Brett Favre

Brett Favre is getting that itch again? Shocking. For many fans, Favre's retirement was accepted with caution because nobody wanted to believe that Brett Favre could actually stay retired. Well don't look now but there is another promising opportunity waiting for Brett Favre. Minnesota has been in contact with Favre and his agent with the intent of possibly pulling him out of retirement once again. Currently Minnesota has no real threat at quarterback with Jackson and Rosenfels; both of these players are known as game managers. That means that they do not really have the ability to make plays on their own, but they can ably run an offense in an efficient manner. Last year Minnesota looked to have a promising offensive unit until the opposing teams realized that the only threat which Minnesota possessed was Peterson. After watching Peterson run into wall after wall of defenders last year, Brad Childress finally realized that a quarterback with some playmaking ability might be the missing component. This is where Brett Favre becomes a viable option. Currently Minnesota has a dynamic running duo with Taylor and Peterson, and a highly respected offensive line. Coming into this team, Favre would have time in the pocket as well as help on the ground. These factors coupled with a speedy wide receiver core could allow Brett Favre to finally retire on his terms, after a SuperBowl victory. The only thing which could stand in the way of this match made in heaven is Brett Favre's lingering Bicep injury. Although the injury caused Favre to fall apart late last season, many doctors believe that the injury could be nullified by simply eliminating the tendon. With a simple procedure Favre could remove the injured tendon and just play with one tendon. John Elway had a similar problem in 1997, that year ended with Elway celebrating a SuperBowl victory. Now all we can do is wait and see what happens with the meeting between Minnesota and Favre, but my guess is that there will be a new addition to the Vikings very soon.

The New York Jets

Who are the New York Jets trying to fool by pretending that Mark Sanchez might lose out to Kellen Clemens for the starting QB job? The Jets traded up to get Mark Sanchez in this years draft, they committed a ton of money to him and everybody knows that he is their quarterback of the future. Kellen Clemens body of work is slightly less impressive since entering the NFL as a "quarterback". Clemens has never been and never will be considered a legitimate NFL quarterback, the sooner the Jets admit that than the sooner this quarterback controversy will be over. With only 16 starts under center at USC, Mark Sanchez is considered inexperienced by many; but most will admit that the late USC quarterback looks like he is NFL ready. The Jets are hoping that Sanchez will be their missing component, and will have the ability to lead them into the playoffs. The set pieces around Sanchez should allow him to manage the game rather than force him to make plays on his own. Thomas Jones will provide a legitimate running game, and the supporting cast in the recieving corps will allow Sanchez to make a smooth transition into the NFL. So please New York stop decieving all of your fans and just make the decision now, becuase to all of us who are not blinded by senseless words the truth is easily found.

Manny Pacquiao

Well it did not happen as most predicted, but for me and many other sports fans the outcome was just the same. Ricky Hatton fell victim to Pacman's heavy hands twice in the first round and then once more in the second round. Coming into the fight Hatton felt that Pacman had underestimated him, but it is clear now that Hatton had no idea what sort of fight he was getting into. The first round had lots of fireworks, but the problem was that they all blew up in Hattons face. Hatton looked slow and incoherrent while standing in the same ring as Pacquiao. This fight was supposed to provide a much needed boost to the boxing fanbase, but with the fight ending in the second round many people were turned away dissapointed. With all eyes on the next clash of titans in Pacquiao vs. Mayweather, boxing will likely see another recession in fanbase until that bout.

Pacquiao vs. Hatton

This fight has all of the makings to be the fight of the century. Both fighters enter the ring boasting impressive records and heavy hands to back them up. Pacquiao is a gifted fighter representing the Philippines. Bearing the entire weight of his country with each passing bout, Pacquiao says that it is the love of his country which has allowed him to become such a great fighter. Hatton is an unmatched brawler in every sense of the word, and fighting out of England gives him some inscentive to represent his country appropriately. Hatton's lone loss came at the hands of Floyd Mayweather, so it is clear that this guy is the real deal. With a little background on these contenders, it's time to breakdown these fighters individually...

Manny Pacquiao (46-3-2, 36 KOs)- With well over half of his wins coming by way of knockout, Pacquiao is a well-rounded puncher with unbelieveable power. Pacquiao is a sound technical boxer who uses all of the ring and picks his spots with surgeon like precision. In this bout, Pacquiao will be looking to move around and avoid the sometimes over aggressive Hatton. The thing which Pacquiao needs to avoid is getting trapped in a corner, because getting stuck in a corner with Hatton beating down on him is not Pacman's ideal gameplan. Weighing in at 138 pounds, Pacquiao made weight and looks great for the fight. Pacman will look to cement his legact with another win against a worthy opponent in Hatton.

Ricky Hatton (45-1, 32 KOs)- Plan and simple, Hatton is looking to knock Pacman out. With a record of 45-1, Hatton has proved that his aggressive style and powerful hands can be a devastating combination. Hatton will be looking to bully Pacquiao in the early rounds, and then beat him into a corner when Pacman's legs aren't as fresh. Just making weight at 140 pounds exactly, Hatton will have a slight weight advantage which some are equating to a difference of strength. This small difference in weight does not represent the stronger man, these two fighters are evenly matched and should make for a good fight.

Prediction: Pacquiao will prove to be too fast and too smart for Hatton. The first few rounds will be an even split with the later rounds providing the distance between these two fighters. Hatton will get desperate towards the end of the fight and go into berserk mode, but it will be too little too late and Pacquiao will win by a decision.

The Great Al Davis

If you have watched any football in the last decade, you probably have noticed that the Raiders have been nothing short of horrendous. After getting both JaMarcus Russel and Darren McFadden to help redeem this dynasty, Al Davis has done the unthinkable. With the 7th pick the first round, the Raiders were absolutely going to take Michael Crabtree. Crabtree is coveted highly for his incredible body of work at Texas Tech. In just two seasons, Crabtree racked up 3,127 total yards with 41 touchdowns. When comparing his stats to the rest of the receivers in this draft class, Crabtree's stats put him on another level. With the 7th pick in the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft, the Oakland Raiders selected Darrius Heyward-Bey out of the University of Maryland. Immediately after watching this pick I thought to myself, "So this is how the Raiders have finished near the bottom of the league every year for the past 6 years". The only thing that Heyward-Bey does better than Crabtree, is run in a straight line. With his mind clouded by a fast 40-yard dash time, Al Davis chose to gamble on Heyward-Bey rather then taking the already impressive Michael Crabtree. Al Davis is living proof that dumb luck can land you a job in the NFL, but luck alone will not help Al Davis in a league that eats up pretenders.

What are the Denver Broncos doing?

To begin this segment I would like to look back on the fact that Denver let their season slip away with the trade of Jay Cutler. Josh McDaniels is a coach entering his first year with the Broncos. McDaniels signed with Denver after departing from his coaching job with the New England Patriots. McDaniels showed an impressive resume with the Patriots by coaching both Tom Brady and Matt Cassel into stardom. Riding in mightly, McDaniels felt it was necessary to make his pressence felt by insulting Denver's star player. As the story goes, McDaniels wanted to trade for Matt Cassel and then denied the accusation when Cutler confronted him. After weeks of fighting Cutler was finally traded to the Chicago Bears. Before even entering his first full season as a head coach, McDaniels has gotten rid of Denvers first hope at real success since the days of Elway. But the story doesn't stop there. The 2009 NFL Draft was a prime chance to fill some of the defensive holes on their roster; however, with their first round pick the Broncos selected Knowshon Moreno out of Georgia. Don't get me wrong, I love a good running back and that is exactly what Moreno is. But how does getting another running back help your defense which ranked close to last in every category? It just doesn't make sense and the people of Denver are going to have to pay for it. Josh McDaniels shouldn't get too comfortable in his new diggs, there is a good chance he won't be there for long if he keeps it up.

NFL Draft

ROUND ONE-

1. Detroit (0-16)

Needs: Everything.

Analysis: The Detroit Lions are in shambles and are in need of a complete renovation. The likely pick is the QB Mathew Stafford, he has a rocket arm and is a proven winner. Although I do believe that this a pick which they have to make, I do not see Mathew Stafford making the same impact that Matt Ryan had on Atlanta last year. Sorry to all you Detroit fans out there, but it looks like it could be another long season.

2. St. Louis (2-14)

Needs: Offensive Tackle, Middle Linebacker

Analysis: The St. Louis Rams are a team with a ton of holes. Their biggest need is an offensive tackle to help keep Mark Bulger off of his back. This Draft has a plethora of solid tackles at the top, and the Rams will benefit greatly from the selection. I expect the Rams to take Jason Smith out of Baylor to help anchor this offensive unit. If the Rams can solidify their offensive line, then they may be able to return an elite level... at least on the offensive side of the ball.

3. Kansas City (2-14)

Needs: Offensive Tackle, Inside Linebacker, Defensive Tackle

Analysis: The Kansas City Chiefs have had a long few seasons now, and they all need help almost everywhere. With the loss of Tony Gonzalez and an unhappy Larry Johnson, this looks to be a year of rebuilding for this team. Although they have pressing needs at the linebacker position, I believe the Chiefs will pass on Aaron Curry because of the necessity at offensive tackle. A successful offensive line translates into points on the board for a team, that said I believe that the Chiefs will select Eugene Monroe out of Virginia.

4. Seattle (4-12)

Needs: Outside Linebacker, Offensive Tackle, Safety

Analysis: The Seahawks dynasty in the NFC West officially crumbled last year. After a dominant run over the past few seasons, the Seahawks ran into a wall when they could not overcome their injury plagued receiving core. Although early intuition said to take Crabtree, the Seahawks have moved away from that idea and decided to address problems elsewhere. Hasslebeck is an aging QB and has endured injuries in the last few seasons. The all-pro Walter Jones also has time working against him and experienced a significant drop last year. The Seahawks need to address these problems in order to get back into contention for the playoffs. I expect the Seahawks to take Mark Sanchez for a few reasons. Sanchez is a dynamic player and will eventually become a franchise QB, but also the Seahawks are looking to gain value on the roster and Sanchez would be a great blue chip.

5. Cleveland (4-12)

Needs: Outside Linebacker, Wide Receiver, Cornerback

Analysis: With the story surfacing about Crabtree and his dismal visit with the Browns, Cleveland may be looking for a game-changer on the otherside of the ball. Aaron Curry is the complete package. Curry is a physical freak with a nose for the ball, and on top of that he has an impeccable work ethic. If the Browns have half a brain, they will not allow a future All-Pro to slip by them at this spot. With the number five overall pick in the draft, the Cleveland Browns select...Aaron Curry from Wake Forest. You heard it hear first.

This is my top 5 mock draft from the first round of tomorrows NFL Draft. Good luck to all the teams, and may God have mercy on those who to Detroit...