Face it, people. The only reason you don't want to believe this about the Minnesota Vikings is because of him. And honestly, that's fair. Brett Favre drives everybody crazy all summer with his anguished, will-he-or-won't-he retirement drama. There are and should be consequences for something like that. In this case, the consequence is that you won't let yourself believe the gray-haired Sears pitchman from Mississippi has his hands on the reins of the best team in the NFC.
But I'm sorry to report that Favre and the Vikings don't care what you think, because as of this morning they were 6-0. And regardless of how good the Saints looked against the Giants, Minnesota is the deserving favorite to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl.
Amid all these NFL predictions flooding the web this week there are few certainties. But if recent history is any indication, we know for sure that at least one of this year's division winners will be a team that finished in last place a year ago. At least one team has turned the trick every year since the NFL went to the current eight-division format -- 10 teams total in six seasons. The Dolphins did it last year, the Buccaneers the year before, and the Eagles and Saints the year before that.
The reasons for this phenomenon are obvious -- overall parity, four-team divisions, a scheduling system that (basically) makes life easier for the teams at the bottom and tougher for the teams at the top. The only question as the 2009 season dawns is which of last year's last-place finishers will be among this year's division winners. We ranked all eight of them in order of their chances to continue the trend:
OAKLAND, Calif. -- NFL preseason games are about as meaningful as a Lindsay Lohan vow of chastity. But there is a modicum of significance to the third exhibition contest. Starters play for extended periods. Opponent game plans are installed. Coaches expect signs of rhythm, timing, execution. Then they yank the first teams at halftime and put them on ice until Week 1.
All of which made Saturday's surreal 45-7 New Orleans Saints' takedown of the Oakland Raiders at a stifling hot, mostly empty Oakland Coliseum even more disturbing for those expecting to see, well, anything of substance from the always rebuilding home team.
NEW YORK -- Malcolm Jenkins might have been a higher pick a year ago. Might have made more money. But he decided to stay one more year at Ohio State, and he went No. 14 overall to the New Orleans Saints in this year's draft.
He has no regrets.
"That's one of the best decisions I ever made, to stay in school and enjoy my senior year," Jenkins said at a press conference moments ago at Radio City Music Hall. "I'll graduate in June, I won the (Jim) Thorpe Award (for nation's best defensive back), I got to have Senior Day and all that went with that. I'm so glad I made that decision, because it's something I'm going to remember for the rest of my life."
The LSU offer was reportedly worth $500k, while Tennessee reeled him in with that shiny $850k offer.
Being that his former employ was in the NFL, Ed Werder style gossip soon followed.
Apparently, some within the organization felt Orgeron was more focused on his coaching future than his current job, and Payton grew tired of Orgeron juggling phone calls from LSU and Tennessee. The source also suggested that [Saints' coach Sean] Payton was not very pleased with the progress of the defensive line under Orgeron even before the LSU-Tennessee tug-of-war began, and he is looking forward to the opportunity to bring in a veteran defensive line coach with NFL experience.
Meeeeowwwwwwww. This isn't all that surprising, we are talking about the gossipy NFL here where if somebody isn't ticked at something they might as well stop breathing.
Reggie Bush and I have one thing in common, I guess. When we're in an airport, we like to play on those belts that carry lazy people to and fro. But while the cops like to tell me what I'm doing is "causing a public nuisance" and "acting like an idiot," Bush considers it training. It's all a part of Fre Flo Do, joining Tai-Bo and the Kaballah as fads for hip people that will last less than a year.
Bush has spent the offseason in Los Angeles practicing Fre Flo Do (some sort of foreign language for "treadmill with no handle bars.") When news came down a few weeks ago that Bush had chosen training in Los Angeles instead of New Orleans, some people didn't know how to take the news. Now, I can't help but chuckle. I mean, watch the video, it all looks very silly.
That being said, I can't blame Bush for wanting to stay in California as long as he can. But he's going to have to show me some spectacular jumps into the end zone this year to prove that the Jamiroquai workout was worth it.
The Saints' first-round draft pick admittedly arrived out of shape after falling behind in offseason workouts this spring. He then tweaked his left ankle Sunday morning and had to head to the training room.
"It's not disappointing. It's frustrating, because you know what you can do, and it's kind of hard to show the coaches what you can do when you can't give it your all," said Meachem, who said he did well in spurts Saturday but fatigue led to inconsistency.
Meachem said part of the reason he fell behind this spring was that he had nine pre-draft visits with NFL teams, each of which seemed to include a fancy meal or two.
This isn't that unusual -- Marques Colston showed up in terrible shape at the rookie minicamp last year. Then again, Reggie Bush showed up in great shape last year after making the pre-draft circuit (one in which, because of his draft status, I'd have to believe was more hectic than Meachem's). But Bush is superhuman. We can't be expected to live up to his standards.
As far as Thomas is concerned, Sean Payton explained the situation:
"He was struggling," said Payton, trying his best to be kind. "Walter had a brief career."
Reggie Bush makes his MTV debut in Ciara's new video, which features a moment that would make Tim Hardaway's head explode:
Now, if you're me, for a moment early in the video you thought that Reggie Bush was in a dress and wig facing away from the camera and you were sexually attracted to his fantastic, lithe legs despite not caring about the Saints even a little bit. And then Ciara turned around and you exhaled.
"I still hope we can work something out," said Grant, who was hoping to either sign a long-term contract extension with the Saints or be allowed to test the free-agent waters. He characterized the Saints' contract discussions so far as "treating me like I'm a scrub" and "trying to spit in our face."
That's Charles Grant reacting to the Saints' decision to place the franchise tag on him. He goes on to say that he loves New Orleans and doesn't want to leave, but "...if you don't think I can play the game of football, you should treat me like a man and let me go." I stil believe that the team and Grant will eventually work out a long-term deal, but whenever you can compare something to being spat in the face, well, it's usually not a good thing. Unless you're some sort of deviant.
What's more troubling is that it comes on the heels of a Sirius radio interview with Hollis Thomas in which Thomas said he was insulted by the offer the Saints gave him and never chose to go to New Orleans in the first place (he was acquired in a draft-day trade), and that he saw opportunities in Denver, Cincinnati, and Miami that are interesting.
The Saints shouldn't throw money at Thomas, who's in his mid-30s, asthmatic, and rather large. Last year was a contract year, which is troubling when determining his value for next year. As for Grant, his comments are not good. You don't want one of your defense's top playmakers sulking. The Saints need to get him signed. Saints fans have learned to blindly trust the decision-making of Sean Payton and Mickey Loomis, but how they proceed with these two players will prove a divisive issue for fans all offseason long.
Pardon me if I'm not terribly shocked by the news. With Justin Smith and Dwight Freeney getting the tag recently, Grant would have been the best defensive end on the market. That means two things: someone would be getting ready to throw bagloads of cash at Grant in a Pac Man-esque fashion (I'm looking at you, Daniel Snyder), and that the Saints would not be able to find a suitable replacement in free agency.
The team doesn't have to designate Grant until Thursday's 4 P.M. deadline, so they've still got time to negotiate a long-term deal, but there have been conflicting reports as to how they're progressing. Pasquarelli's report says the two sides are very far apart, the New Orleans media is reporting that the one minor hang-up is how much upfront money Grant will get.
It'd be beneficial to both sides to get a long-term deal done -- the Saints can back-load a contract to spare the exorbitant $8.6 million cap hit the franchise tag brings, and Grant can get a sizable bonus and some security. The team also has the option of working a trade for the end, but the relationship between the two sides has always been harmonious. The tag was most likely applied as a way to extend contract talks, and I have a feeling they'll get something worked out before the season begins.
Face it, people. The only reason you don't want to believe this about the Minnesota Vikings is because of him. And honestly, that's fair. Brett Favre drives everybody crazy all summer with his anguished, will-he-or-won't-he retirement drama. There are and should be consequences for something like that. In this case, the consequence is that you won't let yourself believe the gray-haired Sears pitchman from Mississippi has his hands on the reins of the best team in the NFC.
Amid all these 
OAKLAND, Calif. -- .jpg)
NEW YORK -- 
Former Ole Miss head coach 
Rare is it that an undrafted free agent steals the minicamp thunder from a first-rounder, but Robert Meachem should send Walter Thomas a "Thank You" card. 
Well, 
