The Sports Rotation

Well the NFL season has finally begun (with a grueling display yesterday between Tennessee and Pittsburgh, but more on that in a second) and thank goodness because I was getting tired of the undefined questions marks during the offseason like

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Is it me or is there a certain duh factor when it comes to some trades.  I mean just stop and think about these trades to yourself: 

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It is rare that I'm willing to comment on things that take place during NFL training camps.  Afterall, as much as people love twitter, who cares if the Jets are fighting in practice, or if Lee Evans is excited about seeing fewer double teams with T.O. playing opposite him.  And I doubt you care if the Dolphins are hiding Math Roth's injury (don't pretend to know who Jason Taylor's eventual backup is...it's embarrassing). 

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Training Camp.  Preseason football.  Obnoxious fans.  Tom Coughlin's ridiculous mandates.  No longer does Michael Strahan have to answer to any of these.  He'll be able to sip a few more wine coolers in Greece, do more mock interviews with celebrities like Alicia Keys, and diagnose the utter failings of Eli Manning from his booth in Fox studios. Yes, It sure is nice to have options, especially when you are a player, or in Strahan's case a former player, of the NFL.  And as an outsider looking in I can't help but root for Strahan.  Let's face it, for the most part the majority of these players(who aren't quarterbacks that can control a franchise's legacy) function in a world where they have limited control over their legacy and money and their only leverage is complaining through the media and or agent, holding out of camps and pre season football games (that they probably shouldn't be apart of anyway), and giving half hearted attempts while on the field, ala Randy Moss.  Those certainly aren't guarantees that a player will be able to control his future (Just ask Chad Johnson). 

That's not to say that I am lumping Strahan in with the malcontents previously mentioned above.  To the contrary, I think the Strahan is more of an impact player than those guys ever will be, and the Giants should have offered Strahan the kitchen sink given the situation that they found themselves in with the loss of .Osi Umenyiora  No matter what you thought about Eli Manning's progression as a Superbowl MVP in making solid plays while breaking down a defense, his ascension as a vocal leader of the team, his "improved" body language when dealing with blown plays on the field (because apparently shrugged shoulders matter when coming off the field), or his ability to deal wih the New York media. The strength of this team was in the defensive line they put together that was anchored by Strahan.  Oh sure, Osi had a great year, but the majority of his sacks came in one game against a second year guy (Winston Justice) who was filling in for an injured William Thomas.  And Manning played well down the stretch, including the Superbowl, however the Giants started out poorly and this team really found their rhythm when the defense got going (particularly as Strahan got into game shape).  And if you ever want to doubt how crucial Strahan was to their success throughout the years consider the fact that in the 15 games the Giants have played without him, they have lost 12 of those games.  So the questions remains whether Giants fans are ready to put their hopes and dreams on Manning's arm...especially since we aren't talking about Peyton, and not rely on what made them special in the first place, which was their defense.

I guess, though, the overwhelming reason I find Strahan's situation, success, or whatever you want to call it is becaus it is nothing like th situation with Brett Favre.  It's similar in the sense that both players played through tremendous amounts of pain (Favre's addiction to painkillers and Strahan's chronic absorption of pain killers) but Strahan didn't play mind games with the media.  And he didn't drive his coaches and his GM crazy with his repeated transgression about retiring.  And he didn't make a mockery of himself like a jaded former lover. And more importantly for my own sake, I didn't have to watch him cry.  Now I realize that Favre really didn't have many options.  He couldn't be a backup to Aaron Rodgers.  He couldn't stay retired on the Packers terms.  And he certainly wasn't ready to hang it up and live out his days quietly in dreadful Mississippi ( and who could blame him no matter how attractive his wife is).  And although his arrival in New York will upgrade the talents of the Jets, watching the coverage of his un retirement was unbearable.  And I guess I needed a guy like Strahan to go out with some dignity, legacy in tact.  He weighed his options and walked away gracefully on his own terms...something Favre just couldn't, or wasn't willing to do.  Plus he didn't cry about it.  So how can I root against that?