Every summer, I start to think about NCAA two-zero-fill-in-the-blank, and Madden two-zero-fill-in-the-blank. This year will be NCAA 2010, and Madden 2010, and given that both of my teams should be good (Georgia Tech and the Falcons), I feel a little more excited than most.

[Falcons Message Board]

Is it possible to retire, want to come back, retire, then want to come back all in the span of a year? Well, if it isn’t, then Brett Favre’s a miracle maker, and I mean that more than being able to single handedly wreck the Jets’ playoffs hopes last year with interception after interception.

The guy, as it turns out, is eyeing a possible return. Yippee.

Citing an anonymous source “with direct knowledge of the discussions between the two parties,” ESPN reported Tuesday that Favre is scheduled to meet with Vikings coach Brad Childress later this week about a possible comeback with Minnesota.

It was believed all along that Favre, after hearing Green Bay’s plans to go with Aaron Rodgers at quarterback, wanted to come to NFC North rival Minnesota so he could exact some revenge on the Packers.

Revenge? For what? For employing the guy four years too long, letting him retire, and then telling him he can’t come back and just expect to be the starter after he does retire and then three months later decides he isn’t done yet?

Man, that guy must be pissed. Prepare, people: We’re going to have another year of listening to “this is Favre’s last year.” Let’s see if he can crush Minnesota’s playoff hopes like he did the Jets. AT this point, would you really even want the guy?

[AJC]

I’m not somebody that really cares about draft grades the day after a draft — how many times have these so-called “experts” been wrong in the past? — but since NFL is officially over, and since we’re stuck with a few boring NBA series right now and 145 more MLB games, I figure I may as well milk this post for what it’s worth.

It’s the last time we’ll be discussing the NFL until a Bengals player gets arrested in the offseason.

How’d your team do over the weekend? I’ve got lots of different opinions from lots of different people. Click here and you can see how Pete Prisco of CBS Sportsline rates the picks; click here to see how Larry Weisman, writer for USA Today, breaks down all seven rounds. Clifton Brown, writer for Sporting News Today, has his take here; for Yahoo! Sports, go here.

I’d give you Todd McShay or Mel Kiper, Jr., but they’re douche bags and charge you $39.95 a year for their services — if I could charge everyone $39.95 to be completely wrong about how a player will turn out, I would. McShay isn’t that bad, but Kiper’s looked like a weatherman with some of his recent predictions.

Enjoy the grades. They mean nothing. At the end of the day, Calvin Johnson has to catch Matthew Stafford’s passes, and DHB wasn’t a stretch by Oakland until he officially busts in Oakland. I think I speak for a lot of people when I say I’m counting down to September. Fall, you couldn’t get here soon enough.

It really, really doesn’t. And with the draft just five days away, I figure we can play everyone’s favorite Youtube video that highlights the Jets and what truly bad decisions they’ve made over the year. Not in this video, but sure to be in the 2010 rendition: The Jets taking Vernon Gholston, who had about four tackles all of last year. This is what happens when you draft guys that are great in their “work outs,” just not in actual game day situations.

ESPN has a nice little piece on each team’s strength of schedule for 2009. It also notes that if you went from worst to first in the NFC South, then you’re pretty much screwed (see: Falcons, who have the fourth hardest schedule this year, with opponents’ records being a combined 150-105).

An interesting note: The Cardinals, who made the Super Bowl, have the 27th hardest schedule, or sixth easiest next year; the Minnesota Vikings, who won their division and played a first round playoff game at home, have the second easiest schedule. The Patriots, who missed the playoffs, have the third easiest schedule.

You can see all teams here. With the addition of Jay Cutler, and with the easiest schedule in the NFL, it looks as if the Bears might have an easy ride to the playoffs next year.

[ESPN]

If you don’t like this video, you’ve either got no sense of humor, are crazy, or you’re a Jets fan. And even if you’re a Jets fan, I gotta believe you see some humor in your draft blunders over the years. Or draft blunder last year, for that matter (see: Vernon Gholston). And even if you can’t laugh at your team’s braindead draft decisions, you can at least laugh at the mustaches.

This is one of my all time favorites. They need to get an updated one where you can see the reaction to the Jets taking Vernon Gholston, who had all of 12 tackles this year, and is on pace to fit right in in Jets’ draft blunders.

I’ve noted many times that the NFL Combine is the most overrated event in sports when it comes to gauging talent, yet every year I get caught up in what a guy runs or what a guy jumps or what a guy throws (combine studs that probably went a bit high: JaMarcus Russell, Donte Stallworth, and just last year, Vernon Gholston).

That said, via The Big Lead, here’s some guys that impressed, and some guys that didn’t. A couple of notables on my end, from what I’ve seen on NFL Network:

Pat White, QB/WR: He ran an unofficial time of 4.49 in the 40, and then it was adjusted to a 4.55. He also jumped a solid nine feet in the broad jump, which is real important once you’re actually in the game. I know I often see guys stand in place, squat, and leap as far forward as possible. Like I said: Great gauge at talent.

Darius Heyward-Bey, WR: This guy was being talked about as a second rounder, but after running a 4.3 flat, he’s probably going to end up cracking the top 15. Michael Crabtree is still “the guy” when it comes to receivers, but Heyward-Bey is sure creeping up.

Derrick Anderson, WR: This is the guy that I think will be a solid NFL player — probably a good number two receiver — but his 4.58 40 will have schools not paying attention to whether or not he can run a route and catch the ball, and just say he’s too slow to play.

Beanie Wells, RB: I can’t tell if a 4.59 40 is good or bad for him. On one side, it’s slower than most strong safeties. But he’s 235 pounds, and at that size, how fast do you want him to run?

[The Big Lead]
Getting Listy With The Combine

According to Mark Bradley of the AJC, Brett Favre wasn’t one of the best of all time, and he’s got some pretty decent numbers backing him. Yes, Favre led the NFL in all time passing yards, but people: The guy was a lightning rod for interceptions.

My hope is that he’s truly gone this year and doesn’t wreck another team. The Packers played better with Aaron Rodgers at the helm — say what you will about the record, but that had nothing to do with Green Bay’s offense — and the Jets were worse off with Favre at the helm (just ask anyone who played on that team the last three or four games of the season).

Anyway, good read. At the end of each season, we put a clock on when Brett Favre says that he’s done with football. Now we start the clock on when he says he’s going to return.

[AJC]

Just a few years ago, coming off multiple Super Bowl victories, Romeo Crennel was thought to be the next big coach. There was nothing not to like. He coached an opportunistic defense. He was a descendent the man, the cheater, Mr. Spygate himself, Bill Belichick.

So the Browns hired him, probably to make up for ever firing Belichick back in the 90’s. And after a bad season, a good season but no playoffs, and then this year’s terrible season, Crennel was shown the door.

He’ll now be replaced by one of his best friends, Eric Mangini, former coach recently fired by the Jets, and former coordinator of the Patriots.

Jets running back Leon Washington said in an e-mail to The Associated Press that he was pleased to see Mangini land another head-coaching job.

“I am really happy for Coach Mangini,” Washington said in the e-mail. “I learned so much from him while he had his tenure with the Jets. His hardworking, selfless and competitive approach really helped me …The Browns got themselves a really good coach.”

It’s good to hear the Browns got themselves a really good coach. Just last year, the Jets got themselves a really good QB. Until, uh, you know, he threw nine picks down the stretch and lost to the Seahawks and ‘Niners.