It's been a long standing tradition in American sports history that when a team (seemingly any team) wins a championship they get to go to the White House and meet the president. Sometimes the mixing of athletes and political figures can create an awkward moment. However, for the most part the whole thing is just a good photo opportunity for all involved. As the Pittsburgh Steelers prepare to make their visit to the White House and celebrate their Super Bowl victory, there is one player who will not make the trip, actually he is flat-out refusing the invitation.
James Harrison was one of the most feared men in the NFL last season. He had nothing short of a phenomenal season. He capped off the 2008 campaign by making one of the greatest plays in Super Bowl history as he rumbled nearly 100 yards for a touchdown. There is no doubt that the Steelers wouldn't have won the Super Bowl, if Harrison was not on the team last season. Now it appears that Harrison is ready to make his impact off the field, by turning down the invitation to travel with the Steelers to Washington D.C. to meet President Obama.
Harrison had the following to say about the whole situation:"This is how I feel—if you want to see the Pittsburgh Steelers, invite us when we don't win the Super Bowl. As far as I'm concerned, he [Obama] would've invited Arizona if they had won."
Really? You mean if the Cardinals had won they would have gotten the Lombardi trophy and not you?!? I think the Steelers should be presented the trophy if they don't win the Super Bowl...yeah...umm...that would make sense!
It definitely comes across as arrogant that Harrison feels that it should be Obama who is honored to meet him and not the other way around. I suppose that James Harrison's offseason is just too busy to take a day out to visit the president.
I mean really, how busy can Obama be that he doesn't take time out to visit the star linebacker on his own time? You've got to sit back and think seriously: who does this guy think he is? I'd actually prefer it if Harrison had refused the White House visit because he was making a political statement. However, if the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES invites you to his house...you go!
With behavior of this nature, it is not surprising that half the NFL seemingly gets arrested on a regular basis. It should be noted that Harrison also refused to go to the White House in 2006 to meet President Bush. I guess he was too busy on that day as well.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
It's Your Fault!!
Dear Mainstream Sports Media Types,
We're really not that different, you and I. We've all been given a medium to express our opinions about sports, and we've all done so with varying degrees of success. While many of you have been given an opportunity to work for major newspapers or television stations, I'm just some schmuck with a computer and an opinion that's been fortunate enough to have roughly 200 people read about my feelings about different sports topics. To be quite honest about it, a lot of you out there are the inspiration behind what I do here on my site, and for that I thank you.
However, I feel that something needs to be said about the coverage of the Brett Favre situation that has arisen in recent weeks. Not the fact that there's a ton of coverage of it, because that's the way it should be, whether we like it or not. Big names get more ink than smaller names, and I understand that. Rather, it's the tone that this coverage has taken that leaves me with some cause for concern. Allow me to explain.
As someone that has been a fan of the Minnesota Vikings for as long as he's been able to grasp the basic concepts of football, I've had a long and healthy dislike for Brett Favre. Was it due to the fact that he was always beating the Minnesota Vikings? Well. . . not really. Until the latter part of his stint in Green Bay, Favre had never been terribly successful against the Vikings, and in fact has turned in some of the worst performances of his career against them.
Was it because he was the face of the league for a while and is regarded as one of the best players in the history of the NFL? Certainly not. I understand that big names will get that sort of spotlight, and that the Vikings have had a couple of those players over the course of their history. Honestly, I've seen some of the all-time greats line up against the Vikings over the years I've been watching them. . . names like Barry Sanders, Reggie White, Mike Singletary, and so forth. . . and I didn't have the active disdain for any of them that I've harbored for Brett Favre.
No, the reason for my dislike of Brett Favre during my time as a fan of the Minnesota Vikings is this: I've been watching NFL football for almost twenty years now. . . and over the course of those years, no player in the history of the National Football League has had more excuses made for them or had their ass kissed on a more frequent basis than the man that many simply refer to as "#4." It may have been enhanced somewhat by being a fan of a rival team, but it isn't just Viking or Bear or Lion fans that feel this way about the guy, and I'm sure that many of those fans would attest to that.
It's not just a couple of mainstream media outlets that I'm focused on here, either, quite frankly. Everyone from Peter King to Joe Buck to John Madden to ESPN has had a role in creating this monster. When Brett Favre went out against the St. Louis Rams in the playoffs in 2002 and threw an NFL post-season record six interceptions, he went out in the post-game press conference and proceeded to throw his entire receiving corps under the bus. And you let him do it.
When he went out against the Philadelphia Eagles in 2004 and, in the face of a blitz, proceeded to throw a pass 30 yards over the head of receiver Javon Walker for an interception, who did you folks blame? It certainly wasn't Brett Favre. . . it was Javon Walker for not catching a pass that Usian Bolt wouldn't have caught up to.
When he faced the Minnesota Vikings in 2005 and completely stunk up Lambeau Field for four quarters, including underhanding a pass after being five yards over the line of scrimmage because he was scared to get hit, all you could do is remind us repeatedly about how much fun Brett Favre was having. If I didn't know any better, I'd think that Favre was the only guy in NFL history that actually enjoyed playing the game.
When he spent the entire 2006 season looking horrible and turning the ball over 36 times, the blame didn't go to #4. . . it immediately went to his "supporting cast." In the eyes of the mainstream media, Brett Favre spent 15 years doing absolutely no wrong, whether it was on the field or off the field. All of you gave Brett Favre the impression that he was running the franchise in Green Bay. All of you gave Brett Favre the impression that he was bigger than any team in the league, and frankly bigger than the league itself.
And now you're "tired of the Favre saga?" Now you think it's pathetic and sad that the man is doing this? Please. I hate to break the news to all of you, but you created this monster. Sure, superstars should be treated a bit differently than your average player, but the way you treated Brett Favre for the majority of his career was above and beyond all of that. How can you possibly be surprised by the way he's acting now after the way that all of you have chosen to enable him for the better part of his NFL career?
I don't know if Brett Favre is going to end up a member of the Minnesota Vikings. None of you know and, quite frankly, he probably doesn't know right now either. And whether he joins the Vikings or not, it won't change the fact that he's a primadonna or a jackass or a diva. But, by God, much like Randy Moss during the time he was in Minnesota, for that one year he'll be our primadonna, our jackass, and our "diva." Some will embrace him, some will reject him, and some (like myself) don't even know where they'd stand on such a situation.
But, please. . . drop the outrage and anger over the entire situation playing out the way it has. Again, you were the enablers in this relationship, and if you don't like where it's gone, you have nobody to blame but yourselves.
Sincerely,
Kevin R. Blackann
We're really not that different, you and I. We've all been given a medium to express our opinions about sports, and we've all done so with varying degrees of success. While many of you have been given an opportunity to work for major newspapers or television stations, I'm just some schmuck with a computer and an opinion that's been fortunate enough to have roughly 200 people read about my feelings about different sports topics. To be quite honest about it, a lot of you out there are the inspiration behind what I do here on my site, and for that I thank you.
However, I feel that something needs to be said about the coverage of the Brett Favre situation that has arisen in recent weeks. Not the fact that there's a ton of coverage of it, because that's the way it should be, whether we like it or not. Big names get more ink than smaller names, and I understand that. Rather, it's the tone that this coverage has taken that leaves me with some cause for concern. Allow me to explain.
As someone that has been a fan of the Minnesota Vikings for as long as he's been able to grasp the basic concepts of football, I've had a long and healthy dislike for Brett Favre. Was it due to the fact that he was always beating the Minnesota Vikings? Well. . . not really. Until the latter part of his stint in Green Bay, Favre had never been terribly successful against the Vikings, and in fact has turned in some of the worst performances of his career against them.
Was it because he was the face of the league for a while and is regarded as one of the best players in the history of the NFL? Certainly not. I understand that big names will get that sort of spotlight, and that the Vikings have had a couple of those players over the course of their history. Honestly, I've seen some of the all-time greats line up against the Vikings over the years I've been watching them. . . names like Barry Sanders, Reggie White, Mike Singletary, and so forth. . . and I didn't have the active disdain for any of them that I've harbored for Brett Favre.
No, the reason for my dislike of Brett Favre during my time as a fan of the Minnesota Vikings is this: I've been watching NFL football for almost twenty years now. . . and over the course of those years, no player in the history of the National Football League has had more excuses made for them or had their ass kissed on a more frequent basis than the man that many simply refer to as "#4." It may have been enhanced somewhat by being a fan of a rival team, but it isn't just Viking or Bear or Lion fans that feel this way about the guy, and I'm sure that many of those fans would attest to that.
It's not just a couple of mainstream media outlets that I'm focused on here, either, quite frankly. Everyone from Peter King to Joe Buck to John Madden to ESPN has had a role in creating this monster. When Brett Favre went out against the St. Louis Rams in the playoffs in 2002 and threw an NFL post-season record six interceptions, he went out in the post-game press conference and proceeded to throw his entire receiving corps under the bus. And you let him do it.
When he went out against the Philadelphia Eagles in 2004 and, in the face of a blitz, proceeded to throw a pass 30 yards over the head of receiver Javon Walker for an interception, who did you folks blame? It certainly wasn't Brett Favre. . . it was Javon Walker for not catching a pass that Usian Bolt wouldn't have caught up to.
When he faced the Minnesota Vikings in 2005 and completely stunk up Lambeau Field for four quarters, including underhanding a pass after being five yards over the line of scrimmage because he was scared to get hit, all you could do is remind us repeatedly about how much fun Brett Favre was having. If I didn't know any better, I'd think that Favre was the only guy in NFL history that actually enjoyed playing the game.
When he spent the entire 2006 season looking horrible and turning the ball over 36 times, the blame didn't go to #4. . . it immediately went to his "supporting cast." In the eyes of the mainstream media, Brett Favre spent 15 years doing absolutely no wrong, whether it was on the field or off the field. All of you gave Brett Favre the impression that he was running the franchise in Green Bay. All of you gave Brett Favre the impression that he was bigger than any team in the league, and frankly bigger than the league itself.
And now you're "tired of the Favre saga?" Now you think it's pathetic and sad that the man is doing this? Please. I hate to break the news to all of you, but you created this monster. Sure, superstars should be treated a bit differently than your average player, but the way you treated Brett Favre for the majority of his career was above and beyond all of that. How can you possibly be surprised by the way he's acting now after the way that all of you have chosen to enable him for the better part of his NFL career?
I don't know if Brett Favre is going to end up a member of the Minnesota Vikings. None of you know and, quite frankly, he probably doesn't know right now either. And whether he joins the Vikings or not, it won't change the fact that he's a primadonna or a jackass or a diva. But, by God, much like Randy Moss during the time he was in Minnesota, for that one year he'll be our primadonna, our jackass, and our "diva." Some will embrace him, some will reject him, and some (like myself) don't even know where they'd stand on such a situation.
But, please. . . drop the outrage and anger over the entire situation playing out the way it has. Again, you were the enablers in this relationship, and if you don't like where it's gone, you have nobody to blame but yourselves.
Sincerely,
Kevin R. Blackann
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Here we go...again.....
It's like the Capulets telling Romeo he should run the family business. It's like Israel electing a Palestinian President. It's like Kareem suiting up at center for the '86 Celtics. It's like Garfield freely sharing a pan of lasagna with Nermal.
Have I made my point yet? That this whole thing just feels very wrong on every level? OK, good. I swore to myself up and down that I wouldn't write a single article about you-know-who again until something actually happened. Well, much to my amazement and horror, something has happened (or is about to happen).
I'm 27 years old. I have spent well over half of my entire life hating Brett Favre. Of course I have; I was supposed to! He was the most notable player on my least favorite team for the better part of two decades. It felt really, really good to unleash my passionate disdain for all things Brett Favre. I'm the exact opposite of John Madden if you think about it. Now it seems as though there's a very real possibility that he may play for my favorite team this year. What the hell am I supposed to think?!
Before I even attempt to talk myself into being OK with this, I have some questions to ask:
1.) Is he too old and beat up to be effective?
To paraphrase Happy Gilmore: "But he's an old man. I mean, look at him, he's--old! You can't just make him our quarterback, he's--too old!"
Favre is going to turn 40 early in the 2009 season. Name me some athletes that have had played at a championship level professionally after 40. And what about those shoulder and bicep injuries? He hasn't had surgery since he faltered down the stretch last season; has rest magically cured his ailments? If so, Wrangler should run advertisements about the miraculous healing power of their denim.
2.) How much would it cost?
In 2008, Favre made $12 million with the Jets, making him the 5th highest paid quarterback in the league. I don't think it's much of a stretch for me to say that he's not going to be a top-5 quarterback in 2009. So unless he takes a "screw the money, I just want to stick it to Ted Thompson" discount, why would the Vikings want to overpay Favre when they don't have a ton of cap room to begin with?
3.) What happens to the 3 QBs the Vikings already have on the roster?
Look, I get it...none of the three quarterbacks currently on Minnesota's roster scream out "perennial Pro Bowler." Favre definitely has the track record to out-perform RosenCopter, T-Jax, and Booty Call. Even the most rabid Favre hater will admit that...because I am, and I just did.
But since the Vikings are almost certain to keep less than four QBs on their 2009 roster, do they give up on the Booty Experiment after just one year? Are they OK with giving up a 4th round pick for Sage riding the pine most of the season? Is Childress willing to swallow his pride and admit The Tarvaris Jackson Experiment was for the most part a failure? Even if my nightmare ends and Favre doesn't sign with the Vikes, what damage has already been done to their psyches? I don't have an easy answer for any of those questions.
4.) Are we really OK with every story about the 2009 Vikings revolving around one player?
Because that's exactly how it's going to be in the mainstream media. Sure, Favre will bring the Vikings more press coverage than we've ever dreamed of. But is that necessarily a good thing? Will the best running back in the NFL be OK with the 'round-the-clock Favre Circus overshadowing his awesomeness? How will Jared Allen, Percy Harvin, Antoine Winfield, the Williams Wall & co. deal with the constant distraction? Remember, not everyone on the Jets was thrilled with the team bringing in Favre last year. Would the extra national scrutiny be worth it?
Don't get me wrong, I realize that Favre to the Vikings has a chance to be something special. If he plays well and the team stays healthy, the Vikings might have a Super Bowl caliber team. It would also be really fun to see Packer fans squirm and try to convince themselves that they're just fine while the mere thought of Favre coming to Lambeau in purple gives them hives.
I also realize that this kind of thing isn't completely unheard of in the sports world: look at Johnny Damon going from the Red Sox to the Yankees. Heck, even the younger sister in "A League Of Their Own" switched teams. But Favre to the Vikings would be roughly a million times bigger than any of these.
If this actually goes through and Favre does become a Viking, I'm guessing I'll probably just have to stay loyal to my team and try to ignore the dry heaves I get every time I see that purple #4 jersey. I'll have to slowly re-program my brain's reaction from "glee" to "disappointment" when I see a Favre interception, and vice versa for touchdowns.
I have one last thought, and this one is for Mr. Favre himself:
Brett, if you're actually serious about joining the Vikings, I have the perfect way for you to start winning over new fans in Minnesota: DO US A FAVOR AND MAKE UP YOUR FREAKING MIND SOONER RATHER THAN LATER FOR ONCE IN YOUR LIFE! Whatever you decide, please, please, please, please, please, PLEASE just let this be resolved well before August. I have a summer to enjoy as a newly wed, and I don't want to spend it writing about what you may or may not do. Thank you.
OK, I'll stop there. I'd like to say writing this made me feel a lot better, but it really didn't. There's no simple on/off switch for diehard sports fans and their hatred. I will still hate Brett Favre until further notice. If he does become a Viking, I guess I'll just have to carry a puke bucket around with me when I watch the first few games. Because it's like a Michigan football star going to law school at Ohio State.....it just doesn't feel right.
Have I made my point yet? That this whole thing just feels very wrong on every level? OK, good. I swore to myself up and down that I wouldn't write a single article about you-know-who again until something actually happened. Well, much to my amazement and horror, something has happened (or is about to happen).
I'm 27 years old. I have spent well over half of my entire life hating Brett Favre. Of course I have; I was supposed to! He was the most notable player on my least favorite team for the better part of two decades. It felt really, really good to unleash my passionate disdain for all things Brett Favre. I'm the exact opposite of John Madden if you think about it. Now it seems as though there's a very real possibility that he may play for my favorite team this year. What the hell am I supposed to think?!
Before I even attempt to talk myself into being OK with this, I have some questions to ask:
1.) Is he too old and beat up to be effective?
To paraphrase Happy Gilmore: "But he's an old man. I mean, look at him, he's--old! You can't just make him our quarterback, he's--too old!"
Favre is going to turn 40 early in the 2009 season. Name me some athletes that have had played at a championship level professionally after 40. And what about those shoulder and bicep injuries? He hasn't had surgery since he faltered down the stretch last season; has rest magically cured his ailments? If so, Wrangler should run advertisements about the miraculous healing power of their denim.
2.) How much would it cost?
In 2008, Favre made $12 million with the Jets, making him the 5th highest paid quarterback in the league. I don't think it's much of a stretch for me to say that he's not going to be a top-5 quarterback in 2009. So unless he takes a "screw the money, I just want to stick it to Ted Thompson" discount, why would the Vikings want to overpay Favre when they don't have a ton of cap room to begin with?
3.) What happens to the 3 QBs the Vikings already have on the roster?
Look, I get it...none of the three quarterbacks currently on Minnesota's roster scream out "perennial Pro Bowler." Favre definitely has the track record to out-perform RosenCopter, T-Jax, and Booty Call. Even the most rabid Favre hater will admit that...because I am, and I just did.
But since the Vikings are almost certain to keep less than four QBs on their 2009 roster, do they give up on the Booty Experiment after just one year? Are they OK with giving up a 4th round pick for Sage riding the pine most of the season? Is Childress willing to swallow his pride and admit The Tarvaris Jackson Experiment was for the most part a failure? Even if my nightmare ends and Favre doesn't sign with the Vikes, what damage has already been done to their psyches? I don't have an easy answer for any of those questions.
4.) Are we really OK with every story about the 2009 Vikings revolving around one player?
Because that's exactly how it's going to be in the mainstream media. Sure, Favre will bring the Vikings more press coverage than we've ever dreamed of. But is that necessarily a good thing? Will the best running back in the NFL be OK with the 'round-the-clock Favre Circus overshadowing his awesomeness? How will Jared Allen, Percy Harvin, Antoine Winfield, the Williams Wall & co. deal with the constant distraction? Remember, not everyone on the Jets was thrilled with the team bringing in Favre last year. Would the extra national scrutiny be worth it?
Don't get me wrong, I realize that Favre to the Vikings has a chance to be something special. If he plays well and the team stays healthy, the Vikings might have a Super Bowl caliber team. It would also be really fun to see Packer fans squirm and try to convince themselves that they're just fine while the mere thought of Favre coming to Lambeau in purple gives them hives.
I also realize that this kind of thing isn't completely unheard of in the sports world: look at Johnny Damon going from the Red Sox to the Yankees. Heck, even the younger sister in "A League Of Their Own" switched teams. But Favre to the Vikings would be roughly a million times bigger than any of these.
If this actually goes through and Favre does become a Viking, I'm guessing I'll probably just have to stay loyal to my team and try to ignore the dry heaves I get every time I see that purple #4 jersey. I'll have to slowly re-program my brain's reaction from "glee" to "disappointment" when I see a Favre interception, and vice versa for touchdowns.
I have one last thought, and this one is for Mr. Favre himself:
Brett, if you're actually serious about joining the Vikings, I have the perfect way for you to start winning over new fans in Minnesota: DO US A FAVOR AND MAKE UP YOUR FREAKING MIND SOONER RATHER THAN LATER FOR ONCE IN YOUR LIFE! Whatever you decide, please, please, please, please, please, PLEASE just let this be resolved well before August. I have a summer to enjoy as a newly wed, and I don't want to spend it writing about what you may or may not do. Thank you.
OK, I'll stop there. I'd like to say writing this made me feel a lot better, but it really didn't. There's no simple on/off switch for diehard sports fans and their hatred. I will still hate Brett Favre until further notice. If he does become a Viking, I guess I'll just have to carry a puke bucket around with me when I watch the first few games. Because it's like a Michigan football star going to law school at Ohio State.....it just doesn't feel right.
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