Sunday, Crazy, Sunday

I woke up today expecting a nice, easy Sunday filled with wide array of games, all interesting but nothing extraordinary. How silly do I look now?

The biggest story coming from today was obviously the reinstatement of Brett Favre. The quarterback/legend/flip-flopper is officially a Packer again once after NFL commissioner Roger Goodell accepted his letter asking to end his retirement. Now the fun begins.
The first word out of Wisconsin is that Packer management will allow No. 4 to battle for the starting job with Aaron Rodgers. Call me cynical if you like, but I don't think that will be the final resolution. If in fact Favre plans to report to camp tomorrow afternoon as he says, then a quarterback battle is the last thing we will get.
To me this most logically points to a trade. The Packers cannot go back on their summer-long edict that Rodgers is their QB. And since he won't be a starter then he won't be a Packer which means he has to end up elsewhere. Because Green Bay doesn't want to start a media and fan firestorm at camp, they will want to get rid of Favre quickly. This should rule out a trade to any division rival.
The Bears and Vikings will not just offer up a reasonable trade (say a 2nd rounder) right off the bat. If they know GB wants to get rid of Favre quickly, then they are within their rights to start with a lowball offers. Trades within the division are not made quickly under any circumstances. Especially when both teams would be doing the Packers a favor by offering fair value right away.
This opens up the possibility of other teams coming into the fray. The teams that make the most sense are the ones mentioned all along. The Jets, Bucs, and Redskins make the most sense.
But as been often reported the Packers don't want to trade to a team on their schedule. Goodbye Tampa Bay.
This leaves the Redskins as the leader. Although Dan Snyder is still their owner, I see a change in organizational philosophy in their future. Jim Zorn is a brand new coach. He is going to need time to learn the job. This doesn't spell immediate success. He and QB Jason Campbell will grow and learn together. Their acquisition of Jason Taylor is not contradictory to this because they had a gaping hole at defensive end with the injury to Phillip Daniels that needed to be filled. And filling an open DE spot does not have as much effect on the long term prospects of a team as putting your franchise QB on the bench for two years.
This, of course, leaves the New York Jets. But Favre does not want to play in New York. Won't even take their phone calls. So what does this all mean?
That we are right back where we started from. To me, if anything, his reinstatement helps the Jets in their hopes to get Favre. But I wouldn't put my money on it.

Trades Pay off for Yankees:
Jason Bay had the upper hand in the Former Pirate Making the Biggest Impact in the AL East battle after scoring the winning run for Boston in Friday night's 12 inning win over the Athletics and hitting the go-ahead three run HR in Saturday's win. Xavier Nady showed Sunday why he was being clamored for at the trade-deadline as well.
Nady totalled four hits, six RBI and two huge hits against the Angels. His two-run ground rule double in the sixth shortened the four Yankee deficit to 5-3, inching them closer before NY tied it in the seventh. A three-run HR in the seventh gave the Yankees an 8-5 lead.
Although LA of A would come back to take the lead, it showed that Nady belongs in the Big City.
It also keyed an extremely huge victory for the Yankees. Getting a split against a team that has tormented them since 2002 was huge, especially when it looked like a sweep was inevitable after the Angels 1-0 win Friday night. It helps keep the Yankees close in the AL playoff race. After looking like the favorites for at least the wildcard after series victory in Boston, the team struggled and Boston flourished despite the trade of Manny Ramirez.
For Anaheim, Mark Texiera hit the grand slam that gave them the lead in eighth inning. It was a big hit for a player thrown into a winning situation and playoff-atmosphere for the first time ever.
Texiera has never made the playoffs since making his debut in 2003 and to me questions must be raised about he will play in these conditions. Although its almost a given that the Angels will make the playoffs, they still have something to play for. Getting home-field advantage in the playoffs is important and that is what they will be playing for these last two months. But his biggest impact will be seen in October. How he fares then will determine whether the trade was a success. Till then it's all an extended try-out. But just in case anyone thinks it doesn't matter, they have to remember: practice makes perfect.

Links:
The Story of a Runner from Sudan Trying to Outrun More Than the Competition
Steve Nash and Baron Davis Make a Movie. And its Hilarious!
In the Rash of Attacks on Obama, Somebody has to Stand Up for Him
Hannah Montana May Have her Own Lifestyle
Can Sports Be Made Even More Lucrative?
Is This Hypocrisy?
I Shouldn't Have Thrown Out My Baseball Cards

What To Look For:
(Preseason Football) Indianapolis vs Washington 8pm NBC- If preseason football can be any worse, Peyton Manning won't play because of his hurt (bursa) sac.
Philadelphia at St. Louis- Two playoff contenders square up. The Cards need to take this one to keep up in the NL Central race