News item: Quarterback Trent Dilfer, who helped the Ravens win the Super Bowl in the 2000 season, recently said he was retiring after 13 seasons in the NFL.
My take: This comes as no great surprise. Dilfer's arm announced its retirement about four years ago.
Bonus take: All kidding aside, there isn't a Ravens fan worth his or her purple face paint who isn't a Dilfer fan. My favorite moment was that playoff record 96-yard touchdown pass to Shannon Sharpe in the AFC championship game against the Oakland Raiders. Farewell and good luck.
News item: The Maryland Stadium Authority is recommending the construction of a new 15,000- to 16,000-seat arena in Baltimore even though that's at least 2,000 seats too small for an NBA or NHL franchise.
My take: Funny, I thought we already had an obsolete downtown arena.
News item: Spanish cyclist Manuel Beltran tested positive for EPO after the first stage of the Tour de France. He has been kicked out of the race and was taken into police custody.
My take: Even I can't believe anyone would take that kind of risk to win an ugly shirt, and nobody enjoys a good ugly shirt more than I do.
News item: The Green Bay Packers have refused to grant Brett Favre his unconditional release, which means they almost certainly will trade him out of the NFC North before the opening of training camp.
My take: Can't entirely rule out the Washington Redskins at this point, because it really wouldn't have to make sense.
News item: Historic Yankee Stadium will play host to its fourth All-Star Game on Tuesday before closing at the end of the season.
My take: I heard Favre recently texted the Yankees and told them he has changed his mind and doesn't want the stadium to be retired.
News item: NASCAR's BAM racing team has offered sponsorship deals to presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain.
My take: I'm guessing the last time anyone saw McCain on the hood of a moving car, it was a '58 Rambler.
News item: Imprisoned NFL star Michael Vick has filed for bankruptcy, citing debts that total between $10 million and $50 million.
My take: I'm guessing he'll have to be a little more specific when he actually gets to court.
News item: Pro Bowl tight end Tony Gonzalez is being hailed as a hero after performing the Heimlich maneuver on a choking man at a Huntington Beach, Calif., restaurant.
My take: This is a true and heart-warming story, so keep your Donovan McNabb jokes to yourself.
