Eagles DL Jason Babin condemns NFL rule-makers via Twitter

More gold from the Twitter universe, this time via the account of Philadelphia Eagle's defensive lineman Jason Babin.

Babin, clearly bothered by the $15,000 fine he received for his hit on San Francisco 49ers QB Alex Smith last Sunday, had this to say early today:

@JasonBabin93Jason Babin 

Attn:Guy at the NFL that decides on who and how much players get fined Stop being a puppet, if you want to protect QB's, get better linemen

Not the worst thing to come out of the Twitter of an NFLer.

Sure, talking poorly of NFL brass will likely not go over well in the league office, but when asked about his Tweet, Babin claimed it to be sarcastic and then elaborated on the issue of players being fined for hits, pointing out its inconsistency. 

"Oh, I'll call that one 15, I'll call that 40," Babin said, according to the Inquirer. "There's no blueprint, there's no grid system to say 'Okay, this is how it works, let's plug it in'." 

The guy has got a point. The NFL as a league has been so good, so progressive in terms of determining what is right and wrong, changing rules, developing systems, etc. It does seem a bit silly to think that -  while the rules determining what an illegal hit are clear - there is no definitive way to determine dollar amounts to different typed of blows.

Nice job, Babin. He thought it. He tweeted it. He meant it. And he made sense while doing so.

Cromartie stands by Brady comments nine months later

Photo: Huffington Post

Antonio Cromartie made news last January as the Jets and Patriots readied for their AFC Divisional Playoff matchup, calling New England QB Tom Brady an ass-----, and adding "f--- him!"

That of course was in response to Brady's finger pointing at the Jets sideline in their regular season meeting in which the Patriots humiliated the Jets 45-3. 

Now, nine months later, Cromartie was asked if he still stands by those remarks. 

"My feelings are the same," Cromartie said on Wednesday. "I'm not going to change what I said last year about Tom Brady. Do I respect him? Yes. He has three [Super Bowl] rings. But other than that, when we're on the football field I really don't give a damn." 

Noise from Jets camp is a frequent thing, and this week is no different as Santonio Holmes has gotten into his own spitting match with Jets legend Joe Namath as well as taken shots at the Patriots defense. 

But the Patriots being affected by it? That would certainly come as a surprise. Though Tom Brady did not stoop so low as to retaliate with harsh words of his own towards Cromartie, he was bothered enough to call it quits to his press conference (VIDEO HERE) about a minute in. 

"I really don't care what he says," said Brady just prior to walking out. "Thanks guys." 

No, thank you Tom, for showing us that it is, in fact, possible to pull the prototypical ass---- move of walking out of a press conference without coming off as an ass---- at all. 

Seriously, it's like he can just give us a chuckle a smile and be on his merry way, heading home to bang his Giselle. 

Brady is truly golden. 

As for Cromartie, expect him to be a target on Sunday as he so often is, considering he plays opposite of the best cover cornerback in the league in Darelle Revis. 

Cromartie has had his fair share of struggle this year but to make him feel better, we dig up more dirt from his past and give him something to feel good about. 

The Jets and Patriots square off Sunday at 4:15 in Foxborough. With the new bevy of trash talk coming from Jets camp, and considering the organizations are polar opposites, bitter rivals and two likely playoff teams squaring off for AFC East supremacy, it's a can't miss. 

Movers and Shakers: Francona to join Fox playoff booth

A week ago, Terry Francona was still the manager of the Boston Red Sox.

Photo: AP

Now, after calling it quits following an epic September collapse, Francona is already slated to make his broadcasting debut. 

Fox Sports announced yesterday that Francona will replace analyst Tim McCarver in the TV broadcast booth for games one and two of the ALCS. 

McCarver will be able to return for Game Three, but will miss the first two contests of the ALCS while recovering from a minor heart procedure. 

For Francona, it is just two games but is an opportunity for plenty more exposure, not that he needed much added attention after departing from the Sox. 

Francona is expected to return to managing in 2012 but should he decide to take some time off from manning the dugout, broadcasting would seem a perfect fit for him to kill time until the right opportunity presents itself. 

The ALCS will feature the Rangers and the winner of tonight's contest between the Detroit Tigers and New York Yankees. 

I, for one, would love to see the former Red Sox skipper call a Yankee game. Something about that excites me. 

Sports anchor goes gangsta, spews f-bomb on Seattle Gameday

So Seattle Seahawks fans are fired up and Q13FOX's Erin Hawksworth holds nothing back when quoting fans in a chat.

Check out the anchor on the left. If only the clip could carry on a little longer. I got a feeling that guy completely lost it.

And yes, the guy on the right is the Aaron Levine, in case you were wondering. You know, the runner up on ESPN's "Dream Job" show back in 2003.

As is the case with almost every telecast blooper, the awkwardness of knowing what just happened yet trying to hold it together is what makes it great.

Not to mention the fact that Hawksworth failed to recognize the f-word as something she should not read directly from a piece of paper in front of her.

Chris Cooley no holds-barred on Tony Romo

Chris Cooley has at least one thing in common with the majority of Americans: he loves to watch Tony Romo choke.

The Redskins tight end joined the LaVar and Dukes show (LISTEN HERE) in Washington, and talked about the rival Cowboys choking away a 24-point second half lead to lose to the Detroit Lions on Sunday.

He pulled no punches.

"It's so good," said Cooley of Romo's choke-job. "I was watching the scoreboard in St. Louis and I didn't see that they'd lost really until the end, I thought they blew them out so I kind of stopped paying attention. It's amazing, amazing to watch him choke like that."

Ouch. I mean, America's new favorite hobby is to revel in the failures of the Dallas Cowboys, but Cooley takes it to a whole new level. He wasn't done yet.

Via the Washington post:

"I'm just saying, if I'm up 24 points in the third quarter, If I'm the head coach I feel like I can probably just take a knee the rest of the game, punt it away and there's no way Detroit's gonna drive on you that many times," Cooley continued.
"It's hilarious to watch him throw pick sixes too, back-to-back. I loved it but it wouldn't be as good as my cage fight." 

Wait, what? Cage fight? That's right, Cooley was asked to speculate about what would happen if he and Tony Romo entered the octagon for a good old fashioned death match.

"I would probably try to incorporate my wrestling ability, like when I was in high school. Obviously it's been a while but I didn't like to beat people fast," Cooley explained. "I like to embarrass them a little bit. Like take a 24-point lead, and then just play with them a little bit."

ZING!

Cooley is on fire. My God, talk about kicking a guy when he is down.

On behalf of all of America, we appreciate your honesty Chris Cooley. It's quite refreshing.

That's got to be the best thing to come out of Washington since.... well.... since Cooley was forced to get psychiatric help for exposing himself on the Internet?

Come to think of it, does Cooley have any right to be saying these things?

Ehh, who cares. Awesome nonetheless.

Brett Favre surprised it took Aaron Rodgers so long to win Super Bowl

Brett Favre is in the elite company of athletes who can say absolutely anything and have it become news.

Photo: Getty Images

So naturally, on the week the Packers ready to face the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday night, Favre went on 790 The Zone in Atlanta (LISTEN HERE) and, whoa-la, news was made. 

Favre was asked what he was thinking when watching current Packers QB Aaron Rodgers lead Green Bay to a Super Bowl last year.

"I'm going to be honest, I was not surprised. The biggest surprise to me would be that he didn't do it sooner," Favre said.

Que the media - which is rapidly falling in love with Rodgers - backlash.

"Sooner? What, his third year as a starter wasn't soon enough?! Damn you Favre, you bitter old man!"

Wait, wait, wait. Context.

Thanks to the fine people at Sports Radio Interviews, I am not so ready to slam Favre for his slight at my man crush because when reading the entire transcript I realize it was much more a compliment to both Rodgers and the Packers as a whole.

Favre's tone was far from malicious, and the focal point of his response was actually more of an "I told you so" about the fact that he was not crazy when he told the media two years ago that the Packers had the most talent he had ever seen.

That talent is a credit to Ted Thompson, the Packers General Manager who made the decision to go in the direction of Rodgers as opposed to waiting around for Favre.

Also, some comments made by Favre that are lost by many who are looking for an excuse to jump all over him include:

"[Aaron] watched, he learned and when he got a chance to play he brought in his ability, which obviously is very good otherwise they wouldn't have drafted him in the first round."

"[Aaron's] got tremendous talent, he's very bright, and he got a chance to watch and see successful teams do it right."

Things will likely always be a bit off kilter between Favre and Rodgers. However, after listening to Favre talk about his retirement, admit that he should have hung it up two years earlier, and compliment the current state of the Packers, "the 'ole gunslinger" seems quite at peace with his retirement.

A collective sigh of relief. All is well in Titletown. Sleep easy, cheeseheads, for soon Favre will have his number retired and the ugly divorce will be a thing of the past.

Hank Williams Jr. gets the boot for comparing Obama to Hitler

To nobody's disappointment, Hank Williams Jr. will not be on ESPN's Monday Night Football open tonight asking the age old question "are you ready for some football?" 

In fact, he may not be on Monday Night Football at all in the future, due to his comparison of President Obama to Hitler (via CBS Sports). 

His ill-advised comments were made on "Fox and Friends" and were enough to convince ESPN to drop him for, at the very least, tonight's game between the Colts and Buccaneers. 

When talking about his displeasure with House Majority Leader John Boehner playing golf with Obama, Williams said:

 "Come on, come on, that would be like Hitler playing golf with [Israeli prime minister Benjamin] Netanyahu. In the shape this country is in?" 

He elaborated by calling Obama and Joe Biden "the enemy" and referring to them as the "Three Stooges." That's right, the two of them are the three stooges.

Sayonara, HWJ!

Brett Favre makes broadcast debut

Future NFL Hall of Fame QB Brett Favre made his football broadcasting debut this past weekend as part of the Rice vs. Southern Mississippi CSS TV broadcast. 

Favre, who played for Southern Mississippi from 1987 to 1990, did not commit to a career in broadcasting but said he wanted to "check out the view from the pressbox."

I never really pegged Favre as the type to get involved in sports broadcasting and in this small sample size, I would say that he's got some work to do. At the very least, he could work on selling us on the fact that he is excited to be there. 

Regardless, Favre was a hall of fame playing talent which means if he wants to be a part of ESPN's 42-man NFL Countdown crew, he will be. 

By the way, the ridiculously overstaffed NFL Countdown pales in comparison to the best Sunday morning NFL pre-game show there is: NFL Matchup. 

Matchup happens to air on the same network, unbeknownst to all because it airs at seven in the freakin' morning. 

Gotta' love ESPN. Burying one of their few really good, insightful shows with probably their two best analysts Merril Hoge and Ron Jaworski.