Because it's not like he needs to spend more time focusing on the Jets' playbook...

From Fox's Jay Glazier: Brett Favre allegedly talked on the phone for 60 to 90 minutes to Lions' coaches, giving them tips about how to stop the Packers' offense.

This jealous ex-lover thing is going a little too far. Hey, Brett...you play for the Jets now. Try learning their playbook before wasting a lot of time talking about that of the Packers.

Welcome to Giantland!

What a day it's been! I was just informed that my papers went through. I'm thrilled about my new home! That's right, my application for political asylum in New York Giants fanhood was accepted. It is awesome to be on board.

And to think, this happens mere hours after the New York Jets, my old professional football home (a very abusive home at that), suffered their most embarassing loss in franchise history. I wouldn't say it was the worst game purely in terms of poor play, as approximately 10 of the top 10 in that category are from the Rich Kotite years...but in terms of expectations, talent assembled pre-gunslinger (Pace, Jenkins, etc.), talent that was already in place, and the fact that they were playing against a team in complete disarray, and an owner who holds bizarre press conferences during which he reads letters telling his ex-coach to "get over it"...I'd say that yesterday was the most humiliating loss the franchise has ever had.
For those not familiar with the concept of football political asylum, a fan is allowed to adopt allegiance to a non-conference, geographically close team, if the conditions with his former team become so bad that the fan could no longer rationally support them. It's just science, people. Now, the fan does reserve the right to return to his former team, but only when those conditions measurably improve. With the Jets, for instance, I assume this time will not come until a change at quarterback is made.

I think when all is said and done, the 2008 Jets will be proof that you can't play "fantasy football" with an NFL roster. As I mentioned earlier, the team was assembled in the offseason with key components to help them win. The pieces all fit. In August, things looked promising for the Jets. They appeared poised for a good season with Chad Pennington and an offensive line, running game, and receivers who could work with his strengths and weaknesses. Then, the Jets tried to plug in a quarterback who was over the hill, terribly mistake-prone, and didn't really want to be there. I knew this was how it was going to go, but to my credit as the patient, level-headed fan I am, I gave the experiment a fair chance. I still think the Jets will make the playoffs, and I stick to that prediction...but it's clear their quarterback will never give them the two decent performances in a row necessary to defeat two very good teams in the postseason.

What's in a name?

It has occurred to me after looking at many of the comments on my blog posts, that it often appears I have an alter-ego that I use to make fun of myself. I have a friend named Bill, and when he posts, it shows up as "bill." This becomes even more confusing when I post a comment of my own, after my friend Bill has posted a comment. It shows up the same way for me also: "bill." I have looked for a way to change my display name when I post comments on my own blog, and I can't find it. I can't even capitalize the letter B and make it look like my grammar is superior to Bill's, and therefore appear to be a superior human being.

So, to clarify, I don't have a split personality that I use to point out the sillyness of my posts and rip on my other personality.

...Or do I?

Oughts, and the Roaring Twenties

I was thinking today about how fast 2008 is flying by, and how it is almost over. And when 2008 is over it will also mean we have only one year remaining of saying "ought" instead of "o" when referring to the third of the four digits in the year. It seems like only yesterday that my friends Bill, Mike, and I, were talking about how great it was going to be to say "Twenty ought-one" when everyone else says "twenty-oh-one," or "two-thousand-one." It's been a great decade, but ought-nine is all we have left. Once 2010 hits, I'm afraid there is nothing cool to call the year. "Twenty-ten?" "Two-thousand-ten?" Or if you're into the whole brevity thing, just "Ten?" Lame.

And speaking of years, if I can go forward even further, when baseball fans of my generation are really old I think there is potential for some confusing conversations. Baseball has a much longer history than its superior, football...and its inferior, basketball. As a result, it will be the first sport where you can talk about history and have to clarify which century you are referring to. I can see the following conversation taking place in say, the year 2043, when I am 62 years old (and my current Arizona Driver's License still has not yet expired):

Fan 1: "What a great offense the Mariners have. It reminds me of the world champion '27 Yankees."
Fan 2: "Ah yes, the 1927 Yankees of Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig."

Fan 1: "No dummy, I was referring to the 2027 Yankees of Derek Jeter Jr.* and {generate random baseball name that does not yet exist here.}"

*Yes, I know that even if Derek Jeter Jr. was born today, he would only be 19 years old in 2027. Whatever, just go with it.

And the kaleidoscope changes again

Just when we think we have the NFL figured out...well actually we didn't think that at any point. But, no league can confuse us week-to-week like the NFL. The Cowboys lose to Cardinals, and the Redskins lose to the (no longer) winless Rams. The only team that looks to be a sure thing this season is the Giants, and I'm certain they'll have at least one or two bad games before the regular season is over. I mean, no team goes 16-0 in a season without cheating.

One thing is looking like a lock though. Both the Cardinals and Patriots this season decided to stay on the opposite coast for a week in between road games. For the Cardinals, they played the Redskins, stayed east, then played the Jets. The Patriots played the 49ers, stayed out west for a week, then faced the Chargers. Each team was crushed in that 2nd game. I don't think we'll be seeing any teams trying that strategy again. It's not like the old days when teams had to ride on trains for days to travel to these places. Inconveniencing your team for a week, to save a couple 4-hour flights? I just don't understand it.