Yardbarker: Jeff Garcia

Saints Note: Thank You Bruce Allen

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 13:17:24 -0500

Saints fans have to applaud Bruce Allen's stubbornness on the Favre trade. Allen was "unwilling" to unload a 3rd round pick and a player for the one player that could have wreaked havoc for the Saints and Panthers. Smart move? Of course time will tell, but I don't think so. Why? Tampa Bay won the NFC South last year against the inconsistencies of the Saints and Panthers. This year the Bucs would have needed an additional edge to create separation from their NFC South rivals, i.e., Brett Favre. The reason is that the Bucs will now face an improved Saints Defense and the Panthers will welcome back Jake Delhomme. Favre as their Quarterback could have provided the deep threat that had the Saints' secondary dizzy last year. Fortunately for New Orleans, the defensive line will create more pressure on their opponents QB's in 2008. Thus creating problems for Garcia. I just don't see Jeff Garcia being able to stand back and pick them apart again for two games with the new Saints D-Line. Favre would have been a wiser QB choice for the Bucs. No offense Jeff, it's just a fact. A Favre-Galloway connection would have created too many problems for the Saints handle. So, here's to you Bruce Allen. You definitely know the value of a Super Bowl versus a 3rd round pick. Thank You for making the best choice for the Bucs Saints…and NFC South. Geaux Saints! DeuceandReggie.com

Bruce Allen Interview About Brett Favre

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 12:31:08 -0500

By the way…I love Bruce Allen. Q: How extensive were the talks with the Green Bay Packers? A: I wouldn't classify it as extensive at all. He may have talked to, from what it sound like, every team in the league. By reading all your stuff from the people covering it closely, it's clear they didn't want to send him to any team in the NFC. Q: You had no negotiations whatsoever about getting Brett Favre? A: No. It never got that far. Q: How far did it get? A: They were looking for a place to send Brett and they found it. Q: How much interest did Brett Favre have in coming to Tampa Bay? A: There are quite a few players in the league that have an interest to come to Tampa Bay. Not getting into the tampering rules of the league, I think that's a credit to this organization. This system would fit a lot of players. Q: How did you try to sell him on the Buccaneers? A: Really, it never got that far. He wasn't a free agent. We never really believed they were going to release him. They were clear from the beginning that it wasn't their intention. It wasn't that type of process. Q: Bruce, are you saying you made no trade offer to the Packers for Brett Favre? A: Green Bay never told us what they were interested in trading him for. Q: Did you tell them what you were interested in? No. Q: Why did you not say Jeff Garcia is our quarterback and end it? A: I think if you look at the quotes over the last year or two, Coach Gruden named him the starter at a Chamber of Commerce meeting a year ago and you said why even name him the starter. Coach Gruden and Jeff's relationship goes back a ways. We're going to compete on the football field. There are 80 guys competing to make the football team. The American way is competition. I don't think any outside forces are going to affect our football team. Q: If Garcia was your quarterback, why did you continue talking to Green Bay? A: I'm not going to get into specifics. Q: If you knew from the beginning Green Bay wasn't going to trade Brett to an NFC team, why did you ask permission to talk to him and ask Jon Gruden to talk with him? A: First of all, I think 18 teams were interested in Brett Favre. When this all started. We had never talked to him. We can't control speculation. We can't control rumors in the newspaper. Q: But Brett Favre and Bus Cook said the Buccaneers were specifically part of the deal. Were they lying? A: The fact that a player wants to play for us, once again, I think is a compliment to this organization. I've not ever turned my back on people wanting to come to the Buccaneers. Q: Do you expect Jeff Garcia to believe what you're saying, that you had no interested in Brett Favre and that he was never going to be part of the team? A: We said we never believed they were going to trade Brett Favre. Q: So you did have interest in acquiring him? A: No. We have interest in anything that can help this football team. Q: If you never believed they were going to trade him, why even talk to Green Bay? 18 teams did not talk to Brett Favre. A: Are you sure? Q: Yes. Why talk to Brett Favre if you had no inkling whatsoever that the Packers were going to him to nothing other than an AFC team? A; We're going to listen and see if there is a way it can benefit the Buccaneers. Q: How do you get Jeff' mind right to lead this team? A: Jeff is a great competitor. He's No.1 attribute is his competitive spirit. Right now, we want to get Jeff healthy, Get him back on the practice field. Nothing will change the competitive nature of Jeff Garcia.

Gruden's Prized QB Collection Almost Complete With eBay Bid For Favre

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 09:18:58 -0500

Jon Gruden sat at his home computer with a smile on his face as he clicked reload and watched the minutes tick down on his bid for Brett Favre on eBay. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach had been watching the auction for weeks, when Favre was listed by the Green Bay Packers for the starting bid of 1 dollar. Towards the beginning of the auction, it looked like either PackinHard4Life or Wisconsinprincess6969 would land Favre after a brutal bidding war. But once the price went about 70 bucks, neither could stay in the race. That was when Gruden put in his bid of $14 million in hopes of adding the superstar to his prized quarterback collection. Gruden has over 300 old quarterbacks in his home, that he hopes can one day contribute to a championship. When we entered his large estate we found a foyer with Super Bowl winning QB Brad Johnson encased in a plastic case in the middle, presumably to preserve him. As we passed him, with Gruden leading us to his computer room, Johnson begged for water and said not to let Gruden hit him with "the happy stick". We didn't know what that meant, but it sounded fun. We kept walking and passed the Hall Of Quarterbacks, as Gruden called it, where Gannon, Garcia, Plummer, and others were being held. When we got to the computer, Gruden showed us the bid he had in for Favre, and says he frequently bids on any QBs that appear on the site, but only if they are over 30. "Now, I know a near mint condition Favre sounds like a steal at $14 million, but it's the $6 million shipping that really gets you," said Gruden. "But, that's eBay for you. Once I have him, my collection will be the greatest in the world. I'm going to take some time off in the Fall to tour with the collection in the QB convention circuit. No point in being a collector if you aren't going to show them off."

THE JERSEY DINER MORNING NEWS

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 07:56:38 -0500

1. FROM THE SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE "I have a lot of familiarity with the other two players," Nolan said of quarterbacks Alex Smith and Shaun Hill. "J.T. O'Sullivan has done a very good job as the other guys have, but yeah, more than anything else, I want to see him in a game situation."

Mike Nolan talking about why he is going with JT. JT is the one that Mike Martz loves and wants to be the guy. Time and reps are critical for the 49er quarterbacks. Nolan has never seen Smith or Hill in a game situation play in the Martz system. So, it is clear to me, that JT is the guy Martz feels gives him the best chance to run his offense. What does that say for the guy that was the first pick overall in the draft?

2. FROM THE NY DAILY NEWS…"The 5-11, 228-pound Derrick Ward certainly appears to have earned a part in the offense. A former seventh-round pick of the Jets (2004), Ward had career highs last season in carries (125), yards (602), touchdowns (three) and yards per carry (4.8) - despite missing half of the regular season, including four early games when he was out with an injured ankle and groin. Plus, he started in four of the five games that Jacobs missed, and in those games Ward rushed for 418yards on 84 carries. That's 104.5 yards per game and five yards per carry numbers that will be hard for the coaching staff to ignore. For now, though, all Ward can do is try to get healthy. "You know what? I don't know if I should tell you this, but two or three weeks after I had surgery I was trying to walk, trying to psyche my mind out saying, 'Oh, I could play right now,'" Ward said. "Really, I couldn't. But I knew coming into the off season workouts I would be ready to go."

With his size and speed, if he gets the reps, Ward would be a 1000 yard rusher. His durability worries me, but he can flat out play. In Denver he would be a star.

3. FROM TAMPA BAY ON LINE As Bucs quarterback Jeff Garcia passed by a group of reporters on his way to practice Wednesday, one asked him if he was walking the green mile."Yeah," Garcia responded. "Dead Man Walking." Not anymore.

It might be time to get the Garcia contract fixed now. I can promise you, Steve Baker the agent for Garcia is all over Bruce Allen today for his deal. All over him. And this flirting with Favre will not play well in the Bucs quarterback meeting room.

4. DERRICK HARVEY and the Jags.

Harvey is the remaining hold out left in the first round and don't expect any resolution to this deal coming anytime soon. I have talked too many in the know and they are far apart on my issues and there does not seem to be an urge from either side to close the gap. The biggest problem lies with the huge deal Vernon Gholston's received from the Jets, that was handled by CAA, the same firm that handles Harvey. This may take a while.

5. FROM THE MIAMI HERALD "This particular pass grazed the extended hands of Dolphins wide receiver Ted Ginn Jr., who made a nice cut toward the ball but couldn't stretch long enough to pull it in. Would it be ruled a drop? Maybe not. Could it have been caught? Depends who you're asking".

Ginn has a history of drops and he is very inconsistent with his ability to show great quickness and burst. He has long speed and will make plays down the field, but he does take a moment to get going. He is not very sure handed and he has very weak wrists. The ball never stops softly in his hands and he is always bending his wrist to make the catch. This is not a good trait for wide receivers to possess.

6. FROM THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE If Pennington is released as expected, he will be free to sign with any team and the Bears need to at least give him something to consider. He's a veteran known more for his accuracy than his arm strength, but the combination of his intangibles and experience would make it necessary for the Bears to consider him as a third quarterback.

Pennington would be similar to what the Bears currently have on their roster. Someone that you have to manage the game around and cannot make others around him better. I am sure Pennington will want starting money once he is released. Is Pennington better then what the Bears have? Mentally yes, physically no.

7. FROM THE BUFFALO NEWS Rookie wide receiver James Hardy returned to practice Wednesday, his first since last Thursday when he injured his left hamstring. He said he is sore but hopes to play Saturday when the Bills open the preseason against the Washington Redskins.

Hardy is a big wide out with very good speed and power. He builds speed and he can take a five yard slant and make a huge play. He has soft hands and can really be a very productive player for the Bills this year, if he is healthy.

8. FROM THE ATLANTA JOURNAL CONSTITUTION Jerious Norwood is moving from receiver, to tailback, to being used in the same backfield with Turner. Norwood's willingness to play all roles makes him even more valuable, coaches said. "He's showing the speed and explosiveness that you know that he has," Coach Mike Smith said. "He's going to be an exciting guy. When you put him in there in a rotation with Michael Turner, you've got two guys that really can cause some problems."

I love Norwood's talent and his play making ability. He does not score enough for his talent level, but that was more a product of the offense he was working in. Norwood is tough and can really be an asset to the offense if he can blend with Turner. When your bad in the OL, like the Falcons, you need a back that can make people miss and make some plays on his own.

9. FROM THE WASHINGTON POST Reserve tackles Todd Wade and Stephon Heyer will each miss at least two weeks with injuries they suffered in the Washington Redskins' first preseason game Sunday, leaving the team with few veterans available at that position.

I know everyone is excited about the Skins. I have read all the Post Cards from everyone who has been through the Skins practices writing about how well Jason Campbell looks and how the Skins can make a Super Bowl run this year. But I don't see it and what I don't see is an offensive line that can handle the rigors of the NFL from a health standpoint. A line that is old in both starters and back ups. For me, it's always about the offensive line and I am not impressed with the Skins talent.

10.FROM THE CAROLINA GROWL Going to certain sides and everything, that's what we're working on right now," said Stewart, the 13th overall pick in this year's draft. "... The whole explosiveness, some of that stuff is kind of limited because of my toe."Stewart doesn't seem too worried.He just keeps reminding himself that he's only been practicing for 12 days. He had surgery in March and didn't participate in any of the team's mini camps, so it's still early. When asked if doctors have given him an idea of when he might be 100 percent, Stewart said, "I really don't know. I hope soon. I'm pretty sure it's going to be soon."He's optimistic about playing in Saturday night's preseason opener against Indianapolis, but isn't sure if he'll be cleared by the medical staff to participate. Coach John Fox said that decision hasn't been determined."I'm just kind of antsy about going out there and just playing again to my full potential," Stewart said. "It's been since November (when he first injured it) since I've been able to do that. I'm feeling kind of antsy, but patience is a virtue we all desire."

I would rest Stewart for as long as I needed to rest him this summer and limit his reps in the first game. He will need reps in game two and three and very few in game four and should be ready for the season.

Tournament Style Vote Off ( Day 4 ) -- NFL QB's -- Up now -- J.Garcia vs. A.Rodgers -- Pick the Winner

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 07:41:23 -0500

This is a simple tournament style vote off. What you do here is vote for the best QB of the pair that is up at that time. This is a tournament so vote for the top paring first the next match up will begin after 15 total votes, the first to 8 votes, or the leader at the 24th hour, whichever comes first. Then move to the next pairing on the list and so on till the list is complete and then we start round two which I will post with the new match ups. I will Post the new match ups every day till we crown the CHAMPION. Lets be friendly and honest here is the match up. The NAMES in CAPS are the winners of that match up move on to the next round. When you see a pairing with a CAPS winner move down to where there are two QB's in lower case letters and that is the one we will be voting on at that time. When the next round comes out it will be posted the same as this one but with round 2, then 3, then 4 and so on till we have our two SUPER BOWL QB's. Only vote for the one in session. Let's keep it friendly, and tell your friends we are here and lets make this fun for everyone. Now in session is: J.Garcia vs. A.Rodgers --- J.CAMPBELL defeats T.Jackson --- (11-2) --- J. CAMPBELL WINS T.ROMO defeats M.Hasselback --- (8 - 6) --- T. ROMO WINS P.MANNING defeats T.Brady --- (9 - 7) --- P. MANNING WINS B. FARVE defeats A. Rodgers --- (7 - 6) --- B. FARVE WINS E.MANNING defeats P.Rivers --- (9 - 7) --- E.MANNING WINS D.MCNABB defeats C.Palmer --- (8 - 2) --- D. MCNABB WINS D. ANDERSON defeats V.Young ---(12 - 4)---D. ANDERSON WINS B.ROTHLESBUGER defeats T.Edwards -- (8 - 0) -- B. ROTHLESBUGER WINS J.Garcia vs. A.Rodgers --- IS NOW IN SESSION K. Warner vs. J. Kitna R. Grossman vs. D. Garrard J. Cutler vs. J. Delhomme D. Brees vs. M. Bulger J. Russell vs. M. Schuab A. Smith vs B. Cryole

Bucs Stay Put at QB as Packers Move Favre to the Jets

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 07:24:36 -0500

The QB's on the Bucs roster can breathe a little easier today. Early this morning the Jets and Packers did a deal that will send future Hall of Fame QB Brett Favre to the Big Apple to play for the Jets. It was thought through the day on Wednesday that Favre would end up in Tampa Bay, likely leaving starter Jeff Garcia on the outside looking in. In the end, the Bucs felt that the asking price for Favre, which is a conditional draft pick based on his play in 2008, was too high. The team ended up not even talking to the Packers on Wednesday according to reports, and in the end the Packers moved on and took the deal with the Jets to move Favre. The Bucs can now focus on the roster as it stands, with Garcia as the starter, likely Luke McCown as the backup, and Brian Griese as the 3rd string. The future remains cloudy for Chris Simms, who out of nowhere took first string snaps in 11-on-11 drills on Wednesday. The team may be setting him up to showcase him to move him to another team. The Cowboys and Bears were two teams that reportedly have interest in Simms.

Our Long National Nightmare Is Over, Brett Favre Is A Jet

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 01:46:40 -0500

Or should I rather say has just begun (muhahaha!). At 10:45 pm last night, Brett Favre was officially traded to the New York Jets and is allegedly prepared to report to camp as soon as he can. The winner in the battle royale for who would break the story first appears to be Jay Glazer of FOX Sports, but in the end I think we're all losers in this crazy roller coaster ride....

The Brett Favre era in Green Bay is now officially over. But Favre's legendary career is not.

The month-long saga has finally come to an end, with the Packers trading their future Hall-of-Fame quarterback to the New York Jets.

The exact compensation was not immediately known, but it is believed to be a single draft pick that increases in value depending upon how the Jets perform during the 2008 season.

As a result of this, the Jets will likely release a quarterback. Signs have been pointing to Chad Pennington as the likely culprit because the team will need to free up cap room to fit Favre's contract under the salary cap.

To be completely honest with everyone, I've had this post ready to go for three days. Of course all the Jets mentions were Bucs mentions, but other than that everything has stayed the same. I knew Glazer was going to get to the story first, and I put together a cute little look back. Shall we?
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Best Quotes:

"I'll practice my butt off, if it comes to that, and I think we all know what the end result will be, but this probably isn't going to work."- Brett Favre

"I do believe if the Packaneers and Buccaneers can get together on compensation, uh then it's reasonable in light of the circumstances"- Chris Mortensen

"This has been going on for over a decade. Going into '96, the Super Bowl that he won. He talked about it prior to that game that if he won that Super Bowl he may in fact retire. And since that time it's been twelve years now that we've talking about whether or not Brett's going to retire."- Troy Aikman

"ESPN's Michael Smith has confirmed that Brett Favre has been traded to the Jets."- Stuart Scott (Well good for him)

"I'm a football coach. I know (talking to the media) is part of my job description, and I don't mind doing it, but I have no desire to stand out there and answer all the political questions. I'm going to tell the truth, and that's that. I'm not going to be politically correct. I'm sick of it."- Packers Coach Mike McCarthy

"We are a good football team. We're trying to become a great one. We'll do anything we can to get better. And if that involves looking at other players, by George that's our job. That's our responsibility."- Bucs Coach John Gruden

"Once you're on another team, you're on another team. I think for the most part the locker room would have liked to see him back here. But like I say, once you're on another team..."- Packers CB Charles Woodson

"The train has left the station, whatever analogy you want. He needs to jump on the train and let's go. Or, if we can't get past things that have happened, I have to keep the train moving."- Packers Coach Mike McCarthy

"Yeah, dead man walking."- Jeff Garcia

"We're talking to Tampa and the Jets. I don't think anything has changed. We'll see what happens."- Brett Favre

Timeline:

-March 6: Favre's tearful press conference.

-Week of March 24: During the coaching staff's spring break, Packers offensive line coach James Campen, whose in-laws live in New Orleans, goes up to visit Favre in Mississippi on March 26. On the 27th, Campen tells McCarthy Favre is having second thoughts and McCarthy should call him.

-March 29: Favre calls McCarthy to deliver a message: Thanks, but no thanks.

-April 24: On the 24th, McCarthy explains the team's decision to place Favre on the reserve/retired list.

-May 6: With the NFL draft out of the way, Thompson visits Favre in Mississippi and has lunch on his back porch. Thompson says they have a "good conversation," but don't spend too much time talking about the idea that he might be having second thoughts.

-June 7: During a staff retreat in Kohler, Wis., Campen says he's worried about Favre. McCarthy tells Campen to go to Mississippi - not as an official team intermediary, but as Favre's friend.

-June 16-20: Acting on Campen's advice, McCarthy calls Favre. They play phone tag for a few days but eventually connect. "You and Ted need to have a plan if I do come back," Favre says, according to McCarthy. "Either give me my helmet or give me my release."

-July 4: Favre sends a text message to Thompson, who responds by saying he is traveling and asks if they can talk Monday. Cook begins texting Thompson, and a conference call is arranged.

-July 8: A conference call is scheduled involving Favre, Cook, Thompson, McCarthy and Russ Ball, the team's VP of football administration/player finance, to discuss Favre's request for a release.

-July 27: Packer players report to camp, without Favre, as the quarterback agrees to let Thompson try to work out a trade solution in hopes of keeping Favre from coming to Green Bay.

-July 29: Favre finally faxes his official request for reinstatement to the league.

-July 30: Reports leak that Packers president Mark Murphy flies to Mississippi to extend a lucrative olive branch: $20 million over 10 years for Favre to stay retired and remain with the Packer organization in a marketing capacity.

-July 31: Trade talks become serious with the New York Jets. Favre apparently decides he doesn't want to play for that team, and reportedly considers the marketing offer.

-August 3: Favre flies to Green Bay at the same time the Packers are having their Family Night scrimmage. He's greeted at the airport by cheering fans.

-August 4: NFL commissioner Roger Goodell reinstates Favre, and the Packers add him to the 80-man roster. McCarthy is scheduled to meet with Favre, then address the team, then address the media. However, his meeting with Favre extends to roughly 4 hours — Thompson also meets with Favre — and the team meeting and media conference are canceled. Goodell also rules the Vikings didn't tamper with Favre.

-August 5: Favre and McCarthy meet again at Lambeau Field. Then, Favre, Thompson, Murphy and others meet at Favre's home in Ashwaubenon. McCarthy indicates Favre's mindset isn't right for him to rejoin the team, but says he plans to speak to Favre again in the evening.

-August 6: Favre is traded to the New York Jets.

Media Winner: Jay Glazer of Fox Sports

Jay had both the trade story today and the overnight report that Favre and the Packers were at a standstill after all night meetings. I don't know how he does it, but the guy can't be sleeping more than 4 hours a night.

Media Loser: ESPN

They're not necessarily a loser in all of this, but they threw everything at this and got scooped once again. I don't entirely blame them for their over-the-top coverage, but you could tell that they wanted to break the story live on a "Sports Center Special" for the last two days. Glazer also reported the story about an hour before ESPN did, and Sal Pal was still on Sports Center talking about the Bucs deal as FOX's story went live. It seems like they've been scrambling all night and ESPN.com still doesn't have a full story up as of midnight. They sure did try though and I feel bad for Wendy Nix after being stuck in Green Bay for what seems like three months.

Also, their hole plan for Brett Favre's jersey retirement ceremony before the opening Monday nighter is trashed and they have to go back to the drawing board. At least they have a new angle now.
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In the end I think the process gave ESPN a good look at how draining the 24-hour news cycle can be and they have to now be more prepared than ever to go live with Sports Center next week. The bottom line though is that a majority of Country honestly cared about the outcome (I don't care what you all say) and all of the outlets searching for more and new information is a great thing. Say it loud and say it proud New York....

Brett Favre is the quarterback for your New York J-E-T-S, JETS! JETS! JETS!

Packers trade Favre to Jets (FOX Sports)
Packers detail timeline of Favre's decisions (FOX Sports)
Favre timeline: It's been a strange 5 months (Packer News)

(Photo via FOX's Alex Marvez)

THE JERSEY DINER MORNING NEWS

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 18:42:21 -0500

THE MORNING NEWS...FROM THE MORNING PAPERS

1. "I want to score some touchdowns," Willie Parker said after he scored on the first play of the goal-line drill that ended practice last night. "Thirty-nine is a guy who could potentially be a guy in that area. We'll see. He had a nice run." Tomlin said Sunday that Mendenhall had to run harder, and he gave him a better grade yesterday." I thought he was better. He was downhill. He went in standing up one time." This battle for the Short Yardage back in the Pittsburgh offense is critical for fantasy football players. And it appears to me that there is no clear winner...YET.

2. He's one of those guys you've got to pull back or they're not going to pull back themselves." -- Saints Coach Sean Payton, explaining why he has scaled back the workload for Jon Vilma, who has been practicing once per day this week and won't play in Thursday's game. Vilma hasn't experienced any setbacks with his surgically repaired knee, however. Vilma will have a much better year now that he can go back and play in a defense that is more familiar to him. The 3/4 defense forces linebackers to deal with blockers coming at them all the time. In the 4/3, Vilma can use his speed and quickness to run to the ball and not have to work so hard at shedding so many blocks.

3. In Miami, LB Junior Glymph was all over the field, creating havoc for RBs and notching 2 1/2 sacks. The 6-foot-5, 278-pounder nearly intercepted a hand-off between RB Jalen Parmele and Beck. Glymph has been working his tail off to be a player. He has been in Atlanta and in Dallas with the old staff. He is finally in the right place. If he is ever going to make a statement as a pro player, now is the time.

4. Like Max Jean-Gilles? "Max has taken advantage of his opportunity, and he has done an excellent job," Marty Mornhinweg said. "You win with guys like Max. Max is a fighter. He's big and strong and gives big effort. He loves to play the game, and when you love to play the game you're going to work hard...and you're going to get better every day." I think if they like Jean-Gilles as much as these quotes seem to indicate, then the Birds might want to move Shawn Andrews to right tackle and provide themselves with the eventual replacement for Jon Runyan. Andrews could be an awesome right tackle and dominating run blocker.

5. According to a team official reached Tuesday night, Jackson remained a no-show. As a result, Jackson's 2008 season will not count as an "accrued" year in terms of eligibility for free agency. Players under contract must report at least 30 days before the overall NFL opener for the season to count as an accrued year. That 30-day deadline came and went Tuesday. I don't think Jackson sees this deadline as a problem. He knows he is going to get a new contract from the Rams, so why would be concerned with this date? He is not worried about being a free agent. He is worried about getting paid.

6. If I was the GM of the Buffalo Bills I would get on an airplane and fly to wherever Jason Peter is living. He is too important to the team for no contact to occur. I would find Peters and get this done.

7. Kyle Orton gets the first start for the Bears, which is good for him. Like the Ravens, the Bears don't have much depth in the offensive line and the quarterback that plays with a good line will look much better. Orton needs to know his role and not try to do too much in his first start. Playing against the Chiefs is a good start. KC will not run very complicated schemes and will play vanilla-like coverages this early in the preseason.

8. I wonder how Steven Baker, Jeff Garcia's agent, is handling the Brett Favre news in Tampa. And let's hope Chris Simms gets his freedom very soon. It would not surprise me to see Simms in Green Bay.

9. From the Denver Post, "Tom Nalen isn't going to like this, but people are starting to become concerned about him. These people include his coach, Mike Shanahan. 'Anytime Tom sits out of practice, it is not just another injury, because it is tough to keep him out of practice,' Shanahan said." I was around Nalen last year and he is really a great warrior who is fighting something he cannot beat, father time. He was amazing last year with his quickness and athletic ability, but with injuries it's hard to keep coming back. On the other hand, if the Broncos think Casey Wiegmann can do the job at 35, they will be in for a shock. Playing center in the AFC West means blocking Jamal Williams of SD. And that is VERY hard to do.

10. Mike Holmgren talked about Leonard Weaver in the Seattle Times this morning. " 'He is as talented a fullback as I've ever had,' Holmgren said. So Holmgren sat his backup fullback down and laid out the situation with all the subtlety of an uppercut. 'Look, if you don't fix this, you're not going to be here,' Holmgren said. No misinterpretations there. No room for mistakes in the final exhibition game, and no backing down from Weaver, who carried 16 times for 74 yards against the Raiders to run his way onto the roster. 'Pretty self-explanatory,' Weaver said. 'He let me know where I stand, and I performed, and look at me now.' " I LOVE this. All it takes is being honest with players, good or bad. Tell them where they stand and don't try to be a politician. I use to hate when we would cut a player and the guy walking the player around for his exit procedures would tell the player, "I think you got screwed." Players want honesty, they want the truth, we all do.

TAVERN TALK

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 18:42:20 -0500

THINGS I LEARNED TODAY

1. The Jets think they have a slight chance to acquire Brett Favre. Maybe a little late in their thinking, but they are making the move. As I wrote last week, I would have been on a plane and ran the steps with Deanna Favre and Brett to just get the Favre family to think about NY. The Jets have a firm pick on the table (I hear a 3rd) and I understand its better then the Bucs pick, (which I hear is a 4th). We shall see.

2. The Bucs have Chris Simms in limbo and I know for a fact, the Packers have been doing their homework on him for the past month. And the Pack needs a veteran QB.

3. The Jets should offer Chad Pennington and a pick for Favre. They need Pennington's cap room to make the deal and Pennington's number one fan is Paul Hackett, currently of the Raiders. Hackett and Mike McCarthy the head coach of the Packers are very close and Pennington will get a ringing endorsement from Hackett about his commitment and his preparation. The Packers will need a veteran back up and Pennington would be a great choice for them.

4. Speaking of the Jets, they have not named a starter for this the first pre-season. The Jets are similar to the 49ers; they have two quarterbacks, but really don't have any. Jet fans, you better hope "The Source Who Knows Jet Thinking" gets this Favre deal done. It might be a long season if he fails.

5. Ted Thompson the Packers GM has gone underground. There are some rumblings that maybe the confusion between the Packers press release and what actually transpired in Green Bay upon Favre's arrival was that Thompson after meeting with the Executive committee of the Packers and agreeing to allow Favre the right to an open competition, changed his mind. This has upset several committee members. Stay tuned to this one….Thompson has much riding on this decision with Mr. Favre. Everyone in the NFL working for teams that I talked to today, cannot understand the "why" he is taking on a legend.

6. Steve Baker the agent for Jeff Garcia is calling around today letting associates know that Garcia would love to escape Tampa once Favre has arrived. Most of the agents that I talked to today feel that Tampa will be the destination for Mr. Favre. I feel bad for Garcia. He was responsible for the Bucs 9 wins last year and lost money resting. Life in the NFL is not fair.

7. I have been told from very reliable sources that Shawn Rogers has been un-blockable in Cleveland. That he has been at every practice and has been a beast. I know this from watching and evaluating Rogers last year; when he wants to play, has Albert Haynesworth like dominating skills.

8. The Denver running back Ryan Torian injury really hurts the Broncos. Right now without Torian they don't have an every down back. Selvin Young is more of a nickel, change of pace player, and the more he has to play, the more his production will go down. Denver should call the NY Giants, and try to acquire Derrick Ward.

9. From the Miami Herald;

"Although Miami could sign former Cowboys receiver Terry Glenn at any point this preseason, a decision has been put on hold in recent days while both sides consider their options. The delay is giving Glenn more time to get into better condition, and it's giving the Dolphins more time to evaluate their current group of receivers. The Dolphins have not brought Glenn in for a workout and do not have one scheduled. If Miami decides to offer a contract, his knee which limited him to one game with the Cowboys last season would have to be strong enough so he could pass a physical".

I would not be surprised if the Terry Glenn saga in Miami gets done next week. Glenn does not need much time to get ready and the less wear and tear on the knee helps.

10. All these injuries to the Seattle defensive line will force them to really view the waiver wire and allow them to find some players who may help down the line. Sometimes injuries force activity.

Simms Takes Most of the First Team Snaps in 11-on-11 Drills

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 15:35:58 -0500

While everyone seems to have the same opinion that Brett Favre will be the Buccaneers opening day starter, for now, a long lost QB is taking first team snaps with the team. During the afternoon practice today, Chris Simms took a lot of first team snaps during the teams 11-on-11 drills. Simms was ahead of Luke McCown, and sources say that so far he looks good and is not showing any issues from his injury. Jeff Garica is likely to sit due to his calf issue and will not play in the preseason opener.

2008 Fantasy Football Rankings: Quarterbacks

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 11:17:23 -0500

Tiered quarterback rankings for the 2008 fantasy football season.

Jeff Garcia Reacs to Brett Favre's Possible Trade to Tampa

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 11:12:24 -0500

The next quarterback's life that Favre's unretirement will ruin is the main man in Tampa.

You Heard It Here First

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 09:22:14 -0500

The Miami Dolphins have a problem at the quarterback position, they also have money to spend. In about 3 days, if not sooner, a name will pop up on the free agent list that the Miami Dolphins should seriously take a look at. You heard it here first, remember that. Jeff Garcia will likely be waived [...]

Tournament Style Vote Off ( Day 3 ) -- NFL QB's -- Up now -- V.Young vs. D. Anderson -- Pick the Winner

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 08:34:24 -0500

This is a simple tournament style vote off. What you do here is vote for the best QB of the pair that is up at that time. This is a tournament so vote for the top paring first the next match up will begin after 15 total votes, the first to 8 votes, or the leader at the 24th hour, whichever comes first. Then move to the next pairing on the list and so on till the list is complete and then we start round two which I will post with the new match ups. I will Post the new match ups every day till we crown the CHAMPION. Lets be friendly and honest here is the match up. The NAMES in CAPS are the winners of that match up move on to the next round. When you see a pairing with a CAPS winner move down to where there are two QB's in lower case letters and that is the one we will be voting on at that time. When the next round comes out it will be posted the same as this one but with round 2, then 3, then 4 and so on till we have our two SUPER BOWL QB's. Only vote for the one in session. Let's keep it friendly, and tell your friends we are here and lets make this fun for everyone. Now in session is: D.McNabb vs. C.Palmer --- J.CAMPBELL defeats T.Jackson --- (11-2) --- J. CAMPBELL WINS T.ROMO defeats M.Hasselback --- (8 - 6) --- T. ROMO WINS P.MANNING defeats T.Brady --- (9 - 7) --- P. MANNING WINS B. FARVE defeats A. Rodgers --- (7 - 6) --- B. FARVE WINS E.MANNING defeats P.Rivers --- (9 - 7) --- E.MANNING WINS D.MCNABB defeats C.Palmer --- (8 - 2) --- D. MCNABB WINS V.Young vs. D. Anderson --- NOW IN SESSION B.Rothlesburger vs. Trent Edwards J.Garcia vs. A.Rodgers K. Warner vs. J. Kitna R. Grossman vs. D. Garrard J. Cutler vs. J. Delhomme D. Brees vs. M. Bulger J. Russell vs. M. Schuab

Jeff Garcia Back To The Philadelphia Eagles?

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 07:15:27 -0500

A good argument for bringing Garcia back. It most likely won't happen, but would make a nice insurance policy for the Eagles.