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Thursday TIME: US | UK WEATHER: US | UK THE AMERICAN MAGAZINE ONLINE Back Issues WHAT'S ON Diary Dates SPORTS Features & Blogs FEATURES Politics blog THE NEIGHBORHOOD "Life in the UK" American Groups Essential Contacts Money Education Driving Property |
PREVIOUS SPORTS • Sideline: Yes, Non–Conference Games DO Count • NCAA Preview 2009 • Sideline: Time For The Talking To Stop • Sideline: In Memory of Air McNair • Sideline: Will Goodell Hand Out Hard Time? • Sideline: Marshall's Not Joshing • NFL Draft: No Rush To Judgment • NFL Draft Analysis 2009 (Part 2) • Sideline: NFL Draft Thoughts (Part 2) • Sideline: NFL Draft Thoughts • Sideline: Will Play For Food • Sideline: Wonderlic Scores • Sideline: Manning and Sanchez • Sideline: 2010 Leagues Sci–fi, or Fantasy? / March Madness • Sideline: Break Out The Brackets • Sideline: LaDainian Tomlinson On The Record • Sideline: The Incredible Sulk Continues • Sideline: Guildford Heat Fired Up • Sideline: Super Bowl thoughts from the Valley of the Sun • Sideline: I know I came in here for something • Sideline: College Football National Signing Day • Sideline: 27 Points — 27 Super Bowl thoughts • Sideline: An Epic QB Matchup? • Sideline: Appreciating Arizona for What They Were • Sideline: NFL Divisional Weekend Preview • Sideline: Bowl Season Hangover • Sideline: Six weeks Later • Sideline: Wildcard Weekend Preview • Sideline: Santa's Sackings • Sideline: A Weis Decision ...for Now • Sideline: Eye on the Ticker • Sideline: Lions — An Anagram of Losin • Sideline: Ready for the Turkey • Sideline: Making it to the Big Dance • Sideline: Brighter Days Ahead for Chargers? • Sideline: Unnecessary Hits To The Pocket / Upset: BYU • Sideline: Romo's Pause / Seattle Seahawks • Sideline: Weekend Prep: Red River and More • Sideline: College Football's 'Crossroads' Weekend • Sideline: Gramatical Error • Sideline: Turning The Page • Sideline: So Cal 'Quizzed • Sideline: 3rd Tuesday Panic / Forté Yard Dash • Sideline: Two and Oh; Oh and Two • Sideline: No More NCAAffeine • Sideline: Week 1 College Football • Sideline: How To Spell Heisman / Chad Ocho Cinco • Sideline: A Second Slice • Sideline: The Favre story STILL won't go away • Sideline: Olympic Notes / Ricky's Still Relevant • Sideline: Committee Meetings • Sideline: Let the QB Battles Begin • Sideline: Slinging The Slinger — More Favre • Interview: Clint Dempsey • Sideline: Welcome to the 2008 season • Sideline: Plus One • 2008 NFL Draft Review • Sideline: Draft: The Morning After • Sideline: Draft: Thinking the Unthinkable • Sideline: Draft: Ready For The Long Haul • Sideline: Sofa–bound Sport • Sideline: Post–Winter Wonderland • Sideline: Six Impossible Things • Sideline: Brady's Misdirection Play • Sideline: Colorful Language • Sideline: Let the Romo–bashing begin • Sideline: Bowl Bites: The Wrap • Sideline: All About The Coaches • Sideline: Bowl Bites 3 • Sideline: Bowl Bites 2 • Sideline: Bowl Bites 1 • Sideline: Coach Situations Vacant • Sideline: For Some, The Playoffs Are Now • Sideline: A Certain Lack Of Welcome • Sideline: Unrelated Notes • Sideline: Two Thanksgiving thoughts • Sideline: Halftime: NFC • Sideline: Halftime: AFC • Sideline: London / A Tale of Two Chads / Intimidation • Sideline: Damp Squib / Other London Notes • Sideline: Rock 'Em, Sock 'Em / Dolphins – The Aftermath • Sideline: The Dolphins Did What? • Sideline: Notes on the Defenses • Sideline: Habits to be Broken • Sideline: Overtime • Sideline: This Week's Starters • Sideline: USF: Covering The Spread / Fantastic Football • Sideline: Grossman: The Final Act? / McNabb, the Epilogue • Sideline: Eagles QB in Slight Controversy • Sideline: Leftwich's Parting Gift / Boos cruise • Sideline: Notre Dame M.I.A. • Sideline: Looking Beyond NFL Wk. 1 • Sideline: Best Hope For Heisman • Sideline: Coaching Hot Seats / AP Poll Feeling ’Appy • Sideline: The NFL’s Prime Cuts • Sideline: Michigan Falls to Killer Apps • Sideline: Look Out Couch / The Taint's On You, Bud |
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SPORTS SIDELINE 
Observations, Opinion & Occasional Silliness by Richard L Gale Slinging The Slinger Two thoughts on Brett Favre — because I just know you're all keen to have more Favre coverage. First, can sportswriters and bloggers stop writing articles bemoaning how the Brett Favre story won't go away? It's much the same as the conceit where a TV reporter reports on the number of TV reporters reporting on the Brett Favre story, while the camera points at all the media trailers one of which, presumably, is their own. Personally, I'm going keep mentioning Favre as long as the whole silly saga keeps going. Second, How's this for an off–the–wall idea: send him back where he came from: Atlanta. The Falcons originally drafted Favre back in 1991 before trading him to Green Bay. It would be fitting for Favre to finish his days where it all started, the Falcons would get publicity, the Packers could be sure he wouldn't play in their division and reasonably confident he wouldn't show up in the postseason. With Matt Ryan already in place in Atlanta and with no question that he's going to be the starter by next season at the latest, there's an implicit limit on how long anybody will humor Favre sticking around, and they wouldn't have to throw Ryan to the wolves this year. Yahoo! sportswriter Michael Silver's 2008 owner rankings — easily as essential as live coverage of Favre's plane landing — once again placed Saints owner Tom Benson among the worst. This year's excuse appears to be Benson's comments on the CBA, but two years ago, Silver rated him 32nd of 32 over rumors that he might move the franchise elsewhere (which hasn't happened). On both occasions, he cited the Benson Boogie, Tom's celebratory dance, as if that was somehow germane to the rankings. I can't claim to have met Tom, but did chat recently with part–owner Rita Benson LeBlanc (overlooked by Silver), and I'm calling foul on this low ranking. While Rita's 'Saints–in–the–community' PR is omnipresent — there's barely a question she can't turn to the subject — there has to come a point when we accept two things: (1) The Benson family DOES have the Saints involved in the city of New Orleans, be it for community or business reasons. Rita's enthusiasm for New Orleans and the ongoing project there is evident when talking to her. And almost certainly genuine. Despite the family's San Antonio connections, if they can make the Saints work in (and for) New Orleans, they'll be there. (2) This is still a business, the same way every NFL team is. The Bensons can't be expected to struggle away in a non–viable location while somebody else swoops in on a lucrative San Antonio market. Maybe Rita Benson LeBlanc has more time and energy to invest in New Orleans than her grandfather does, to shape the existing market. And judging from tickets sales these past three years in a potentially depressed region, it's hard to see it working much better. So, how about forgetting what is said (or danced) by Tom Benson, and instead looking at the situation on the ground: the city supports the team, the team supports the city, and most preseason predictions have the team in the thick of the playoff hunt. And when was the last time you heard of a protracted, ill–tempered hold–out in New Orleans? Was there something else this week? Oh yes, the small matter of actual NFL action. It was something of a Washington weekend with the induction of Darrell Green and Art Monk into the Hall of Fame, followed by a 30–16 victory over Indianapolis in the first preseason game. In the early going, the better drives were put together by Indy, but it was a different Colt, Colt Brennan who made an impact with two touchdowns and a near–perfect performance to turn the game around. Brennan, whose Hawaii career produced the most passing yards in 1–A history, slumped to the 6th round with suspicions of being a 'system' quarterback. If so, he certainly likes coach Jim Zorn's system in Washington. Brennan threw with confidence, and looks like a steal already, regardless of a sidearm throwing motion. Nice to see there's still a slinging quarterback in the NFL. I can't remember the last one. |
