Dear Diary: Brett Favre’s past unlocked

Round and round and round he goes! Where he stops, nobody knows! It’s the Brett Favre non-retirement saga part two and this time, the scene is Minnesota. Although Favre’s failure to report to Vikings’ team OTAs caused the team to put their pursuit of the future Hall of Fame quarterback, Vikings’ representatives paid him a visit to evaluate his health and playing condition, a sign that a deal may be back on. 

But Favre’s return isn’t the story here. The real story is the percieved reason as to why he would come out of retirement and choose the Vikings, of all teams, to play for – revenge. Revenge against the Green Bay Packers who made the oh-so-unreasonable decision to finally unleash former first-rounder Aaron Rodgers after their former star said he was walking away from the game. However, nobody should be surprised at Favre’s behavior. Dug out from the Favre family time capsule is the following diary entry describing a similar event from a young Brett’s elementary school days:

Sept. 23, 1978

Dear Diary,

I hate friend Teddy! This weekend, he invited me to sleep over at his house but Mom said we had to go to dinner with my grandma instead. But that night, Mom told me grandma was sick and couldn’t go. I called Teddy and told him I could sleep over at his house but he said no. He said he invited Aaron instead. He told me he had “made other plans.” I don’t get it. Why does Teddy like Aaron better than me? He was supposed to be my friend and now he’s replacing me? That’s not fair!

But I have a plan. If Teddy thinks he can just have a new best friend and get away with it, he’s wrong! I’ll get my revenge because this weekend, I’m going to invite Ricky over to play and Teddy’s not invited! Ricky is Teddy’s worst enemy ever and has always been jealous that I’ve been friends with Teddy and not him. That’s how I’ll get back at him. We’re going to have tons of fun together and he will be my new best friend. Then Teddy will be sorry he ever betrayed me!

-Brett

This one’s on you, Mr. Selig

You know the situation: 50 game suspension for violating the drug policy.

You know the vote tally: 635,530 – 139,789 out of a starting outfield spot.

And you know the question: Should he play?

First, define “should.” Does ”should” refer to whether Manny Ramirez deserves to play? Well, what are the qualifications for being an All-Star?

Is he helping his team win? No.

Statistically speaking, is he one of the top three outfielders in the National League this season? No.

But those aren’t the requirements. What Manny Ramirez has that will always give him the edge in the voting is name recognition, and that is all he needs.

Realize that the vast majority of baseball “fans” are severely lacking in knowledge of the sport – they probably searched long and hard on the AL ballot for Ramirez before finally remembering he wasn’t with Boston anymore.

Yet, the baseball-inept are those who make up the electorate and what they say goes. If Ramirez gets voted in, it will be no different than the countless amount of times we have seen Derek Jeter, Jason Varitek or (insert undeserving player from the eastern seaboard) voted in when their numbers didn’t dictate a spot.

“But this is different! Manny was suspended! We can’t allow a cheater to be voted in!”

Actually, yes we can. Ramirez’s suspension expires prior to the All-Star game and Major League Baseball rules specifically state that Commissioner Bud Selig cannot bar him from the game if voted in.

But that hasn’t stopped the commish from considering it. And if he does follow through, expect an uprising from the player’s union and the fans. Regardless of personal opinion toward Ramirez, Bud Selig will be in violation of the rulebook and deserving of any ensuing backlash.

So what’s the solution?

Let the Manny situation pan out untouched. If he gets voted in, he gets voted in. If he doesn’t, play the game and move on.

But maybe this matter will spark a change in policy. Maybe it’s time to dump fan voting since the fans have clearly shown that they haven’t the foggiest notion who is deserving of a spot and who is not.

Finding the positives in the greatest matchup that never was

From the onset of the season, it seemed scripted that the Lakers and Cavaliers would meet up in the finals.

Kobe Bryant vs. LeBron James – two titans of the NBA – the greatest finals matchup since Magic and Bird. It was scripted. It was destiny. It needed to happen.

Aaaaaaaand cut!

Kobe’s Lakers kept up their end, but LeBron’s Cav’s were ousted by the Orlando Magic. And while a matchup featuring Bryant and Dwight Howard doesn’t lack star power in the least, it was not what the nation wanted to see.

But maybe that’s a good thing.

Basketball has lacked parity for quite some time – the Lakers, the Celtics, the Cavaliers, the Spurs always seemed destined for a berth in the finals. It’s refreshing to see someone throw a curveball once in a while.

You know, like when Eli Manning and the Giants took down the Goliath that was the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl a year ago.

Like when the underdog Diamondbacks ousted the Yankees in their bid for a fourth straight World Series title. Then, following them, came the Angels? Then the Marlins? Even the lowly Rockies and Rays rebounded from a hideous past to reach the World Series in this decade.

Basketball is finally beginning to come around.

This year’s postseason field featured a revitalized Portland Trailblazers team, and although they didn’t get very far, they did get there.

The Chicago Bulls gave the Celtics the scare of their lives, and although they didn’t finish the job, they didn’t roll over and die like they were expected to. As did the Houston Rockets to Los Angeles.

And of course Howard’s Magic trounced the heavily favored Cavs to slam the door on America’s dream final.

In a perfect world, Portland does advance, the Bulls do win that Game 7 in Boston and the Rockets take down the Lakers on their home floor.

The NBA is not quite there yet, but this postseason takes it a step toward unpredictability. And that’s the way it should be.

Soccer – the only culture we will never adopt

It’s like a war.

Two nations, two cultures, millions of people will put their pride on the line Wednesday to watch two sides wage an all out battle on the open field.

One group of soldiers will return home heroes. The other, battered, bruised, defeated, devestated.

Spain vs. Britain — specifically Barcelona vs. Manchester United — the Champion’s League Final.

And yet, while the entire continent of Europe will be watching, here in the United States, nobody will care.

Soccer has proven time and time again to be the undisputed most popular sport in the world — a global pastime. So why has it not caught on in the U.S.?

Our culture prohibits it.

This is America — the land where people demand instant gratification. This is the land of drive-thru Starbucks and the land of instant sports updates on our cell phones. In the sporting world, that instant gratification translates to scoring, which soccer simply does not have enough of.

Basketball games can’t see a full 60 seconds go by without a shot being made.

Football games keep viewers enticed with long runs, long passes and bone-crushing hits.

Even baseball games produce a decent amount of scoring.

But the reason that soccer has never and will never catch on is that Americans would rather polish  Zinedine Zidane’s head rather than watch him play three hours of a match featuring one or two goals — especially if it ends in a tie.

No David Beckham nor any other superstar can make soccer what it is overseas. Here in the states, it never had a chance.

Peavy has the upper hand (and is playing it perfectly)

Jake Peavy had it made.

The Padres, the lowly Padres, buried 9.5 games back in the National League West behind a Dodgers team showing no signs of slowing down, had struck a deal with the White Sox.

And while their own situation is not particularly enviable (6.5 back of the division-leading Tigers), they have the power, the talent and — with Peavy — the pitching to make a run at any time. And if not this year, the next.

But Jake said no. No to Chicago. No to Ozzie Guillen. No to escaping a futureless San Diego franchise.

Why?

Peavy exercised his no-trade clause to veto the deal because he, not the Padres nor any team they can cut a deal with, has the upper hand in these negotiations.

The Padres need Jake Peavy gone. A number of teams need Jake Peavy. Both sides will do what it takes to strike a match, but none of that matters unless Peavy himself is happy. And in black and white pinstripes, Peavy did not see a fit.

But that won’t stop the Padres from trying to pawn him off, and that won’t stop the rest of the league from showing an interest. In June or July when the Cubs, Brewers, Angels, Red Sox, Dodgers, Braves — name the team — inquires about the Cy Young award winner, he and agent Barry Axelrod will have the papers in front of them again.

Think: Assisted free agency. It is up to the Padres and Kevin Towers to make a deal, but ultimately, it is Jake Peavy who chooses his new home.