Apologies to Matt Groening on the really bad drawing above.

So a funny thing happened on the way to our latest ESPN animation. I fought the lawyers and the lawyers won. The cartoon was completely finished (a total of about 50 or more hours of work for a minute and a half animation) and was ready to go live on Sunday afternoon when a red flag went up in the headquarters at ESPN. The Jets played the Vikings, so, of course, it was full of Brett Favre and Randy Moss material. Chock full I might add. Which meant using a Grandpa Simpsonlike caricature of Brett Favre, as well as the voice which is spot on, because, well, the guy who did it is the honest to goodness back up for the first string Homer Simpson voice.

Anyway, rightfully so, ESPN called in the Lawyers who determined that perhaps a whole minute and a half use of Brett Favre looking and sounding like Grandpa Simpson wasn’t such a good idea. So, it goes back in the vaults never to be seen or heard again. Which is much better than the alternative that probably involved a lot more lawyers and the fees that come with them.

But here’s what I want you to do. Sit down with your favorite comedy. The one that makes you roll on the floor laughing. (For me that would be Young Frankenstein) Close your eyes and imagine Brett Favre looking a bit like Grandpa Simpson muttering the words “Moss? Moss? I had a bad case of that in my shorts one time.” Continue laughing. And you’ll get an idea of how funny it was. Heavy emphasis on was.

It’s all OK now. I mean there was some crying and a need for a sedative while looking a whole weeks worth of work on the cutting room floor But hey. It just means that next weeks animation will be that much better! And I’ll be back on Wednesday with another cartoon!

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I had the distinct pleasure of illustrating this terrific column by Roy Johnson about the Texans-Cowboys rivalry over on ESPN. I was told this morning it’s leading the entire site for number of hits. Check it out. Roy’s the best.

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Just click HERE or on the cartoon to see my latest World Cup cartoon on ESPN.com

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