The NFL and the NFLPA (the union) have done little to promote players until recently, creating a Q Rating gap between current players and retired ones.  The NFL wanted to promote teams over players to keep loyalties (and cash flow) strong.

On the other hand, the NFLPA, under the guidance of the recently-passed Gene Upshaw, didn’t give a damn about anyone that wasn’t currently filling the union’s coffers.

(Brett Favre, trying to have it both ways)

Showing that some things haven’t changed, a class action lawsuit has been filed on behalf of some 2,000 former NFL players to claim royalties from likenesses and near-likenesses on all kinds of licensing deals (like with EA Sports for Madden) when the NFLPA allegedly cut them out of the deals to protect their active players/dues-payers.

It’s quite the ingenious scheme, really: don’t promote the retired players at all because the gains would supposedly be marginal and then claim that you don’t owe those men a damned thing because they aren’t marketable now.  If only the NFLPA could have wrapped them up in bonds, double-insured them, and sold them to Lehman Brothers, too…

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• We proudly(?) present photographic proof of the facial pummeling taken by Dennis Northcutt’s pregnant girlfriend.

• Tennis star Novak Djokovic is more than happy to score this kind of love - pretty Paraguay Olympian Leryn Franco.

• Despite the chance of a career-ending injury, Shawne Merriman feels the “knee-d” to play in 2008.

• A 12-year-old female hockey player vows to lace ‘em up again after suffering an on-ice stroke.

• The lowest-rated player in Madden 09 gets to prove his stuff on the field for real tonight.

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The last player selected in the NFL Draft is known as Mr. Irrelevant. The distinction includes all sorts of perks not usually reserved for a guy passed over more than 250 times by all 32 teams. In addition to being honored with the prestigious Lowsman Trophy, this year’s Mr. I, David Vobora, got to kick it at the Playboy Mansion. Not too shabby for someone fighting for an NFL roster spot.

No idea what fringe benefits come along with being the lowest rated player in Madden 09, but Bills rookie offensive tackle Demetrius Bell, holder of that honor, will get a chance to start today’s preseason finale against the Lions. And it’s all because his embarrassingly low Madden ratings motivated him to greatness. Or maybe it was because everybody else was injured. Definitely one or the other, though.

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• Darren Rovell of CNBC finds a dilly of a delectable Olympian in Croatian high jumper Blanka Vlasic.

• KEZINS favors us with images of the new Madden 09 covers featuring Brett Favre in full Jets regalia.

• And YAHOO’s SHUTDOWN CORNER offers a review of the fab football video game, and shares the adventures of trying to buy a copy.

• THE SPOILER punches up news that Brad Pitt is boxing in Beijing.

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While most people spent their morning trying to figure out what the Brett Favre trade to the Jets will mean for both teams, there are also quite a lot of people wondering about something far more important. You see, we’re only a few short days away from the release of EA Sports’ latest incarnation of the Madden football game. You may have heard about who EA has chosen to adorn the cover of this year’s version of the game, Brett Favre.

So when the Favre trade was announced this morning, it sent gamers with too much time on their hands into a tizzy. What are they going to do about the Madden cover!? Brett’s wearing a Packers uniform, but he’s a Jet now! Cats and dogs living together! Mass hysteria!

Well everybody can relax, because before the trade even went down EA Sports President Peter Moore already made it clear on his blog:

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• THE SPORTS CLUTURE looks back on the best & brightest moments of Manny being Manny: The Red Sox Years.

• FANSIDED compares the ongoing Brett Favre saga with Brendan Fraser’s latest “Mummy” movie, and isn’t entertained by either.

• DEADSPIN feels as high as a 46-foot fall onto a skateboard ramp, as ESPN’s X-Games begin once again.

• BUGS & CRANKS believes the White Sox got Ken Griffey Jr. to make Paul Kornerko feel better about being demoted.

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• THE LONDON SUN catches David Beckham checking out the great view from his courtside Lakers seats.

• THE BLOWTORCH burns through the NBA rosters to find the worst player on each playoff team. Today’s lucky winner - Joey Graham of the Toronto Raptors.

• THE SPORTING BLOG jiggles their joystick, as Madden 09 will let gamers control their own touchdown celebrations.

• AZ SPORTS HUB comes across a couple of Suns fans expressing their support of Steve Nash by way of Eminem.

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