Favre, Papelbon, Armstrong, and random observations on the wonderful world of sports

In the words of the great San Francisco Chronicle sports columnist Scott Ostler, here are my deep thoughts, cheap shots, and bon mots:

---Brett Favre has retired. Or so we think.

---Don't worry Favre fans. You can always count on Favre to put us through another summer of will he or won't he nausea next year.

---That Favre is one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time goes without saying. However, I have lost a lot of respect for the guy over the last few years. At the tail end of his career, Favre turned into a petulant, annoying freak show. Last summer he held the Packers hostage. This summer he held the Vikings hostage.

---Okay. Enough Favre talk. Let's move on to some topics of real interest.

---The Red Sox missed a huge opportunity last night. With the red-hot Yankees having already lost in Tampa Bay, Boston carried a three-run lead into the ninth inning at home against the lowly Oakland Athletics. Boston had a rare chance to gain a game on New York, but Jonathan Papelbon coughed up the lead and the Red Sox lost in eleven innings. Ouch.

---Papelbon is normally lights-out, but he has been shaky recently. My guess is that the Red Sox will still make the playoffs, but there is a tangible sense of anxiety right now in Beantown.

---Great move by my Giants in acquiring Ryan Garko from the Indians. Garko is a formidable hitter who will provide a needed spark to the San Francisco offense. He went 0 for 4 last night against the Pirates, but he scorched the ball in his last two at-bats.

---G.M. Brian Sabean may not yet be done dealing, as rumor has it that the Giants are interested in Pirates 2B Freddy Sanchez. Sounds exciting. We shall see what happens. Go Giants!

---What in the world is wrong with the Milwaukee Brewers? Fading fast from the playoff picture, the Brew Crew have gotten hammered by the awful Washington Nationals in two consecutive games at Miller Park. Yikes. The baseball has been so discouraging in Milwaukee that now the fans are showing up at Miller Park just to see the seventh inning sausage race.

---Congratulations to your 2009 Tour de France winner Alberto Contador. And kudos to Lance Armstrong for finishing in third place.

---I like Armstrong, and I have never gotten involved in rumors involving his alleged use of performance-enhancing drugs. However, even I am bothered by his latest Nike commercial. The ad is a shamelessly manipulative piece of propoganda that basically accuses all Lance Armstrong skeptics of being mean to recovering cancer patients. The commercial is extremely well-made, but it is astonishingly exploitative. Lance Armstrong must find a better way to sound off against his critics.