A letter to Brett Favre...

Dear Brett Favre,

I want to sarcastically thank you for hijacking another team for another summer. I totally get you wanting to still play for the love of the game and all that, but come on. That love doesn't die in February and rekindle in August... only to die again after going 8-8. This action is kinda phony of you, and makes you look like a pariah.

If you are going to play this year, then make it count. Do something good. Make the team better, but more importantly, make yourself look better. I was a fan of yours in Green Bay and loved how you played with reckless abandon. It is like you never grew up... like you saved time in a bottle and opened it up on Sunday afternoon. It was cool to see.

But now, over the past two seasons you are heading down a path that the likes of Johnny Unitas, Dan Fouts, Ken Stabler and Joe Montana have all travelled. Though 3 of them are in the Hall of Fame, and you will be as well, it still raises a lot of questions in the NFL fan's mind. Why did you hang on so long? Why did you change teams? Too many to answer.

Then the question of your health comes up. According to reports, you STILL have a slight tear in your rotator cuff on your PASSING shoulder! What happens when you take that hit? You know... that Joe Theismann kind of hit that ends a career. Then what? Was the $12 million you are getting for this year worth it when you cant move your shoulder?

And what about that money? If you get hurt, or play poorly, do you give some back? I have an idea: Give some to charity! Give a bunch to charity if you want! I am not into forcing charity on to anyone; it is your money. Do with it as you please. I do, however, know that there are a load of local Charities in the Hattiesburg, MS area that need some help... even your old school can use some assistance. For example: Band Uniforms and equipment. I know that most athletes would give any charity to the athletic department of their school, but be honest with me. 85% of all money that comes in to the school comes thru the Athletic Department! So I say help your BIGGEST supporters of USM sports... the Band. Just talk to Corey... he can tell you what they need.

Look, I said it before and I don't want it lost in the context of this letter, I am a fan. But please do the right thing, play for the right reasons and for the sake of the summers that you have already hijacked from us, please retire gracefully. We, the entire NFL fanbase, can't wait to see you in Canton!

your fan,

Christopher Francis

P.S. if I have to hear my friend Rudy talk about how you are going to save the Vikings last year the Jets) and how you are the best QB ever... and how you could throw the ball 100 yards through a brick wall... I'm gonna choke him! (just kidding)

On Michael Vick...

Being a devout American football fan, I feel polarized when it comes to Michael Vick. I currently live in Atlanta, and was here during the time in which Vick was king. He was the highest paid player in the NFL, he sold thousands of tickets and jerseys and made defensive coordinators seek professional help. Even in the Madden '06 video game, he was virtually unstoppable. The kid is just way too fast. I honestly admit. I was a fan.

But all the while, we were being duped. There was a side of Vick that was not public, and in my opinion, heinous. The dogfighting ring that he bankrolled and in which he participated was inconceivably horrid. The entire country, not just NFL fans, were totally stunned and a city was heartbroken. We learned of how he killed dogs that did not perform well in the ring, and even set out family pets to be used as target practice. We were left standing mouths agape as we heard of the drowning and electrocuting of animals, and the money that was circulated therein.

PETA and the ASPCA, among many many many other activist groups were outraged along with the millions of individuals- Myself included. He deserved to go to jail.

And off to jail he went. Not just any jail; Leavenworth, KS. The hardest of the hard are wards there. This is no Madoff-style country club, this is the real deal. There have been many laws acted and signed over the years, even one, signed by George Bush (in this blog to be named hereafter as "Dubya") in 2007, in which it was made a federal felony (State laws still vary). In this law, it provides a penalty of up to three years of imprisonment and up to a $250,000 fine for each offense of interstate or foreign transport of animals for fighting purposes.

Michael Vick was luckier, per se. He submitted a guilty plea to a single Virginia (state felony) charge for dog fighting, receiving a 3 year prison sentence, imposition of which was suspended upon condition of good behavior, and $2500 fine. In return for the plea agreement, the other charge was dropped. A single charge! One! That's it! And her only served 24 months in jail! 22 in Leavenworth, and 2 under house confinement! After all the disgusting tales of death and dismemberment, he got one count and home confinement. Why? What about others that did the same thing?

In 2007, A Cottonwood, Alabama judge sentenced Johnny Ray Lewis 102 years in prison and was ordered to pay another $34,000 in fines. He was charged with 17 counts of felony dogfighting! In the raid upon his property, authorities seized 17 dogs, heavy chains, syringes and videos on dogfights. Also, another 38 put bulls died directly because of his actions. It is this writers opinion that Mr. Lewis got off FAR TOO EASY. 17 and 38 make 55 counts! That makes 330 years in the clink. Does this appeal to you?

Apply that to the Vick case. Sure, he was nailed with breach of contract lawsuits and tax liens after this was already in the court system. But, the fact of the matter is that Vick was given highly preferential treatment. In fact, I believe that he got off lighter than ANY OTHER criminal in history. If he was Johnny Ray Lewis, he would still be behind bars and vilified for the rest of written history.

But, now he is out. "He paid his debt to society," as some people say. So be it. PETA and others are still angry as hell at him and I can understand. But let me ask this: does he deserve a second chance? I say he does, but only just.

I am embarrassed for him as a human being, as a member of the NFL and as the face of a franchise in which I cheered. I think his actions make him a vile person and I am not look at him the same again. He deserved all that he got and more. But this is America, and we were built on second chances. I also believe in actions. They speak loudly for a man's character. Let us see where he goes from here.

Does he have the right to attempt to make a living again? Absolutely! And the Philadelphia Eagles think so too. They signed him to a one year deal, worth $1.6 million and an option for a second year (at $5.2 million). Is your head spinning yet?? Mine is. S.E. Cupp's is (an avid animal lover and one whose work I read constantly). Johnny Ray Lewis' is as well.

Why did they do it? simple answer: MONEY! Look at how much FREE media that organization just got! They got a STAR player caliber body on the cheap. Fans are going to fill the seats JUST to see what he does and if the new "WILD EAGLE (my term) OFFENSE" has in store. This team, if all works positively, got a HUGE bargain. And if they get a Super Bowl ring at the end of it, then all is washed away, right?

The Court of Public Opinion, which seems to be law in this country at times, has already written Vick off as a career criminal. Yes, those in high positions (Falcons' Organization, Virginia Tech, et cetera) have all played their cards, "wished Michael well" and downplayed the situation to appease the masses. But lets be honest, it will be several years before most of the scars heal. Some may never do so.

The way I see it this matter is not a 2 party issue, right or left. Many, if not the majority on BOTH sides feel the same way. I am, however, a die hard Dallas Cowboys fan, and loathe the Eagles (its in our blood). I want to see this experiment fail for that reason alone! Yes I know I am unfair about it. But you need to realize, NFL football is not a 2 party system... it is a 32 party system! One for each team! That's a system millions of us believe in, wholeheartedly!

I guess, all things considered, I asked the best football mind I know, my brother, about it. After all, I value his opinion when it comes to pigskin... and many other things.

His initial response? "Eh!" I couldn't say it better myself!

BUY A BLIZZARD TODAY!!!

Okay, people. One thing that I love in a truly genuine way is kids. I have 2 nieces (Emily, 14 and Cortlyn, 14 months) and a nephew (Ben, 17) whom I adore (even though the older two can be real tools at times... but hey, so can I), and have great families around them. I am proud of them all.

Sadly, in this country, there are many... too many in my opinion... that are not healthy and need help. I do believe in charity and I think kids are worth the charity.

...and ice cream. So how can we have ice cream, kids and charity at the same time? simple. go to Dairy Queen TODAY, August 13, 2009. when you buy a Blizzard, DQ donates $1 of the proceeds from EACH treat to the Children's Miracle Network! There are hundreds of stores, so one is close by, I am sure. I am sure we can help them raise over $1 million to help these kids!

One of my dear friend's daughter, Lucie, was helped tremendously at birth because of this organization. They saved her life and she is a very happy fun-loving little girl now! This organization works!!!

go to www.MiracleTreatDay.com for details

thank you and go enjoy some ice cream! don't buy one BIG one, buy 2 little ones... that's more for the kids!

....Just don't eat it too fast... brain freeze is painful.

p.s. thanks Katie Stuart for reminding me.

Julie & Julia... and Chris????

No people, I am not gonna talk about an R-rated escapade that I had. Get your minds out off the gutter... if you can.

I have to admit, 4 months is far, far too long to be away. and I can't say that it was a good time off either. Matter of factly: It was pretty lousy. Things change and happen for a reason. The pages of a calendar flip and time winds forward at a pace we cannot control and sometimes cannot understand. But nevertheless, here we are.

I have been standing at a crossroads for several months. I must have looked like a cow at a new gate, mouth agape for quite some time. But I have decided to move on and re-re-re-re-REstart life all over again (No I didn't stutter, I just feel like I have been down this road before.) Where will this take me? Who the heck knows!

I have been compelled for some time to see this movie Julie & Julia since I first saw the trailer for it. Not because I have a great penchant for "chick flicks," but because maybe I can reclaim a part of me that wandered off some time ago. I remember watching Julia Child a few times growing up, and trying to entertain people by banging pots and pans together and poorly mimicking her voice. It was enough to garner a laugh or two, and that's all I wanted at the time.

But then I learned how to cook. Mamaw did it..I watched. and since Julia was the only other older person (by the time I really got to know who she was, she was well on her way to 80) that I knew that cooked, I watched her too. I went to culinary school, graduating in 2002 and found my niche. So I thought.

I love to cook and I always will. It is like I am paying homage to those that came before me. But I didn't like the restaurant life. Do not get me wrong: I loved High Cotton! Everything else that followed I hated. Attitudes here and there; arrogance all over and mismanagement all over really put a sour taste in my mouth for quite some time. So I ran away from it. At times, I am glad I did.

So my path strayed hither and thither and still no idea. and I am not honestly sure if I have one yet. I am the most varied bloke I know and at times it is a curse. I like so many things and can't tell you which point to start.

Now, I am not saying that this movie is a life changer, but I see where Julie was coming from. She was a struggling writer working at a job that caused her more grief than cheer. But she decided to take on a huge task to regiment herself and give her something to write about: Julia Child's "Mastering the Art of French Cooking." 1 year, 524 recipes... no regrets. Long story short, her blog because supremely popular, she wrote a book, and it became a movie and she is happy being a WRITER. It was not all pear tarts and hollandaise sauce either.

Some days, it is beef aspic. They don't come out right. They fall on the floor and you do too. There is crying and gnashing of teeth, but yet you still get up and try the next one on the next page. And so will I.

My next page isn't written yet, but I have a pretty good idea of what it is going to say. now do not get me wrong, I am not gonna cook my way through a Gordon Ramsay or Mario Batali book and write about it. I may not teach and i probably wont have a book published. But I can write, and I plan on doing so.

About what? no clue!

I have too many interests to just sit around and let it all wither in the sun. I am going to spill it onto the page... figuratively speaking of course. I hope you enjoy the ride.

Okay. A couple things I DO know:

1) I can beat anyone on Hell's Kitchen this season, but I don't like cold; so the head chef at Araxi, in Vancouver is all yours. Enjoy! (p.s. Tenille..SHUT UP!)

2) The Next Food Network Star sucked, but the best two won, so I am happy. Entries are being taken for next season already and you best be derned sure I am going to enter. I got the single guy market down!

3) There is too much crap going on around me that needs to be said, and I keep forgetting that I have an outlet for it. Well, that all changes now.

Nothing's Safe.....