PACK YOUR BAGS BRETT YOUR HEADED TO......NEW YORK???

The Brett Favre era in Green Bay officially came to an end late Wednesday night as the legendary longtime Packers quarterback was traded to the New York Jets, the Packers announced.

The exact compensation wasn't immediately available, but it is believed to be a fourth-round draft pick that increases in value depending on how the Jets perform in the 2008 season.

According to the NFL Network, if Favre takes 50 percent of total snaps with the Jets in 2008, the fourth-rounder becomes a third-round pick. If he gets 70 percent of the snaps and the Jets make the playoffs, it becomes a second-round pick; and if he gets 80 percent of snaps and the Jets make the Super Bowl, it becomes a first-round pick.

The Packers had been talking with the Jets and Tampa Bay Buccaneers since deciding earlier this week that the team and the three-time MVP couldn't coexist. The Packers decided to move forward with Aaron Rodgers as their starter after Favre announced his retirement in March.

"Brett has had a long and storied career in Green Bay, and the Packers owe him a tremendous debt of gratitude for everything he accomplished on the field and for the impact he made in the state," Green Bay officials said in a statement.

"It is with some sadness that we make this announcement, but also with the desire for certainty that will allow us to move the team and organization forward in the most positive way possible."

Packers general manager Ted Thompson, coach Mike McCarthy, and president and CEO Mark Murphy are expected to hold a news conference Thursday morning to discuss the deal.

Jets chairman and CEO Woody Johnson issued a statement early Thursday.

"I am looking forward to seeing Brett Favre in a New York Jets uniform," Johnson said. "He represents a significant addition to this franchise, and reflects our commitment to putting the best possible team on the field. Mike Tannenbaum and his football administration staff did a great job of navigating this complex process. I am excited about welcoming Brett, Deanna and their family to the Jets organization."

The NFL Network also is reporting that the Packers took great pains to ensure that Favre would not be traded to the Vikings by inserting a "poison pill" in the deal. If Favre were to be traded to Minnesota, New York would have to surrender three first-round picks to Green Bay.

The overall agreement was first reported by Fox Sports on its Web site.

"We just felt like this was an opportunity to go get somebody of Brett's stature and what he's accomplished," Jets GM Tannenbaum said in a conference call early Thursday morning. "We felt it was in the best interest of the team, and when the opportunity presented itself, we felt it was the right move for us to make and we went ahead and did it."

A number of fans made it clear throughout training camp that they wanted Favre on the Jets with signs and "Get Brett!" chants. Favre's new No. 4 Jets jersey already was for sale on the team's Web site about an hour after the trade was announced.

Tannenbaum, who said he had a "good" conversation with Favre, wouldn't speculate as to whether the quarterback will play in New York beyond this season.

"We had discussions with him and his agent, Bus Cook," Tannenbaum said, "and we're going into this and we're going to take this one year at a time and we're excited to have Brett on the team this year."

The arrival of Favre signals the end of Chad Pennington's career with the Jets. Tannenbaum said there would be another transaction regarding Pennington, who spent his first eight seasons with the Jets.

"It's a bittersweet moment for us," Tannenbaum said. "I have all the respect in the world for Chad as a person, as a player. We've accomplished a lot of good things with Chad. … He gave his heart and soul to this organization for a long, long time. I really appreciate everything he's done."

Favre left Green Bay on Wednesday, boarding a private plane that left for Hattiesburg, Miss., at 1:25 p.m. ET with his wife, Deanna, and Cook. Favre's family home is near Hattiesburg.

In Mississippi, Favre confirmed that he was considering the Jets and Buccaneers.

"We're working on it," Favre told Jackson TV station WJTV. "Hopefully, we can get something resolved. I've been saying that for quite a while now. I don't want to say we're running out of time, but I need to get into a camp somewhere."

Favre, who is 38, holds most major NFL passing records and led the Packers to the NFC Championship Game last season, where they lost to the New York Giants. Favre threw what would prove to be the decisive interception in overtime.

The Jets went into training camp with an open competition between Pennington and Kellen Clemens after neither established himself in a 4-12 season. Pennington was 1-7 as the starter and was benched midway through the season. Clemens went 3-5, but Pennington actually had the better season statistically.

Back in Green Bay, after some hope for reconciliation between the franchise and perhaps its most beloved player earlier this week, the final split between the Packers and Favre became obvious Tuesday evening.

McCarthy told reporters Tuesday that after approximately six hours of what he called "brutally honest" conversations over two days, the coach had determined that Favre doesn't have the right mindset to play for the Packers.

McCarthy said Favre couldn't seem to get past emotional wounds that were opened as tensions mounted in recent weeks -- even with the chance to win his starting job back potentially on the table.

"The train has left the station, whatever analogy you want," McCarthy said Tuesday. "He needs to jump on the train and let's go. Or, if we can't get past things that have happened, I have to keep the train moving."

McCarthy spoke to Favre again Tuesday night, but there was no indication that their conversation did anything to change the fractured relationship between Favre and the franchise.

"It was just very general," McCarthy said of the conversation with Favre, who was excused from practice Wednesday. "Just how he was doing, where he was with the process, things like that."

McCarthy said he was happy the rest of his players were getting a chance to move forward.

"We talked about it last night," McCarthy said. "The players want resolution, they want what everybody wants. To come out here every day and talk about somebody that is not here and then shows up, it's gone on too long, and understandably so. They want to play football."

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ENOUGH IS ENOUGH, McCARTHY AND GREEN BAY SEVER TIES WITH FAVRE

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Some people will have trouble letting go. The fans who showed up at the Green Bay Packers' training camp Tuesday, hoping for another glimpse of their hero. The reporters who repeatedly asked coach Mike McCarthy if the relationship could be patched up, even after McCarthy made clear it could not.

Like it or not, Brett Favre will never appear in a Packers uniform again. It wasn't hard to distinguish that point from McCarthy's nearly half-hour news conference here Tuesday.

Favre is part of the team's 80-man roster and could remain there for a while as team officials consider trade possibilities. But Tuesday, the team finally reached the most important crossroads in this long-simmering dispute: Faced with forcing a conflicted quarterback into an awkward situation, a scenario that threatened team chemistry and guaranteed a debilitating distraction, the Packers determined Favre is best-suited on another team's roster if he insists on playing in 2008.

The Packers wasted several months before reaching that milestone and ultimately were unable to successfully "sit" on the situation. They couldn't decide what was better: Having a potentially disruptive force on their roster or facing the backlash -- both in the public and from a competitive perspective -- of allowing him to go elsewhere. So they tried doing nothing and hoped Favre would give up.

When Favre followed through on his threat to report to training camp, McCarthy chose to protect team chemistry. And as a result, the worst of the storm has passed.

The issue, technically, will hang over the team until Favre is traded -- or, possibly, released. But the Packers can now rest comfortably knowing it will be one of those options. They know they will not have to face a circus on the practice field. Aaron Rodgers knows he won't have to compete with Favre for the starting job. And a weary locker room has now been relieved of balancing their public support for Rodgers with their long-term respect for Favre.

"I'm not doing the PR thing anymore," McCarthy said. "I'm coaching the football team. The football team has moved forward. The train has left the station, whatever analogy you want."

Although he has praised players for keeping focused, McCarthy admits the situation has taken its toll. Defensive end Aaron Kampman was the first to express hope for a quick resolution -- and that was nearly a week ago.

"The players want it resolved," McCarthy said. "And you can talk to Brett about it. He feels bad about it. It's time for them to talk about somebody else, and we talked about that as a football team. We're a good football team, and we have an excellent opportunity to be a very good football team in 2008. We've had an extraordinary challenge dealing with this situation. A lot can be learned from it. But they definitely want this thing resolved as soon as possible."

Some people believe the Packers will emerge from this turmoil a better team -- tougher and better able to deal with distractions. It could conceivably happen -- but suffice it to say, there are more efficient ways to cultivate a focused football team.

Tuesday night, however, one thing was clear: The worst of it is over.

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JACKSON A NO SHOW AS EXPECTED, BUT WHO IS HE REALLY HURTING?

MEQUON, Wis. — Barring what would be a totally unexpected appearance by Steven Jackson today at Rams training camp, the running back's continuing holdout will cost him a year of NFL seniority toward free agency.

Under a league rule, players under contract must report at least 30 days before the first regular season game or lose what's called an accrued season of seniority.

The Post-Dispatch originally reported last week that the deadline for Jackson to report would be Aug. 8 — this Friday — or 30 days before the Rams' season opener at Philadelphia, on Sept. 7.

But after further checking with the NFL office, the deadline to report is 30 days before the overall start of the NFL season. Because the Washington Redskins and New York Giants open the season on Sept. 4, a Thursday, the deadline for Jackson to report without losing credit is 30 days before that contest — today.

Jackson already has four years of NFL experience, which normally is the minimum seniority necessary to be eligible for unrestricted free agency. But if club owners void the current collective bargaining agreement, as is possible this fall, players would then need six years seniority to be eligible for free agency after the 2009 season.

If that's the case, the following doomsday situation could develop for Jackson:—

With no contract extension, Jackson plays out 2008 under the final year of his current deal.—

In 2009, he is given the franchise tag by the Rams.—

With only five years seniority in 2010, Jackson becomes a restricted free agent, and the Rams have matching rights on any outside offers he might receive from other teams.

Granted, those are a lot of "ifs" — all based on what appears to be the still unlikely possibility that the labor agreement is voided. Even so, Jackson at least potentially exposes himself to those risks by not reporting today.

But sources close to Jackson and his agent, Eugene Parker, say Jackson realized those potential consequences when deciding not to report to camp, and is prepared to deal with them if they arise.

Jackson missed his 11th day of camp Monday, encompassing 15 practices. With a fine of $15,166 for every day he misses, Jackson now is out $166,826.

Multiple sources confirmed Monday that there have been no negotiations between the Rams and Jackson's agent (Parker) since July 25 — the first day of training camp at Concordia University Wisconsin.

On that day, Parker informed the Rams that Jackson would not attend camp without a contract extension. The Rams countered by informing Parker that they would hold no further contract negotiations until Jackson reported to camp.

The stalemate is closing in on two weeks, with neither side flinching. Jackson has been in steady contact with several teammates as well as some Rams coaches through text messaging. He has the team's daily practice scripts, so he can follow at least mentally with what the Rams are doing each day.

But by Sunday, the Rams will be only four weeks away from the regular-season opener.
Jackson appears to be getting close to a point at which a continued holdout would impair his ability to be ready for Philadelphia.

"I would love to have him here," coach Scott Linehan said Monday. "But I also know that he's doing what it's going to take to be prepared when he does come. He has a great grasp of what we're doing. And we want him with his mind totally focused on what we need to do this season when he gets here. That day's going to be soon. I've never put a date on it.

"Linehan said he might be more concerned if it were a rookie missing extended camp time, or someone who was totally unfamiliar with the system.

Even though the Rams have a new offense under coordinator Al Saunders, Jackson was exposed to it in 2004 and '05 under Mike Martz, and he did participate in the offseason program and organized team activities this spring.

Linehan says he has yet to reach the stage where he's upset at Jackson's absence.

"Not at all," Linehan said. "It's not a perfect world. ... This is a part of the game. And it's going to happen to our team again. And other teams again.

"What you've got to do is figure out a resolution to it. There is a resolution. We haven't come to it. But it'll be resolved and Steven will be a Ram for probably the rest of his career."

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MORGAN FREEMAN IN SERIOUS CONDITION

TUPELO, Mississippi (Reuters) - Oscar-winning U.S. actor Morgan Freeman was hospitalized in serious condition on Monday after the car he was driving careened off a rural highway and rolled several times, authorities said.

Freeman, 71, was airlifted late on Sunday night to a Memphis, Tennessee, hospital, about 100 miles from the accident scene, which is near a home he keeps in Charleston, Mississippi.

"The vehicle went off the edge of the road and flipped several times," Mississippi Highway Patrol Sgt. Ben Williams said. No other car was involved in the accident.

From the direction Freeman was traveling, he appeared to be headed toward his home, Williams said.

Williams said it was "possible" that Freeman, who co-stars in the current blockbuster Batman movie the "Dark Knight," had fallen asleep at the wheel, but he added that authorities had ruled out alcohol as a factor in the wreck.

Freeman was conscious and talking to arriving officers afterward, Williams said, adding that no citation had been issued in the accident.

A spokeswoman at Regional Medical Center in Memphis said Freeman was in serious condition but gave no further details.

Both Freeman and a female passenger, identified as Demaris Meyer, were wearing seat belts, but the air bags did not deploy in the 1997 Nissan Maxima registered to Meyer, Williams said. He said he did not know the extent of her injuries.

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LET THE QB COMPETITION BEGIN

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Brett Favre will be reinstated and added to the Packers' active roster Monday. And at that point, it looks like the fun will start.

Team president Mark Murphy said in a statement Sunday that the team has a specific plan with Favre in camp that it won't reveal until Monday, but sources told ESPN's Wendi Nix that coach Mike McCarthy will announce he's holding an open competition for the starting quarterback position.

Favre's reinstatement, announced by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell on Sunday, will become effective at 1 p.m. ET Monday. His first practice will likely come Tuesday.

"Brett will be in camp tomorrow. Although there has been uncertainty regarding Brett's return, Ted Thompson and Coach McCarthy had previously discussed this and have had a plan in place," Murphy said in the statement. "Coach McCarthy will talk to the team and the quarterbacks about the plan moving forward, and after he has done that we will share it publicly.

Goodell had held off on granting Favre's request for reinstatement for nearly a week. He hoped Favre and the team could resolve their standoff. By reinstating Favre, Goodell is following through on a recent promise to force action.

Earlier Sunday, Favre's agent, James "Bus" Cook, confirmed that Favre planned to fly to Green Bay on Sunday and report to the Packers on Monday.

"That's the plan," Cook said in an e-mail to The Associated Press.

Packers officials planned to greet Favre upon his arrival to Green Bay.

Favre does not plan to attend the sold-out Packers Family Night at Lambeau Field, which more than 60,000 fans were expected to attend.

Favre's imminent presence in training camp could cause a major disruption to the team and sets up scenarios of either a competition with Aaron Rodgers for the starting job or the Packers continuing to work on finding a trade partner for the former league MVP and Super Bowl champion.

Favre retired in March but has been having second thoughts for weeks. Team officials have maintained that if Favre returned to the Packers, it would be in some role other than as the starter -- and have said Rodgers is their starter.

Publicly, team officials have ruled out releasing Favre, likely for fear he would sign with division-rival Minnesota.

Goodell told the NFL Network on Saturday that he thinks the situation has lingered long enough.

"I think we have to force it," Goodell said. "I think it's come to the point where there needs to be some decisions made on behalf of the Packers, on behalf of Brett, on behalf of all the fans."

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GEORGIA BULLDOGS RANKED PRESEASON #1 BY AP

Georgia was widely considered the hottest team in college football at the end of the 2007 season.

A panel of Division I-A coaches remembered, voting the Bulldogs the preseason No. 1 in the USA Today Top 25 coaches' poll, released Friday.

Georgia garnered 22 first-place votes in the poll, with No. 2 USC and No. 3 Ohio State each receiving 14 first-place votes. Oklahoma, with three first-place votes, and Florida, with five first-place votes and returning Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow, were fourth and fifth, respectively.

Georgia finished No. 2 in the final Associated Press writers' poll and No. 3 in the final coaches' poll last season.

The Bulldogs and Gators, SEC East and regional rivals, meet Nov. 1 at a neutral site in Jacksonville, Fla., while Ohio State and USC meet Sept. 13 in Los Angeles.

Georgia's schedule also includes visits to No. 16 Arizona State on Sept. 20; defending BCS champion No. 6 LSU; No. 11 Auburn; and South Carolina.

LSU, Missouri, West Virginia, Clemson and Texas rounded out the top 10, giving the SEC and Big 12 three teams each in the first 10 poll positions.

Auburn was ranked 11th, followed by Wisconsin, Kansas, Texas Tech, Virginia Tech, Arizona State, BYU, Tennessee, Illinois and Oregon.

South Florida, Penn State, Wake Forest, Michigan and Fresno State rounded out the top 25.

The SEC, Big 12 and Big Ten each had five teams represented in the poll. BYU of the Mountain West was the highest-ranked team from a non-BCS conference.

USA Today Poll
1. Georgia (22) 0-0 1,438
2. USC (14) 0-0 1,430
3. Ohio State (14) 0-0 1,392
4. Oklahoma (3) 0-0 1,329
5. Florida (5) 0-0 1,293
6. LSU (3) 0-0 1,163
7. Missouri 0-0 1,143
8. West Virginia 0-0 1,008
9. Clemson 0-0 999
10. Texas 0-0 979
11. Auburn 0-0 888
12. Wisconsin 0-0 747
13. Kansas 0-0 714
14. Texas Tech 0-0 644
15. Virginia Tech 0-0 568
16. Arizona State 0-0 560
17. Brigham Young 0-0 547
18. Tennessee 0-0 506
19. Illinois 0-0 422
20. Oregon 0-0 399
21. South Florida 0-0 350
22. Penn State 0-0 313
23. Wake Forest 0-0 203
24. Michigan 0-0 112
25. Fresno State 0-0 91

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"GOING...GOING...GONE!!!" 3-WAY TRADE IS OFFICIAL

Manny Ramirez's stormy relationship with the Boston Red Sox appears to be over.

A baseball source has confirmed Ramirez has been traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers, ESPN.com has learned.

Jason Bay is going to Boston as part of the deal, Jayson Stark reported. And the Pittsburgh
Pirates get four minor leaguers as part of the three-way deal.

Third baseman Andy LaRoche and right-handed pitcher Bryan Morris will go to the Pirates from the Dodgers. Outfielder Brandon Moss and right-handed pitcher Craig Hansen will leave the Red Sox orgianization for Pittsburgh, ESPN.com has learned.

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