And the #1 Pick In The 2009 NBA Draft Is...Shaquille O'Neal?

by Matt Brannen

Blake Griffin may make for a great NBA player. I'll even settle for a "very good" NBA player. However, the main story tonight at the NBA Draft was not Griffin being the first pick in the draft to the Clippers (Aside: Is there some kind of league rule where the moribund Clippers get the #1 pick at least once a decade?), it was the trade of Shaquille O'Neal to Cleveland. Hoping to capture the same magic that Shaq had with Penny in Orlando, Kobe in L.A., and D-Wade in Miami, the Cavs made the move that most experts felt they had to: Trade for the future Hall of Fame center and team him with LeBron James.

There is no question that Cleveland General Manager Danny Ferry is feeling the pressure of having James under contract for only 1 more season. The 2009-2010 campaign will be the organization's final chance to win the title with James under his current contract. As I mentioned in a previous post, after the Cavs lost to Orlando in the Eastern Conference Finals, rumors swirled that Cleveland would move heaven and earth to bring in a top-flight talent to team with "King James." Now, they have one of the most recognizable names in the game and the initial reaction is that Cleveland is the odds-on favorite to not only win the Eastern Conference, but win the title outright next June.

Being the skeptic that I am, I'm not ready for the basketball "talking heads" to hand Cleveland the title just yet. I mean, isn't this the same Shaquille O'Neal that was supposed to deliver a title to a Phoenix team a couple of years ago that was on the cusp of the championship? Plus, while O'Neal has come a long ways in admitting (whether it be vocally or in his play) that he is not the dominating offensive force that he was in his prime, a true basketball fan has to recognize that the other 3 guys on the floor with James and O'Neal aren't going to see the ball a whole lot of time this coming season. While going to the somewhat slower style of play in the Eastern Conference will probably benefit O'Neal and his power game, that may also create the issue of him expecting more shots. Cleveland head coach Mike Brown must be both ringing his hands in excitement at the prospects of having both superstars, while waiting for his glass of Alka-Seltzer to be ready for consumption. This is because he certainly knows that there are no excuses now. O'Neal will be painted as the "final piece of the puzzle" and it will be Brown's job to make him fit. Ask the Los Angeles Lakers "Dream Team" of Shaq, Kobe, Gary Payton, and Karl Malone how well having so many great players on one team worked out for them in the long run.

The period around the NBA draft saw several blockbusters moves: Vince Carter going to Orlando, Richard Jefferson taking his game to San Antonio, and a reported trade of Amare Stoudamire to Golden State round out the moves that we know or have heard about involving big ticket players. Yet, no one move has captivated the basketball universe like Shaq being traded to Cleveland. Only time will tell if the deal will be ultimately successful. By this time next year, LeBron James may cement his place as the top player in the game by winning an NBA title with O'Neal at his side. However, if that doesn't happen, the questions about James' ability to win the greatest prize will only continue to grow...

Zen & The Mastery Of Coaching

by Matt Brannen

The Los Angeles Lakers won the 2009 NBA title this evening, solidfying Kobe Bryant's 4th championship and his place as one of the biggest winners (if not the biggest) in basketball of his generation. The title was also Bryant's first without Shaquille O'Neal, worth note only because the accomplishment will hopefully stop all of the insipid "Shaq vs. Kobe feud" hot air from the last several years. However, the Lakers conquest of Orlando also marked the 10th championship for head coach Phil Jackson, who leapfrogged Celtics icon Red Auerbach for the most championships by one coach in NBA history. The point of this column is to focus on the fact that Jackson's 10th title is truly the big story here, regardless of how many pro-Kobe features that will air on TV, be talked about on sports talk radio, or posted on the Internet in the next few days.

Jackson's coaching career has been well chronicled over the years and doesn't need to be rehashed in this space. From his start in the now defunct Continental Basketball Association, an assistant coaching stint with Chicago, and assumption to championship status as head coach with the Bulls (and later Lakers), Jackson has been a lightning rod for controversy and scorn from his coaching brethren and the media that cover his teams. While he may seem to talk in riddles at times during press conferences or act like he is one step ahead of everyone else in the room, there are few NBA coaches that have ever gotten more out of his players than Phil Jackson and did so by emphasizing the team concept. While with the Bulls, Jackson deliberately installed assistant coach Tex Winter's triple post (AKA-"triangle offense") half court system, a motion-passing offense that forces every member on the court to read and react to the entire defense, not just the man guarding them. When you think about what most basketball fans opinions are of how the NBA game has evolved into the "me first, second, and third" credo that has seemingly taken hold in the league, that is an accomplishment worth noting in and of itself.

Jackson has been the leader of two of the most successful NBA dynasties in the last 20 years: Michael Jordan's Chicago Bulls and Bryant's Lakers. Jordan was the most dominant player in the game when Jackson became his head coach in the late 1980s and he actually became better (and a champion) under Jackson's tutelage. From Chicago, Jackson's next challenge was to harnass the massive ability (and, some would argue, ego) of Kobe Bryant in Los Angeles. It did not take long for the Lakers to ascend to the top spot in the league with the trio of Bryant, O'Neal, and Jackson (and champions, without O'Neal, again in 2009). However, "Big Chief Triangle" (as former Knicks and Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy used to mockingly call Jackson when he was in the league) has also been the fulcrum of criticism and cheap shots (whether they be warranted or not) from coaches and media types for the entire period. Jackson's open discussion of his unconventional methods (like giving players non-basketball books to read on road trips and organized meditation exercises), especially early in his career, made him an easy target. Other top coaches and some in the media argued that it was superstars like Jordan, Bryant, and O'Neal that were the ones responsible for their team's respective success, not Jackson as coach. However, the sheer amount of championships that "the Zen Master" (another derisive moniker given to Jackson) has skippered shows that sophomoric names truly haven't hurt Jackson or kept him from getting back to the championship.

Beyond the record number of titles, Phil Jackson's legacy may be recorded as the fact that he helped three of the greatest players of the last 20 years in Jordan, Bryant, and O'Neal (and arguably, in Jordan, the greatest player of all-time) to the title when other coaches couldn't/hadn't. His coaching ideology and practices may seem silly to some, but those that buy in have reached heights that they never achieved before and, interestingly enough, almost (besides O'Neal's title in Miami with Riley) never achieved again without him. Whether or not he coaches another game, Jackson has to be considered one of the greatest NBA bench bosses of all time. In fact, he may have put himself in a position where he could be considered the greatest coach in all of pro sports history. A famous Chinese proverb and idea that Jackson has used repeatedly over the years with his teams is "The journey is the reward." For many of today's vagabond coaches and self-aggrandizing players, it is easy to laugh off such a thought while they search for greener (read: cash-laced) pastures or more face time on TV. However, for anyone that is a fan of teams that play hard and unselfishly, our reward has been in Phil Jackson's coaching journey.

The Greatest of All Hype?

by Matt Brannen

The LeBron James love-a-thon that I wrote about in last week's column has come to an abrupt end. Yep, ESPN's NBA icon has been knocked out of the playoffs. I know it seems impossible to believe (I mean, didn't you hear all the NBA analysts talking about LeBron's "will" to win and how this "has to be Cleveland's year"?), but it happened. And, most importantly, in staggeringly uncompetitive fashion. There will be no Michael Jordan-like comeback starring James and his Cleveland Cavaliers this year. The only time that might happen is in a new Nike commercial that gets unveiled during the NBA Finals. However, that has not stopped the pro-James propaganda machine from firing out the "It wasn't LeBron's fault" missiles like T-shirts that are given away to spectators in NBA arenas during TV timeouts.

As I mentioned above, the Cavaliers' loss to Orlando in the Eastern Conference Finals was a meltdown of epic proportions. Granted, the Cavs didn't have a big edge and, subsequently, fell apart. No, as a matter of fact, they NEVER had a chance to build a large series lead to watch it eventually crumble. Cleveland was the third team in league history to have won 65 or more games, have the NBA Coach of the Year, and league MVP. What did the other two teams do? Well, they made the NBA Finals. Orlando, a team that seemed to be channeling its inner Fletcher Christian not long ago against Boston during the previous series, provded the necessary united front and did not waver from its goal of reaching the title round. The Magic played through LeBron's runs and the response from Cleveland when the Cavs did the expected to push the series back to Orlando. Should James never achieve NBA champion status (and that is a prediction that I am not stupid enough to make here because he is so good and young), how this series played out and his reaction to its ending will tell us alot about him as an NBA superstar.

As you may know, James did not play a particularly good game 6 (25 points on 20 shots) and did not stick around to answer questions from the media after the game. Even more concerning was the fact that he headed off the court immediately after the final buzzer sounded and did not congratulate any of the Orlando players. It was a move that might have made Randy Moss (who notoriously headed for the lockerroom with time still left on the clock before the end of a half) and the Bad Boy Pistons (who walked off the court without congratulating Chicago after finally being beaten in the playoffs by Michael Jordan's Bulls) cringe. Unfortunately, I haven't seen many that have criticized the move (I'm sure that there have been, but I haven't seen a groundswell of Internet comment on it yet) and it only shows the breakdown of competitive spirit that exists in sports today.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=Au4ePfZdPll618AazUfR._I5nYcB?slug=ap-lebronsfuture&prov=ap&type=lgns

What I have noticed, in abundance, have been the writers and analysts that immediately jumped on the "Is LeBron going to stay in Cleveland now?" question (James is a free agent after next season). In fact, TNT analyst Reggie Miller, near the end of game 6, actually questioned "Will he (James) allow the Cleveland front office to increase the parts around him?" What Reggie was, ostensibly, asking was "Will James give the Cavs brass time to get better players before he decides to leave?" I have seen this question posed already in multiple post-series articles from national Internet columnists. How about asking a question like "Why did this guy and his team NOT win this series if we all thought they were so great?" Then again, it would make some look inward and they might not like what they previously said or wrote.

There was a very telling quote from James, when he did finally speak to the media tonight in a separate press conference (Talk about a team player! He waited until the night after the game so he could address the media) was in response to why he didn't stay on the court. James said "It's hard for me to congratulate somebody after you just lose to them. I'm a winner. It's not being a poor spot or anything like that. If somebody beats you up, you're not going to congratulate them. That doesn't make sense to me. I'm a competitor. That's what I do. It doesn't make sense for me to go over and shake somebody's hand." That statement, while one can appreciate the desire that James has to be a champion, shows why he and his team couldn't overcome Orlando and reach the NBA Finals. Boxers and MMA fighters exert massive physical violence on each other and, almost universally, hug each other as soon as the contest is over. As I've mentioned in previous columns, one of the best traditions in sports is the handshake lineup at the conclusion of an NHL Stanley Cup playoff series. Players crash into each other while skating upwards of 20 to 30 miles an hour for multiple games and still find it in their hearts to shake hands when things have been decided, win or lose. If it were up to "King James," edict #1 during his "reign" might be that losers slink off silently into the night to maintain what's left of their dignity. There is an old saying: "A cool person is someone that doesn't act like their cool." Well, the same thing is true in sports. A true winner doesn't have to say they are a winner. How many times have you heard Tom Brady talk about how much of a winner that he is? Winners go out and prove it. They win. They don't say it because they don't have to. LeBron may well be at that point someday, whether it be in Cleveland, New York, or somewhere else. Right now, in my book, his career "achievements" remain mostly perpetuated by the almost never-ending media blitz that surrounds him. While that continues to wheel like a centerfuge, Orlando and Los Angeles compete to see who this year's true winner will be. However, it's okay. There is more than enough time now for the league, media, his sponsors, and LeBron to recharge the hype machine before next season begins.

Okay, ESPN. Just Stop. I Surrender...

by Matt Brannen

I can't escape it, so I guess I have no choice but to give in. ESPN's overwhelming promotion of LeBron James in this year's NBA playoffs has beaten me down to the point of submission. The final blow was ESPN's decision over Memorial Day Weekend to replay and then discuss, ad naseum, James' final second 3 point shot to win game 2 against Orlando in the Eastern Conference Finals. ESPN went so far on all of its TV outlets, including ESPN News (which is supposed to be reserved for continously updated sports news and scores), to go into full LeBronathon mode at every turn with no consideration for reporting the live score of other playoff sports (namely, the NHL, which is also in its conference finals too) to get in its LeBron features. While the shot won the game, someone unfamiliar with the series would think that it won the NBA Championship with the significance that ESPN gave it. That, in itself, is the problem.

There is no question that James is currently one of the top two or three NBA players, if not the best player in the league (depending on someone's opinion on the matter). However, the hyperbole under which ESPN showers James with on a regular basis (especially recently) has to make it difficult for any basketball fan under the age of 25 to recognize that there have been other people that have actually accomplished things with a basketball prior to "King James" arrival to "the Association." Almost immediately, the comparison was foisted upon us by "The Worldwide Leader" that James' shot was as important, if not more so, than Michael Jordan's series clinching, last second shot to beat Cleveland back in the late 1980s. ESPN then proceeded to roll out an "expert" panel of its analysts to talk at length about the importance of the shot, both for the series and in NBA history. Such basketball luminaries on the panel like Magic Johnson gushed over the shot and what James had accomplished in his young career. This "report," as it was sometimes described, was run every half hour for nearly an entire afternoon on ESPN News while the channel refused to do audio score updates of other playoff action (Aside: They did have time to do regular baseball updates). This, mind you, was only a few days after ESPN unveiled a new documentary special on LeBron James and Kobe Bryant. It seemed like ESPN was 30 seconds away from unveiling James' bust in the NBA Hall of Fame. Then again, they've already put James on the list for the "Mount Rushmore of (Ohio) Sports," so maybe that is understating things.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/sportscenter/news/story?id=3835108

Someone needs to explain to ESPN that James' shot made the series 1-1 and Orlando could have won both games 1 and 2. Furthermore, the shot lost even more of its significance when Orlando soundly defeated James and his Cavaliers in game 3 to take a 2-1 lead. I'm sure ESPN's army of researchers are pouring over stats in an effort to present the defense that game 3 wasn't James' fault and figuring how to present a potential series loss as not being their NBA icon's responsibility. It's either time that this ends or time for me to stop expecting ESPN to actually report on sports.

ESPN announced earlier in the year that their ombudsman (Le Anne Schreiber), a person whose job it is to study what is reported and reports to the network about their practices, would be replaced because her tenure with the network expired. What was her last message to the network, you ask? "Stop with the overcoverage" (as you can see by clicking on the below weblink). In fact, her last column was entitled "Excess the root of fan frustration" (with ESPN). After this past weekend, it seems like Le Anne Schreiber had as much voice at ESPN as Dick Vitale the day after the NCAA men's basketball tournament ended. None at all.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?columnist=schreiber_leanne&id=3983722

I have mentioned in previous columns that ESPN was headed in a straight line to become the MTV of sports. Given to the degree that the network continues to shamelessly promote LeBron James, it makes me wonder if he is becoming the Britney Spears of sports. Need some kind of connection to make that work? Justin Timberlake was the narrator for the Kobe-LeBron ESPN documentary. Enough said. Enough taken. Message to ESPN: I quit. You've won.

NASCAR's Dirty Little Secret Revealed?

by Matt Brannen

Much space has been spent in this column over the last year or so writing about the problems that Major League Baseball has had with performance enhancing drugs. However, it seems that MLB is not the only major pro sports league that now finds itself in a quandry over drugs and drug testing. The National Association of Stock Car Racing (AKA-"NASCAR") now stands in the forefront, along with baseball, as a sport where the drug questions outweigh drug answers. Due to NASCAR being one of the most popular fan sports in America and, likewise, a darling of TV networks, it may well be time for NASCAR to admit that it could have a problem, now or in the future, on its hands.

NASCAR has prided itself on having one of the toughest drug punishment policies over the last few years. This makes perfect sense, especially when you consider that drivers race at speeds well over 100 miles per hour on most tracks and regularly at around 200 mph. When you consider that drinking alcohol and driving an automobile at 55 miles per hour as being illegal in the United States, any intake that effects a person's judgment not only could negatively impact them but all the other competitors. The past rhetoric from NASCAR folks, especially when talking about its competitors compared to athletes from other sports that got into trouble, was that drivers understood the dangers that they could create if under the influence. The other argument was that drivers were spokesman for their sponsors and, thus, would not partake in such potentially embarrassing activities for fear that their sponsors would leave them. While this may or may not have been true in the past, the recent spate of events involving drugs in NASCAR cannot be overlooked.

In recent years, a handful of NASCAR affiliated series drivers have been suspended for drug use and/or admitted to using performance enhancing drugs. While the Cup series (the top level of NASCAR racing) was not involved until recently, several lower tier drivers have been suspended for and/or admitted to drugs. Shane Hmiel, a promising young driver in one of NASCAR's developmental leagues, was given a lifetime ban for three failed drug tests in 2006. During the same year in that series, driver Kevin Grubb was suspended for a second positive test. Tragically, Grubb was found dead within the last month, reportedly from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The truck series that NASCAR supervises has also seen its share of drug concerns. A former driver in that series, Aaron Fike, admitted in 2008 that he used heroin while competing in the series. Reports indicate (you can read a full story on this issue by clicking on the below link) that Fike even claimed to use illegal drugs on race days. Former champion Ron Hornaday Jr. admitted in September 2008 that he used testerone for about a 2 year period and acquired HGH in an effort to treat what was ultimately diagnosed as an overactive thyroid condition. Now, this drug issue has made its way into NASCAR's preeminent series.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nascar/news?slug=ap-nascar-inthepits&prov=ap&type=lgns

http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/nascar/truck/news/story?id=3580292

NASCAR veteran driver Jeremy Mayfield was suspended for a failed drug test during preparations for the Cup series race a few weeks ago at Richmond International Speedway. At the time, rumors swirled around NASCAR circles as to what showed up on Mayfield's test. Quickly, NASCAR announced that it was not alcohol, but was a "serious violation." Mayfield continues to contend that this is all a big misunderstanding, because he only took legally prescribed medication (that he has yet to publicly reveal) and an over the counter allergy remedy. NASCAR does not agree with Mayfield's assertions and stands by its initial ruling of an indefinite suspension. The whole situation has brought the same kinds of performance enhancing drug storm clouds over NASCAR that have accumulated to darken Major League Baseball.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nascar/news;_ylt=AkUfIm5TQv2dv5lQDs0_idHov7YF?slug=ap-nascar-mayfieldsuspension&prov=ap&type=lgns

Three-time defending Cup series champion Jimmie Johnson is leading the call for NASCAR to not only announce what Mayfield apparently tested positive for that led to his suspension, but Johnson also has pointed out that PEDs could be a concern in stock car racing. While race car drivers don't have to worry about who can run faster or who is the strongest in competition, the logic does have merit. Anything that might heighten a driver's awareness, allow him or her to maintain focus/stamina for longer periods of time, or be more fearless in making aggressive racing moves could give drivers under the influence an edge over their clean competitors. When you consider the amount of money that it costs to run a NASCAR team and how much money is out there to get by winning races, it would be foolish to think that there haven't been drivers and teams that have, at the least, thought about what they might do to get an advantage. A humorous old NASCAR axiom is "If you're not cheating, you're not trying." Another example of this reasoning comes from NASCAR's All-Star Race, which was run last night in Charlotte, North Carolina. The winning purse for that 1 race alone was 1 million dollars.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nascar/news;_ylt=AnIC4EB_KJhflGqTKHqW3Mzov7YF?slug=dw-johnson051409&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

The whole importance of this situation is that NASCAR may still have time to close the door firmly on the drug issue, unlike Major League Baseball. NASCAR, being the self-contained world that it is, needs to test for not only drugs and alcohol, but for as many forms of performance enhancing drugs as possible. The recent downturn of the last year or so in the American economy has impacted NASCAR as much, if not more, than most other sports. Because so many teams rely on sponsors that pay upwards of $20 million per car each year, NASCAR cannot afford to alienate major corporations that are dealing with their own problems right now. About 10 years ago, NASCAR was considered the fastest rising sport in America. If it doesn't handle itself well regarding drugs in the near future, racing fans may look back at this period as the modern "Golden Years" of NASCAR.

The Biggest Loser(s)...

by Matt Brannen


For those waiting on the next Major League Baseball superstar to test positive for drugs, the other shoe dropped this week with the news that Los Angeles Dodgers slugger Manny Ramirez was suspended for 50 games. Reports are that ManRam, as he is sometimes known, allegedly tested positive for a drug that builds testosterone. Performance Enhancing Drugs experts have claimed that this drug can be used as a masking agent to hide substances like steroids and/or to help one's sex drive (which can be depleted through PED use). Either way, Major League Baseball has taken steps to punish one of its most recognizable faces. However, will it be enough to stem the tsunami that the drug scandal has seemingly become?

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=AlhcS3vr.eJzeRXwUQ.PPUIRvLYF?slug=ys-ramirezsuspension050709&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

Back on August 2nd of last year, I wrote a column here about Manny Ramirez and his acrimonious relationship with the Boston Red Sox front office shortly after Ramirez was traded west. In the column, I mentioned the "eccentric" nature of "Manny being Manny" and how the Red Sox had tired of his act. What I and the rest of the baseball world didn't know at the time was the impact that ManRam would have in LA. The Dodgers took off at the end of last season, in large part because Manny gave them the power bat that they lacked in their lineup. Los Angeles eventually made the playoffs and a city starved of current, legitimate baseball superstars became "Mannyland." Now, with Ramirez's suspension, the city has had its baseball hopes damaged significantly, manager Joe Torre has to once again deal with a major drug controversy (Remember, Torre was the manager with the Yankees for the Jason Giambi and Andy Pettitte admissions), and Major League Baseball commissioner Bud Selig must be concerned that every time his phone rings, another superstar might be sitting for the next 50 contests.

http://stsn.blogspot.com/2008/08/manny-can-now-be-mannyin-hollywood.html

The MLB, through Selig, has indicated that it will uncover all the performance enhancing drug users and punish them to "cleanse" the game. Yet, there are stories out there (as evidenced by the Yahoo! sports story linked below) that Major League Baseball suspected Ramirez of possible wrongdoing during Spring Training. In fact, whispers about ManRam's possible performance enhancing drug culpability stem as far back as the 100 plus names from 2004 that resulted in Alex Rodriguez's public admissions during Spring Training. I heard an interview with MLB reporter Seth Everett on Sirius Satellite Radio around the time that the A-Rod controversy exploded regarding that topic. The interviewer asked Everett what other "big name" players might be on the 2004 list. After hesitating for a moment, Everett stated (as part of his comments) that Manny Ramirez, a free agent at the time, should probably take the 1st multi-year contract offer presented to him (perhaps insinuating that Ramirez's name was on the list and/or that he could be suspended for drug use). So if it was known in baseball circles that Ramirez may have been using PEDs, why did it take so long to catch him? An interesting question, indeed.

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=AvDmcF0WVylaLoXQgvxcYlJDWtAF?slug=ti-mannyspring050709&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

Whether or not Major League Baseball has a handle on this drug issue or not, the blight of PED use in baseball continues to grow. New York Mets TV play-by-play announcer Gary Cohen made a good point the other night while talking about the Manny controversy with former All-Star turned analyst Keith Hernandez. Cohen basically questioned how the league could expect to address PEDs while it still does not even test for Human Growth Hormone. When the drug testing policy was announced by baseball, it was stated at the time that they only people that would get caught would be those silly enough to, well, get caught. Now, we have Manny Ramirez.

To add to the complete absurdity of this situation and where Major League Baseball finds itself, I heard a report on ESPN News about a day or two after the story broke that indicated Ramirez's suspension will be over before the All-Star Game this summer (Aside: That just shows how darn long the baseball season really is) and that ManRam will still be eligible to play in the game (if elected or chosen by the National League). Alex Rodriguez will most likely, whether it be through fan voting or league choice as well, be on the American League team. Can you imagine if Ramirez or Rodriguez hits the game winning home run for their respective team and, in the process, capturing home field advantage for their league in the World Series? My money is that Bud Selig has woken up in a cold sweat during the middle of the night a few times recently with those nightmares.

My final thought on this issue is that one must seriously wonder whether or not baseball's drug testing policy and punishments are enough to keep players from continuing to use PEDs. Conventional thinking was that superstars wouldn't take drugs, especially after the new testing and punishments, because their natural talent would be enough and any advantage that marginal players had by taking drugs would be eliminated through testing. However, we now find 2 of the top 10 "names" in baseball this season "come clean," voluntarily or not, about possible PED intake. While some are advocating lifetime bans (which I think is too harsh), I do wonder if ramping up the suspensions to a year or more would perhaps somehow make a stronger statement. Then again, a lot of folks thought that 50 and 100 game suspensions would be enough to keep players, stars and non-stars alike, from using. What's the right answer? It's questionable whether or not Major League Baseball has it at the moment. Because this situation seemingly continues on from month to month and season to season without fail, Major League Baseball, Manny Ramirez, and baseball fans (due to their unwavering support for the game) find themselves as the biggest losers of all.

Next Verse, Same As The First...

by Matt Brannen

The NFL Draft is over, so it's time to write about what has become one of this column's favorite NFL topics: Yep, that's right...Brett Favre. In case you missed it, stories have surfaced this week that the courtship between the erstwhile QB and the Minnesota Vikings may be in the nascent stages. You ask, however, "Isn't Favre retired?" The answer, of course, is, yes. In fact, twice. Yet, that hasn't stopped Favre from reportedly hiring a private trainer and perhaps flying (or having his representatives fly) on a private plane to Minnesota this week from his native Mississippi.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_ylt=AoGlxR0Yq9fRVeHsFEbyrkE5nYcB?slug=ap-vikings-favre&prov=ap&type=lgns

As you probably well remember, last season's Favre unretirement saga dragged out over late last summer and ended with him being unceremoniously traded to the Jets for a mid-round draft pick. While it looked like the move would work out well for NY, Green Bay, and Favre, the exchange fell apart at the end of the season for the Jets and Favre as injury and poor play marred what was expected to be the "missing piece" for a possible playoff contender. A few of Favre's 2008 teammates, including RB Thomas Jones and WR Lavarenus Coles, criticized the future Hall of Fame QB near the end of the year for his play and relationship with the team. After the season, Favre quickly announced, with only a press release and phone conference, that he was stepping away from the sport yet again. At that point, all the "talking heads" and former players turned analysts stated with great confidence that "this time was the last time." However, now the door is apparently opening for #4 in Minnesota.

Right around the draft last weekend, the Jets quietly announced that Favre was released from his contract and not put on the "Reserved/Retired" list (which is the standard procedure for NFL teams when a player announces his retirement). This movie basically makes Favre available to any team that wants to negotiate with him. Not long after the release, the rumblings started about Favre possibly being interested in another return, this time in the Great White North of Minnesota. Last summer, it was heavily reported that the Vikings were in hot pursuit of Favre and that he was equally intrigued. However, it was easy to understand why Green Bay, Favre's team at the time, didn't want to trade him to one of their main divisional rivals. In fact, the Packers threatened to level "tampering" charges with the league at that point on Minnesota because of alleged phone conversations that Favre had with Vikings head coach Brad Childress. Furthermore, Green Bay placed conditions on the Jets, when they made the trade for Favre near the end of training camp, for additional compensation if Favre was traded from NY to Minnesota.You can only imagine how the Green Bay front office must now feel about this week's news.

Should the Vikings sign Favre, it would seem that everyone got what they wanted, except Green Bay. The Jets took a calculated risk by bringing Favre in last year and it didn't work out in the end. Minnesota may now get a Hall of Fame caliber signal caller to lead a team that some already believe, with a less capable QB, could be a Super Bowl contender. Favre, always characterized as one of the most competitive players in the league, will be on the team that he originally wanted to go to and be determined to prove that the 2nd half of last season was truly due to injury. The Packers? They used last year to get a season's worth of experience under Aaron Rodgers' belt and he proved he can be a very solid NFL QB. However, I think if I were Green Bay, I would be accumulating information right now for the NFL's review about this whole situation. Many pro sports leagues have the phrase "In the best interest of the sport" as part of their rulebooks to cover circumstances that come up that are not commonplace (See: Patriots, New England & Videotaping). I am not here to write that Brett Favre shouldn't sign with Minnesota if that's what both parties want and it is within the rules. However, I do have to wonder if how all of this has developed is really within the spirit of the sport and, perhaps tongue in cheek, if it means that John Madden will unretire shortly after Favre signs with the Vikings.