General

Shanoff’s W.U.C.: Favre? Sports’ Jon & Kate

Jun 23, 2009, 12:07 PM UTC

Today’s Calls: Brett Favre vs. Jon Gosselin, Lucas Glover vs. Phil Mickelson, Sam Young vs. Blake Griffin, Manny Ramirez vs. Don Fehr, Phillies vs. Rays, LSU vs. Texas, Roy Williams vs. Coach K and More.
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â†µThe Opening Pitch: Brett Favre is the “Jon & Kate Plus 8” of sports.
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â†µThey both earn massive amounts of media attention -- if there was an US Weekly for sports, Favre would be on the cover every week, just like J&K. And yet fans protest that we hear too much about them, that we are sick of them, that why don’t they just get it over with already ...â†µâ†µAnd yet we can’t look away, as anyone who follows the daily non-news about Favre would lament -- or anyone who watched last night’s Jon & Kate train-wreck would admit (yeah, it was on in our house -- but with the CWS on P-i-P, so hopefully that makes up for it).â†µ

â†µâ†µThey even have key dates: June 22 was the day of the “big announcement” for Jon & Kate -- they’re getting a divorce, if you hadn’t heard.â†µ

â†µâ†µFlorio throws out a Favrian version: July 3, the ideal date for the Vikings to announce that Favre is joining the team ... if they wanted to mitigate the media mayhem as much as possible.â†µ

â†µâ†µBut, like Jon & Kate, this isn’t about limiting publicity. Favre -- whose career interception total is only eclipsed by his mega-media-neediness -- will want to maximize this for as much “me-me-me” as possible. And, frankly, the Vikings could use the cachet, too.â†µ

â†µâ†µAnd like promoting Jon & Kate, you don’t sign Brett Favre without understanding -- wanting -- the circus that comes with it. Just ask TLC executives, or celebrity-magazine editors.â†µ

â†µâ†µHey, here’s an idea: Brett and Jon Gosselin bunking together in Minneapolis! Or, wait, if Deanna is willing, Kate is newly single ... “Brett & Kate + 8” sounds just up Favre’s attention-seeking alley.â†µ

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â†µLucas Glover wins U.S. Open: All together now ... who? Between Lucas Glover and the US Men's National Soccer Team, have you ever seen back-to-back back-ins like we did on Sunday and Monday? (There was more drama in Phil's choking than Glover's win.)â†µ

â†µâ†µNBA Draft: Sleepers! College hoops fans are trying to impress on their NBA counterparts that Sam Young will be the sleeper sensation, because of his outrageous athleticism and versatility. Other sleepers I like: Omri Casspi (late 1st), Toney Douglas (early 2nd), DaJuan Summers (late 2nd), Paul Harris (UFA)â†µ

â†µâ†µYear of the PG, Cont’d: Brandon Jennings and Jonny Flynn continue to work out against each other. Flynn has become a hot name for the Kings at No. 4. Jennings, while rumored to be slipping, probably won’t get past No. 10.â†µ

â†µâ†µCWS: LSU rally! Wasn’t there some question about LSU’s inexperience with close 2009 CWS games (they were winning too big) -- and about Texas’ grittiness in them? The Horns mashed (5 HR), but the Tigers were the comeback kids. Game 1 goes to Bayou Bengals.â†µ

â†µâ†µManny Being Minors: That will be Manny Ramirez playing for the Dodgers’ AAA affiliate in Albuquerque starting today. Say: Do those stats count toward your fantasy league? Those of us who have been holding onto Manny through the suspension -- and still battling for the playoffs -- see a light at the end of the tunnel.â†µ

â†µâ†µMLBPA union head Don Fehr retires: Between the ‘94 player strike that crippled baseball for a half-decade, a full decade or forever (depending on who you ask) and the steroids scandal that his stewardship helped foment, he really leaves with a sterling legacy.â†µ

â†µâ†µMLB Talking Pointsâ†µ

â†µâ†µ• Rox unstoppable: That’s 17 Ws in last 18 G.â†µ

â†µâ†µ• Pujols Watch: 1/4, 0 HR, 0 RBI (Cards L).â†µ

â†µâ†µ• On the DL: Carlos Beltran.â†µ

â†µâ†µ• Rookie Watch: A’s Cahill wins 3rd in row.â†µ

â†µâ†µ• Interleague G.O.T.D.: Jamie Moyer vs. David Price.â†µ

â†µâ†µ• Fantasy Stud: Seth Smith (HR, 4 RBI).â†µ

â†µâ†µCBB: More fans in Carolina like Roy Williams than Coach K? That is entirely unsurprising, given that UNC is the dominant state school and Duke has a limited alumni base, particularly who stay in-state. (Only 14 percent hate Coach K, to which I ask: Really, UNC and NC State fans?)â†µ

â†µâ†µWhat Recession? Florida’s athletic budget went UP nearly $6M -- please note that while teams’ budgets were cut 10 percent, that obviously did not include football and basketball, which actually saw their budgets increase. Hey, defending a football national title ain’t cheap. ...â†µ

â†µâ†µThe Last Word: Aaron Shutway. The Brecksville-Broadview (OH) Middle School 8th-grader becomes an instant YouTube sensation with this wild shot -- handspring into 3/4-court swish. (Is it a fake? At first I thought so, but I really don’t think so. If it is, hats off to the kids for fooling the world.)â†µ

â†µâ†µDan Shanoff writes The Wake-Up Call every weekday morning for SportingNews.com and blogs daily at DanShanoff.com. Got any comments, questions or feedback? Email Dan at shanofftsn-[at]-gmail-[dot]-com. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/danshanoff. â†µ

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This post originally appeared on the Sporting Blog. For more, see The Sporting Blog Archives.

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