The Post Mortem

That Michael Phelps guy had a pretty solid weekend, right? Despite ESPN�s best attempts to ruin the surprise for everybody, revelers at The Bar at Times Square were riveted to Phelps� run for the gold. ESPN and all of these other media outlets seem to relish in being like Homer Simpson while walking out of a showing of The Empire Strikes Back, they could not ruin this moment. When you combine that race with a piano-bar version of �Roll with the Changes,� well that is a special night.

PRESEASON FOOTBALL

• The preseason actually was fun this weekend. Brett Favre looked pretty comfortable in a Jets uniform. Strange not seeing him in his familiar Falcons garb. (Seriously, how come the Falcons didn�t bring him in for a one-year rental while Matt Ryan gets ready?) Dare anybody say that Brett Favre was having fun out there? Clich�, of course, but moving to a new team in a new conference might actually be a good thing for Favre.

• The Raiders are in regular season form, blowing a game late against the Titans. Oren O�Neal fumbled on the goal line that allowed Tennessee to march down the field to kick the game winner. O�Neal likely cemented his position on the team, though the Raiders are in no short supply of players who choke in crunch time.

• Anybody feel good about Vince Young as a starting NFL quarterback? The dude looks uncomfortable against the most generic of defenses. The guy just isn�t going to get it. And right now, people should be congratulating Charlie Casserly for drafting Mario Williams instead of Reggie Bush and Young. Hell, Matt Leinart, too.

• The Chargers threw the St. Louis FC a bone by not playing half of their starters and the Arches still nearly blew it. Marc Bulger might be a lost cause. He looks awful.

• Tom Brady is hurt, the Patriots might want to think about a real backup quarterback. But knowing the Patriots, Brady probably just didn�t want to play and they fabricated the injury to give him a rest. Otherwise, enjoy the Matt Gutierrez era.
  

AND FINALLY
The Patriots received AFC championship rings, not an uncommon occurrence. What is, however, is the 16-0 perfect season inscription. That�s right 16-0, perfect season. Colt Brennan and June Jones don�t seem anything wrong with this.

But come on guys, you lost.

The Patriots even will hang a banner that will commemorate the �perfect season� in the stadium. That banner will now replace the Confederate flag as America�s new second-place banner.