The Off Season

Yes folks, it is now officially the Off Season for Football. And what off season wouldn’t be complete without player retirement talk. The first, that I know of, for this season is Ricky Williams. He was a gifted athlete who’s elevator did not quite make it all the way up to the top floor. But I am not knocking him in anyway. He dropped off the football radar more than once and managed to overcome his challenges and make a successful comeback and career.

He certainly is not the first NFL player to retire and he will not be the last.

So in honor of the NFL off season and retired players, it only seems fitting to mention another well known football star and his “retirement”; Brett Favre.

Yes folks, the Favre name returns with sponsor Wrangler Jeans in yet another debut!

Who is the Richest Free Agent on the Market?

Elin Nordegren!

 

Seth Meyers has hosted the ESPY awards two years in a row and seems to be firmly entrenched as the host of choice for these awards.

 

So, we can look forward to many more years and many more great one liners from him and the sports world.

I believe the Elin joke was from last year.  This year he took aim at perennial sports favorites Aaron Rogers and Brett Favre.

Congratulations to Aaron Rogers for winning the super bowl

He, final has gotten out from the shadow of Brett Favre

Which thanks to cell phone technology,

we learned is not as big a shadow as we originally thought.

 

There was a behind the scenes spot done on this years show appropriately titled Seriously Funny.

You can check out the video by clicking on the link above.

They are retiring Bretts number !

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Via Time Cartoons of the Week.

NFL DRAMA AWARDS !

Who will win?

My original idea for this post was a kind of Drama award for the NFL.

We certainly have had (and continue to have) plenty of teams, coaches, owners and players all worthy of some sort of Headline or Drama award this year.

I even had a couple top contenders in mind (Vikings and Brett Favre) vs ( Redskins, AH, McNabb, Shanahan). Yes the Redskin side out numbers the Vikings, but only in candidates.

There are plenty of other contenders out there and everyone (fans), depending on their loyalties and personalities, will have his or her own favorites.

The first dilemma I encountered was how to choose and whom?

One way might be to go simply by number of news articles for 2010. I quickly realized, that despite my , and a certain followers preferences, the previously mentioned; surprisingly are NOT necessarily top contenders.

Google 2010 news articles:

Brett Favre ——— 19K results
Donovan McNabb —— 9K results
Albert Haynesworth — 4K results
Mark Sanchez ——– 11K results
Minnesota Vikings — 21K results
New York Jets ——- 28K results
New York Giants —– 31K results

I could have done more but I did not feel like going through every possible team and player combination out there.

Another way to choose a winner might be to go simply by popularity.
For this I turned to social media to look for answers.
Again, I found some surprising results.

Teams with most Facebook fans:

#1 Dallas Cowboys
#2 Pittsburgh Steelers
#3 New Orleans Saints
#4 New England Patriots

#6 Minnesota Vikings
#10 Washington Redskins

Then we have the number of people who “like” something, or in this case, somebody else:

673K people like the Minnesota Vikings
440K people like the Washington Redskins
1.16 million people like the New England Patriots
1.26 million people like the Steelers

But what about some of the players?

T.O. has 390K people who like him (obviously there is no accounting for taste as you will soon see)
Favre 98K like him
Mcnabb 40K like him
Only 1K people like Haynesworth.
Randy Moss, has 170K liking him.

Ochocinco 1.3 million people like him (Really?)

And, sad to say, two of my personal favorite NFL role models:

5K like Darrell Green.
2.5K like London Fletcher.

Twitter had some equally interesting results for top followers:

#4 Kerry Rhodes
#7 Mark Sanchez
#9 NY Jets
#11 New England Patriots
#16 ndamukong_suh
#21 Vikings

Oh, and now for something completely different, one funny listing I saw regarding “most retweeted” for 2010 . . .

OK, now that I have totally digressed beyond / past my original idea, let me pull everyone back to how to choose and present an award.

For this, I took inspiration from the original photo I so grandiosely trashed. The Oscars and the Academy Awards.

Instead of creating a dull and most likely incomplete poll, I am going to create discussion threads on my Fumbled Returns Facebook Fan Page with the following Categories:

Best NFL Actor
Best NFL Art or Sign
Best NFL Fan Costume
Best Rant
Best Action Shot
Best Sound Effect
Best Unscripted Comment
Best Dance
Best Score
Best Commercial
And stealing one from categories turned down . . .
Best Juvenile Award

Within these discussion threads anybody will be able to nominate their own personal suggestion / link and or agree with one that is already there.
I will keep the threads open through the remainder of the season, including the playoffs and super bowl.

And in keeping with the original inspiration, tally the votes and announce the awards sometime around the real academy awards in 2011.

So, you all have some time to think about your choice awards for each category and submit an entry.

Submit multiple entries if you like.

Or confirm that you end up liking one already there.

Lets see who wins!

Randy Moss, Brett Favre and Jenn Sterger

Randy Moss on wondering what kind of pass that Brett Favre will be making . . .

And buying a new pair of gloves . . .

It’s not the ball that bothers me . . .
It where the hand that threw it has been . . .

Randy Moss is now worried that Brett Favre has his number . . .

Favre vs Shanahan Round 1

Brett Favre bumped Mike Shanahan from Sunday Night Football

From the DC Sports Bog . . .

As if you needed any more reasons to be bitter about Brett Favre’s return, he managed to bump Mike Shanahan off NBC’s Sunday Night Football broadcast.

The Redskins coach sat down with Bob Costas early last week to tape an interview that was scheduled to air during halftime of the 49ers-Vikings game. Then some stuff happened with Brett Favre, and the world was overcome with fumes, and Al Michaels scored an interview with the grizzled one, and so NBC Sports producers decided that would be the halftime spot.

No arguments here. If you’ve got the noble gunslinger, and the Vikings are playing, you have to go with that interview at halftime. And since the Shanahan interview was pre-taped, there wouldn’t be any new ammunition added to the Albert Haynesworth gunfight.

Still. Go ahead and add it to the list.

As for the lost Shanahan-Costas footage, an NBC Sports spokesman tells me it will air at a later date, likely during the Thursday night kickoff game.

Oh palease, Another Headline Ratings Op stolen by the Vikings.

Danny and Co. will have to come up with more “As Albert Turns” drama.

Guess I will just have to keep tabs and see what happens come Nov 28th!

Wordless Wednesday Football

No QB Left Behind

It seems that the NFL, along with all their other negotiations, are exploring options regarding kids, recruiting, and future professional players.

It makes sense. Imagine having a program, a farm system of sorts, which identifies potential future football stars, provides training and education, bringing them up to be well rounded, and well known professional football stars.

Each professional team could have its own program. Guiding kids and athletes, molding them to one day fit in with the future of the NFL.

I think this is a great idea. Probably would be cost effective (cost less than some of these modern day multi gazillion dollar contracts) And it wouldn’t cost anybody any draft picks either.

So congratulations to the Vikings, the NFL and most importantly Brett Favre and his family for kick starting this wonderful program.

Ask Brett

Absolutely no truth

To the rumors that Fox Sports, has contacted me regarding the use of my blog name and their commentary regarding the NFC title game.

Absolutely no truth…

to the rumor that any of the purple pride or vikings mania organizations have contacted me either regarding their protest the current state of Brett Favre’s contract.

Or that the Vikings organization is looking to pro-rate Bretts contract…

Or that I have been asked to change my background colors to purple and gold…

Absolutely no truth…

to the rumor that said Brett Favre is teaming up with Prince to write a new theme song… (combination purple and gold and pants on the ground called ball on the ground) with special guest appearances from MC Hammer (can’t touch this), 38 Special (hang on loosely), and Simon and Garfunkel (slip sliding away).

Absolutely no truth…

to the rumor that ESPN has removed AP, Brett and Reggie from their fantasy football no cut lists…

Absolutely no truth…

to the rumor that I am holding out for sponsorship of Reggie Bush, who really did fumble a return and can’t seem to hold on to anything off the field either…

What IS TRUE…

is the FACT that London Fletcher IS going to the Pro Bowl because the Saints and middle linebacker Jonathan Vilma are going to the Super Bowl.

The game was so “gut-wrenching” for Fletcher that he actually turned off the TV when the game was tied at 28-28 in the fourth quarter.

Couldn’t watch it.

“Watching the Saints vs. Vikings game was something that I could not get comfortable with,” Fletcher admitted.

Turns out it was equally as uncomfortable waiting in silence for the final score.

So he turned the TV back on.

It was overtime. Kicker Garrett Hartley, who beat the Redskins in Week 13 with a chip shot field goal, lined up a 40-yard game-winner for the Saints.

The kick sailed through the uprights.

“I did a little sprint around the house,” Fletcher said, laughing.

This is how much making the Pro Bowl meant to Fletcher.

What IS True…

is the fact that I will always bleed Burgundy and Gold.

Fletcher has not missed a game in his 12 year career. Is one of the most prolific tacklers in the entire NFL and is a true leader both on and off the field.

He is also one of the finalists for the Payton award; the award named for the late Hall of Fame running back Walter Payton, which goes annually to the player who combines on-field excellence with off-the-field community service.

Best of luck to you London. You deserve it.

Who knew that my blog name sake would be so appropriate for the NFC championship game?

Absolutely no truth…

To the rumor that said namesake is for sale at any price!

under six figures…