Random Friday Thoughts

Even though most, if not all, of my attention has gone to the Soudners this week I still have been following the goings on elsewhere in the world of sports. So as I often do, I present a random brain dump of thoughts - this time to help you procrastinate as you look forward to the weekend.

• Terrell Owens retired yesterday...wait, he didn't? It was all just a joke? Either way I don't care. In fact, I think it is really pathetic. His entire career he was a ME-first guy who always loved the media spotlight. That is fine when you're catching 10 touchdowns a year, but now that you can't find a team to play with, it is straight up pathetic. Here's hoping he just goes away.
• Speaking of guys who can't stay out of the spotlight, Brett Favre continues to do everything humanly possible to kill any good will left towards him. In talking about Aaron Rodgers winning the Super Bowl last year, Favre said "I'm going to be honest, I was not surprised. The biggest surprise to me would be that he didn't do it sooner." Listen, I get it. Brett is bitter. He gave a lot of great years to that organization and when they drafted Rodgers he was hurt. It happens anytime someone is brought in as your successor. It is human nature. But to makes these comments after being retired is pathetic (wow, using it to describe both Owens and Favre - who would have thought that 5 years ago?). Brett, just go away, please.
• Donovan McNabb hasn't been terrible this year (save week 1 where he went 7-15 for 39 yards), but it is clearly obvious that it is time for him to be benched for first round draft pick Christian Ponder. I have nothing against Donovan - in fact, I would rather have him as my teams QB than a handful of other guys, but when you're team is sitting at 0-4 AND you have a highly drafted rookie on the bench, you need to pull the trigger. There is no difference in finishing 4-12 with Ponder and 4-12 with McNabb, so why not get the rookie some experience.
• Indy is also sitting at 0-4 and could realistically win only 2-3 games this year if Manning doesn't come back. An interesting subplot is what the team does if they are 2-11 and Manning is ready to come back. I know Manning is the franchise, but if you're management, don't you have to think seriously about keeping him off the field and making a run for Andre Luck? I know it seems weird, but let's all remember where the Packers are now with Rodgers instead of Favre.
• Zach Parise was just named the Devils captain. It was the right move for numerous reasons, but it definitely was a gamble. Parise signed a 1-year deal to stay with the Devils and if the team sucks and they are unable to re-sign him to a long-term deal during the year, they will need to seriously think about trading him. That will not be an easy thing for fans to handle. I mean, you put all this money into Kovy and yet Zach is the best player on the team. You need to find a way to keep him in Jersey (here's hoping wearing the C goes long way)
• Speaking of the NHL, the Devils favorite opponent, Sean Avery just got released and is going over to Europe. The guy sucks so it shouldn't be a big deal, but I think all Devils' fans are smiling this morning. He just seemed to get under Brodeur's skin like no one else. It will be good to have him gone.
• Now that the Yanks are done, I can focus on hating the Rangers. Man I hate John Tortorella. And Lundqvist. And all their other trolls.
• Robin Ventura was just named manager of the Chicago White Sox. Read it here first: this is going to end badly.
• Apparently TCU is now close to joining the Big 12. I think it is a really smart move for them as it re-ignites some of the old school Southwest Conference rivalries with Texas, Tech and Baylor. However, it definitely sucks for the Big East, who continues to get stood up on the dance floor. Their courtship of the Frogs was smart from a competition standpoint, but having a team from Dallas in a conference with the word 'East' in it's named always seemed weird. This is more fitting (especially if they can get SMU to join with them)
• Can the Matthew Stafford - Calvin Johnson connection last all season? Johnson has 8 td's through 4 games, which puts him on pace for 32 for the season. Obviously that won't happen. If I'm a Johnson owner, I think about selling while his value is amazingly high. If he finished with 15 td's that would be a tremendous year, but it also means he finishes with 7 td's over his last 12 games. Not terrible by any stretch, but definitely below his current form. Trade while high. (oh, and who knows if Stafford can stay healthy for the rest of the season?)
• Thanks to Twitter, athletes no longer have to be robots who never say anything interesting. In fact, a lot of athletes are now starting to say dumb things and get (rightly or wrongly) criticized for it. Currently, their is a lot of chatter going on in Sounders circles for what Daniel Hernandez, apparently still bitter over losing to the Sounders twice this year, had to say. "Congrats to Seattle Sounders for winning the StarFire Open, and doing it on the road at CenturtyLink Field!" In a vacuum, it was a funny statement. The fact is that we did have all 4 games at home, 3 of which were at Starfire. But considering his recent history with the club, fans are not happy. My one plea to them - please keep his personal life out of it. Argue with him over his comment, but keep his family out of it.
• Wait, Vancouver just beat RSL 3-0? And they had 20k+ fans on a night when the Canucks starting their season? Not bad. Not good for RSL though who look locked in to the 3 seed. I'm not convinced that having home field advantage means anything for the Sounders, but recent from definitely seems to give us an advantage.
• I've said it before and I'll say it again, Doug Fister has to be the happiest man in baseball. No way he pitches an elimination game for the Mariners' over the course of a decade if he doesn't get traded. Gutsy (hate using that word in relation to sports) job last night by the youngster against the Yanks hitters.
• I think ESPN handled the Hank Williams Jr situation appropriately. I don't want to delve into politics, but comparing Obama to Hitler is indefensible. (I was not and still am not a George W Bush fan, but I also took offense to all those Lyndon LaRouche people comparing him to Hitler). Kudos to ESPN for taking a stand and letting everyone know that this type of ignorant rhetoric will not be tolerated.
• Speaking of ESPN, has anyone watched Dan LeBetard's new show? I haven't seen it, but actually enjoy listening to the Podcast. I'm not sure it is entirely different from PTI and Around the Horn, but the subtleties make it fun to listen to.
  
• USA-Honduras on Saturday. Another chance to see how well Klinsmann new system is progressing. It is a game we should win, but more important to me right now is seeing something new, something exciting from the team.

OK, I think that's it for now. Enjoy the weekend.