Sikahema kicks Canseco’s a$$

by | Jul 13, 2008 | NFL ... something

Jose Canseco might be the most self-serving douchebag in sports. But apparently he can’t box for squat.

The 6-foot-4 former steroid pumping major league power hitter took to the ring last night against Vai Sikahema, the 5-9 former punt returner for Philadelphia and Arizona in Atlantic City. And the former football player buried Canseco, knocking him down twice in the first round before the referee mercifully stopped the fight.

“He’s a very impressive-looking figure,” Sikahema told … some news outlet after the fight (can’t tell if the Post Chronicle writer of the attached clip did the interview or if he was crediting the quote to the Press of Atlantic City, so I’ll mention both to make sure proper credit is given somewhere). “But the guy is a walking corpse because he’s rotted inside out. He’s a pathetic figure.”

I always admired Sikahema, now a sports director and anchor for NBC 10 in greater Philadelphia, for making a solid career in the NFL despite a small stature. I think I like him even more now, not only because he knocked the crap out of one of my least favorite athletes ever but because he was classy enough to give a portion of his $25,000 payday to the family of a fallen police sergeant, Stephen Liczbinski.

Hartman to Vikings: Get Favre in purple

by | Jul 13, 2008 | NFL News

As if the ridiculous media barrage of Brett Favre stories wasn’t already playing to the aging quarterback’s ego now a Minneapolis “columnist” has pinned the Minnesota Vikings’ hopes for getting a new stadium squarely on the shoulders of team ownership somehow acquiring Favre.

“Memo to owner Zygi Wilf,” Sid Hartman writes: “You want a new stadium, put Favre in a Vikings uniform.”

Not only does this ignore the Vikings lack of a community partner or the project hundreds of millions if not a billion dollar shortfall the state is projected to face next year – it ignores the fact that the Packers have already said they won’t release Favre so he can go wherever he wants.

But whatever. It’s interesting, if not amusing reading. And Sid is 87 or 88 years old, so apparently whatever he chooses to write these days gets into the paper.

What a great gig.

Odell Thurman in trouble again

by | Jul 11, 2008 | NFL News

While Chris Henry, Pacman Jones, Travis Henry and perhaps Darrion Scott have all made their cases for long-term or life-long suspensions from the NFL this offseason, few players have provided better fodder for such a punishment than former Cincinnati Bengal linebacker Odell Thurman.

After a fantastically promising rookie season in 2005 Thurman sat out the last two seasons for violating the league’s substance abuse policy. He was reinstated during the offseason, but before even making it to the pre-season he was suspended for another year – yes, another substance abuse policy mishap. It’s going to cost him at least one more season. The Bengals released their 2005 second round draft pick on May 27.

Now the douchbag – or is it douchebag – was indicted by an Erie County grand jury on a felonious assault charge stemming from a May 27 incident where he allegedly punched another man in the face, breaking his jaw at the Kalahari Waterpark Resort.

Det. Bob Lippert of the Erie County Sheriff’s Department told the Sandusky Register Online “we are trying to locate him.” Commissioner Roger Goodell and most football fans probably just want this Cro-Magnon man to go away.

ESPN’s Coleman: “Forget it” Minnesota, Favre’s not coming

by | Jul 11, 2008 | NFL Rumors

ESPN Radio’s Freddie Coleman says Vikings fans can stop trying to decide whether they’d like to see future Hall-of-Famer Brett Favre wearing his trademarked number four in purple and gold this fall.

“Forget it, boys and girls,” he says. “It’s not going to happen.” During his Friday night GameNight broadcast Coleman says there are three teams Favre could end up with – and the Vikings aren’t one of them. It’d be too painful for the organization to deal with Favre coming out of the Lambeau Field tunnel with Minnesota, he claims.

Actually, Coleman insists that because of salary cap issues and the roster turnover that would be required by most teams to fit him under the cap it is most likely that Favre remains a Packer. But if a trade does happen – and his release is highly unlikely, Coleman says – three teams make the most sense.

(more…)

Vikings express interest in Favre

by | Jul 11, 2008 | NFL Rumors

In an effort to beat the Brett Favre soap opera to death, Zoneblitz is now reporting that the Minnesota Vikings have inquired about his availability, pending his release from Green Bay.

WSSP-AM SportsRadio in Green Bay is citing Green and Gold Insider Mike Clemens who is reporting that the Vikings made the inquiry. The station reports that Favre talked with the Packers in March about coming back but was told he would be the backup to Aaron Rodgers, so as a result he wants out, having officially asked for his release.

The Packers released a statement saying “the organization made the commitment to move forward with our football team” when Favre announced his retirement in March. The team has spent considerable time grooming Rodgers and also drafted Brian Brohm in the second round in April, leaving Favre on the outside looking in.

Favre is apparently working out, throwing footballs, and definitely in preparation for the season, according to NFL.com, whose writer, Pat Kirwan, now estimates that there is at least an 80 percent chance the two-time Super Bowl quarterback plays in 2008.
So… it’s looking more and more like Favre is going to play somewhere during the upcoming season. Now the biggest question becomes where.