Favre still fun to watch

By Chad Garner

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Don't worry, Brett Favre will be returning to Minnesota.

I know the reports out there are circulating that he's retiring, but do you really believe that?

Favre isn't a washed up bum, he's got a lot left in the tank. He know that, too. He knows that he's not a stiff like half -- OK, more than half -- of the starting QBs in the league. Favre knows he's still a threat to lead the Vikings to the Super Bowl.

He also knows he gets off hearing his name in the media. All the time.

He's a small-town guy with a big-time ego.

Isn't that common knowledge, anyway?

It's OK, really.

I don't mind that Favre's ego is bigger than Gillette Stadium. He's a millionaire, a legend and a Super Bowl champion. Sure beats my resume.

And, unlike so many Favre haters out there, I hope he comes back to play.

He's great for the game. He's a Hall of Fame QB, and he's fun to watch play.

Yes, he's fun. I love watching Favre do things that no QB coach in America will teach a young signal-caller. But he gets it done most of the time, unlike some other sub-par QBs. Favre is like 100 years old and he's got a shotgun for an arm.

And he loves to show it off, too, and sometimes that gets him into a lot of trouble. Yes, it's fun watching him throw INTs in gigantic playoff games. He's human, not superman. We all should know that.

Say what you want about him, but no one can question that he loves the game of football. It shows in the way he plays.

For that, I respect him completely.

Another year of the Brett Favre soap opera, I'm fine with that.

Are you?

Season over, thanks for playing

By Chad Garner

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

It's all over.

No need to play out the rest of the season, right Red Sox fans?

I know, Kevin Youkilis is apparently out for the season with a torn thumb muscle, so now it's OK to give up. Seriously?

Yes, the sky has fallen.

Time to pack up the bus, and look forward to next season.

I just can't believe that so many Red Sox fans have completely given up on the season already. This team has battled and battled all year with so many injuries, and with a pitching staff like they have, who's to say they can't make a run at the wild card?

But to sit there and say that the season is a complete wash now, since Youk isn't going to be around, I just can't buy into that at all.

Injuries happen all the time, it's part of the game. Yes, it would be nice to think about how this team would be if these guys didn't keep going on the DL, but you play with what you've got. These subs get paid, too, now it's time for everyone to step up.

The season isn't over. Smarten up.

Do you have your popcorn yet?

By Chad Garner

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Get your popcorn ready.

Well, in Cincinnati, the show has already started.

That's the T.O. show, featuring Terrell Owens.

The Bengals now have their popcorn ready at all times.

Now that Owens is officially a member of the Cincinnati Bengals, I'm sitting here wondering how that team is going to be this season. Better yet, what is going to happen on and off the field with that cast of characters.

If you thought Chad Ochocinco was a handful or even T.O., now it's definitely reality television at its finest with both those flamboyant receivers on the same team.

Quarterback Carson Palmer must be excited to throw to both those talents, but also nervous at the same time because of the unexpected element both those guys bring to any team.

Man, this is going to be quite the show. And I bet we'll see more than enough coverage from all angles on the Bengals and how T.O. and Ocho are meshing together.

On paper, the Bengals just got a whole lot better. Actually, they are going to be great on offense with T.O., Ocho and Antonio Bryant as the top three receivers. What secondary in the NFL can stop that trio? Nobody.

But this ship could come crashing down in a hurry if the losses start piling up. When that happens, the problems in the locker room and on and off the field begin to spill over into the hands of the media.

And that's when we've got to get our popcorn ready.

If you ask me right now, the Bengals are a legit playoff team.

New England Patriots fans will get an up close and personal look at Cincinnati when the two teams square off in the season opener on Sept. 12 in Foxboro.

Make sure you get some popcorn when you enter the stadium!

The Big East: Looking for BCS legitimacy.

By Chris Maza
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

(Note: This is the first in a series of previews of the 'major' conferences in college football, including the BCS conferences - the Big East, the Big 10, the Big 12, the ACC, the SEC and the Pac-10 - as well as the Mountain West Conference, the Western Athletic Conference and the Independents.)

While the rest of college football was dealing with the issue of expansion and realignment, the Big East was going through its own changes. Conference champion Cincinnati lost head coach Brian Kelly to Notre Dame, while South Florida and Louisville also welcomed new coaches. But in general, things were quiet in the Big East. As usual, the conference is looking to gain some legitimacy for its BCS status. It didn't help itself by sending Cincinnati to get slaughtered in the Sugar Bowl, nor West Virginia help by losing to a seemingly weaker Florida State team. However, Pittsburgh did top a talented, yet inconsistent North Carolina, while UConn and Rutgers also won their bowl games.

The Bearcats followed Kelly to a 12-1, 7-0 record and a spot in the Sugar Bowl. Kelly was lured away by the Fighting Irish and without him, Cincinnati folded like a card table, losing to Florida, 51-24. Cincinnati turned once again to Central Michigan for its head coach, plucking the Chippewas' head coach to run the same offense that was run before. Zach Collaros is primed to have one of the best statistical seasons in college football, having a great deal of experience after having to fill in for Tony Pike right in the middle of the season. What's more, he's mobile, adding a whole new dimension to the Bearcats' offense. For that reason - and a manageable schedule - the Bearcats still have a decent chance of making something of themselves this season.

Pittsburgh, however, has to be the favorite in this league. After all, Pitt came ever so close to winning last year's game, snagging a 31-10 lead over Cincinnati before blowing it in the final game. Pitt has two tremendous running backs in Dion Lewis, who racked up nearly 2,000 total yards and 18 touchdowns as a redshirt freshman and Ray Graham. Tino Sunseri is a question mark at quarterback, but the Panthers will be just fine as long as he doesn't make stupid mistakes and turn the ball over. The Panthers still have a very tough defense, including one of the best defensive lines in the country.

West Virginia has a veteran team and once again should have its nose in the middle of things this year, but how far will they actually get? Noel Devine is the most talented offensive weapon and is behind an experienced offensive line and its defense should actually be a major strength this season. Like Pittsburgh, the defensive line is very strong and so are the linebackers. The question mark is at quarterback. Geno Smith, a sophomore, will take the reigns from Bill Stull with Pat White's little brother Coley backing him up. While Devine will be leaned upon, the QB needs to be able to provide some kind of balance.

Connecticut could be a darkhorse in this race after having one of the best 7-5 regular-season records in college football history. Not only did they have a very challenging schedule, but the Huskies lost one of their own in heartbreaking fashion. They lost to the four toughest teams on their schedule, but all of those losses came by four points or less. They lost to No. 19 UNC by two points, to Pitt by three, to No. 23 West Virginia by four and to No. 5 Cincinnati by two. This year, the schedule is much more forgiving, including games against Pitt, WVU and Cincinnati all at home. Jordan Todman is ready to take over as a feature back after splitting the carries with Andre Dixon last year, but just in case, the Huskies brought in D.J. Shoemate, who transferred in from USC after the punishments from the NCAA came down. Like the Mountaineers, the Huskies need to create some balance in their offense in order to take their game to the next level.

Predicted Big East Standings:
1. Pittsburgh
2. West Virginia
3. Connecticut
4. Cincinnati
5. Rutgers
6. South Florida
7. Louisville
8. Syracuse

Here's What I Have To Say

By Chad Garner

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Here's a list of topics in the world of sports that I feel I need to spout off about. You can either agree or disagree with me, but please have an opinion, either way.

• Man, I hope 98.5 The Sports Hub's Gresh and Zo are right on the money -- like a Tom Brady pass -- when they say that pint-sized WR Wes Welker will be good to go in the Patriots' first day of training camp despite recovering from major knee surgery. If Welker can come back -- all signs point to him being way ahead of schedule in his recovery -- and avoid missing substantial time during the regular season (like the first 7 or so games), then this is outstanding news for Patriot Nation. But be cautious: Welker isn't 100 percent yet, and that knee could give out at any time. But thinking positively, the shaky WR corp just become a major strength again if Welker can be 75 percent of what he was last season. Imagine if he returns and is close to 100 percent?
• The Patriots better ink their franchise quarterback to a gigantic deal ...and fast. If any of these reports are correct, then Brady is getting frustrated that the Pats haven't given him a contact extension. What are the Pats waiting for? Are they seriously trying to play hardball with one of the best QBs in the league? Not to mention, Brady has given the franchise multiple Vince Lombardi trophies, and he deserves a new and deal. Don't mess around Robert Kraft or coach Bill Belichick. If Brady ends up walking next year and wears a different uniform, you two better expect to leave town in a hurry because this fan base will not let that careless behavior slide.
• What should the Boston Red Sox do with David Ortiz? Should the Sox let Big Papi walk after the season or give him a new contact? We're all interested in what Boston's brass will do. I know Ortiz is having a very good power numbers season (18 HRs, 60 RBIs), but how much longer can the 34-year-old keep proving people wrong? Just when you think Ortiz is done (like most of us did earlier in the season), he gets hot with the bat and we all forget about his previous struggles. I can see giving him a two-year deal but not in the range of $20 million (more like $15 million). But he's currently make $13 million and perhaps he thinks he's worth that much or even more? If Ortiz leaves, I wonder who the Sox are already targeting?
• One more homer and A-Rod will have 600 for his career. It's an incredible milestone, but should he be celebrated, ignored or booed? Yankee fans will cheer, but fans outside of the Big Apple probably won't because he admitted to cheating by using steroids. Clean or not, 600 homers is pretty darn impressive. I'll cheer but still remember how he cheated the game and lied about it.
• Former Celtics guard Tony Allen took a little jab at his former team on his way to Memphis, saying that he was "overshadowed" by guys like Paul Pierce and Ray Allen. Overshadowed? I'm choking on my water as I blog. We all know Tony Allen couldn't hold either Pierce or Ray Allen's jock on their worst day, but Tony Allen still needed to hype himself up because, honestly, no one in American really knows who he is. Does Tony Allen really think he's a premier player in the NBA? I'm still laughing. Celtics fans know Tony Allen is a lockdown defender, but he's got no offensive game -- well, shooting the ball anyway. When he touches the ball, you hope he passes it because he'll either throw up a brick, or drive the lane way out of control and chuck up a shot that nearly shatters the backboard. Tony Allen, good luck with the Grizzlies because you're going to need it. I bet you still can't even get a Tony Allen jersey in Memphis, and I bet people are still wondering who he is.

Pitching problems in New York

By Chad Garner

Fan Fanatic Sports staff

The New York Yankees might be sitting atop the ultra-tough American League East, but how long will it last?

Well, if pitching and defense wins championships, then the Yanks will not make it back-to-back championships due to their starting pitching staff that is looking pretty shaky right now.

We all know CC Sabathia can win a game every time he takes the mound, but who else can?

Now that Andy Pettitte (11-2, 2.88 ERA) is on the DL with a bad hamstring, the Yanks know they are in a little bit of trouble, even though you won't hear or read about them hitting the panic button.

Remember: There's a reason why they tried desperately to land Cliff Lee by dangling their top prospect -- Jesus Montero -- in a package deal.

Pettitte has also been old reliable, but now with him missing at least a month, the Yanks are in desperate need of arms that can be consistent to give them a chance to win.

Youngster Phil Hughes has the kind of stuff that aces are made of, but he's inexperienced and the Yanks' brass are closely monitoring his innings, hoping to not overwork that golden arm. Plus, the All-Star Hughes hasn't exactly pitched great lately. He's showing signs of being pooped already.

And then there's that waste of money, A.J. Burnett. The No. 2 in the rotation has been a big zero (7-8, 4.99 ERA) and can never be counted on. We've seen way too many bad Burnett starts lately.

Javier Vazquez has also been up and down, and he's definitely not a sure thing ever.

With Pettitte on the DL, manager Joe Girardi is going to call on Sergio Mitre to fill in. Seriously? I'm willing to bet Mitre would have a hard time getting hitters out in the independent Can-Am League.

See, just like I said, the Yankees are in trouble.

Good thing the Yankees are blessed with a talented offensive lineup that can make up for some very iffy pitching. And don't even get me started on that bullpen.

We'll see if that staff can hold down the fort until Pettitte comes back or the organization trades for a plus-arm.

The top 10 weakest schedules

By Chris Maza
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

With all the reading I've done about the College Football Hall of Fame induction ceremony and my man Tim Brown, it got me itching to write something about college football. So I got to thinking. There's all kinds of scribblings about what teams have the hardest schedule. So who are the teams with the WEAKEST schedules?

Seeing as there are a lot of teams in lesser conferences who obviously play weak schedules just based on their league. Therefore, I will be exploring which BCS teams - including independent Notre Dame - have the 1o easiest schedules in college football.

10. Notre Dame
Notre Dame does play some pretty decent teams this year, but it's hard to ignore the fact that they have just three true road games this year. Both Army and Navy are neutral sights and rivalry games against Michigan, Stanford and Pittsburgh as well as a tough matchup against Utah are all at home. They do have some tough road games in USC, Boston College (Notre Dame is just 2-4 at Chestnut Hill) and Michigan State, but there just aren't enough to call it a truly difficult schedule.

9. Rutgers
Right off the bat Rutgers plays two jokes in Norfolk State and Florida International and after playing a tough North Carolina team, they face Tulane. The Scarlet Knights play seven home games, but three of the toughest games on their schedule - Pittsburgh, West Virginia and Cincinnati - are all on the road.

8. Kansas State
Kansas state has two difficult games in Texas and Nebraska, but both of those are at home. Missouri State, Iowa State, Central Florida, Baylor and North Texas should all be wins for the improved Wildcats under Bill Snyder. Colorado is also not doing so well these days.

7. Wisconsin
Back-to-back games against Ohio State and Iowa are formidable, but the rest of the schedule is pretty light. There are seven home games on the schedule, including OSU. The most difficult game other than Iowa on the road is most likely Michigan State.


6. West Virginia
There really is no game on this schedule that West Virginia can't win. The Mountaineers travel to both Pittsburgh and LSU, but home games against Coastal Carolina and Syracuse more than make up for those difficulties. Throw on Marshall, Maryland and UNLV and there are pretty much five guaranteed wins. Rutgers, South Florida are also very winnable and Cincinnati has a lot to prove before they can be considered a truly tough matchup.

5. UConn
The schedule includes Texas Southern, Buffalo, Vanderbilt and Syracuse. Yep, an FCS team, and 11 wins between the other three. On top of that, the two toughest games on the schedule - West Virginia and Pittsburgh - are both at Rentschler Field. Don't let the 7-1 conference record fool you - Temple should also be a romp as well.

4. Nebraska
You can pretty much pencil the Huskers in for at least seven wins guaranteed. The first four games on Nebraska's schedule (Western Kentucky, Idaho, Washington, South Dakota State) should be considered four easy wins. Colorado at home and Iowa State and Texas A&M are also soft matchups. In fact, Texas is the only truly formidable team on the slate for the Huskers.

3. Boston College
It can be argued that Boston College's toughest road game is Wake Forest. Enough said? No? Ok. Well, the first two games on the schedule are Weber State and Kent State and both are at home. In fact, BC plays it s first four games at home, including its two toughest opponents in Virginia Tech and Notre Dame. They also end the year with a cupcake at Syracuse.

2. Purdue
Purdue catches Ohio State and Notre Dame on the road, but would like to think they have at least five wins with home games against Western Illinois, Ball State, Indiana and Minnesota and a road game against Illinois. Traveling to Northwestern should be a winnable game as well. The Boilermakers miss Iowa and Wisconsin comes to West Lafeyette to play them.

1. Kansas
Yuck. Georgia Tech is the only team really worth noting on the schedule. The Big 12 North will be especially weak this year and their out of conference schedule is very soft outside of GT with North Dakota State, Southern Mississippi and New Mexico State.