Report: Favre's agent requested trade after NFL draft
MILWAUKEE (AP) -- The Green Bay Packers left Brett Favre fuming when they didn't pull off a trade for wide receiver Randy Moss during the NFL draft.
But was the three-time MVP angry enough to ask his way out of Green Bay?
Amid public grousing from Favre about the state of his team over the weekend, a report on the Fox Sports Web site, citing anonymous sources, said Favre's agent called Packers general manager Ted Thompson to request a trade a few days after last month's draft.
According to the report, Packers coach Mike McCarthy later called the quarterback and was able to calm his anger, getting Favre to admit that he didn't really want to play elsewhere.
In a statement posted on the Packers' Web site, Thompson said he would not address the specifics of the report but understood the frustration Favre vented in interviews over the weekend.
"I think it's natural for a player to be frustrated from time to time -- that's simply being human," Thompson said. "Everyone knows that Brett Favre is all about winning. As an organization, we share that commitment. And we want to win now."
Other Packers officials and Favre's agent, James "Bus" Cook, did not return telephone messages from The Associated Press on Sunday.[READ MORE]
Our take: Honestly, how can you blame Favre? The Packers did almost nothing in the offseason to bring in talent to surround Favre on either side of the ball, and on top of that, they had a very suspect draft. Taking a flyer on a defensive tackle that played three games his senior year in the first round garnered boos from fans at Lambeau Field. Taking Nebraska running back Brandon Jackson in the second round was a step in the right direction, but is he the right guy for the job? Not to mention picking up an unproven wide receiver in the third round.
The Packers will return an offense that showed promise last season, but without a big name, big talent acquisition to assist Favre in his last days. Whereas the Vikings and Lions went out and solidified their teams on both sides of the ball with bona fide starters, the Packers left a lot on the table, and a lot of questions in people's minds about the organization's direction.
NBA Playoffs
Bulls avert sweep, beat Pistons 102-87
CHICAGO (AP) -- The Chicago Bulls built another big lead, and the Detroit Pistons were rallying. Sound familiar?
This time, there was no collapse.
No sweep, no smile?Luol Deng scored 25 points, Kirk Hinrich and Ben Gordon added 19 apiece, and the Bulls hung on to beat Detroit 102-87 in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals on Sunday afternoon and avoid a sweep.
"I don't care who it is, we are better than being swept in four games," Ben Wallace said. "We just have to come out and fight."
Unlike Game 3, when the Bulls saw a 19-point lead dissolve into a seven-point loss, Chicago withstood a late push by Detroit. The Bulls outscored the Pistons 27-13 in the third quarter to turn a seven-point halftime lead into a 77-56 advantage going into the fourth. [READ MORE]
Jazz overcome Warriors' home-court edge
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) -- The Utah Jazz sure knew how to close a great show.
When the Golden State Warriors wanted to run their pell-mell offense Sunday night, the Jazz patiently slowed the tempo. When Baron Davis attempted his usual magic tricks, Utah pulled back the curtain with dogged defense.
And when a tight game came down to the final minutes, Derek Fisher upstaged the Warriors with a shooting show of his own that put the businesslike Jazz on the edge of an unlikely stage: the Western Conference finals.
Carlos Boozer had 34 points and 12 rebounds and the Jazz handed the eighth-seeded Warriors their first home loss of the postseason, 115-101 on Sunday to put Utah up 3-1 in their second-round playoff series. [READ MORE]
MUSIC
Nirvana Rare Tracks Part 2
Nirvana - "Verse Chorus Verse"
Nirvana - "Scoff" [Bleach]
Nirvana - "Do You Love Me?" [Kiss Cover]
Nirvana - "Love Buzz" [Live Bootleg]