while other tests were ordered.

Jones was booked into custody at 4:11 this morning, and for a guy who had his mugshot taken after 4 a.m., Jones looks remarkably wide awake. It's almost like he was on cocaine or something.

Jones was likely to be struggling for playing time this season, since the Jags had signed two other talented, but hugely flawed receivers in Troy Williamson and Jerry Porter. The Jags drafted Jones in the first round in 2005, and he's never caught more than 41 balls in a season.

Heath Shuler went three picks ahead of Dilfer, and, no disrespect to the Congressman from North Carolina, but Shuler made Dilfer look like Johnny Unitas. After The Dilf, no other quarterbacks were taken until the 4th round, when the Falcons took a fellow named Perry Klein out of C.W. Post. After that, there was Doug Nussmeier, Jim Miller, Gus Frerotte, Jay Walker, Steve Matthews, and Glenn Foley.

Not exactly a group of worldbeaters, but at least it's something. Dilfer had a pretty mediocre career as a starting quarterback, with a career passer rating of 70.2, but unlike those other folks, at least he kept getting jobs.

Dilfer's lasting NFL legacy will be his run with the Ravens en route to the Super Bowl XXXV victory. All along the way, other Ravens like Ray Lewis and Shannon Sharpe kept saying things like, "We don't need Trent to win this game for us, we just need him not to lose it," which I always thought was condescending. Even if it was true, that's not a nice thing to say publicly about your starting quarterback.

But Dilfer took it in stride and did his job, and I like to think he was smugly happy about the fact, after the Super Bowl, he was the one that got to say, "I'm going to Disney World!" even though he wasn't the MVP. Ray Lewis was the MVP, but for some reason, the Disney people didn't want Ray. Something about being connected to a murder a few days before the Super Bowl. I don't know.

Here's what Plax had to say on the radio, via PFT:

“It had to be tough on him personally. I didn’t call him gay or anything like that. . . . I think that’s one of the reasons why he really couldn’t become the player that he wanted to be. . . . It has to pl