Ponder the Thought

Thoughts

             RANDOM THOUGHTS

 

     By John Leon                       

Random Thought – Are you as tired as I am about the whining, crying “I don’t get any respect” millionaire athlete as I am? I know this isn’t recent news but when Brett Favre, who supposed to be an icon, and the eccentric Manny Ramirez start this crap, it really gets me. Let’s be realistic, Favre has been pulling the Packers chain for 3 years now so I don’t feel sorry for him, and Ramirez, who has a $20 million club option for the next 2 years…yes I said that A $20 MILLION DOLLAR CLUB OPTION FOR THE NEXT 2 YEARS is whining about how the Red Sox are making him out to be a bad guy, let’s just stop it right now. Enough! By the way, Favre is not going to be released now matter how much he whines about being the starting quarterback and Ramirez now has Scott Boras as his agent. Coincidence?

Random Thought – I want the parents to stop their whining about their little Johnny/Janey having to get ready for the upcoming high school season by training during the summer. When would you like them to get ready? Opening Day? Coaches are asking the players to choose a sport and granted, there are some players who excel at more than one sport and make All-Star Teams in baseball, etc. Coaches are then asking them to pick a sport, which I think may border on unfair, but once again, the parents are living their lives through the athletes vicariously. These are the same parents that then want to know why their little superstar isn’t playing as much as someone else. These are the same parents that get coaches fired through their moaning and whining. Let the kids be kids and root them on. They're not making ESPN! Enough!

Random Thought – About a month ago, a Major League umpire was suspended for 1 game for initiating contact with a coach. 1 game! If that were the coach or player they would’ve gotten a minimum 5 games. Where’s the justice? I used to get on umpires a bit when I played but I never saw an umpire bait a player like this recent event. Make your call, walk away and be done. Nobody’s paying $40 and up to watch you blow a call!

Random Thought – Just when I thought Philly Fans were getting soft, leave it to the broadcasters to shed negative ideas after negative ideas about their favorite players and teams. Is there never a time when the media (which I am a member of), the fans and front office is happy? Trade deadlines come and go and unless A Rod drops in your lap there’s problem that it’s never good enough. Even A Rod would have problems in Philly and not just about Madonna.

Random Thought – Is there any reason we can’t enjoy the pennant races for a little while longer instead of counting the days until football season starts? The Eagles are not, repeat, are NOT going to the Super Bowl unless a miracle happens. Too many other teams are ahead of them and they’ve shown no reason to get excited about what they’re doing after a week of camp. Give it until Labor Day at least and then let’s review shall we?

 

 

Brett Favre

ENOUGH WITH THE SOAP OPERA-

TAKE A HIKE BRETT!!

 

By John Leon           

           

            Oh woe is me…I was pressured into retiring by the Packers…I don’t really have a relationship with the General Manager…I’m on Greta Van Susteren…WHAT? Greta Van Susteren?

 Hey Brett, what the hell are you doing? The all-time leading passer in NFL history is making him self look like a complete and utter jackass and for what? His legacy is already assured and while I don’t blame him for wanting to play again after the tearful retirement speech, what about the other two or three years that he held the team up for ransom while he was deciding whether he wanted to play again the next year?

            Brett Favre is, in my mind, the ultimate quarterback, the gunslinger in the Namath mode, the go-for-broke passer that dared defenses to try and stop him. They did to a point as proven by his also leading the NFL in career interceptions. But now he’s taken this to a new level of greediness.

Let’s review shall we?

Wasn’t it just a few years ago that he said that he wasn’t sure if he wanted to come back and basically held the Packers up in the draft and the signing of potential free agents? He says he lobbied for Randy Moss and the GM Ted Thompson couldn’t get the deal done. No matter the fact that the Patriots had a better shot at Moss because Moss wanted to go the Super Bowl, and let’s face it, the Pack was a few cents short of a dollar there.

Wasn’t it recently that he wouldn’t even talk to Aaron Rodgers, his backup and QB to be? Why would he go out of his way to embrace the man that will eventually replace him? Look around the league and you notice that almost every starting QB has a pretty fair relationship with the other passers on the team. It’s not rocket science and Brett knows this. He was the starter and that’s that, so why not take the kid under his wing and show him the ropes.

After his “retirement” the Pack went and drafted another QB to back up Rodgers, thereby moving the team forward. Now Brett says that they pressured him into retirement and he wants to come back, and good for the Packers, they have said that they’re moving on and he’s still a part of the team, but at a lesser role.

“I want my release”, he said.

“No shot,” say the team.

Good for them! Why should they just give him away and get nothing in return? You want out? Make a list of teams you want to go to and we’ll see of we can work out a deal. Obviously that’s not good enough for the Gunslinger.

In conclusion, I feel that he has done this team wrong in many ways, and it’s just a matter of time before he either retires permanently or gets traded. Sadly, it’s becoming the norm for aging QB’s and history has proven out All of the Hall of Famers mentioned here after have finished their careers elsewhere. It wouldn’t look right for Favre to be in another uniform, but the games go on and his legacy will only be tarnished briefly.

Joe Montana, John Unitas, Joe Namath, are just three who ended on other teams. Sure they looked strange in another helmet after their glory years but they lost no luster from their greatness.

Move on Brett, but stop the whining, that looks real bad, and besides, Greta Van Susteren? Peter King or Chris Mortenson wasn’t good enough?

 

 

Trade Talk?

IS IT TIME FOR THE PHILS TO PART WAYS?

 

By John Leon           

           

            Before anyone tries to string me up or think that what I’m about to say is blasphemous, hear me out. I know the Phillies fans, and Philadelphia fans in general, are a passionate lot, but I have a thought that may be prudent. A lot of thinking went into this and although it may be out of the box, it may be time to part ways with Ryan Howard and Brett Myers.

            I know, I know, why give up on two fairly young stars, but if the Phils are to contend and do so on a yearly basis, this trade may work for both teams, right now and in the near future, while also saving money on payroll. And we all know that the Phil’s front office is as tight as an extra small sweater on Pam Anderson.

            Howard, Myers and Adam Eaton to the Cleveland Indians for C.C. Sabathia and Ryan Garko. Think about it logically and with an open mind, because this would work for both teams.

            Cleveland has struggled and Sabathia, in the last year of his contract, has been rumored to go anywhere in MLB correct? He also makes $11 million this season and there’s no reason the Phils couldn’t pony up $15-17 mil per year for the next 5 years and STILL save money. Garko is a young right-handed power hitter with a ton of upside and little or no salary.

            Stay with me here folks.

            Howard’s numbers are out there for everyone to see, Rookie of the Year, MVP, 40-60 homers per year….and a ton of K’s to go with a .210-.230 avg., and the last time I looked he still hasn’t hit a slider from a lefty. He also makes $10 mil this season and is STILL arbitration eligible. Myers is having an absolutely nightmarish season to go with $8 ½ million dollars in salary. Eaton would be a throw in and the Phils get his $8 mil salary off the books.

            So let’s review here for a second please?

            Howard $10 mil, Myers $ 8, Eaton $ 8 PLUS add the salary of Pat Burrell 14 million in his last year and it totals up to almost $40 million dollars. THIS YEAR! Now, factor in the savings of $26 for the three players being traded, add in the 13 million for Sabathia and Garko, the Phils save 13 million this year. Burrell will resign next year at far less than his current salary and the numbers still add up to upgrading the rotation, keeping an outfielder with eight straight years of 20+ homers, and adding an upcoming first baseman that balances out the lineup.

 $40 million this year and probably $15-17 for C.C., $1-2 for Garko and let’s say $8 for Burrell next year. That’s $27 million, a savings of $13 million and a big upgrade.

The struggling Indians pick up a 29 year old slugger, a 28-year-old pitcher and Adam Eaton. The Phils get a 28-year old stud pitcher, and wouldn’t Hamels and Sabathia look nice at the top of that rotation, a 27 year old, 20+ homer first baseman AND salary relief. The relief could go for some depth in the outfield (bye-bye So Taguchi) and another arm (Brian Fuentes) maybe?

            This works and if Howard goes on to even more greatness and Sabathia is everything we think he is, it’s a wash and a trade that works for both teams.

            Just a thought.