Gray, err, Grey Cup tickets on sale, ay

by | Mar 12, 2008 | CFL

Analysis of Zoneblitz readership thus far indicates a small Canadian interest. To make our northern neighbors feel welcome here we uncovered this piece of news.

Tickets for the 96th Grey Cup went on sale this week. Tickets range from $274 (Canadian) for top notch seats to $84 (Canadian) for general admission. The game will be held in Montreal at Olympic Stadium on Nov. 23, 2008.

Last year the Saskatchewan Roughriders defeated the Winnipeg Blue Bombers 23-19 in the 95th Grey Cup, which was held in Toronto.

No word on how the Canadian Football League plans to honor Brett Favre at its version of the Super Bowl. Zoneblitz has not heard anything about a movement to re-name the trophy the Favre Cup.

Favre love-fest continues

by | Mar 12, 2008 | NFL Breaking News

The Wisconsin Legislature passed a resolution honoring three-time MVP quarterback Brett Favre.

If you haven’t heard, Favre retired last week after 16 seasons with the Pack.
Rep. Phil Montgomery, who met wife Deanna Favre while campaigning in 1998 and Favre himself a few years later during a push for public money for Lambeau Field renovations, was the chief sponsor of the bill, according to the Associated Press.

Montgomery for legislators how Madam Favre told him she didn’t need his campaign literature because she votes in Mississippi and how Lord Favre would attend high school football games and pass out leaflets about the renovations.

It was unclear from the story whether Montgomery recommended starting the process for pushing canonizing Favre for sainthood. Nor did the AP story determine whether Montgomery would campaign for Favre to enter the NFL Hall of Fame as a Green Bay Packer. Sources say there may be an underground movement underway to have him inducted as an Atlanta Falcon.

Falcons add more mediocre players

by | Mar 12, 2008 | 2008 NFL Free Agency

The Atlanta Falcons re-signed quarterback Joey Harrington and added center Alex Stepanovich, giving them a slightly-better-than-mediocre center to join the team’s trio of ridiculously mediocre quarterbacks.

Barring the addition of another signal-caller through the draft or free agency, Harrington will compete with D.J. Shockley and Chris Redman for the job, which primarily will consist of turning around and handing the ball to Michael Turner and Jerious Norwood.

Stepanovich was drafted by Arizona but played with Cincinnati last season.

Osgood to boycott off-season workouts? Really?

by | Mar 12, 2008 | NFL Breaking News

The San Diego Union Tribune reported today that special teams demon Kassim Osgood might boycott off-season workouts if he doesn’t think he’s getting an opportunity to play wide receiver.

Kassim Osgood?

Really?

He’s a fine special teams player – a Pro Bowler, no doubt. But some of these guys, hint, hint, might want to take a closer look at the amount of money they make to step onto the field eight to 10 times a game and consider whether or not they want to risk that paycheck by, frankly, being idiots.

Brock Berlin likely to play in 2008

by | Mar 11, 2008 | 2008 NFL Free Agency

Six months before the season is set to start, St. Louis Rams backup quarterback Brock Berlin is the odds-on favorite for most likely third-stringer to see action.

Berlin sat behind Marc Bulger and Gus Frerotte in 2007. He played in one game last season. But the Rams Monday inexplicably not only signed Trent Green to become the fragile Bulger’s primary backup. They also reportedly gave the concussed one $8.9 million for three years – including a $2.1 million signing bonus.

Frerotte, who once sprained his neck head butting a brick wall, shows admirable durability compared with this duo. Bulger, when healthy, is a top eight NFL quarterback, at worst. But he has missed 12 games in three seasons and Green, with two horrendous looking concussions that left his career temporarily in doubt, has played just 13 games the last two years.

So if I were Berlin I’d make sure I know the playbook.