Musings on the National Football League

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

---What a magnificent game between the Colts and Eagles yesterday in Philadelphia. In addition to being a huge win for the Eagles, it also served as one of the finest performances in Michael Vick's career.

---I've said it before, and I'll say it again: I am a big Michael Vick fan, and I am rooting for him to succeed. I have been thoroughly impressed by the sincere, mature manner in which Vick has expressed his remorse regarding his dogfighting past, and I am thrilled that Vick is performing at such a high level for the Eagles. Vick's dominance on Sunday against Indy was absolutely thrilling to watch. Keep up the great work, Michael Vick!

---As big as that win was for the Eagles, however, they should not be considered the favorites in the NFC East. That honor belongs to the New York Giants. After a rocky start to the season, Eli Manning, Brandon Jacobs, and company are now firing on all cylinders. The G-Men went into the hostile environment of Qwest Field and steamrolled the Seahawks. The Giants have as good a shot as any team to make it back to the Super Bowl.

---Another team that is playing superb football: The Oakland Raiders. The Raiders defeated the Chiefs in overtime yesterday in a richly compelling battle. In recent years, the Raiders have been in total disarray, a dysfunctional organization under the wrath of irascible owner Al Davis and hot-tempered head coach Tom Cable. Now, however, the Raiders are a legitimate contender in the AFC West, and the Black Hole is rocking yet again. Yesterday's atmosphere in Oakland was spectacular, conjuring memories of the Rich Gannon-Tim Brown days.

---Yesterday's Raiders-Chiefs game featured one of the most amazing receptions in recent memory: Jacoby Ford making a game-saving catch at the tail end of the fourth quarter to allow for Sebastian Janikowski to send the game into overtime. A remarkable play by Ford, a catch that was of David Tyree-type difficulty.

---Yes, I am a diehard 49ers fan, but at the risk of angering my fellow members of Niners Nation, I must admit that I am happy the Raiders are doing well. The Raiders' resurgence is great for the Bay Area, and as a Bay Area native, I am rooting for them to succeed. If the Niners continue to falter this season, you can reserve my place on the 2010-2011 Silver and Black Bandwagon.

---Last week's elections may have been a disaster for the Democrats, but it was nothing compared to the stunning train-wreck that is the Dallas Cowboys. Sunday night's 45-7 embarrassment at the hands of the Packers was a new low for the Cowboys. It seems to me that the 'Boys have quit on their coach. Thus, it is time for Wade Phillips to be replaced. Seems like a really nice guy, but he is too soft a coach to succeed as a head coach in the NFL.

---Don't let that 27-24 win over the Cardinals fool you. The Minnesota Vikings are still a team rife with dysfunction. First, there was the Brett Favre cell phone scandal. Then, there was the Randy Moss craziness. And now, rumor has it that Coach Brad Childress had a near-physical altercation with WR Percy Harvin. Sunday's win does not change a thing for the Vikings. Brad Childress has lost control of his team, and the Vikings have no shot to reach the playoffs.

---My guess is that the Bucs, fresh off a tough 27-24 loss to the Falcons, will now start to fade, but there are still two significant reasons for Bucs fans to remain optimistic. Those two reasons are quarterback Josh Freeman and Coach Raheem Morris. Freeman may have stumbled a bit on Sunday, but he is bound to have a stellar NFL career, and Morris is a terrific, charismatic coach whose energy is reminiscent of former Bucs Coach Jon Gruden. The future is bright for Tampa Bay.

---I will conclude with a plea to the national sports media: Enough with the Cowboys. They stink. The NFL is full of compelling stories. This year, the Cowboys are not one of them.

Coach Dungy rides off into the sunset, proving that nice guys can indeed succeed in the NFL.

In football it's common to hear people yap about how nice guys finish last, especially in coaching. They say that if you lack the sneer of Bill Cowher or the growl of Mike Ditka, you have no shot in the NFL. When a coach hollers with furor at the quarterback after he pulls a Jake Delhomme and turns the ball over, it's viewed as a sign that the coach has control of his team. But when a coach tries to console his QB after an ill-advised interception, oh no, that's unacceptable. That means that the coach is weak, having lost the respect of his players. This popular wisdom is one of the biggest myths in American sports.

Don't get me wrong: Intensity is good. As a 49ers fan, I love having Mike Singletary roaming the sidelines, a guy that defines the word intense. And I am not defending passivity as an effective coaching tactic. It's always nice to see coaches rip into their team once in a while, for it can be a successful motivational technique. Wade Phillips, for instance, should have expressed frustration during the Tony Romo-Terrell Owens-Jason Witten soap opera, instead of staying as silent as Mark McGwire during a congressional hearing. Tough love is a necessary trait in a coach. Paris Hilton becoming a college professor and Donald Trump becoming a hair stylist are more likely occurrences than Bill Parcells giving a compliment, but Parcells is one of the greatest coaches the game has ever seen. So yes, it can be good to be one tough cookie. However, coaching success does not depend on personality. You can be the meanest, maddest soul on earth, and you can still be a terrible coach. You can be the kindest, most angelic creature the world has ever seen, and you could be the second coming of Vince Lombardi. In other words, the idea that a nice coach is a weak coach is fundamentally wrong.

Tony Dungy serves as proof that good guys can win in the National Football League. Everyone should strive to be as decent as Coach Dungy. Here's a guy who has suffered through incredible hardship in his personal life, yet he always has a smile on his face, always treats everyone with respect. And the guy knows his football. Dungy is the first coach since the 1970 merger to reach the playoffs in ten consecutive seasons, the last seven coming as boss of the Indianapolis Colts. He led the Colts to a victory in Super Bowl XLI, becoming the first black coach to ever win the Super Bowl. Some say that Dungy is overrated. I guess some people are impossible to please. I guess some people don't understand the difficulty of making the playoffs in ten consecutive years. Tony Dungy is not overrated. In fact, he may be underrated. His generosity leads some to believe that he is not a top-notch coach.

Tony Dungy is a top-notch coach, and the announcement of his retirement today comes as bittersweet news. His presence on the sidelines will be missed. Dungy's legacy is remarkable for a multitude of reasons. His legacy is proof that nice guys can finish first.

Listen Up, Brett. You have absolutely nothing to gain.

Brett Favre is one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time. Brett Favre is a first-ballot Hall of Famer. Brett Favre is a sports legend. Brett Favre is to Green Bay what rice is to roni. Brett Favre is making a huge mistake.

Every preceding sentence is true, including the last one. You'd have to be crazy to dispute Favre's elite status in the game, but it is also painfully evident that Favre's recent actions ooze selfishness. He has an itch to play again------I understand that------but the way in which he has handled this itch has only caused more swelling. Everything was set up beautifully for Favre to ride off into the sunset without a blemish in sight. Favre was superb in what was supposed to be his final season, leading the Packers to the NFC Championship Game, only to fall in defeat in overtime to the eventual Super Bowl champs, the New York Giants. Sure, they didn't go all the way, which prevented Favre from going out in Jerome Bettis-like fashion. Let's remember, however, that almost no one thought Green Bay stood a chance at success last season. Number 4 impressed and surprised everyone by coming so close to that illustrious Vince Lombardi trophy. When he announced his retirement back in early March, Favre came across as the ultimate sportsman: classy, genuinely emotional, and wonderfully gracious. Little did we know that it was all an act. Roughly four months later, Brett Favre is back to his old tricks, holding the Packers hostage once again.

He does this every year, always keeping the Packers waiting. This will he or won't he retire shtick is getting tired, Brett. You say that you are not wanted. This is hogwash. For the past couple of years it was GM Ted Thompson who begged you to return. Now you're saying nobody wants you?!?! That is simply absurd.

If Favre chooses to return with another team, as he seems to desire, he will be making one of the biggest athletic mistakes in recent memory. It may not damage his Hall of Fame legacy, but his reputation will surely take a hit. Should he suit up for, say, the Vikings, it will have the same stink of Emmitt Smith ending up in Arizona and Michael Jordan ending up in D.C.. Even if he comes back with Green Bay, he has nothing to gain. This should be the beginning of the Aaron Rodgers era. I do not blame the Cheeseheads for being pessimistic about Rodgers, but the time is right for a new era at Lambeau. Aaron Rodgers will likely have a rocky start; then again, so did Peyton Manning. Not to mention the fact that the clubhouse would be divided in the event of Favre's return. All the veterans will pledge allegiance to Number 4, while the younger players will strongly defend Aaron Rodgers. A team rarely has success when the locker room is jam packed with tension.

All will be forgiven if Favre changes his mind. As of this very moment, however, I have lost my patience with him. I know it's hard to walk away from the game that you loved after so many years, but the way in which Favre is behaving is unacceptable. Brett Favre needs to do the right thing and embrace the Aaron Rodgers era. His legacy hangs in the balance.

Five guys who might see a change of scenery, as jarring as that would be.

All signs pointed to Elton Brand finishing his career as a Clipper. Now, he is a Sixer. Nobody thought His Airness would wind up playing anywhere other than the Windy City. He ended his illustrious career in a Wizards uniform. And Jerry Rice never looked right in Raiders and Seahawks jerseys. Now there are grumblings regarding the chance Brett Favre returns to play for a team not named Packers, though we can dismiss that as strictly rumor amidst all the exhausting Favre hoopla. The following athletes are beloved by their respective cities and each are closely associated with their respective franchises. However, these players might see a change of scenery sometime soon, following in the footsteps of Brand, Jordan, and Rice. With no further ado, they are.........

LeBron James: LeBron and the Cavs were a match made in heaven. He was born and raised in Ohio, so it was only fitting that King James was drafted by Cleveland. But make no mistake about it, he wants to play in New York. After all, he has alienated Cavs fans by saying New York City is his favorite city and by donning a Yankees cap at a Cleveland Indians playoff game against the Yankees. Cleveland will never forgive him for leaving, but expect to find LeBron in the Big Apple by 2010.

Ken Griffey, Jr.: This one could happen as soon as this season. Griffey loves Cincinnati, and Cincinnati loves Griffey. However, Junior has a burning desire to play for a contender, and he craves a World Series title. If Griffey wants his dream to be realized, he has to leave the Reds, as they are nowhere near championship status. Cincy GM Walt Jocketty understands this, and do not be surprised to see Ken Griffey, Jr. shipped to a contender like the Rays or Mets.

Kobe Bryant: Dismiss this as far-fetched if you wish, but I just do not think Kobe "me first" Bryant is done whining. Sure, the Lakers are fresh off a Finals appearance, but Bryant is the most petulant athlete around. If the Lakers are not as good as advertised, Kobe will request another trade. If Andrew Bynum fails to live up to the hype, Kobe will request another trade. There is no team in Kobe (Sorry, I just had to let out my daily vent. Now I'll return to my genial self).

Jason Taylor: Forget Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau. The real odd couple is Jason Taylor and Bill Parcells. The Big Tuna, who now calls the shots in the front office for the Fish, has publicly expressed his displeasure in Taylor's participation on "Dancing with the Stars". Taylor has said he's cool with the Dolphins, but it is not difficult to see what is really going through Taylor's mind. Deep down, he wants to take his sacks elsewhere. There is just too much tension for Taylor to thrive in South Beach.

Jason Varitek: Varitek has been tremendous for the Boston Red Sox, just not this year. While he still calls a good game behind the plate, his productivity at the plate has been dwindling. He now bats a measly .220, and even Varitek says he does not belong in the All Star game. There is still a good chance the Red Sox captain will get his act together. He better improve sooner or later, before Theo Epstein turns the reigns over to youngster Kevin Cash, forcing Varitek to find another home.

My apologies to Cleveland, Cincinnati, Boston, Miami, and Los Angeles. These cities do not want to see their guys depart. I'm not saying the five athletes I mentioned should start packing immediately. I just recommend they keep a suitcase handy, just in case.