Meyer's Minutes

ESPN reported the following today:

Brett Favre has been informed he requires surgery on his left ankle to play the upcoming season for the Minnesota Vikings, and the quarterback is deliberating whether to have the procedure or simply to end his 19-year NFL career by retiring.

Favre, who would turn 41 during the 2010 season, told ESPN the ankle injury that he suffered three months ago in the NFC Championship Game against the New Orleans Saints continues to be swollen and painful.

That prompted tests to determine why healing had not occurred, and Favre sent the results of those scans to orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews, who told the quarterback his opinion that surgery is unavoidable.

"We have spoken,'' Favre said in an e-mail. "To play again, I would need the surgery, as I suspected. This decision would be easy if not for my teammates and the fans and the entire Vikings staff. One year truly felt like 10 -- much like Green Bay for many years. That's what I was missing in my heart I suppose, a sense of belonging.''

Favre said he must determine whether his affection for the Vikings and his belief they are capable of winning the Super Bowl overrides his disdain for surgery.

Favre would not reveal the exact diagnosis or the prognosis on how long it would take to recover from the surgery.

While it previously seemed Favre was almost certain to return to the Vikings, his comments Friday reveal a player who appears to be seriously conflicted.

However, once this story broke and the talking heads began jumping to conclusions about Favre's future ( as evidenced by the final paragraph of the story above) Brett felt compelled to release more info via his website.  He stated the following:

I want to add to the information provided in the article that was published this morning on ESPN's website.  Given the reaction to the article, and the typical conclusion jumping, I thought I'd clarify a few things.  While my ankle has been bothering me, the injury is not debilitating.  For example, I'm able to work around my property without any problems.  Sure -- certain exercises cause some ankle pain, but it's nothing that I haven't experienced (or played with) before.  In fact, many people don't realize that I injured my ankle before the NFC Championship game.  I've had surgery on this ankle twice before and I've played with the pain before.  The hits I took throughout the 2009 season, including the Saints game, just added to the ankle pain and likely caused some bone spurs.

I don't believe major surgery on the ankle would be required for me to return in 2010.  I've consulted with Dr. Andrews on the phone, and a relatively minor procedure could be done to improve the dexterity of the ankle, and to relieve the pain.  I've put up with pain worse than this in my career, and I didn't want anyone to assume that the possibility of surgery was the sole factor that would determine whether I return or not.  Some people reacting to the ESPN story have made this assumption.  I don't blame them for doing so, given that the term "surgery" often covers a variety of procedures, some more complex than others.

The ankle pain is a factor, but one of many factors that I'll need to consider in making my decision.  Other factors include the input of my family, and the wonderful experience that I had last year with the Vikings.

Even if you're not a basketball fan, you need to check this out as the Milwaukee Bucks mascot dunks off a ladder.

A news conference was held this afternoon, at which more information was released regarding Milwaukee Brewer announcer Bob Uecker's health.  Here's the latest.

Our thoughts and prayers are with Uecker and let's hope for a speedy recovery.

Sixty-eight year old Elmer Daniels was arrested last week for driving under the influence after crashing his van into another vehicle.  Daniels tried to switch seats with his wife, but the passengers in the other car told police that Daniels was, in fact, the driver.  According to the police report, Daniels decided to keep drinking his beer while the cops completed their paperwork!  He eventually admitted to police that he actually drank nearly two beers while behind the wheel.

And he's NOT from Wisconsin - he's actually from Florida.

The NFL Draft used to be a weekend thing.  It began Saturday morning and wrapped up Sunday afternoon.  ESPN has been covering it for years and has seen its audience increase each year.  But now  the draft will be spread out over three days, beginning on Thursday night.  For selfish reasons, I'm not a fan of this new format.  First of all, being a morning radio guy, I go to bed early because I get up at 1:30am.  Secondly, being an NFL fanatic with like-minded friends and family, we'd make a party out of the draft on Saturday.  I suspect I'm not alone in that regard.  But it is what it is and there's probably no going back.  But I had to laugh today when I saw a quote from NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.  He said with the new format, more people will be able to watch the draft.  Hey Roger, most people don't work weekends.  That's the time more people would be able to watch the draft - not during a weeknight.  Why can't he just be honest and say they're making the move because of money?  ESPN can charge more for advertising since the draft will be aired in primetime.  It's as simple as that.

Sunday, Sept. 12, at Philadelphia (3:15 p.m.)
Sunday, Sept. 19, Buffalo at Lambeau Field (Noon)
Monday, Sept. 27, at Chicago Bears (7:30)
Sunday, Oct. 3, Detroit at Lambeau Field (Noon)
Sunday, Oct. 10, at Washington (noon)
Sunday, Oct. 17, Miami Dolphins (Noon)
Sunday, Oct. 24, Minnesota at Lambeau Field (7:20 p.m.)
Sunday, Oct. 31 at New York Jets (Noon)
Sunday, Nov. 7, Dallas at Lambeau Field (7:20 p.m.)
Sunday, Nov. 14, Bye
Sunday, Nov. 21 at Minnesota Vikings (Noon)
Sunday, Nov. 28, at Atlanta Falcons (Noon)
Sunday, Dec. 5, San Francisco at Lambeau Field (Noon)
Sunday, Dec. 12, at Detroit (Noon)
Sunday, Dec. 19, at New England Patriots (7:20 p.m.)
Sunday, Dec. 26, New York Giants at Lambeau Field (3:15 p.m.)
Sunday, Jan. 2, Chicago Bears at Lambeau Field (Noon)

At the risk of sounding like a fuddy-duddy, I'm just not able to relate to the obsession with cell phones and texting that's sweeping the country these days.  It's not that I'm averse to modern technology.  I embrace it.  In fact, new technology is essential to the profession I'm in.  But these people that can't go five minutes (or less) without talking to or texting someone just absolutely drive me nuts!

The reason I raise the issue is there's some new research out from the Pew Internet and American Life Project.  It finds that a third of U.S. teenagers with cell phones send more than 100 texts a day, as texting has now become the most popular means of communication for young people.  It also found that three-fourths of young poeple between 12 and 17 years of age now have cell phones.   And this stat takes the cake:  text messaging has become so much a part of teenagers' lives that 87 percent of those who text said that they sleep with, or next to, their phone.  I have three words for these people:  GET A LIFE!

Maybe it's just my rebellious/nonconformist nature, but I'd sooner throw my cellphone in Lake Michigan than become a slave to it. 

Three Lakes High School defeated Phelps High School here in Wisconsin in baseball action this week.  It wasn't your normal game, however.  The final was 45-0 and the game was called on account of the "mercy rule" after just 3 innings!  In the first inning alone, Phelps gave up 22 runs, 23 hits, 21 walks and 11 steals.

Ben Wales was, by far, the star of this short game.  He went 6 for 6 from the plate, hit for the cycle, drove in 12 runs, and was pitching a no-hitter when the game was called.  But, believe it or not, none of those stats will count when all is said and done.  The reason?  WIAA spokesman Todd Clark says that, according to national rules, the game will be ruled a forfeit because it failed to reach the required number of innings.

So, in the end, Three Lakes still gets credited with a win, but Wales essentially gets punished by not having his stats count simply because his team was too good.  Something wrong with that picture.

Word is the New Berlin school board is considering a proposal that would make participation in at least one extra curricular activity mandatory in order to graduate.  Why?  School officials say students involved in extra curriculars have better test scores and lower truancy rates.

Personally, I don't like the idea for various reasons.  First, if a child isn't at all interested, why should they be forced to participate in something outside of the school day?  Secondly, many high school kids have after-school jobs or family obligations.  And finally, I'm not sold on the notion that if you get involved in extra curricular activities you'll improve your test scores and have a lower truancy rate.  Isn't it possible that those who have the desire to be involved in extra curricular activities simply have the tendency to be better students?  In other words, extra curriculars don't make for a better student - good students are simply more inclined to want to be involved in extra curricular activity.  I think that's a pretty good theory.

More meetings on the proposal are being planned.

With so much focus on the problems plaguing Toyota lately, it was very interesting to run across a list from msn.com of cars with significant problems from past years.

Among them, the Yugo.  The boxy Yugoslavian vehicle sold for less than $4,000 when it hit the U.S. market in 1985.  Remember the old saying, "You get what you pay for?"  That saying, in a nutshell, describes the Yugo.  In the story, they quote a guy as saying,  "I once test drove a Yugo, during which the radio fell out, the gear-shift knob came off in my hand and I saw daylight through the strip around the windshield."  It quickly became the butt of jokes.  One popular one:  what comes with every Yugo owner's manual?  The bus schedule.

The Chevrolet Vega:  Leading up to its 1970 release to U.S. consumers, the first Vega prototype literally fell to pieces just eight miles into a shakedown drive on a General Motors test track.  The 4-cylinder engine produced only 90 horsepower.  And the story quotes a former Vega owner as saying, "My Vega actually broke in half going over railroad tracks.  The whole rear end came around slightly to the front, sort of like a dog wagging its tail."

The Ford Pinto:  The Pinto's tendency to explode during rear-end collisions earned it a reputation as "the barbecue that seats four."  A mere fender bender could lead to an inferno, since the vehicle lacked a real rear bumper or reinforcements surrounding the gas tank.  Multiple lawsuits were filed over the Pinto's safety issues, and Ford came under fire when a memo revealed that the automaker had decided it would be cheaper to pay off lawsuits for any Pinto deaths than to pay for a redesign of the vehicle.

Then there's the Trabant.  This was communist East Germany's most popular vehicle for nearly 30 years, and it could also be seen in the other communist bloc countries.  A 2-stroke engine gave it all of 18 horsepower.  Its fiberglass-like construction and reinforcements of recycled cotton and wood gave it an exceptionally flimsy aesthetic.  Its lack of basic features, such as turn signals and brake lights didn't help.  To fill the gas tank, you had to lift the hood, add gasoline and oil, and shake. This was the prize for enduring a 15 year waiting list before taking delivery of the compact 4-seater.

They imploded Texas Stadium over the weekend.

They certainly do things differently in Denmark.

Reuters is reporting that a few hundred warehouse workers and drivers at Danish brewer Carlsberg are on strike to protest a company decision to limit beer drinking at work to just lunch breaks.  Before this new rule kicked in April 1, beer was free for the taking at the brewery and both drivers and warehouse workers had the right to drink three beers per day outside lunch hours. 

Just think about it.  Workers striking because they are now only allowed to drink beer during their lunch break!

Why am I picturing Homer Simpson leading this strike?