SB Nation User Blog: W. Taylor

Not So Fast Viking Fans

W. Taylor — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 23:49:05 -0000

All right Viking fans before you get too excited, about the signing of Brett Favre, there are a few people you may want to talk to. You may want to talk to some Jet fans who last year at this time were thinking that the same Brett Favre was going to get their team back into the playoffs. Instead they got a quarterback who led the NFL with 22 interceptions and another disappointing season. You may want to talk to Eric Mangini, the former coach of the Jets, who some believe lost his job primarily because of Favre's poor play. You may want to talk to some of Favre's Jet teammates who after the season described Farve as distant and said that there was a lot of resentment in the locker room about him.

Favre was a great quarterback, but his skills are diminished and he doesn't want to adjust his play accordingly. The Jets tried in vain to get him to play more conservatively and not force so many throws. But even as the Jets were fighting for a playoff spot Favre was throwing nine interceptions, with only two touchdowns, in the last five games.

I know Viking fans are thinking Favre's poor performance was because he had a shoulder injury and that was fixed with surgery this summer. The shoulder may have been repaired, (although he still does have a tear in his rotator cuff), but has it been rehabbed long enough. Just ask John Smoltz how hard it is for an aging athlete to come back from shoulder surgery. He rehabbed for a year and his shoulder still isn't right. Favre has only rehabbed for a few months. That shoulder may not hold up for a 16 game season.

Brett Favre is an aging quarterback, with diminishing skills and a bad shoulder. If I were a Viking fan I would hold off on buying those Super Bowl tickets.

NBA Fearsome Foursomes

W. Taylor — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 18:05:56 -0000

Now that the Lakers have signed Lamar Odom to a long term contract you have to wonder if there is a team out there with enough talent to beat them. The Lakers have lost only Trevor Ariza from last years team while adding Ron Artest. While Artest is a head case the Lakers have the best psychologist/coach in the league in Phil Jackson. If Jackson could work with Dennis Rodman, he will certainly be able to work with Artest. So the Lakers can put a line-up on the floor that includes Kobe Bryant, Paul Gasol, Odom and Artest, a very talented bunch. If Jackson can get and keep them all on the same page they will be tough to beat.

In the Western Conference the toughest competition could come from the Spurs who added Richard Jefferson to their roster. If Manu Ginobli can come all the way back the Spurs will be able to go at the Lakers with a line-up that includes Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Jefferson and Ginobli.

Over in the East the Celtics have but together their version of a fearsome foursome with the signing of Rasheed Wallace. If the Celtics can get Kevin Garnett back from his injury they will have a line-up that includes Wallace, Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen.

I know the season is a long way off, but I am looking forward to seeing these fearsome foursomes collide on the basketball court. It will be interesting to see which team, if any, can put aside their egos and play together to win a championship.

NBA Fearsome Foursomes

W. Taylor — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 17:53:16 -0000

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NBA Fearsome Foursomes

W. Taylor — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 20:25:43 -0000

Now that the Lakers have signed Lamar Odom to a long term contract you have to wonder if there is a team out there with enough talent to beat them. The Lakers have lost only Trevor Ariza from last years team while adding Ron Artest. While Artest is a head case the Lakers have the best psychologist/coach in the league in Phil Jackson. If Jackson could work with Dennis Rodman, he will certainly be able to work with Artest. So the Lakers can put a line-up on the floor that includes Kobe Bryant, Paul Gasol, Odom and Artest, a very talented bunch. If Jackson can get and keep them all on the same page they will be tough to beat.

In the Western Conference the toughest competition could come from the Spurs who added Richard Jefferson to their roster. If Manu Ginobli can come all the way back the Spurs will be able to go at the Lakers with a line-up that includes Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Jefferson and Ginobli.

Over in the East the Celtics have but together their version of a fearsome foursome with the signing of Rasheed Wallace. If the Celtics can get Kevin Garnett back from his injury they will have a line-up that includes Wallace, Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen.

I know the season is a long way off, but I am looking forward to seeing these fearsome foursomes collide on the basketball court. It will be interesting to see which team, if any, can put aside their egos and play together to win a championship.