freeneyblitz

Favre got what he wanted, thats what alot of disgruntled Packers fans would want you to believe. He got the team he craved, the salary he could live with and the NFC North Division he knows by heart. But the second he signed that two-year, $25 million contract with the Vikings was the second he burned the last few remaining wooden bridges between him and Packers fans.

Anyway, he's a Viking, which is what Favre wanted all along. Actually, that's not true. He wanted to be a Packer, but remember all that Packers management stuff about crossing the Rubicon River and protecting Favre's legacy? It was as sincere as Favre's first retirement announcement. Mike McCarthy was even quoted as saying that he would personally see to it that Brett would fail if he decided to come out of retirement. How's that for protecting a legacy?

Bottom line: The Packers didn't want Favre as their quarterback, and equally as important, they didn't want Favre as the Vikings' quarterback. They wanted to control his every move. They wanted him to retire, they did NOT want him to come to training camp and compete for the starting position with Aaron Rodgers. They didn't want him to go to any other team... least of all The Vikings. That's why they poisoned any deals with NFC North teams, and that's why Favre ended up in another conference with the New York Jets.

I've got zero problems with Favre unretiring again. It's his career, his body, his legacy. No matter what happens when he wears purple, Favre is still going to end up in Canton. There is NOTHING Mike McCarthy can do to erase what Brett Favre has already accomplished, try as he might, all he can do is attempt to poison the last few years he has left in the tank. How pathetic... and it seems like it worked. With the injuries, and the fact that he almost didn't come back for another year with the Vikings, it seemes like Mike McCarthy is yucking it up behind Brett's back. He enjoy's the injury, the fact that Brett didn't make it to the Super Bowl, and its pretty shallow if you ask me.

I love it when the Michael Irvins of the world say Favre should have stayed put, as if Irvin wouldn't have played longer if he could have. Favre could, and did. And he did it with a throwing arm that worked this time, as opposed to the torn biceps tendon he played with during the latter part of the '08 season. Brett played a good 2009 season, and almost made it. Proving that he still had some left in him. Too bad really that this season was as poor a showing as it was for the rest of the Vikings, because had they performed as well... oh well. Speculation.

I have zero problems with Favre signing with the Vikings. Maybe it was personal -- I'm sure he'd love to stick it to McCarthy and Packers management -- but it's also business. If you're Favre, wouldn't you want to play for this team, in that West Coast offense, for that coach, in that division, for that kind of money? He didn't go there to be a ceremonial clipboard holder. He started for a team that was favored to go long and far, even before he signed.

Favre is old. He turned 40 five days after that Monday night game against the Packers. There were times when he looked every bit of those 40 years. But Vikings coach Brad Childress, who's no dummy, knew Favre at 40 is better than Sage Rosenfels and Tarvaris Jackson at any age. It didn't work but the franchise will pocket whatever percentage it made from all the Favre jersey sales. Also had bragging rights about stealing away the Packers "Golden Boy".

This was win-win-lose situation. It's a win for the Vikings: They got an experienced, Hall of Fame quarterback who is familiar with the division and intimately familiar with his former franchise, which just so happens to play in that same division. It was win for Favre: He got a playoff-caliber team, a potential Hall of Fame running back (Adrian Peterson), a killer offensive line, the first season lol, an offensive system he knows by memory, a speedy X factor in Percy Harvin, a domed stadium in the dead of winter and another chance to play. It's a loss for the Packers, who were hoping Favre would simply go back to Mississippi and stay there. Or at least thats what McCarthy sold the Packer management. He thought for sure Brett would fold under pressure, and give up on his dream of winning another super bowl.

Of course, none of this guaranteed that the marriage between Favre and the Vikings would live happily ever after. Some Vikings players weren't thrilled that Favre stiffed the team and showed up halfway through training camp last year. And what happend this year when he struggled early, and that Jets controversy unfolded? The team never dogged him. In fact it was a few players on the Vikings that went to Favre's home and talked him into comming back one more time.

Favre's career has been a long series of risks. That's how he played the game. That's why he retired, unretired, retired and unretired again. Give him this much: He's never been afraid of success or failure, of praise or rip jobs.

Vikings fans loved him. For them, it was the best of both worlds. They got an upgrade at quarterback (admittedly, one with some bald spots on the football tires) and they got the possibility of a super bowl victory.

So think of this as final act of Favre's playing career. There was the glorious Packers phase, the inglorious Jets phase and the bittersweet Vikings phase. Whatever goodwill currency he had left with the Packers faithful is spent. They turned on him like he was nothing. Like he was less than nothing. Play for the Vikings and we hate you. Retire or we will burn you down every chance we get no matter what you did for us in the past. You are done in the NFL, or you are done in our hearts. How pathetic.

Favre knew this. He knew there are green-and-gold die-hards who will never forgive him for wearing a Vikings uniform. The only thing worse would be seeing him wear the Bears' navy blue. And when Minnesota somehow sweept the season series against the Pack, and cost Green Bay that playoff spot -- well, he destroyed alot of his old fans memories of him.

Favre got what he wanted. But at what cost? It's the price you pay for trying your best, growing old, and having Aaron Rodgers as your backup. Now the Packer management are talking about mending fences. McCarthy and Brett are both even making small respectful comments.... tho neither have came out and said "I love you man".

I've never been a Cowboys fan lets get that out of the way now. However I am a NFL fan, and a football fan.. BIG ONE.


Herschel Walker is one of the greatest cowboys of all-time. Now fighting in MMA, he is a BEAST!!! believe me he is well respected by pro-fighters. The 48-year-old former NFL and college football star toyed with Scott Carson last night on the Strikeforce card in San Jose, Calif.

Walker knocked Carson down with a huge left hook in the opening minute of their fight at the HP Pavilion and then continued to brutalized him on the ground for the next two minutes. Referee Dan Stell stepped in to save Carson from the massive beat down at 3:13 of the first round. Walker is now 2-0 and said he plans on moving forward with his MMA career.

Wild to think that 19 years ago, in 1992 he not only qualified for the olympic bobsled team, but in a 2 man bobsled, took 7th place in the olympics. the guy is just way cool, and a real inspiration to atheletes everywhere, let alone African Americans. He has a clean criminal record, meaning he's a "real bad boy", not a "badguy".

Gonna throw some football stats out there for fun, rememberance, and just in honor of a man still involved in sports and prominent figure in his 3rd different sport competition, MMA.

Congrats Herschel, on your big win.

Walker played running back for the University of Georgia, where he was a 3-time All-American and winner of the 1982 Heisman Trophy. He is the only player in NCAA history to finish in the top 3 in Heisman voting every season he played football. During his freshman season in 1980, Walker set the NCAA freshman rushing record and finished third in the Heisman Trophy voting. He played a major role in helping Georgia go undefeated that year and win the National Championship with a victory over Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl. He would go on to win the Heisman in his junior year. In 1999, Walker was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame and is considered one of the greatest players in college football history.

In the United States Football League, Walker saw an opportunity to do something then forbidden by NFL rules. To turn professional after the end of his junior season rather than wait for his collegiate class to graduate the next year. He also sought to choose where he would play professionally, as he felt he could make considerable money from product endorsements, as he was quoted on one occasion: "I don't know if I would want to play in the NFL unless it was for the two New York teams or the Dallas Cowboys." With endorsement considerations in mind, Walker signed with the New Jersey Generals in 1983, owned by Oklahoma oil tycoon J. Walter Duncan, who after the 1983 season sold the team to real-estate mogul Donald Trump. He got his McDonnalds endorsement, and a big mac commercial lol. It was big back then.

He went on to win the USFL rushing title in 1983 and 1985 and in the latter year also gaining over 4,000 yards in total offense. He holds the professional football record for single-season rushing yards with 2,411 yards in 1985, averaging 5.50 yards per attempt in 18 games. In his USFL career, Walker had 5,562 yards rushing in 1,143 carries, averaging 4.87 yards per carry, during his three seasons with the Generals. In 1983, he rushed for 1,812 yards in 18 games. In his second pro season, his rushing yardage dropped to 1,339, but he caught passes for more than 800 yards giving him over 2,100 yards in total offense.

The Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League acquired Walker's NFL rights by drafting him in the fifth round of the 1985 NFL Draft. When the USFL succumbed after its  antitrust suit against the NFL in 1986, Walker went to play for the Cowboys, eventually establishing himself as a premier NFL running back with two consecutive Pro-Bowl seasons (1987 and 1988).

In 1989, at the height of his NFL career, the Cowboys traded Walker to the Minnesota Vikings for a total of five players (LB Jesse Solomon, DB Issiac Holt, RB Darrin Nelson, LB David Howard , DE Alex Stewart) and six draft picks (which led to Emmitt Smith, Russell Maryland, Kevin Smith , and Darren Woodson). This was judged to be one of the turning points in the rise of the Cowboys to the top echelon of the NFL. Nicknamed the "HWT" (Herschel Walker Trade), Walker's trade was widely perceived as an exceptionally poor move considering what the Vikings had to give up in order to get him and remains one of the most frequently talked about roster moves of the team's history. The Vikings coaches never totally used the tool they had been given.Walker played for the Vikings for two and a half years, never amassing 1,000 rushing yards in a season.

His rights were then acquired by the Philadelphia Eagles and subsequently the New York Giants . Eventually, he was re-acquired by the Cowboys, where he was used not only as a running back but as a wide receiver and other offensive positions as well. In addition to running and catching passes, Walker was also often used to return kickoffs throughout his career.

Walker rushed for 5,562 yards in his USFL career. His combined rushing numbers for the USFL and the NFL (13,787 yards) would place him 5th All-Time on the NFL's career rushing list. In 12 NFL seasons, Walker gained 8,225 rushing yards, 4,859 receiving yards, and 5,084 kickoff-return yards. This gave him 18,168 total combined net yards, ranking him second among the NFL's all-time leaders in total yardage at the time of his retirement; as of the start of the 2007 NFL season, ten years after his retirement, he still ranked eighth. He also scored 84 touchdowns: 61 rushing, 21 receiving and two kick off returns for touchdowns. Walker is the only other player besides Derrick Mason to have 10,000+ yards from scrimmage and 5,000+ return yards (all of which were on kickoff returns).

He is the only player to gain 4,000 yards three different ways: rushing, receiving and kickoff returns. He is one of six players (Jim Brown, Lenny Moore, Marcus Allen, Marshall Faulk, and Thurman Thomas) to exceed 60 touchdowns rushing and 20 touchdowns receiving. Another NFL record is that he is the only player with a 90+ yard reception, 90+ yard run and a 90+ yard kickoff return all in the same season (1994). He is the only player to record an 84+ yard touchdown run and an 84+ yard touchdown reception, in the same game (December 14, 1986). That same day, he had 100 yards rushing and 100 yards receiving. Walker is currently ranked eighth all time in all-purpose yards with 18,168, despite spending his first three seasons in the USFL.

As of January 29th, 2011 according to ESPN Walker he announced that he is considering an attempt at returning to the NFL. "I've told everyone that at 50 I might try football again to show people I can do that," Walker said. "I want to be the George Foreman of football, come back and do that one more time. ... The two teams I would come back to play for are Minnesota or Atlanta. It would probably be Atlanta because that's home for me." Also according to walker, thanks to his MMA training, "I'm a much better-conditioned athlete now than when I was playing football," he said. "I'm 48 and in better shape now than I was when I was in my early 20s, playing football."

Herschel, you are a Beast, and I have no doubt that if you do try football again, you will make us proud!!!

Whats up people?

I've been a member on this page for a few years, and every football season, i step up my participation on the message boards. I love to talk shop with other NFL fans, all teams, all types.

 Most of the time I enjoy a stimulative debate over plays, games, players, stats, and even sometimes the goofy tidbits like this bar owner who is roasting a bear for the Packers v. Bears game.

It's not like Im not aware that there are immature people in the world, not I don't know there are rude and condescending people in the world, but it seems like more often than not, when some "kid" or "childish member" disagree's with me about something, some like to get personal.

I know the person posting these name calling personal attack posts must be immature, a child, or otherwise just too young to realize how stupid personal attacks on these boards are.

first, you can lose your account.

second, cyber bullying is a real crime these days, and can result in jail time. REAL jail time, not some goofy game like the one you thought you were playing when you take pot shots at someone you have NEVER EVEN MET IN PERSON.

If you want to disagree with someone, engage them in a debate about whatever, thats your perogative, but to say things like.... oh your poor, your ugly, your wife is fat, your a loser, you have no life etc. or even worse.... I have had people talk bad about my mother, my family, and myself.

its too much fun I guess to shed your maturity, your intelligence when your on these annonymous boards and act a fool.


however there really is no place for it in the adult world.... i had a friend who was a bit juvenile for his age, but even he knows how to be a goofball without getting carried away and making himself look like a jerk, a fool, a moron, and a child with a chip on his shoulder for poeple who don't believe like he does about any topic under the sun.

funny thing for me as a NFL fan, a Colts fan, a Peyton Manning fan, im here to debate, to chat, to make friends, learn new things, opinions etc.

never ceases to amaze me how some people take all the fun out of something thats supposed to be above a school yard teasing session.

some posters on this board really need to grow up!

Ok...

 

You want the truth... You can't handle the truth...

Sound familiar?

I can compare Bill Billechick to Jack Nicolsons charactor in a few good men....

"Belichick is sitting there, and you know he is getting peeved that he is even in there -- the audacity to bring him in and question him,"  "The visual I have is that eventually Belichick kind of snapped and said, 'You're darn right I did.' "

To me, its F-ing funny on one hand... the big dawg being brought down by the little guy. The very demeanor of Bill Billechick is so much of a joke to me now, thinking he is so much better than everyone else.. thinking he is above reproach, or above being punished for doing whatever he wants...

In a statement issued two hours after the punishment was announced, Belichick said he misinterpreted the league's rules but acknowledged that "part of my job as head coach is to ensure that our football operations are conducted in compliance of the league rules and all accepted interpretations of them." It sounded almost like the kid admiting to the teacher he cheated on an exam... almost like he would have rather been in a dentists chair having his teeth pulled... the words were FORCED out of his mouth.

"I accept full responsibility for the actions that led to tonight's ruling," the statement said. "Once again, I apologize to the Kraft family and every person directly or indirectly associated with the New England Patriots for the embarrassment, distraction and penalty my mistake caused. I also apologize to Patriots fans and would like to thank them for their support during the past few days and throughout my career."

Support in the face of being BUSTED cheating... Patriot fans are anything but fair weather fans... they are loyal as German Sheppards, they love their coach, and rightly so, he won them 3 superbowls when the team had lost all 3 other appearances under different coaches, so they have loyalty.

The thing I don't understand is the misplaced animosity that somehow they shouldn't have been punished for cheating because in the words of most Patriot fans, "everybody is cheating in the NFL."

This statement is just the asperin that the Patriot fans are trying to take to get rid of the "spygate" headache.. They know their coach has been a rule breaker since 2000 or possibly even before...  However, instead of feeling like the guy ruined the name of the New England Patriots by cheating, they love the guy, and try to deflect the attention to ANY other team who may have been accused in the past.

Its really kinda pathetic to hear the statemtents made by Patriots fans.. The entire NFL is cheating because their coach got caught, we are all stupid because we believe our teams don't cheat, and Billechick didn't cheat, he just misinterpreted the rule...

Grasping at reasons to excuse his act if dishonesty...

 "This episode represents a calculated and deliberate attempt to avoid longstanding rules designed to encourage fair play and promote honest competition on the playing field," the commissioner wrote in a letter to the team, which was later forwarded to all teams.

Patriots owner Robert Kraft issued a statement in return.

"I believe that Coach Belichick always tries to do what is best for the team and he is always accountable for his decisions,'' Kraft said. "He has been a very important part of what our organization has accomplished over the last seven years. In this case, one of his decisions has resulted in a severe penalty for our franchise. He has paid a heavy price and so has our organization. He has apologized for his actions. I accept his apology and look forward to working with him as we move forward."

To me this is just a man trying to give another man a chance to redeem himself. It is NOT an excuse for him, or an acceptance of what he did as being ok, or commonplace in the NFL as some fans would like us to believe.

Ego's are a funny thing, they lead you down paths sometimes that we shouldn't travel. Like looking stupid by trying to explain or make excuses for wrong doing.

Just accept what happened, and move on. To try and say that the Bronco's cheated, or the Colts cheated, or that other coaches said that they use to videotape, just deal with the fact that TODAY, we are NOT SUPPOSED TO CHEAT IN THE NFL... meaning breaking the rules is "against the rules." .... for anyone who needs to have that explained to them... (patriot fans)

Its almost comical to me to hear the excuses, and hear the Patriots fans grasp at any allegation towards another team, no matter how old, and try and use it as an example of how "everyone cheats."

As one coach with Integrity and respect for the game said....

"It's really, a sad day for the NFL," Indianapolis Colts coach Tony Dungy said. "It's another case of the 99 percent good things that are happening being overshadowed by 1 percent bad. Again, people aren't talking about our product, they're talking about a negative incident."

Meaning that people aren't talking about Football, they are talking about Cheating, and cheaters, which no matter how badly the Patriots fans want it changed, Bill Billechick is now one of the "cheating" coaches... His legacy will FOREVER be linked to Spygate, and people are going to FOREVER be giving their opinion about it.

Which is what I want from anyone who is reading this blog.

This is NOT supposed to be a Patriot bashing blog, I really want people to talk about the issue of cheating, and let your opinion be heard.

Is is ok to bend or break the rules in your opinion, and if you get caught, is it ok to point fingers at other people who may have been doing the same thing but didn't get caught?

I really love football. I enjoy every aspect of the game itself, the ins and outs, the x's and o's....

My favorite player is Bob Sanders. I really love his style of gameplay. Its very exciting to watch him play the safety position, I think he is one of the best at that position ever.!

Which brought to mind one of the most positive things about the Indianapolis Colts Football team.

Since Jim Irsay took control of the team from his father, he has made HUGE strides in liberating the Colts from their losing ways, and bringing prestige back.

He started by firing Infante, and Hiring Bill Polian... One of his best moves still to this day. Bill Polian's evaluation skills are very good indeed. His ability to find good players in the draft is 2nd to NONE!

On December 22, 1997, Bill Polian was hired as President of the Indianapolis Colts. Polian opted not to keep several players from the previous roster, instead, he decided to build through the draft as the Colts would have the number 1 overall pick for 1998, and 2 of the most hyped quarterbacks would be coming out of college. As the '98 draft approached, much hype surrounded the first and second picks, as most people assumed they were going to be Ryan Leaf and Peyton Manning. Then NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue made the announcement, "With the first overall pick of the 1998 draft, the Indianapolis Colts select quarterback, University of Tennessee, Peyton Manning". The San Diego Chargers would take Ryan Leaf second; Leaf's abbreviated career appears to have shown the wisdom of Polian's choice, along with the stellar career of Peyton Manning himself proving that Polian made the right decision.

Even though the Colts finished 3-13 under Polian's first year as president, there were obvious signs of improvement, the Colts would have the 4th overall pick in the draft, and again much hype would surround the draft as Ricky Williams was coming out. The Cleveland Browns would have the first pick, but with a short roster, they would opt for QB Tim Couch. The Philadelphia Eagles then selected QB Donovan McNabb, and the Cincinnati Bengals then took QB Akili Smith. Many Colt fans watching the draft live no doubt anticipated the selection next of the still-available Ricky Williams. But Polian shocked almost everyone by drafting Edgerrin James instead. We all know how that worked out... During Polian's second year as president, the Colts finished 13-3 winning the AFC East title. This finish is the biggest turnaround in NFL history, as the Colts were 3-13 the prior season.

Following the 2000 season, it became clear that the Colts needed to focus on defense as their offense was very productive. Polian opted instead to draft WR Reggie Wayne with their first pick in the '01 draft. Although this choice was infurating to some Colt fans at the time(most people felt the team needed more defense), Wayne has gone on to become one of the premier receivers in the league, complementing Marvin Harrison and eventually in my mind exceeding him as the best receiver on the team, if not in the league...

As the '02 draft approached it was clear the Colts desperately needed defense. Polian would draft Dwight Freeney amid much criticism that Freeney was too short to play defensive end. Freeney would go on to be selected to 3 consecutive Pro Bowls following the '03,'04, and '05 seasons.

The '03 draft produced 2 late round picks who would become impact players within the Colts defense. Fifth-round pick Robert Mathis has become one of the best pass rushing defensive ends in the AFC.

In the '04 draft, Polian selected strong safety Bob Sanders. Sanders probably would have been a higher pick in the draft, but he had suffered a foot injury which would require surgery and most other teams did not want that liability. However, Polian rolled the dice on how good Sanders would be once his foot healed. Sanders would only play in 5 games his rookie season, but his second (and first full) season would prove why Polian drafted him as Sanders would go on to the pro bowl, and on his way to becoming the best safety to ever play the game...!

Despite his knack for quality drafts, the key to the Colts success may also come from Polian's ability to sign undrafted rookie free agents who eventually become key contributors. Under Polian's watch, the Colts have signed undrafted or waived rookies such as Jeff Saturday, Raheem Brock, Gary Brackett, Ben Utecht, and Ryan Lilja.

Polian has rarely signed established free agents away from other teams through big money contracts, a notable exception was following the 2005 season, when he signed kicker Adam Vinatieri to a $12 million contract. The move made Vinatieri the NFL's highest paid kicker, and his clutch play was key in the Colts progression toward becoming Super Bowl XLI champions.

Following tackle Tarik Glenn's retirement, only one player remains from the pre-Polian era, wide receiver Marvin Harrison.

I would say that Player evaluation has really helped the Indianapolis Colts become big time contenders every year for the last 10 years, so when you see big name players on the market, and think your team needs to spend the cash to get them, just remember that big names don't always equal out to big wins.... which is why Indianapolis is ALWAYS so quiet in the free agency period of the off season, and that's just the way we like it!