Monday, July 14, 2008

Monday 07/14 A.M. Quickie:
Favre, All-Stars, Derby, Packer, More

In theory, this Brett Favre story should be a fun one to follow. In reality -- like many of these "all-hands-on-deck, 24/7" stories -- it is dragging the fan experience down.

In the lead item of today's Sporting News column, I laid out what I think is my final answer:

*Favre has every right to come back.
*The Packers should welcome him back.
*The Packers shouldn't trade him for anything.
*Let Favre sit on the bench... or stay retired.
*To re-emphasize: The Pack should NOT trade him.

With that out of the way, I'm going to try to avoid the Favre story as much as is reasonable -- especially when there is such a juicy other story to revel in:

Billy Packer is out at CBS. This is huge: The guy was there forever -- too long, actually. My biggest problem with him, as I said in the column and have said for a while, is that he is utterly joyless. I'm not asking that he act like Dick Vitale; I'm only asking he not act like he hates the game and everyone participating in it.

Meanwhile, we've hit the MLB All-Star Break. Oh, how a few weeks changes things: The Rays have lost 7 straight and have fallen out of 1st in the AL East -- terrible timing, with the break to think about it; the Mets have won 9 straight and are .5 GB the NL East lead -- terrible timing, with the break to think about it.

Count me among those who enjoy the HR Derby -- although I watch it with the DVR, not live. And on mute, for obvious reasons. I'm rooting for Braun; I wouldn't mind seeing Hamilton win; I suspect that Chase Utley WILL win. How's that for hedging?

Full SN column here. More coming later.

-- D.S.

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