A couple of quick hit NFL news items that came out today.
First, regarding Brett Favre’s inevitable 2009 comeback. PFT is reporting today that Brett Favre is planning to visit Dr. James Andrews on Tuesday and that Favre is expected to have surgery to repair his partially torn biceps tendon. The PFT report comes via Charley Walters of the St. Paul Pioneer Press (via a link I clicked on but could not get to work).
The surgery is expected to sideline Favre (pictured left way back on his draft day…sporting some killer rolled up jean shorts) for 6-8 weeks, meaning he’d be ready for training camp but it would give him a convenient excuse to miss all of the other offseason activities for whatever team he decides to play for.
Of course, this report comes out on the same day that Favre’s agent Bus Cook said that there was no basis for all of the speculation regarding a potential Favre comeback. Riiiight. So Favre is going to have surgery just because. It has nothing to do with getting ready for next season. Okay Bus.
Anyway, in related news, Favre is also expected to have Dr. Andrews take an X-Ray of his soul. It is expected that nothing will be found.
The other big story making the rounds in the NFL today was the surprising announcement that Tony Kornheiser was stepping down from his third banana post on Monday Night Football. Replacing him will be Jon Gruden, who made his love for ESPN known a few years ago when he uttered the following statement (via Deadspin):
“I don’t watch ESPN. I don’t believe half the [expletive] people on the channel, personally – no disrespect. But if Bruce Gradkowski is throwing games in Toledo, how in the hell does he lead the NCAA in passing percentages? That is a crock. You know, these reports make me sick – really. I don’t believe [there is] any truth to it, and I’ll go to my grave believing that. I hope ESPN 3 or 4 has real sources behind this story, because it has nothing to do with the kid. He’s a great kid. He wants to be great. This is very uncharacteristic, in my opinion, of ‘professional’ journalism.”
Isn’t irony a beautiful thing?
I have to say this though: I like the move. I’m a big fan of Tony Kornheiser, but I think he was horribly miscast at MNF. So whether his dismissal was really a personal choice because he hated flying (unlikely) or whether he was pushed out by the suits at the WWL (very likely, considering they announced Gruden’s arrival about 30 seconds later), it’s a good move all around. And I thought that Jon Gruden did a great job during the NFL Network’s coverage of the draft, as I said immediately afterwards.
So at least this story has a happy ending. The Favre story? Not to so much…because there never is an ending.
About Jerod Morris
Thanks you saved me a lot of time.