Please, Brett - Don't Do It (Again)

The headline might have gotten lost in the shuffle, but it didn't get past a lot of sports fans in Wisconsin. That's because it set a lot of alarms off in my head. I'm sure that I'm not the only one.

The Jets, who made a splash last year when they acquired Brett Favre from the Green Bay Packers and who just drafted their future when they moved up in the draft to select Southern Cal quarterback Mark Sanchez, released the future Hall of Famer. That means that if the thirty-nine year old quarterback decides he wants to play again, he can go to any team he wants.

Now, Favre made sure to issue a statement that downplayed the release. "Nothing has changed," Favre said . "At this time, I am retired and have no intention of returning to football."

The alarm bells started ringing even louder.

Then there was the denial issued by Favre agent James 'Bus Cook. Cook also indicated that Fare wants to retire as a Packer (even though that will probably not happen as long as GM Ted Thompson is in charge).

Those bells I mentioned a minute ago? They're going off like crazy as we speak.

You have to understand what Packer Nation went through last year during Favre-gate. You have to understand it was a fan base divided. You have to understand that the media chose one side (the Packers side) while the fans chose the other (the player). How did it all start?

With rumor and speculation.

Favre retired in a tear filled news conference in March of last year. It wasn't too long before reports started circulating that Favre was getting the itch to play again. At first, the media downplayed the speculation, especially here in Wisconsin. But we all know how it played out.

Favre did, indeed, want to play again. There was a he said-he said battle that raged throughout the summer. There were accusations of tampering leveled against Green Bay's division rival - the Minnesota Vikings. There was Favre's circus like arrival and departure at Packers training camp.

Then there was the trade and constant comparisons with his successor, Aaron Rodgers. For a while it looked like Favre was going to go out with a final playoff appearance, but injuries and age conspired against him. Finally, after his New York teammates took some shots at him in the media, there was a conference call to announce he was retired again.

This time, the prevailing thought was, there would be no comeback. This time the legendary gunslinger was done for good. And then came the news of his release.

Now the speculation has started again (thanks in part to ESPN Radio's Mike Greenberg and Mike Golic). Is Favre over the shoulder problem that plagued him late last season? Does he want to play again? And if he does, was he trying to manipulate the process so he could play for the Vikings - the team he wanted to go to last season before the Jets made the move to get him? (The Packers put a poison pill in the trade which is now no longer applicable since he announced his retirement earlier this off-season.)

I think there might be some legs to the speculation. The obstacles that were put in front of Favre as he tried to get to Minnesota last year have been removed (and let's face it, the Vikings would welcome him given their current quarterbacks are Tarvaris Jackson and Sage Rosenfels). There was the non-denial denial that Favre issued. Favre didn't rule it out completely. He just said he's retired "at this time."

Favre is also a warrior, and a proud one at that. I am positive last season left him with a bitter taste in his mouth. He didn't go out with a playoff appearance. He went out with a whimper. He left a locker room that had turned against him (somewhat). He left a city whose media didn't give him the pass he was afforded in Wisconsin.

It's conceivable that he wants one... more (final?).. shot at glory. And it might very well be with the Vikings, who (presumably) would view him as the final piece to a championship puzzle.

I hope I'm wrong about this. I really do. Brett needs to stay retired.

For the first time in his career, there's a question (and a valid one) as to whether or not Favre can do it physically. Favre ended last season with a shoulder that was hurt. Will it be able to stand up to the rigors of a sixteen game season?

Favre - if he returns - would have a lot to prove, especially to the fifty-two other players he would be sharing the locker room with. He would not get the pass from his peers that he used to, especially if he doesn't make a connection with his new teammates (there were rumblings that he was a lone wolf in that locker room last season).

And then, there's the question of his legacy. If he stays retired, then there's no problem. If he comes back he runs the risk of being looked at as a guy who didn't know when to quit. The NFL sends a clear message to players it thinks are done. Those signals started to be transmitted towards Favre last season.

Again, I know it's only speculation at this point. But I've seen this movie before. I hope I'm not about to see it again.

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The State Of Sports Radio 2009

The idea of talking sports on the radio twenty-four hours a day was met with a lot of skepticism when New York City's WFAN signed on in August of 1987. The prevailing thought at the time was that it would never work. The naysayers thought that people would get tired of it very quickly. Sports was looked at as the toy department of life and that people would listen at first because it was a novelty, but would eventually gravitate back to other formats - whether it be News/Talk or music.

Twenty-two years later, it's clear that those who doubted the format would succeed were wrong. Do a google search for sports radio stations, and you'll find hundreds of stations across the country that are doing the format, and doing it successfully. You'll find three national sports radio networks. While Sports Radio usually isn't a big ratings winner, it has traditionally been a hit with advertisers.

The format has survived a number of changes over the years. When the format first came on the scene, it was fairly basic. It was pure sports talk. But then the internet exploded, and the format had to adjust.

The internet made it hard for stations to succeed doing classic sports talk. You couldn't talk statistics anymore, because the numbers were available everywhere. You couldn't do trivia anymore because the answers were available everywhere. That led to the first change in the format. The advent of Guy Talk.

WIP in Philadelphia was the first station to embrace the change. Instead of doing classic sports talk, WIP morphed into what is now considered Guy Talk. In simpler terms, the station - while clinging to the base format as its claim to fame, was mixing in topics that were usually reserved for the Howard Sterns of the world.

The change was successful, and many stations, like The Ticket in Dallas, soon followed suit and reaped the benefits. The Guy Talk format brought more casual fans into the fold. No longer was Sports Radio a niche format. It was now attracting more than just the hardcore fan.

But, the switch to Guy Talk wasn't the first change the format has undergone. Thanks to the success of Pardon The Interruption, stations started looking at local sports columnists as sports radio hosts. Many sports writers who didn't have a lot of use for the format before were now taking jobs (second jobs) as radio hosts. Among them - Jay Mariotti, Mike Lupica, Jason Whitlock, and others.

Stations gambled that there were more people reading these columnists on a daily basis than there were people listening top their radio stations. The gamble paid off, as many readers followed their columnists to the radio side as well. It might not have done anything for the radio guys who were trying to make it in the format, but it certainly helped stations make money. Advertisers were ready to invest their hard earned money in names that they knew as opposed to names they didn't.

But, eventually, the writers (and television guys, too) started getting out of the radio business. For one reason or another, writers were leaving radio to concentrate on their writing jobs. Some left because the workload was too much. Others left because of ratings. Still others left because they wanted to go into television (thanks to programs like PTI and Around The Horn). That led to another change in the format.

That change - hiring former athletes to do radio shows. Radio programmers (and their superiors, who are more concerned with the bottom line) figured that ex-athletes would bring even more listeners to the party. Advertisers were excited to get behind the players they watched who were now making a living talking on the radio.

Some athletes - like ESPN's Mike Golic - worked hard and were able to make the transition. They became well versed in other sports (besides the ones they played). They worked hard to learn the formatics of the format. They were the exception to the rule. Unfortunately, and for many reasons which you can probably figure out on your own, the ex-athlete by and large had trouble making the transition. Yet, because of their name value, many are still employed by their respective stations, even if they aren't successful in terms of ratings.

And they remain employed because stations hope the advertisers will continue to back them with their money. The one thing station operators did not see coming is the one thing that has put the format on life support (which is where I firmly believe it is right now). The recession.

Let me give you a look at what's been going on behind the scenes in radio for the last couple of years. The bottom line rules. The recession might have only hit the headlines last fall, but the radio business saw it coming a good year before it actually became the huge problem it is right now. That's why cost cutting (and not just in the Sports Radio format, by the way) began a good year before the economy really tanked.

And when it tanked, it hit all of radio very hard. Many successful music DJ's who put in years and years of service started finding themselves without jobs. Budgets were being cut and programmers were being forced to make do with less.

That has had a devastating effect on Sports Radio. Even before the recession hit, sports radio stations were cutting local shows because they cost too much. It was cheaper to run a national show during the overnight hours than stick with the local show that listeners really enjoyed. Why pay a host and producer/update anchor to work when you can have a computer run a national show for free?

But when the recession hit in September, stations found they had to cut local shows in other dayparts as well. Shows that were doing well in the ratings. Shows that had large followings. They might not have wanted to make those cuts, but they made them because of the economy. The cuts began in earnest last fall, and continued with the first round of layoffs at Clear Channel on January 20th. The second round of layoofs at Clear Channel came yesterday.

That's what happened to me at WSSP in Milwaukee. It is cheaper to run The Dan Patrick Show than it was to keep me on the air. WSSP's management did not want to let me go (I've been fired before but never fired and praised at the same time). They had to.

Certainly I wasn't the only host affected by the bad economy. There are many others - good people who are out of work just like I am. Here are just two examples of how the economy has affected the format.

One of the more successful stations in the format was Detroit's WDFN. Sure, it had struggled in the ratings for a couple of years, but it was still a force to be reckoned with. Unfortunately Clear Channel, who owns the station, decided the money they were spending on local programming wasn't worth the return they were getting on their investment (ratings and advertising were down). So what did they do? They got rid of all local shows. WDFN is now airing FOX Sports Radio 24//7 (admittedly they still do local updates but no local shows). The move to national programming saves Clear Channel a lot of money.

The format also has been affected at the national level. FSR, which was seen as the #2 radio network in the format (behind ESPN but ahead of Sporting News Radio), made major changes in January. All those changes were made with the bottom line in mind. FSR got rid of three successful shows, merged with its Los Angeles affiliate, and put the L.A. shows on the air as part of the merger. FSR also added Dan Patrick's show to their daily lineup in a deal that was struck with the company that put DP on the air, The Content Factory.

The recession has led to another change in the Sports Radio business. We are now starting to see sports radio stations pop up on the internet. Chicago has one. So does Denver. These new outlets have some big names working for them, names that are well known in their markets. Whether they wind up succeeding is a question that no one has an answer for. These internet stations face a major challenge in that you can't listen to them in your car (as of yet). These internet stations are not owned by the corporate giants that own the majority of sports radio stations you and I normally listen to. Bringing in advertisers is going to be an issue. They might not survive very long if they can't sell advertising, which will wind up putting more good people out of work.

Sports Radio used to serve their local communities. Some feel that radio, specifically sports radio, has lost its way. That there is a demand for local content that isn't being met. That is partially true.

At the end of the day, programmers would rather air local shows over national shows. But until this economy improves, we are going to see more local shows go away in favor of national shows. I firmly believe that we will see this trend reversed when the economy improves. When the economy improves we will see more programmers take gambles on local shows. Right now no one wants to take risks because if those risks fail it is the decision makers that will wind up out of a job.When they have more money to play with, you will see the current trend reversed. But it all depends on how long the recession lasts.

What will it take? It will take patience. Radio isn't getting a federal bailout. Taxpayers don't have the stomach for it, especially after the first two haven't worked up to this point. These things (historically) have run in cycles. There have always been bad times, but they have always been followed by good times.

We're in a bad time right now. My hope is that the good times that are coming will come sooner rather than later. When they do, everyone will benefit. The listeners. The advertisers. And, most importantly, the people whose lives have been dramatically affected by the worst economy we've seen since The Great Depression.

But, like I said, it's going to take patience.

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Hey, Look Who's Popular!

During his four years on the job as Packers GM, Ted Thompson has accomplished a number of things. His biggest achievement, though, might have been becoming the biggest villain in the state. Bigger than Gary Sheffield. Bigger than Gary Payton. Bigger than Ned Yost. Ted was the guy who refused to dive head first into free agency. He was also the man who traded away a legend in Brett Favre.

Ted bashing had become, not only a hobby, but a way of life for many Packer fans. In the days leading up to the draft, there were many fans who were wondering how Ted would screw it up. There were many fans who wondered which unknown player Thompson would choose with the number nine pick in the draft. When reports circulated that there was going to be a major surprise in the top ten (it turned out to be Oakland's selection of Darrius Heyward-Bey), many Packer fans thought that the surprise would be what Ted would do when the Packers were on the clock.

And certainly Thompson had the chance to pull a shocker. He had Michael Crabtree fall right into his lap. Even though wide receiver wasn't a need, one could have seen the Packers taking the player many thought was the best prospect in this draft. But, Ted went against what had always been his policy of drafting the highest rated player on his board (admittedly, we're all speculating that Crabtree was the highest rated player on his board). He drafted for need instead. Boston College's B.J. Raji, who could have been taken at any spot from number five on down, was the choice.

Not only did Ted fill a need, something he claimed wasn't the way he conducted his draft, but he drafted someone Packer fans had heard of. This wasn't Justin Harrell. This wasn't Jordy Nelson. This was a guy Packer fans had been reading about for the last couple of months.

But the Raji pick wasn't the biggest surprise Ted pulled on Saturday. No, that would come later in the first round when the Patriots were on the clock, and all of a sudden, were off the clock. In their place - the Green Bay Packers. When the Packer logo first flashed as being 'on the clock' during ESPN's draft coverage, I thought I was dreaming. Did Ted really trade up? Did he really take that kind of risk?

Yes he did. At that point, it wouldn't have mattered to me who Thompson chose at #26. The fact of the matter was that Thompson made a bold move up in the first round as opposed to dealing picks away for more picks later on. That the pick turned out to be USC Linebacker Clay Matthews was a bonus. Here was another player Packer fans had heard of, and a player with a pedigree as well. His father, grandfather and uncle were all players in the league.

What Thompson wound up doing was taking quality over quantity (a different tactic than he had displayed in his first four drafts). He filled major needs right off the bat. Raji will be stout against the run. He also will help what was an anemic pass rush last year (proving at B.C. that he could get to the quarterback. He will - if he stays healthy - make sure that Ryan Pickett has plenty left in the tank in November and December by taking some of his usual load off his shoulders.

And Matthews is seen by those smarter than me as a perfect fit as an outside linebacker in the Packers' new 3-4 scheme. One of the benefits we will see next season will be that Brady Poppinga will be a more effective pass rusher. He might not be an every down linebacker anymore, but he can finally fill the role of designated pass rusher that the team envisioned for him when they drafted him a few years ago. We won't have to worry about Poppinga getting lost and burnt in pass coverage.

As far as the other Packer selections are concerned, I'll be honest. Like most people, I haven't watched a whole lot of film on them. But, if the draftniks are right Thompson might have found a couple of offensive linemen (T.J. Lang specifically) who can be more than just guys filling roster spots. But, we'll have to wait to see how that works out.

Not only did Thompson go against his instincts, but what I heard on talk radio and read on the internet was against the norm as well. That was simply this. People (okay fans) giving the Packers GM credit for a job well done.

Packer fans have never embraced Thompson. The media has been (for the most part) pro-Ted, but the fans - well, let's just say they were ready to run Thompson out of town. Actually, the fans have been ready to do that for a few years already.

It wasn't that long ago that I wrote in this very space that Ted would never be able to win with Packer fans. At that time I firmly believed that no matter what happened - even of Green Bay won a Super Bowl - Ted would never get credit from the fans. The credit would go somewhere else. Fans would shower Aaron Rodgers or Mike McCarthy with the love. Fans would say the Packers won despite the moves Thompson had made.

I had plenty of reason to feel that way. I had spoken with thousands of Packer fans over the years. I've gotten thousands of emails from Packer fans over the years. I saw first hand the hatred fans had for Thompson over Favre-gate. I never thought Ted would be able to win the haters over to his side.

But, with what he did on Saturday (and again, let's face it - most fans don't know a lot about the second day players he chose), Ted seems to have Packer Nation on his side. I'm not saying that Packer Nation is now going to throw a parade in Teddy's honor. But, they seem to be on his side - which wasn't the case when he drafted Harrell, Nelson, or traded Favre.

Of course, if Raji doesn't work out the way we hope he will, the critics will come out of the woodwork. They'll wonder why he didn't draft Crabtree instead. And, if Matthews doesn't live up to the hype there will be plenty of people who come out and say Ted should have drafted someone else; that he shouldn't have given up multiple picks to get him.

But that won't happen now. It'll be a couple of years before we start hearing that (if Raji and/or Matthews bust out). For now, Ted's riding a wave popularity.

Who would've thought that would happen a few months ago?

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A Look Back At Saturday's First Round

It certainly was a wild first round of the NFL Draft. What actually happened made my mock draft from last week look silly. Then again, nearly everyone who put a mock draft out there was wrong. As for what actually happened, well - here's my take on how it went down (my grades , too).

1. Detroit: Matthew Stafford - This was no surprise, but considering he is getting $41.7M guaranteed, he better not be the next coming of Joey Harrington.

Grade: B: Stafford is no sure thing, and the Lions might have been better off with Smith fiven the state of their O-line.

2. St. Louis: Jason Smith - The Rams made some noise about a certain USC quarterback, but considering they allowed Orlando Pace to go to Chicago and didn't bother replacing him during free agency, Smith was the guy they had pegged. They hope he will man the left tackle spot for the next ten years.

Grade: B+: Smith was one of the safest players in this draft. The Rams addressed a need.

3. Kansas City: Tyson Jackson - They might regret not taking Aaron Curry here. Jackson will be solid but he will not put up 10-15 sacks a year.

Grade: C: Jackson will be solid, but how could they have passed up Curry, who had the least question marks of anyone in the draft?

4. Seattle: Aaron Curry - Kansas City lets the draft's best defensive player fall into their lap. Sanchez here would have been about the future. Curry is about winning now. And the NFL is a win now league.

Grade: B+: Curry will have instant impact in Seattle. The Seahawks were lucky he fell to them.

5. New York Jets: Mark Sanchez - Cleveland dealt out of this spot (and a few others too). The Jets take their quarterback of the future without giving up next year's first round pick. The Browns got an extra two plus players Eric Mangini had when he was with the Jets. A win-win deal all around.

Grade: B-: Sanchez will get NY's fan base excited, and he'll be a good pro. But, how long will it take for him to become that good pro? Will he be more Carson Palmer or more Matt Leinart?

6. Cincinnati: Andre Smith - Why not Eugene Monroe? The Bengals may regret this, as Smith isn't the most mature player the league has ever seen. They drafted the right position but they drafted the wrong guy.

Grade: C: Let me get this straight. The Bengals took a player whose attitude has come into question over the past few months? Oy vey!

7. Oakland: Darrius Heyward Bey - Uh, you need a WR, so why not draft the best available in Michael Crabtree? Heyward Bey can run, but there are questions as to whether or not he can catch the ball consistently. Can you say Troy Williamson??

Grade: D: Al Davis let his stopwatch make this pick. He should have used his head and gone with Crabtree/

8. Jacksonville: Eugene Monroe - They could have drafted Crabtree. Maybe they should have. But Monroe is a safe pick here.

Grade: B-: Monroe is solid but not spectacular. The Jaguars made a safe pick here.

9. Green Bay: B.J. Raji - The Packers thought Raji would be long gone. They thought long and hard about Crabtree, but they had Raji rated higher, and he fills a need for their new 3-4 defense. You can't argue with this pick.

Grade: B: I would have gone with Crabtree. Ted Thompson got away from his M.O. He normally takes the player he has rated highest on his board. But, Raji fits a need and he was thought of as a top-five talent. You can't complain all that much.

10. San Francisco: Michael Crabtree - Too bad he has Shaun Hill and Alex Smith throwing the ball to him. A weird fit. This is a team that loves to run with Frank Gore and will stress defense under Mike Singletary. Make no mistake. This is a terrific pick. But it may take a while to bear fruit because of the quarterback situation.

Grade: A: San Fran got the best player in the draft. Now if they only had a quarterback....

11. Buffalo: Aaron Maybin - The Bills have been looking for a pass rusher for a while. I watched Maybin up close and personal last year when Penn State visited (and destroyed) Wisconsin. There is some question as to whether or not Maybin was a one year wonder at Penn State, but the Bills have had success over the years with Penn State players.

Grade: B-: I would have gone with Orakpo because there are some questions about Maybin and whether or not he was a one year wonder. Not a bad pick, but it could have been better.

12. Denver: Knowshon Moreno - The Broncos wanted Sanchez. Moreno was Plan B. A solid pick. Denver went through seven running backs last year.

Grade: B-: Denver needed an RB, but they might have been able to get Moreno later in the round. Not a big reach, but they could have gotten more value out of this pick.

13. Washington: Brian Orakpo - The Redskins also lost out on Sanchez but were thrilled to have Orakpo fall into their lap. They took less than three minutes to make the pick.

Grade: B+: He's not a bad consolation prize considering they wanted Sanchez.

14. New Orleans: Malcom Jenkins - The Saints could have used a running back like Chris 'Beanie' Wells. But, their defense needed as much help as it could get. Jenkins is a solid pick who can play both corner and safety.

Grade: B: Jenkins, whether at corner or safety, will help what was just a pathetic New Orleans pass defense.

15. Houston: Brian Cushing - The Texans could have gone in a number of different directions. Cushing helps as they continue to build the defense.

Grade: B: A very solid pick. Demeco Ryans now has a running partner.

16. San Diego: Larry English - Could the Chargers have moved down to get English? Probably. This, though was an insurance pick. Insurance in case Shawne Merriman's knee isn't as sound as the team wants everyone to think.

Grade: C: Was this spot too high for English? Could be. But if Merriman's knee is an issue English might come in handy.

17. Tampa Bay: Josh Freeman - The Bucs made the deal with Cleveland, leapfrogging Denver and taking their quarterback of the future. And future is the operative word. Freeman will need a couple of years to learn the pro game. But he has all the tools necessary to become a good NFL quarterback.

Grade: B-: Some wondered why Tampa traded up. They did because the Broncos would have taken Freeman at 18. They identified their guy and got him. You can't fault them for that.

18. Denver: Robert Ayers - The Broncos had to do something to shore up a bad defense. Ayers will definitely help and had been pegged in recent weeks to go highers than he did.

Grade: C+: They wanted Freeman. Ayers will need some time to make the transition to the pro game. I'm not as high on Ayers as others are.

19. Philadelphia: Jeremy Maclin - He might not have been their first choice (Moreno was). But, Donovan McNabb wanted help. He'll get it from Maclin.

Grade: B-: He's not Anquan Boldin, who they wanted badly. But Maclin will help.

20. Detroit: Brandon Pettigrew - Pettigrew will turn out to be a good player. But why not Michael Oher here, to protect your $78M investment in Matthew Stafford.

Grade: C: Did Matt Millen make this pick? Pettigrew will be good, but the O-Line needed attention. I would have gone Oher here.

21. Cleveland: Alex Mack - The Browns continue to build their offensive line. Mack was the best center in the draft.

Grade: B-: Considering the team's new hierarchy comes from the Patriots tree, this wasn't much of a surprise. Solid pick.

22. Minnesota: Percy Harvin - They needed a WR. Harvin's made a lot of questionable decisions off the field. From that standpoint, the match with Minnesota is somewhat wierd. From a physical standpoint, Harvin brings a lot to a team that had a need at the position.

Grade: C+: Harvin's got talent, but he has a lot of questions too. He better watch his P's and Q's off the field. And he better make the transition to being a full time WR easily.

23. Baltimore: Michael Oher - The kid has already made it. There aren't many who could have overcome the kind of childhood Oher had. Baltimore will be happy with this selection.

Grade: B: The Ravens won't have to worry about Oher for the next ten years. The Packers thought long and hard about him at #9.

24. Atlanta: Peria Jerry- The Falcons get a solid player here, continuing to build under GM Thomas Dimitroff

Grade: B: Let's see, Dimitroff came from where? New England! The pick makes sense.

25. Miami: Vontae Davis - A Bill Parcells kind of corner. He can be good at times, and he can struggle at times. there will be growing pains.

Grade: C: Davis is talented but inconsistent.

26. Green Bay: Clay Matthews Jr. - For the first time in his life, Ted Thompson might be hearing cheers from Packer fans. His normal M.O. is to trade down and take players no one has ever heard of. Well, he traded up to get one of the top linebackers in the draft. Matthews will help tremendously as Green Bay transitions into a 3-4.

Grade: B-: Matthews fits their new defense, and you have to admire the way he went about building himself up as a player.

27. Indianapolis: Donald Brown - The Colts have to protect themselves in case Joseph Addai struggled with injuries again. Brown will fit right in to a well oiled machine.

Grade: B+: There should have been more buzz about this player. Given Addai's health problems, Brown could be their go to guy sooner than you think.

28. Buffalo: Eric Wood - The Bills needed O-Line help, but I thought they'd go tackle here, especially since they traded their best lineman to the Eagles a few weeks ago.

Grade: C-: Why not a tackle here? You traded Jason Peters and needed to fill that spot. Wood helps the interior of the line, but tackle was a more pressing need.

29. New York Giants: Hakeem Nicks - He fills a need. When the talks with Cleveland for Braylon Edwards fell apart, the Giants started hoping this player would fall to them. He did.

Grade: B+: As long as the New York media doesn't expect him to fill Plaxico Burress' shoes right off the bat, he'll be fine. He might need a year as most WR's do, but the Giants made a very smart pick here.

30. Tennessee: Kenny Britt - The Titans have needed a playmaker on the outside for years. It looks like they finally got one.

Grade: B-: Britt can play, but there are concerns he can be moody if he doesn't get the ball. The Titans are a run first team. It will be interesting to see how Britt reacts when he doesn't get the ball for long stretches.

31. Arizona: Chris 'Beanie' Wells - The Cards were always looking for an RB, but their thought they'd be looking at Donald Brown. Instead, it's Wells, who was projected as the top back in the class not so long ago.

Grade: B+: I don't know why Wells fell this far. I do know that he and Tim Hightower will form a very good RB combination.

32. Pittsburgh: Evander 'Ziggy' Hood - What do you get the team that seemingly has everything? Another run stuffer. One who will help Casey Hampton stay fresh as the season wears on.

Grade: B-: With the nickname 'Ziggy' he might be the perfect Steeler. He won't jump out at you but he'll be a very solid player.

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My Media Love/Hate List

I was watching ESPN2's First Take yesterday, as has become my routine. I remember when this show first started (the original title was Cold Pizza). It was, at that time, brutal. It has since become must watch television. A perfect mix of news, hilites, and opinion.

However, there is one thing, make that one person I just can't take. I'll tell you who it is in just a little bit. But, as I sat watching yesterday, I decided to let you know about the five sports media personalities that I love and the five personalities that I hate (hey, I aim to be fair and balanced here - just like FOX News Channel). Take a look at these lists, and let me know your Love/Hate list.

My Hate Five:

5. Digger Phelps: Oh, how the mighty have fallen. Digger used to be a guy that I liked to watch. He used to be someone I respected. But somewhere along the way he started to believe his own hype. Now he's a guy that just sucks the air out of a room. He must love the sound of his voice, because he doesn't let anyone else speak. I can't tell you how many times I've watched him cut other analysts off. He still has good opinions and insight, but I just can't get beyond his ego. And, matching the hiliter to the tie every time he's on the air has gotten old. Very old.

4. Chris Berman: He took a hiatus after the Super Bowl (he does every year now). But he has come back with a vengeance. Watching him last Sunday on Baseball Tonight was a painful experience. He used to be the best in the business. But now everyone has to have a nickname. The players, managers, analysts; heck the camera guys probably have nicknames too. It was cute twenty years ago. It isn't anymore. Berman also fancies himself as a play by play guy (for baseball and golf). Uh, no he's not. And for those who haven't missed him, it's about to get worse. The NFL Draft is tomorrow, where we'll all have to put up with Fred Flinstone (my nickname for him) and his antics for four hours or so.

3. John Feinstein: I enjoy John's books and columns. I can't stand him when he fills in for Jim Rome. Talk about ego run amok. I also used to deal with him when I worked at Sporting News Radio. He's not a people person, and I'm being kind when I say that. That's also why he isn't on television as much as he used to be.

2. Keith Olbermann: K.O. was in his prime when he hosted Sportscenter with Dan Patrick. He hasn't been anywhere near that since they split up. Watching NBC try to re-create The Big Show magic they had in the 1990's was painful. It just wasn't there anymore. That's because Keith is clearly more of a news/politics guy than he is a sports guy. I watched him do hilites and wondered how much of the NFL he actually kept up with. Stick to news, Keith.

1. Skip Bayless: Skip is a great writer. I truly mean that. He's an even better human being. I know because I used to deal with him when he was a regular guest on The Fabulous Sports Babe Show. He should have stuck to writing. He tried radio - it didn't work out. He's now on First Take, and I just can't stand him. He's too combative (again, something I know a little but about). He always has to have the last word. He makes Rob Parker and Stephen A. Smith sympathetic characters when he debates them on the show, and that isn't easy to do.

My Love Five:

5. Jay Bilas: He's the opposite of most ESPN analysts. He's a straight analyst. He doesn't do any shtick. He just breaks down games and players. He refuses to get caught up in 'inside information.' One day he will either be the number one college basketball analyst for ESPN, or even be Jim Nantz' color analyst for CBS. In fact, he should be working with Nantz now.

4. Ian Eagle: There's nothing he can't do. You know about the play by play that he's done for the NBA, NFL, and college basketball. What you might not have known is that Ian is also one of the better Sports Talk Radio hosts out there. He started his career doing sports talk on WFAN. He still does the occasional show there, and recently turned down the chance to work with Mike Francesa on their afternoon show. A multi-talented guy who doesn't get the credit he deserves.

3. Tony Kornheiser: When PTI first came on the air, I thought he was annoying. Now I can't get enough of the guy. Maybe it's because I can relate to him, being a crusty, late-thirties white guy. He's smart, funny, and doesn't take himself too seriously. He's made PTI must see television for me. And, outside of his mancrush on Brett Favre, he's been a good addition to the Monday Night Football broadcast team.

2. Mike Greenberg/ Mike Golic: I consider them as one. Mike & Mike. One without the other seems unnatural to me. When they first teamed up ten years ago, the show was a rough listen. Now it's a completely different story. They have become (in my opinion) the best nationally syndicated sports talk show. They are a must listen in the morning (with apologies to my friend Doug Russell). They hit the issues of the day, do interviews that keep me listening, and understand how to balance talking sports with guy talk. They don't do the Howard Stern guy talk that too many radio guys (and I've crossed that line here and there) do because they think it's cool. Greenberg's a veteran who knows what his role is (Golic's punching bag for the most part). Golic is the ex-athlete who turned himself into a really good radio guy. There are plenty of athletes doing sports talk today. Few of them work as hard at making the transition as Golic did.

1. Bob Costas: He is simply the best interviewer in sports media. He asks the hard questions without coming off like a jerk. He doesn't throw softballs at any of his subjects. He also has managed to become a media superstar and maintain an even head about it. He's the gold standard.

There's my Love/Hate list. What's yours? Leave a comment or send an email to me at saundersonsports@yahoo.com.

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My Attempt At A Mock Draft

It's NFL Draft week. Everyone and their mother is putting together a mock draft. I figured I'd take a shot at it.

Now I admit, I did this a year ago, and I didn't get as many right as I thought I would. But that will not stop me from trying again. This is not - by any - means - guaranteed. Remember that before you send me your emails telling me I'm nuts. Here it goes:

1. Detroit: Matthew Stafford - The Lions might be better off in the long run taking OL Jason Smith, since their line is a sieve (and I'm being kind here). But, you can't turn your nose up at the top QB in the draft, and the Lions are working to get the deal done as we speak. My gut tells me they'll have Stafford signed before the draft. Though he won't take the field this season unless he absolutely has to.

2. St. Louis: Jason Smith - The Rams have issues on the O-line. Orlando Pace is gone. On Saturday the team will draft his replacement.

3. Kansas City: Aaron Curry - The Chiefs could put this pick up for auction (remember, Scott Pioli is the new GM and he subscribes to the Bill Belichick school of running a team). They could pick OT Eugene Monroe to open up holes for Larry Johnson and keep new QB Matt Cassel upright. But passing up the closest thing to a sure thing in Curry is something I just don't see KC doing.

4. Seattle: Mark Sanchez - The pick here should be Michael Crabtree. Should be. It won't be. Crabtree's injury will scare the Seahawks off. They'll take Sanchez and let him learn behind Matt Hasselbeck for a year or two. Sometimes it's better to draft a quarterback when you don't have the glaring need for one. That's something the Packers did in 2005 with Aaron Rodgers. By the time Brett Favre left, Rodgers was ready to play.

5. Cleveland: Michael Crabtree - Braylon Edwards will likely be a Giant by the end of the weekend. Donte Stallworth is in a world of legal trouble. The Browns get Crabtree to ease the pain of their losses. Seattle will regret passing him up. I think the reports of Cleveland wanting a DE are a smokescreen.

6. Cincinnati: Eugene Monroe - The Bengals need to find a way to keep Carson palmer healthy. The big guy from Virginia will help.

7. Oakland: B.J. Raji - Al Davis will be tempted by Jeremy Maclin and Andre Smith but both have question marks against them. Raji's not going to excite anyone in Raider Nation, but he will be a nice piece in a defense that could use someone like him.

8. Jacksonville: Brian Orapko - The Jags would love to get their hands on either Sanchez or Crabtree. They'll try to trade the pick but will find teams unwilling to meet their demands. Orapko is a Jack Del Rio pick - the defensive coach gets another weapon for his arsenal.

9. Green Bay: Aaron Maybin - Conventional wisdom says the Packers have targeted either Raji or Orapko as they transition to the 3-4. When both are gone, Green Bay could go with Plan B in Maybin, who they like a lot as well. Remember, though, this is Ted Thompson we are talking about here. I wouldn't rule out a trade, Beanie Wells, or Crabtree if he somehow slips this far.

10. San Francisco: Jeremy Maclin - this team, years after trading away T.O., is still looking for his replacement. Maclin falls into their laps.

11. Buffalo: Robert Ayers - The DE from Tennessee has been shooting up draft boards. This pick might be looked at as somewhat of a shocker, but it shouldn't be.

12: Denver: Everette Brown - The Broncos defense was awful last year. Brown will help make it better. The quarterback need will get filled later on.

13. Washington: Andre Smith - The Redskins will try to move up for Sanchez. They'll fail, but Smith will fall, and they have a need. Yes, there are questions about his maturity level, but I can't see him falling too much further than this. Besides, the last time the Redskins took a lineman from Alabama, they got it right with Chris Samuels.

14. New Orleans: Chris Wells - Beanie is a lock here (if the Packers don't surprise by taking him ninth). The Saints get a hard charging back to pair with Reggie Bush.

15. Jacksonville: Peria Jerry - The Texans wouldn't mind dealing this pick away. If they keep it, they'll continue doing what they've done in the last couple of drafts - beefing up their D-line.

16. San Diego: Malcom Jenkins - The Chargers draft the Ohio State corner, move him to safety next to Eric Weddle and have no worries in the secondary for the next few years.

17. New York Jets: Darrius Heyward Bey - Jets fans will be screaming for Kansas State QB Josh Freeman. But why draft a quarterback when you have no one to throw the ball to? Heyward Bey will need a little time to develop, but his upside is too high to ignore at this spot.

18. Denver: Josh Freeman - Here's where the Broncos get their quarterback. They won't need to rush him because Kyle Orton will be better in that system (and with those WR's) than a lot of people think.

19. Tampa Bay: Tyson Jackson - The Bucs miss out on Freeman, but Jackson is a pretty good consolation prize.

20. Detroit: Michael Oher - The Lions got their franchise QB in Stafford. Oher will help ensure he doesn't get killed.

21. Philadelphia: Knowshon Moreno - Brian Westbrook is 30, and the Eagles need to think about life after him. Moreno will be a good understudy and ready to take over for Westbrook in a couple of years.

22. Minnesota: Kenny Britt - I know Percy Harvin is still on the board, but there are too many question marks about him, and the Vikings can't afford someone with that much uncertainty, given what they have at WR. Britt is liable to contricute at the NFL level sooner than Harvin will.

23. New England: Rey Mauluga - Many other mocks have the Pats going with Clay Matthews, but Mauluga is just plain nasty. Bill Belichick's kind of player.

24. Atlanta: Clay Matthews - Last year the Falcons concentrated on offense. That seemed to have worked out pretty nicely for them. This time around, the defense gets some attention. Matthews will be a solid pro.

25. Miami: Percy Harvin - If there is a better fit for Harvin, I'm not sure where it is. He will go to a team that ran the Wildcat last year, but won't take anyone by surprise this year. No problem. Harvin's talent will make up for losing the element of surprise.

26. Baltimore: Vontae Davis - Pretty good value here. Davis' talent is considered to be in the upper half of the first round. There are carachter questions about him, though, which will cause him to drop. No problem - Ray Lewis will keep him walking the straight and narrow.

27. Indianapolis: Hakeem Nicks - The Colts have other needs, but they did lose Marvin Harrison, right? Nicks will help ease the pain of Harrison's departure.

28. Buffalo: Eben Britton - The Bills use the pick they acquired for Jason Peters to draft his successor.

29. New York Giants: Brian Cushing- The WR need will be filled when (as expected) the Giants trade for Cleveland's Braylon Edwards. Cushing is a good value pick here.

30. Tennessee: Evander Hood - Remember, Albert Haynesworth left a large hole when he signed with the Redskins. The big guy from Mizzou will be a nice addition here.

31. Arizona: Donald Brown - Last year they drafted Tim Hightower to be Edgerrin James' partner. Now they need to replace James. Brown should have generated more buzz than he did. Terrific selection for 'Zona if he is still around.

32. Pittsburgh: Lesean McCoy - Not really a need, but the Steeler fans will be happy to have a former Pitt star on the roster. Willie Parker has dealt with injuries, and the time to look for his heir apparent might be now.

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Wednesday Quick Takes

It's a Wednesday - time for Quick Takes!

Too Much Kobe and Lebron: The Lakers beat the Jazz easily to take a 2-0 lead in their first round series. Kobe once again doing his thing. The Jazz just don't have the firpower to keep up with the Lake Show. They've got nice pieces with Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer. They;ve got a great coach in Jerry Sloan. They don't have what the Lakers have. Kobe is an elite player, and he has good players around him. The Jazz have good players, but no one you would put in the elite category. And LA also has a coach in Phil Jackson that isn't too shabby either.

As far as the Cavs and Pistons go, Game Two was not pretty to watch, that's for sure. I have to admit I made a mistake when I said that the Pistons would give Cleveland a little bit of trouble. This Pistons team isn't anywhere near the Pistons teams that we've seen over the past five years. Joe Dumars might want to look at himself in the mirror. He fired Flip Saunders and replaced him with Michael Curry. He traded Chauncey Billups for AI. Would he do those moves over again? I'm not so sure.

As far as the Cavs go, everywhere I turn this morning I head the same thing. The Lakers and Cavs are on a collision course to meet in The Finals. Really? There's a lot of basketball to be played before we get to The Finals. Almost two months worth. A lot can happen. Let's all hold off before we crown anyone anything, okay?

OMG, Are You Serious: My wife is a big Yankee fan. She knows her baseball, too - so I was stunned when she complained that the new Yankee Stadium has become a launching pad. Mrs. Saunders feels that there has to be something screwy going on with The House That Georgie Built. There can be no other explanation for what's been going on.

Uh, yes there is. It's called the Yankee pitching. Take CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett out of the equation. They;ve been pretty good so far. It's been Chien Ming Wang that's been the problem. It wasn't just the game over the weekend against the Indians. He's been pitching poorly all season, and that's why the Yankees have sent him to Tampa to build up his arm strength.

I might agree that there could be something wierd going on with the building if the Yankees had been hitting homers at the same pace their opponents were. But they haven't been. And last time I checked (which was last night), Andy Pettitte didn't seem to have a problem. Neither did Mariano Rivera.

Just like a Yankee fan. Blame someone or something else rather than accept the fact someone on your own team isn't up to par.

Was It Just A Little Pot?: FOXSports.com reported that WR's Percy Harvin and Brandon Tate both tested positive for marijuana at the combine. If history is any guide, both players wind up losing money.

Harvin has been considered a mid to late first round pick. The news that he failed his drug test might very well push him into the second round. Tate was a fringe first rounder who now probably goes into the second.

If you don't believe me, ask Warren Sapp. He was regarded by many as a top-five pick in the draft fourteen years ago. the night before the draft, reports said he failed a drug test. Marijuana was the problem, according to those reports. He lasted until the Bucs took him midway through the first round. There are about thirteen teams that would like a do over on that one.

I know what you're thinking. What about B.J. Raji. Why isn't he slipping? Because the reports that he tested positive at the combine appear to be wrong.

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One Reason I'm Not Worried About the Brewers

The 2009 Major League Baseball season, scheduled to last six months is just two weeks old, and I already feel like I have been on an emotional roller coaster. The Brewers have seen their share of ups and downs (okay, 4-8 is mostly down), and judging by what I've seen up close and personal (having been in the press box for four of the six games they've played at Miller Park) there are some things to like and some things not to like.

But one thing I'm not going to do is make any pronouncements like 'They're done.' If it were just one fan saying it, then I could write it off as a fan who was talking out of his you know what. But it hasn't been just one fan.

Look, there are three radio stations in this city that do Brewers post-game shows every night. I like to listen to all three (when I can) to get a feel of what is going on in the minds of Brewers fans. Maybe the same fans are calling all three shows (which could be happening), but I'm hearing a lot of people willing to wave the white flag for the 2009 Milwaukee Brewers. This may stun some of you, but it's the radio hosts who are actually being the voice of reason this April, trying to talk some of the die hards down off the ledge.

If you're one of the flag waving fans, I'm certainly not going to stop you. It's your right. If you think you've seen enough of this team to sit there and say with confidence that they're 'done,' then say it. I won't try to stop you (even though I disagree with you).

I won't give you all the reasons that are out there to try and convince you the Brewers will turn it around. I won't tell you that the bullpen could settle down once Trevor Hoffman returns from his injury. I won't tell you that the sleeping big bats (Prince Fielder and Ryan Braun to be specific) will eventually wake up. I won't tell you the starting pitching (shaky the first turn through the rotation) will get more consistent as the season wears on. I won't use any of that logic to get you off your ledge.

I will use two words, though. Two words that should make every Brewers fan breathe a little easier during this rough start. Ken Macha.

I believe the Brewers will turn it around, and the main reason I fell that way is because of the manager. He inspires a lot more confidence than the last guy - Ned Yost - ever did. Macha's knows that it's bound to get better. Heck, he's been through it before, both as a coach and as a manager. The baseball season is a six month equalizer. Everything evens out in the end (for the most part). Teams that got off to hot starts are guaranteed nothing (remember the 2007 Brewers?). Teams that start a little slow (like last year's Brewers) aren't necessarily playing out the string in May.

It's not like Macha's sitting back and doing nothing. He's trying a lot of different things. Ned Yost liked to sit back and wait for his big bats to wake up and crush homer after homer. Macha doesn't do that. This Brewers team is running (playing small ball) a lot more than I can ever remember them running in the four years I've been covering this team. Anyone who had questioned whether Macha could make the transition from the AL to the NL doesn't have to worry. He's making the transition just fine.

Macha's willing to think outside the box, too. Just look at what he's done with Todd Coffey. Macha didn't trust anyone other than Coffey to close out Sunday's win over the Mets, so he let the big guy throw for a few innings as opposed to bringing in anyone else. Is Coffey - who has had a journeyman type of career - a guy you can count on for an entire season? That I can't tell you. His track record doesn't really help his cause. But Macha is riding the hot guy right now, and Coffey just happens to be that guy. Macha's taken the proverbial book and junked it (especially when it comes to his bullpen right now). It's refreshing to see.

The biggest reason I think Macha will preside over a turnaround, though, is this. He's not Ned Yost. Please don't misunderstand me. Ned was, and remains, a good baseball guy. In fact, there might be only a handful of managers in the game that know the game as well or better than Yost. But Ned's biggest problem was his demeanor.

Do you remember the movie 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off?' Well, Ned was Cameron. To say Yost was wound a little tight is like saying Rush Limbaugh leans to the right. Ned was fine as long as things were clicking, but if things started going bad, Ned managed nervous. The tension was written all over his face. That attitude affected the rest of the clubhouse. The coaches (with the exception of Ed Sedar, who I've never seen without a smile on his face) were tight. The players were tight. It affected the way they played. When Yost turned into Nervous Ned, the team didn't play to win. They played not to lose.

That's just not going to happen with Macha. Macha can get angry. But Macha doesn't manage nervous. He won't let his players play not to lose. If Yost was Nervous Ned then Macha is like Grandpa. You want examples? I'll give you a couple.

There has been a lot of hand wringing over the Cory Hart/J.J. Hardy lineup flip. If Ned were still in the manager's office, there's a good chance he would have ended that experiment fairly quickly (based on ending the Prince/Braun flip a year ago). Macha's been asked how long he's going to let the Hart-Hardy experiment go on before he ends it. His answer - that he hasn't given a single thought to it not working to begin with. Macha's going to let his players play. Hart and Hardy will have to get used to their new spots in the order. He's not going to switch it back, even if Hardy's more comfortable in the two-hole. He's not going to switch it back - even if the players ask him to (like Prince and Braun did last year).

I've been around this team long enough to know that Yost would have handled Jeff Suppan differently than Macha did. Yost would not have done a thing with Suppan, telling anyone and everyone who would listen that 'Supp' would work his way out of it. Macha handled Suppan a bit differently.

First of all, there was criticism thrown Suppan's way in the media. Macha said publicly that Suppan's walks were unacceptable. That's something Yost would never have done. He would never have taken a player to task,using the media as a way to send the message. Macha didn't scream or shout, but he got the message through to Suppan. He also met with the veteran pitcher and devised a way to try and get him on track, so they pushed his start against New York back a day and gave him another side session.

The results - at least for one start - were good, as Suppan kept a dangerous New York lineup in check. I can't sit here and tell you that Suppan's now going to pitch like a Cy Young award winner for the rest of the season. But I do know that Macha, and how Macha handled the situation, had an impact in how Suppan pitched Sunday.

If the Brewers were 4-8 with Yost at the helm, I'd probably be as nervous as some of the Brewer fans are right now. But Yost is gone. Macha's in his place. To quote the late John Belushi in 'Animal House:'

"Over? Did you say over? Nothing is over until we say it is?"

Truer words have never been spoken, especially with 150 games left.

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The Weekend That Was

It was a big weekend as far as sports goes. NBA Playoffs. NHL Playoffs. Big moments in baseball. This past weekend had a little bit of everything.

Bulls Stun C's: Derrick Rose and his 36 points led the Chicago Bulls to a victory over the defending NBA Champion Boston Celtics in the first game of their best of seven series Saturday afternoon. Listening to some of the radio afterward and watching some of the television analysts as well, you would think that the Celtics - minus Kevin Garnett - shouldn't even bother showing up for the rest of the series.

If you're one of those people writing the Celtics off after one game, you should be ashamed of yourself. No one said it was going to be easy for the Celtics. But burying this team while they are still alive is a big mistake.

First of all Chicago is a young team. They are a team that underwent a makeover not so long ago. They are going to have their good games. They're going to have their bad games. Game One was a good game.

And how quickly we all seem to have forgotten what the Celtics are made of. Yes, Garnett is gone for now (I still think he'll be back down the road this post-season). But the last time I checked they still had a guy named Pierce who was the driving force behind their Finals win over the Lakers last spring.

A lot of people also seemed to have forgotten that Atlanta - a team that won thirty-seven games in 2007-2008 - stretched the Celtics to seven games last year.

It's one game. Don't write the Celtics off yet. Sure, Ray Allen has to step up a little bit, and Boston might struggle more than they did during the regular season. But, in a seven game series, I can't bet against a Pierce/Allen-led team against a Bulls team that is coming along, but just not quite ready for prime time just yet.

Kobe's Got Help: It was no surprise that the Lakers handled Utah in the first game of their series. it was no surprise that Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol did the bulk of the damage. But I bet most of you were like me - not expecting Trevor Ariza to score 21 the way he did yesterday.

Ariza has found a home with the Lakers after stints with the Knicks (who took him in the second round a few years ago) and Magic. Ariza probably left UCLA too early, but he has settled in nicely as a supporting player with Kobe & Company.

And that's why the Lakers - in my mind - have to be the favorite to win the whole thing. They aren't just The Kobe Show anymore. Gasol can beat you on any given night. So can Lamar Odom. Andrew Bynum returned from his knee injury and has shown none of the rustiness you would have expected (though he did have foul trouble yesterday).

On top of that Los Angeles has Phil Jackson, a great coach who some want to downgrade because of the talent he was fortunate to coach. Add all these ingredients together and it's hard to pick against the Lakers in a seven game series. Which means the Lakers might have to clear some room in the trophy case for yet another NBA Championship Trophy.

MLB Surprise Teams: There were some that expected teams like the Royals and Marlins to take a step forward. What came as a surprise to most were the hot starts that the Padres, Mariners, and Blue Jays have gotten off to. No one expected to see the Blue Jays, who were seen as pitching starved, to be hanging out at the top of the AL East. The Mariners were so bad last year they fired their GM and Manager. And the Padres? Well, let's just say this. They're the biggest surprise in all of baseball. They lost 99 games last year. Outside of three or four guys their roster is made up of a bunch of guys most have never heard of. They were nearly universally chosen as the worst team in the bigs before the season started.

So far, these three teams have made us media 'experts' look like a bunch of morons. There is excitement in all three cities right now. People in Toronto are talking about the Jays as opposed to the Leafs. San Diegans are talking about the Pads as opposed to the Chargers. And the Mariners have given sports fans in Seattle something positive to talk about, and there hasn't been anything positive in Seattle (sports-wise) to talk about in a very long time.

But, before anyone says anything about playoffs, I suggest we all take a deep breath. They've played all of two weeks. That isn't enough of a sample to make statements by. If you want to start making judgments, wait until these teams have played forty games. That's one-quarter of the way into the season. That's enough of a sample.

However, I do warn everyone that judgments made at the quarter-pole can be wrong as well. In 2007, Brewers fans were ready to print World Series tickets after a great start. That team fell two games short of making the playoffs. The 2008 Brewers were 20-24 after 44 games, and you could just sense the team was in trouble. Those same Brewers made the playoffs.

The moral of the story: You can be happy about your team's start, but it's how they finish that matters more than anything else.

Sheff Cracks 500 Club: Mets outfielder Gary Sheffield finally gained entry into one of baseball's most exclusive clubs by hitting his 500th homer Friday night against Brewers lefty Mitch Stetter. It was one of those shots you knew was gone as soon as you heard the crack of the bat (tough to do when it's hit at Citi Field, which looks to be a ballpark where home runs go to die). Check the video. One of the guys sitting in the seats behind the plate got up and raised his arms in celebration as soon as Sheffield hit it. The fan started to celebrate before Sheff even did.

What was even more amazing (to me) was what happened the next day. I'm working out on elliptical machine. I'm listening to WFAN radio (New York City) on the computer (I know - I'm a little weird). Sheffield came on with hosts Evan Roberts and John Franco (yes, the same John Franco that pitched in the bigs) and said he didn't expect to get more than one-hundred at bats this season. On top of that, Sheffield said he was fine with being a role player.

I had to pinch myself, because this was a completely different Gary Sheffield that I had ever heard before. A humble Gary Sheffield. A Sheffield that fans in Milwaukee, San Diego, Florida, Los Angeles, Atlanta, New York, and Detroit were not familiar with. What gives?

What I think is going on is that Sheffield is the rare athlete who realizes that he isn't what he used to be. Sheffield, at this point, is happy to have a job in Major League Baseball. How many other players - and pick any sport you want - would admit publicly that they aren't what they used to be?

Sheffield's got his 500th homer. He's a Hall of Famer (anyone who debates that simply doesn't know what they're talking about). I also think he's likely to walk away from the game after the season.

Like him or hate him, he's always marched to the beat of his own drummer. His career has taken a lot of different twists and turns. Admitting he's strictly a part time player - as he did on Saturday - is the latest twist.

You may not like Sheffield, but you have to respect what he's accomplished in his career.

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NBC Needed To Think Outside The Box For Madden's Replacement

The news first broke at around 9:30 in the morning yesterday. John Madden, after 30 years as a color analyst for CBS, FOX, ABC, and NBC, was retiring. I immediately started texting a number of my friends in radio. The reactions were very different.

One said it was time for him to go. Another figured it had to have something to do with his health. Yet another (he was the only one) was surprised. Look, it doesn't matter why Madden made this decision. It doesn't matter if his better days were behind him (and they very well might have been). All that matters is that he's gone.

And the NFL will miss him greatly.

There are many fans who only know Madden as 'the video game guy.' There are plenty who know him from his last few years on ESPN and NBC, when he clearly wasn't what he was when he started out in the booth thirty years ago. Almost no one remembers those days. And, nearly nobody talks about the career he put together as the head coach of the Oakland Raiders.

Madden was a great coach who was inducted into the Hall of Fame many years after he should have been. When he left the Raiders and moved on to CBS, he became a true character. He wasn't as 'stuffy' as some of the analysts that were around at that time. He wasn't polished. He made mistakes. He used words that weren't even words. He was, simply, an average fan who just happened to be in the broadcast booth. Television viewers related to him. His popularity went through the roof in the 1980's.

Did he change over the course of thirty years? Absolutely, but everyone does. Are you the same person you were five years ago? I didn't think so. Madden - even though he became less of a character and more of an analyst - never lost the charm that made him the phenomenon he was in the eighties.

NBC didn't waste any time in replacing Madden with Cris Collinsworth. But Collinsworth will have a tough time filling Madden's shoes. NBC - in my mind - needed a 'home run' in terms of a replacement. Collinsworth isn't a home run.

He's convenient. He's already under contract, and has plenty of experience calling games for FOX and NBC as well. Plus, he's a cost efficient replacement, and in this economy that means a lot.

But he's not Madden. He's more slick. He might not relate to the average fan in the same way Madden did.

There are others NBC should have looked at, even if they were under contract to other networks. Troy Aikman does a great job for FOX, but in my mind he's just like Collinsworth. A little too slick to have been the guy that replaces Madden. The same could be said for Phil Simms, or any of the other top analysts in television right now.

NBC should have taken some time to think about the direction they wanted to go in, as opposed to just naming Collinsworth and moving on as if nothing had really happened.

If it were me, I would have gone in one of two directions. Joe Theismann is out there. ESPN let him go a couple of years ago and he has wanted back into an NFL booth ever since. He is smart enough to know he can't repeat some of the mistakes he made while he was at The Worldwide Leader. He would have needed co-analyst, just as he did at ESPN. Why not Paul Maguire? Sure he's a little bit older, but he's a character and has worked with Theismann before. And, I have a pretty good feeling they would have meshed with Al Michaels.

Another guy I would have thought long and hard about would have been Tony Siragusa from FOX. Is he a huge name? No. But, anyone who has seen his work knows that he brings a lot to the table. He knows football. And, more importantly, he's more than just an analyst. He's a character. He's a guy who fans can relate to. He's a big guy (I'm being kind here). He also doesn't necessarily use The King's English all the time. He has a great sense of humor. He's someone fans can relate to.

NBC needed to look outside the box. Madden wasn't the classic broadcaster. His replacement shouldn't be either.

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The NHL's Problems Are Self Inflicted

I'm thirty-seven years old. When I was a kid, the four major pro sports in the United States were (in no particular order) baseball, football, basketball, and hockey. Yes, I included hockey in that category.

I grew up watching Wayne Greztky break record upon record. I looked on in awe as Mario Lemieux played Robin to the Great One's Batman. I watched the New York Islanders tear my heart out (as a Rangers fan) year after year (until 1994, of course). The Stanley Cup had as much importance to me as a fan as any of the other championship trophies in sports.

I wish I could say the same thing today. I woke up this morning and turned on Sportscenter while I worked out. Did you know the NHL Playoffs started last night? I'm not asking that to be a wise ass. It's a serious question. And I ask it because the NHL has fallen so far off the radar screen that it's easy to forget about it, even if they do have two signature stars in Sidney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin.

I realize it's not like that in every city. In Chicago, the sport is making a comeback thanks to the improved play of the Blackhawks (there was a time when almost no one was watching the team). In New York, two of the three teams are in the playoffs (Rangers and Devils) while the third (Islanders) just landed the top pick in the upcoming draft.

But the NHL, now more than ever, has become a regional sport. it's popular in certain areas, non-existent in others. Fifteen years ago, the league was riding high. Now, NASCAR and Golf both outrank the league in terms of popularity. Why? How did this happen?

There are some who believe the NHL has suffered because ESPN has pretty much ignored them over the last four years. And, that is pretty much true. ESPN doesn't ignore Major League Baseball, the NBA, NFL, or NCAA. That's because they have a vested interest in those leagues. They have contracts with them to broadcast their games. If the leagues do well, ESPN will do well.

ESPN doesn't have a relationship with the NHL anymore, forcing Gary Bettman to take the league's television games to Versus. It's easy to find ESPN or any of their twelve sister networks. It's not as easy to find Versus, let alone Versus in HD.

And then, there's the NHL's over the air television contract. It's with NBC. No offense to The Peacock, but up until the NFL came back to NBC a couple of years ago, NBC Sports was a joke. Sure they had the PGA Tour and Notre Dame, but they didn't have much else. No one watches Olympic sports unless the Olympics are actually on. Extreme Sports is gaining in popularity, but right now it's still a niche sport. NBC didn't have what ESPN, CBS, or FOX did, and as a result they weren't taken seriously.

Like I said, there are those that blame the downturn in the NHL's popularity on lack of television exposure. But that's not the cause. That's not why the NHL has done a disappearing act. The real reason? The NHL itself.

The problems started with labor strife in the early part of the 1990's. They continued after the Rangers won The Stanley Cup in 1994 (the first time they won it since 1940). The Rangers were one of a handful of teams in the league that had a national following. the league could have - and should have - capitalized on that. Instead, they shot themselves in the foot. The Rangers won the cup in June of '94. The league locked the players out just months later. The 1994-1995 season didn't start until January of '95. Fans were angry. They never forgave.

Of course, the NHL didn't make it easy for them to forgive. The high scoring, wide open game that was the signature of the league in the 1980's and early 1990's left shortly after the lockout of 1994 ended. Teams like the New Jersey Devils would go on to win Lord Stanley's Cup by playing a defensive style (known as the neutral zone trap) that was absolutely boring to watch. I mean, watching paint dry was more entertaining than watching the Devils win their first Cup.

Unfortunately, New Jersey's style of play began to be copied by team after team after team. Scoring went down. 2-1 games were the norm, not the exception. Television ratings went down. By the time the league imposed another lockout in the early portion of this decade, fans had had enough. They were ready for the NHL to go away.

But, no one thought they'd go away for an entire season. Lose a couple of months and you can survive. Lose a season because millionaires are fighting with millionaires over money and you can right your own eulogy. That's what the NHL did by throwing away an entire season.

The league has tried to regain the fans. Crosby and Ovechkin are a joy to watch. The league has tried to open up the offense. The shootout was introduced. The Winter Classic is something that has caught on. The game, on the ice, is a lot more enjoyable than it was for much of the 1990's.

But still, the ratings are low (and I say that while acknowledging they are better than they used to be). Crosby and Ovechkin are the faces of the league, but they aren't the household names that stars in other sports are. Combine all the factors I've talked about and you have a pro sport starting their post-season that is flying under the radar. It wouldn't happen like that with any other sport.

And the NHL has no one to blame but themselves.

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Wednesday Quick Takes

It's Wednesday, and that means it's time for another edition of Quick Takes...

Oscar De La Hoya Retires: The boxer that captured this country's imagination when he won a gold medal at the Olympics in 1992 and won world titles in six different weight classes hung it up yesterday at the age of thirty-six. The last time we saw him in the ring, he was thoroughly beaten by Manny Pacquiao. Maybe thoroughly beaten isn't the right term. Maybe demolished is. The De La Hoya we saw that night was a shell of the fighter he used to be.

One question you have to ask yourself is whether or not you buy his retirement to begin with? After all, this is boxing. Fighters retire and then come back with such frequency it's hard to take retirements seriously. However, I think that De La Hoya truly is done. He's thirty-six, and hasn't been at the top of his game in a very long time.

History will probably remember De La hoya as a great fighter. I will disagree. He was a good fighter who somehow left me as a fan wanting more. Forget about the problems he had with promoters and trainers (he went through more than his share of both). I look at De La Hoya as a fighter who dominated lesser competition but couldn't beat fighters who had the same kind of talent he did.

Yes, he beat some great names while building a 31-0 record, but take a closer look at some of those names. Julio Cesar Chavez was a shell of his old self by the time he and De La Hoya met. Pernell Whitaker, in the eyes of a lot of ringside observers, was robbed of a decision when those two tangled.

Bottom line, De La Hoya couldn't beat other fighters in their prime. He gave away his fight with Felix Trinidad in 1999. He lost twice to Shane Mosley (and I was at the first fight in Los Angeles). Bernard Hopkins knocked him out with a body shot. Floyd Mayweather made him look old and slow. Pacquiao systematically took him apart.

Had he won any of those fights I might look at his career differently. But he didn't, and in my eyes, that takes him down a notch.

Zeke Back Coaching: In case you missed it, Florida International (FIU) hired Isiah Thomas as their head basketball coach yesterday. The last time we heard from Isiah, he was banished by the Knicks to scouting in another country.

The good news is that Thomas, who single-handedly destroyed the New York Knicks, won't be coaching in the NBA (though there was a rumor that he would have loved a chance to coach the Los Angeles Clippers). The bad news is that he's been put in charge of a college program.

Thomas can coach - he proved that in Indiana. The problem always has been when Isiah was allowed to run the whole show (something he was not allowed to do with the Pacers). He was average when he was the team president with the Toronto Raptors. He ran the CBA into the ground (the people he took down with him are still mad). He, as the man in charge of the Knicks, was responsible for all of the bad contracts (Stephon Marbury, Jerome James, Jared Jeffries, I could go on and on) that organization gave out in the last few years.

Now he's being given a chance to run his own college basketball program. He'll pick the players. That just isn't his strength. And he'll have to learn all those rules NCAA programs seem to have trouble following.

FIU got the publicity they were looking for when they made this move. But, check back with me in a couple of years and ask me then if it was a good move.

Mr. Saunders to Washington: Multiple reports now say the Washington Wizards have agreed to terms with Flip Saunders. He'll take over for interim coach Ed Tapscott once the regular season comes to an end.

If you're a Wizards fan (and granted I've never met one outside of Washington), you've got to be excited. Saunders has a damn good resume, and in my mind, didn't deserve to be fired by Detroit last year (by the way, how did Michael Curry do this year?). The Wiz should have Gilbert Arenas back at 100% (operative word being should). Caron Butler is a nice piece to have. And, if they win the lottery and bring Blake Griffin on board, the turnaround in the nation's capital could happen sooner rather than later.

Detroit's loss will be Washington's gain.

Braylon to New York? Yahoo! Sports reported that the New York Giants will acquire wideout Braylon Edwards before next weekend's draft. The Giants are certainly in need of a receiver after cutting ties with the troubled Plaxico Burress. Edwards - to me - looks like a fine replacement.

I know his numbers were down last year, but remember that no one in Cleveland had a good 2008. Derek Anderson's numbers were down. Brady Quinn was inserted into the lineup and quickly got hurt. The 4-12 season the Browns went through cost a lot of people jobs.

In New York, Edwards will be united with Eli Manning. Manning is a better quarterback than Edwards has ever worked with in the NFL before (I know, profound statement, right?). I have to believe his numbers will go up and possibly even to what they were in 2007, when he caught 16 touchdown passes.

The Giants would benefit both on the field and off. Edwards could conceivably become the number one wideout he was expected to become a few years ago. And the Giants will never have to worry about him blowing off practice, or shooting himself in the leg with an unlicensed gun.

It's a win-win for everyone.

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TV Again!

In case you missed it last night I'll be on the Time Warner Sports 32 Roundtable tonight at 5:30. Dennis Krause hosts. Wayne Larrivee, the play by play voice of the Packers, is my co-panelist.

Living In A Controversy Free Zone

It's a relatively quiet time on the Wisconsin sports scene. The Packers are conducting their usual silent off-season (until the Draft, of course). The Bucks are wrapping up a season which saw them take a step forward from where they've been the last couple of years. The Brewers are just beginning their six-month long roller coaster ride. The Badgers are conducting Spring Practice. College basketball is done for the season. And the Admirals are getting ready for the playoffs.

Some people look at what's going on and wish there would be more to talk about. Those people thrive on controversy. They aren't happy unless some athlete, coach, or executive does something to outrage the public. Those are the people that wish Milwaukee had a Terrell Owens (or someone else of that nature) to beat up on every single day.

This isn't me taking shots at any of my former co-workers or competitors. Let me make that crystal clear. I admit, as a media member, that controversy sells. Every columnist loves a lightning rod. Every radio talk show host (myself included) loves to have a T.O. type of figure to talk about. It makes our job that much easier. Times like this mean the columnists and talkers have to work a little harder.

And I have to say I find it refreshing. Maybe my perspective has changed since I was last on the air at WSSP in October. Maybe I'm just getting wiser, or more mellow with age. I don't know. What I do know is that I'm happy with how things are right now.

Should the Packers have made more of a play for veteran free agents that could help them turn things around? There's merit to both sides of the argument. I acknowledge that. But, talking about it - actually, repeating the argument, for four consecutive off-seasons doesn't do anything for fans. There's nothing new there. It makes it easier for a columnist to write a thousand words. It makes it easier for a talk show host to fill a couple of segments. But if there isn't anything new, why go there?

Let's take it a step further, okay? Instead of re-hashing the same old arguments, how about giving the fans (whether it's readers or listeners) something new to chew on. Not that I want to give anyone any help or anything like that, but there are a couple of mock drafts out there that have the Packers taking a serious look at drafting Ohio State RB Chris 'Beanie' Wells with their first round pick. To me, the prospect of taking a back at #9 when you already have Ryan Grant and you have other needs makes for a fabulous debate.

That's just one example of giving the reader/listener something new to think about. There are plenty of other things out there. My media brothers just have to look a little harder in order to find them. Am I taking a risk by saying this? Probably. No, make that definitely.

Look, I confess that in my career (especially here in Milwaukee) I tended to go with the controversial topics that wound up on the front page of the sports section. But I also did my best to bring something different to the table as often as I could. Whether I succeeded or not really isn't for me to judge. Some people liked it when I went 'off the beaten path.' Some didn't. You can't please all of the people all of the time.

Maybe it took me sitting on the sidelines to fully realize that. But I know this. If I see a column about something that's been talked about a million times before; if I hear a radio guy ranting on something that's been hit on time and time again (usually it has to do with Ted Thompson, Brett Favre, or Rickie Weeks), I don't give it my full attention anymore.

When I hear or read something new and different, my ears and eyes perk up. I'm not going to pretend to speak for anyone reading this piece. I'm only speaking for myself.

But, when I read a column by someone bemoaning the fact that there's no controversy going on here in Wisconsin sports right now, I get annoyed. When I get a call or an email from a friend of mine saying that there isn't anything going on, I vehemently disagree. There's actually plenty going on.

With the Packers, it's all about the draft. Wisconsin Football is heading into a pivotal 2009 season. The Bucks took a step forward this season, but they have to find a way to keep that momentum going. Marquette Basketball is going to look a lot different next year than it has for the past four seasons because three players who were so much a part of the program are moving on (hopefully) to the next level. The Admirals, who have a smaller but loyal fan base are trying to compete in a market where people don't have nearly as much income to spend as they did a year ago (and they are going to the playoffs I might add).

And the Brewers are trying to repeat last year's playoff run. There's no Ned Yost to beat up on anymore (he was as controversial a figure as I've seen in this city). The team has a new attitude (more relaxed) if not a different look. It's no longer about what Ned said or what move he made. It's now about the games. Nothing more, nothing less.

In fact, you could pretty much say that for all the teams in the state right now. It's about wins and losses. It's not about controversies (though I'm sure there will be more than one that will pop up).

The media may not like this controversy-free time. Maybe they want another summer like 2008, where every move Brett Favre made - every word that came out of his mouth - was dissected a thousand different ways. But after a while, it got old. (Confession: By the time the season started last year I was sick of talking about the story. However, ignoring it completely would have been the wrong thing to do.) Just like the Ted-bashing, or Ned-bashing, or any of the debates that have been rehashed time and time again.

Without any real controversies to talk or write about, the media will have to get a little more creative. I know that some of my colleagues are up to the challenge. I hope others are as well.



This isn't a boring time in Wisconsin sports. There's a lot going on. It just might take a little more work to find it.

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TV Appearance!

Just got the call: I will be on the Time Warner Sports 32 Roundtable tonight at 5:30PM Central Time. Dennis Krause hosting. Wayne Larrivee - the voice of the Green Bay Packers - will be my co-panelist. TUNE IN!

A Little This; A Little That

My mini-vacation is in the books. I am relaxed and ready to go.

It was obviously a busy week, between The Masters, the NCAA Championship Game, and the opening of the 2009 Major League Baseball Season. And, in case you haven't seen the commercials (and if you haven't I commend you since it was almost impossible to do), a certain sports highlight show most of us watch every single day made a move to Los Angeles.

So, as you see there's plenty to get to, so I won't waste any of your time.

Nice Jacket, Angel: There was plenty of fireworks at Augusta National yesterday. Tiger and Phil put a charge into the crowd, but, after both came up short, it was up to Angel Cabrera, Kenny Perry, and Chad Campbell to give the fans a show. And they did not disappoint.

Perry seemed to have things going his way with a two shot lead with a couple of holes to go. But he couldn't hold the lead, and both Cabrera (who looked like he was toast midway through yesterday's round) and Campbell both managed to catch Perry and force the sudden death playoff.

It seemed as if Cabrera was going to be the odd man out after his tee shot on the first playoff hole found the trees. But he was able to save par (I have no idea how) and go to a second playoff hole with Perry (Campbell bogeyed and was eliminated).

Most forty-somethings wanted to see Perry win - he would have been the oldest player to ever win a major. But it wasn't meant to be. Perry ran out of gas and Cabrera was fitted for his first Green Jacket (his second career major).

I like that Cabrera was able to come back from the dead and win, but part of me feels for Perry. This is a guy who didn't get to the top until he was in his late forties. He also is the kind of guy that's easy to like.

A year ago, Perry was in the middle of putting together the best season of his career. He played so well he earned an invitation to the British Open. Most players (okay 99.99% would have jumped at the chance to play in one of golf's most prestigious tournaments. But Perry declined because he already told the U.S. Bank Championships (held in Milwaukee) that he was going to play their tournament that same weekend.

No one would have blamed Perry if he dumped the minor tournament for the chance to play the major. But Perry is the kind of guy whose word is bond. He told the Milwaukee officials he was coming and he wasn't going to back out.

Perry's the kind of stand-up guy those of us in the media respect. He's the kind of guy you want good things for. Something tells me he'll get his major championship sooner than you think.

Tiger Runs Out of Gas: Tiger Woods started yesterday seven shots in back of the lead. But he put on a show and made a run before back to back bogeys at 17 and 18 took him out of the running. Tiger may be disappointed in his finish. I have one friend who hosts a nationally syndicated sports talk show that was thrilled Woods came up short because it gave him a chance to sling a little mud. I, as a Tiger fan (admitting my bias), am not disappointed, and I won't take any shots at him either.

The fact that Tiger was in contention after missing eight months rehabbing from knee surgery is incredible. Most players wouldn't have been able to return from surgery and make a run at Augusta. But, Woods isn't most players, is he?

It only took Tiger a couple of tournaments to get his game into gear. Winning Arnie's tournament at Bay Hill with that putt on eighteen was a signature moment. So was that birdie on sixteen yesterday (a hole he has had his share of big moments at, I might add). I'm not sure there is another golfer on the PGA Tour that could have returned and played at a high level as quickly as Woods has.

And I'm not sure I'd bet against Tiger when the next major rolls around. That would be the U.S. Open at Bethpage Black in June. Mark your calenders.

Phil Comes Up Short: When Phil Mickelson put up a 30 on the front nine (while being paired with Mr. Woods), I thought he had a great chance to win the whole thing. But they play eighteen, not nine.

And the back nine was where Lefty got into some trouble. A double bogey on twelve. A birdie that should have been an eagle on fifteen. A blown chance for birdie at seventeen. And a bogey on the par-five eighteenth. At the end of the day, Mickelson had a nice round, but it could have been so much better.

That, actually, is what I've always thought of Lefty's career. He's had a great one - there's no doubt about that. But whenever I reflect on his career I think about all the missed opportunities instead of the wins and Majors that he's rolled up. That's the difference between Tiger and Phil (at least to me). Phil always left me wanting more. Tiger never did. That's why I've always been a Tiger guy.

ESPN Goes West: When 'The Worldwide Leader in Sports' announced its plans to move their late night Sportscenter to L.A., I thought it was an interesting move. Considering the fact that most outside the Eastern time zone accuse ESPN of having an East Coast bias, I thought it was a good way to quiet the critics. Then the shows actually started airing, and it took me all of about five minutes to figure out that it was going to be just a tad over the top.

Look, I get the fact they moved to L.A., but after the first day, the novelty wore off (at least for me). I don't need the eight-thousand commercials every day telling me that Neil, Stan and Stu moved west. I don't need to know that the show is being done in Los Angeles every six seconds.

ESPN is making a mistake if they think that people care where Sportscenter originates from. I don't know anyone that cares all that much. I certainly don't. Do the show in Terre Haute, Indiana for all I care. All I want to see are the highlights, scores, and news. That's it.

What I want is for ESPN to go back to the way 'SC' used to be (in the mid to late 1990's). More news, scores, and highlights. Less of all the other stuff that isn't designed for the average Sportscenter viewer anyway.

But I also realize that going back will to what used to be will never happen. I can dream, though...

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