Streak Stalled - The SFB Podcast (12/14/2010).....

After 297 straight starts in the regular season, Brett Favre was finally forced to miss a game. It has been a great run, one that started in 1992, and when we see all the players missing time each and every season, it just makes it even more amazing. As for the games on the field, the Patriots didn't suffer a letdown, but it looks like the Jets did. The Chiefs and Packers show they really need their starting QBs and it looks for sure like a team with a losing record will win the NFC West. Enjoy.

The SportsFan Buzz: December 14, 2010 (right click to "save as target)
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Voice over talent provided by Morgan Thomas.

Weekend Happenings - The SFB Podcast (12/13/2010).....

While the NFL is king this time of the year, there are other sports and news from those sports going on at this same time. The Heisman Trophy was awarded to Cam Newton while the college football fans wonder if he will keep it. Urban Meyer leaves the Florida Gators and this time means it. The NBA and NHL are both over past the quarter-pole of their regular seasons and we are starting to see a few trends developing. We'll look at those stories, the upcoming NHL Winter Classic and a few pieces around the NFL as week 14 finishes up tonight. Enjoy.

The SportsFan Buzz: December 13, 2010 (right click to "save as target)
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Voice over talent provided by Morgan Thomas.

NFL Week 11 review - The SFB Podcast (11/23/2010).....

Ten games down for each of the NFL teams and we still don't have a team that we can point to and say they are the best of the bunch. Know what? It's ok as we have many good teams and that will make these last six weeks of games very entertaining for those of us who like jockeying of teams as the playoffs get near. We might get a little better feel of the NFC teams with the Packer / Falcon and Eagle / Bear match-ups this weeks. As for week 11, how great is it when the Colts and Patriots get together and did we see the last meaningful game that involved Brett Favre? Enjoy.

The SportsFan Buzz: November 23, 2010 (right click to "save as target)
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Voice over talent provided by Morgan Thomas.

NFL Week 9 review - The SFB Podcast (11/9/2010).....

The hammer finally fell of Wade Phillips and after that atrocious effort on Sunday night, he just had to go as Jerry Jones could not fire all the players mid-season. In the same division we might have the two best NFC teams with the Eagles and Giants, while the Falcons just keep on winning. In the AFC there are many good teams and it looks like a fun second half of the season as these teams play each other and work out their "slots" in the hierarchy. I'll take a look back at week 9 and look forward to the week 10 schedule. Enjoy.

The SportsFan Buzz: November 9, 2010 (right click to "save as target)
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Voice over talent provided by Morgan Thomas.

NFL Week 5 review - The SFB Podcast (10/12/2010).....

The Saints lose to a team with a free agent rookie starting at quarterback that does not score a running or passing touchdown? Tampa Bay comes back on the road against a Bengal team is getting terrible quarterbacking from Carson Palmer. The Raiders block two punts and hand another loss to the Chargers, while in Dallas, the Cowboys rack up over 500 yards, but still lose to the Titans and fall to 1-3. What is going on here in the NFL. I'll try to make sense of this confusing year. Enjoy.

The SportsFan Buzz: October 12, 2010 (right click to "save as target)

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Voice over talent provided by Morgan Thomas.

NFL Week 2 review - The SFB Podcast (9/21/2010).....

Yes, I was completely wrong in thinking Mark Sanchez and the Jets would not bounce back against the Patriots. As with almost every NFL week, there are just as many questions as answers after the games have been played. I'll take a look at each of the sixteen games from the weekend and give my thoughts about what went on in the games and what we might be able to take from the results. Enjoy.

The SportsFan Buzz: September 21, 2010 (right click to "save as target)

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Voice over talent provided by Morgan Thomas.

Jeter moving? - The SFB Podcast (9/10/2010).....

Yankee fans are wondering what management will do concerning Derek Jeter impending free agency and now comes a report Jeter has put his penthouse up for sale. That should ratchet up the talk radio discussions a few notches and also cause a few heart attacks. Also, while the AL playoff teams seem set, the NL now looks like all the playoff spots may not be decided until the last week or weekend. I'll discuss those stories, plus other news around MLB, the Saints / Vikings game and what else is going on in the NFL and a great story about Dwight Howard. Enjoy.

The SportsFan Buzz: September 10, 2010 (right click to "save as target)

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Voice over talent provided by Morgan Thomas.

NFC Preview 2010 - The SFB Podcast.....

Can the Saints follow up their marvelous Super Bowl season with another run at the championship? Now in his third full season as the starter, can Aaron Rodgers take the Packers deep in the playoffs? Will the Cowboys become the first team to play a Super Bowl on their home field? Is Brett Favre and the Viking healthy enough to compete again this year? Or is their another team out there lurking to be this year's surprise of the NFC. I will look at all sixteen NFC teams in this team by team preview. Enjoy.

NFC Preview 2010 (right click to "save as target)

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Voice over talent provided by Morgan Thomas.

Clemens vs. Congress - The SFB Podcast (8/22/2010).....

Roger Clemens threw many "purpose pitches" during his career, but on Wednesday afternoon the Federal Government threw one at Clemens when he was indicted on charges of lying to Congress in 2008. I'll look at the baseball and public sides of this newest black eye for baseball.

Plus it has been an eventful week of other sports news with Brett Favre returning to the Vikings with the help of some friends, Lou Piniella's immediate retirement, Kyle Busch pulling off a NASCAR "first" and don't wear a Gators cap to a Razorback press conference. Enjoy.

The SportsFan Buzz: August 22, 2010 (right click to "save as target)

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Voice over talent provided by Morgan Thomas.

The SportsFan Buzz Podcast (1/25/2010).....

All that's left standing after three weeks of NFL Playoffs are two teams, the Indianapolis Colts and the New Orleans Saints. The Colts defeated the New York Jets 30-17 to take the AFC crown, while the Saints worked overtime in taking care of the Minnesota Vikings 31-28, to claim the NFC crown. Mike joins me on the podcast to review what happened on Championship Sunday, and thinks I set my daughter's bedtime too early. Enjoy.

*** I was incorrect when stating The Beatles did not win any musical Grammys prior to their breakup in January 1969. In fact they won five musical Grammys along with the many techincal ones I thought they had only won before they separated. This is why I talk sports and not music. ***

Mike on Twitter.

The SportsFan Buzz: January 25, 2010 (right click to "save as target)

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Voice over talent provided by Morgan Thomas

Championship Game Picks & The SportsFan Buzz (1/21/2010).....

The AFC and NFC Championships are on the line this weekend. Mike and I preview the two games and breakdown what we think the teams need to do to win. Do we think the #1 seeds will survive? Also, we poke a little fun at the J-E-T-S, Jets, Jets, Jets. Enjoy.
Mike on Twitter.

The SportsFan Buzz: January 21, 2010 (right click to "save as target)

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Voice over talent provided by Morgan Thomas

(home team in CAPS)

Jets (+7 1/2) over COLTS
SAINTS (-3 1/2) over Vikings

Divisional Round (0-4) Yes, 0 wins!
2009 Playoff record (2-6)
2009 regular season (85-79-2)

Divisional Round Review - The SportsFan Buzz Podcast (1/17/2010).....

Mike and I review the four NFL Divisional Playoff games and discuss the New York Jets upset victory over the San Diego Chargers. And yes, I was 0-4 on my picks. Enjoy.

The SportsFan Buzz: January 17, 2010

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Voice over talent provided by Morgan Thomas

Welcome Back Favre.....

Hey, here's a secret for you. Seems the NFL is keeping it pretty quiet. Shhh... This weekend, Brett Favre makes his return to Green Bay and Lambeau Field. I haven't really heard anything about it, but there seems to be a bit of drama surrounding his return. What? You already knew about this?

How could you not? I think FOX has run the promo for this game in a continuous loop, and ESPN has turned their colors to purple, gold and green for the week.

For die-hard Packer fans, this was a day they never imagined would they would see, but it has arrived. Their beloved #4 will be in Viking purple and gold. Seeing a local sports icon play for another team is hard enough, but for a hated divisional rival, takes it to a whole other level.

So how did we get here?

First things first. Brett Favre took himself out of Green Bay. It was not the Packers' general manager, Ted Thompson, not coach Mike McCarthy, and not future Packer quarterback Aaron Rodgers. It was Favre himself. In the long term, his move will have helped the Packers, but in the short term, it has sure caused a two year soap opera that was completely not necessary.

At the end of the 2007 season, the Packers are one Favre interception away from playing in the Super Bowl. All looks good for Green Bay to keep going forward, but Brett starts his "not sure what I am going to do routine" back home in Mississippi. Meanwhile in Green Bay, the Packers have quarterback who they think can take over the team in Aaron Rodgers. This back and forth game of Favre's does not help the team to point forward and finish the task for which they came up short. Instead, they are having to think about the "will he, or won't he" scenario.

Seeing a good team in front of him, and a quarterback in waiting who was ready to lead the team, Ted Thompson did the only he could do in confronting Favre to make a decision about retiring. Thompson had 50 other players to think about, and could not be left hanging again while Brett pondered the subject.

When Favre finally decided to "retire" in March 2008, the Packers were sad to see him go, but they never lost a stride and moved Rodgers into the starting spot and to help lead the team. When Favre started the "maybe I shouldn't have retired" talk in the summer, the Packers had moved on, and rightfully so. Their option to Favre of coming back, but not as the starter was a fair proposal. If they had bowed to Favre and yanked the job away from Rodgers, that would have ended the Rodgers/Packers relationship, and Green Bay did not want that because they saw their future in Rodgers and his right arm. Plus that meant starting the process over again in finding a Favre replacement when he did eventually retire. That was not a path the Packers were willing to go, because they believed, and rightfully so, they had their future in Rodgers.

I also feel that at that this time, part of Favre had to believe Rodgers was the better quarterback at the time, or on the verge of becoming that better QB. Otherwise, Favre says yes to being the back-up, then when Rodgers falters, Brett could come in to save the day. Favre would have been all over that scenario.

Instead Favre decided to force the issue by saying he was arriving in camp and was going to be a part of the Packers (which the Packers wanted no part of) and thus started the soap opera which eventually lead to the trade to the Jets. While Favre's preference was to be traded to and play for the Vikings in 2008, the Packers were not going to let that happen, and they were correct in that position. Favre should not have been rewarded in getting to pick where he wanted to play in '08, while he was the cause the problem in the first place.

Packer fans were torn between their hero leaving and how it happened. While many blamed it on Favre, still many others are of the "Brett do no wrong" camp and blame this whole mess on Thompson. Many of those fans have changed their mind, and are now against Brett because he dons the Minnesota colors.

Another thing to remember is, if Favre did not play that selfish game of "will I retire, won't I retire", he would have gone into the 2008 season as the Packers' starting quarterback, and then events would have played out naturally. There was nothing in place saying Rodgers was moving up ahead of Favre into the starting spot. I'm not sure if he would have stayed the starter, because at this time Rodgers is the better player, but he would not be on the opposing sideline in Viking purple with many Packers fans disgusted with him.

In 2008, the Packers fell back to 6-10, but it was no fault of Rodgers. His 4038 yards and 28 touchdown passes against only 13 interceptions put him near the top of the class of NFL quarterbacks. So far in 2009, he has over 1700 yards and 11 TD passes against only 2 INTs. It was the defense and lack of running game which caused the turnaround of Packer fortunes.

Meanwhile, Favre had a very good start to 2008 with the Jets, but an arm injury slowed him down in the second half of the season, and the Jets stumbled and missed the playoffs. Because of the arm injury, and because Favre again indicated he would probably retire, the Jets released him from his contract, opening the door for him to join the Vikings. Of course that only came after 3 months of "will he or won't he" discussions about joining the Viking team.

So here we are with the most anticipated pre game field entrance for a regular season game we have possibly ever seen. While it was wild four weeks ago when the Packers were in Minnesota, it will be increased hundred fold in Green Bay. If I'm a Packer fan, I boo Favre with a vengeance. He is on the team that is a hated rival, and they are ahead of the Packers in the standings. Packer fans should boo each time he drops back to pass, and hope he is sacked ten times and the Packers win the game. In two, five or ten years, when the Packers retire Brett's #4, then Packer fans can give him the thanks and standing ovation his 16 years in Packer green meant to them and the town. But for now, it's "Go Pack Go!".