The Pirates are an utter disgrace, may they continue to suffer

It's official: I hate the Pittsburgh Pirates. At about 8:30 EST I stopped feeling sorry for their pathetic trek of 15 straight losing seasons when they effectively handed the New York Yankees a playoff berth with the trade of Xavier Nady and Damaso Marte for a box of pizza (okay, technically four garbage prospects, but what's the difference?)

The Yankees once again get what they want, and didn't have to bat an eyelash to do it. The Tampa Bay Rays desperately needed Nady's bat. A plethora of other teams could've used Marte's left arm. Did the Pirates actually take the time to see if they could get quality players for these two? No. Instead, they shipped them off for nothing to the Evil Empire. Surely, it's another "rebuilding" phase for the despicable franchise. The Yankees, meanwhile, will rally around their near-$200 million payroll but claim they truly had to dig deep for this one. With a few players on the disabled list, that only left about $150 million worth of talent on the field. However did they make the postseason in that case?

The (expletive)-burgh Pirates are to thank for that.

From one Yankee-hater-turned-Pirate-hater to you, I propose this question. Now that their top man is off the table, do the Tampa Bay Rays turn their attention to Ken Griffey? Regardless, the Yankees got their way. In the end, that seems to be all that really matters.

In Rod They Trusted

Not a day seems to go by in today’s NFL when there isn’t a me-first wide receiver grabbing headlines, whether it’s demanding to be more involved in the offense or demanding a new contract or else. From the Terrell Owenses (at least pre-Cowboys) to the Anquan Boldins of today’s game, it’s quite easy to lose sight of their great production on the field because of their whining and selfish antics off it.

But then there’s Rod Smith.

Smith was always one of my favorite receivers. When he formally announced his retirement today in an emotional press conference, it was a good reminder that there are some players at his position that have it all yet can keep it all in perspective. A lifetime Denver Bronco after joining the team as an undrafted free agent in 1995, Smith tallied some impressive numbers in his 13-year career. His franchise records include 849 receptions, 11,389 receiving yards, 68 touchdown catches, and 31 100-yard games. He is a proud owner of two Super Bowl rings as well.

I hardly have a voice when it comes to Hall of Fame votes, but Rod Smith merits one. While his numbers may not look dazzling, his consistency and loyalty to the Broncos organization was. A 13-year career spent with one team, a pair of championships, and countless clutch plays should be rewarded with a trip to Canton. Best yet, no one will ever accuse him of being an attention-grabber, a pain in the rear, or a distraction to his football team. He quietly caught passes first from John Elway, then Brian Griese and Jake Plummer before missing all of last year with a hip injury. He handled himself with class, and yet his name rarely surfaced in discussions about the game’s top pass catchers.

No matter.

As Smith pointed out in his retirement news conference, all he ever wanted to do was win. And win he did. In the process, he made quite a name for himself, even if it was in fact a quiet one.

Come on Brett, now it's starting to get ridiculous

Don't get me wrong, I admire Brett Favre. He is one of my favorite players. It's really hard not to root for him, I suppose unless you are a fan of one his NFC North rival teams. But with the season he had last year, leading the Packers to the NFC championship game, it was as close to going out on top as he was going to get. The Packers probably would've been steamrolled by the Patriots in the Super Bowl anyway.

When Favre announced his retirement at an emotional press conference back on March 6, the media, fans, and everyone alike was taken by storm. NFL Network ran endless hours of Favre-related programming to honor the future Hall of Famer. As shocking as the decision was given the Packers' success last year, it was time to move on to the Aaron Rodgers era while fondly reflecting on the magical career of one No. 4.

But here we are in July, with training camp right around the bend, and it appears as if Favre may not be done after all. In fact, he has apparently asked to be granted his release by the Packers in the case that he does come back and the team plans to move on without him.

So forget Favre's usually thumb-twiddling of "should I stay or should I go?" This situation is much more fragile considering the Packers had already named Rodgers their new top gun. The franchise is now in a tenuous position. Ted Thompson probably does not want to be known as the general manager to part ways with Brett Favre, but it turns out he just might. And Favre's selfishness and indecision is a major migraine for Green Bay's front office.

I for one want to remember Favre for the tremendous year he had last year as the icing on a magical career. With all of the adversity he has overcome on and off the field in his 17 years in the league, it is hard not to marvel at him. Even as he has become more outspoken in recent years, he is still as beloved a player as anyone in the game. But if he were to backtrack on this decision and end up playing somewhere else, it would not only be painful to watch, but disturbing in many ways. The sight of Favre in another uniform would mark an ugly ending to a wonderful relationship between him and the Packers. Aaron Rodgers has already borne enough burden this offseason before even getting the opportunity to prove himself as an NFL quarterback. Mike McCarthy went out and drafted Brian Brohm to help the youth infusion at QB in the post-Favre era. But now the third-year head coach has this distraction hanging over him and his young team. Why? Becuase Brett Favre apparently decided he not only feels like playing again, but that he is also more important than the well-being of the Packers organization.