The couple met on the College Game Day set. When asked about the relationship, Ponder said: “The cool thing is that obviously, we’re both at the same time, so we don’t get to see each other that much. But at least one person isn’t feeling guilty about not making the effort to do it or whatever. Then we kind of have the same schedule in the off season, so that’ll be good.”

After months of deliberating the NFL has fined Brett Favre $50,000 for sending former NY Jets sideline reporter Jenn Sterger inappropriate text messages. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell determined there was not sufficient enough evidence to determine if Favre violated the league’s player conduct policy, but instead fined Favre for failure to cooperate with the NFL’s investigation.

Sterger has threatened to press legal charges if the league did not take action. Under New Jersey law, Sterger cannot file sexual harassment charges because New Jersey statue of limitations only gives a person a two-year window. Sterger had until December 28, ironically one day before Goodell made his announcement.

In the NFL’s official statement:

The NFL office conducted an investigation to determine whether Brett Favre’s interaction with New York Jets game-day employee Jenn Sterger in 2008 violated the NFL Personal Conduct Policy.

In reviewing the matter, the sole focus was on whether there was a violation of league policies regarding conduct in the workplace. NFL policies do not extend to private conduct or make judgments about the appropriateness of personal relationships, except where that conduct or those relationships raise issues under the law or league policies.

The investigation included an analysis of publicly available reports; a series of interviews with knowledgeable individuals, including Sterger and Favre; a review of communications between the two furnished to our office; and independent forensic analysis of electronically stored material. The investigation was limited in several respects because the conduct occurred in 2008 but was not brought to our attention until this fall. As a result, certain records and individuals were unavailable to the NFL.

The announcement comes three months after the league first announced it was investigating and during the final week of the regular season. The league has been criticized for its slow decision making, but you know how reliable cell phone service is…

UPDATE: Jenn Sterger and her lawyers released a statment saying they were disappointed but not surprised at the NFL’s ruling.

Jenn Sterger

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has not made his ruling on whether or not Favre violated the league’s personal conduct policy. Sterger has threatened legal action if Goodell does not punish Favre. Time’s also running out to vote for Sterger for Jersey Chaser of the Year!

Thanks to blog brother ItsAlwaysSunnyinDetroit for Brett’s final photo.

During an interview with NBC’s Football Night in America, Goodell said he expected a decision by the season’s end. “I want to make sure we do what’s right,” Goodell said. “We take this issue very seriously.”

All signs point to that this is Favre’s last season. During last week’s Minnesota Vikings-NY Giants game, Favre missed his first game since 1992. Is stalling the decision Goodell’s way of avoiding suspending Favre and tarnishing the end of his career ?

In some areas, the snow is as much as five feet deep, and now Vikings fans are being asked to help shovel. The University of Minnesota is looking for volunteers from Thursday-Sunday to shovel out snow from the bleachers, concourse and football field.

While you will not be paid for your manual labor, don’t worry the university will supply you shovels.

Image via AP

Earlier this morning TJC reported the NY Giants Minnesota Vikings game would be postponed to tomorrow night due to unsafe conditions from heavy snow on the Vikings’ Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome. Well now, the Metrodome has collapsed from all the snow, and the game has been moved to Detroit’s Ford Field, home to the Detroit Lions. One person who is happy about the unfortunate circumstances is Brett Favre, since people are now finally talking about another Metrodome.

UPDATE: Fans who want to attend tomorrow’s game in Detroit can either do so by redeeming ticket stubs from today’s Lions vs. Green Bay Packers game, or tickets will be given away for free at the Ford Field box office tomorrow at 9am.

The Vikings-Giants game will be aired on Fox and will go up against Monday Night Football’ Baltimore Ravens- Houston Texans matchup on ESPN.

The postponement of the game comes as a relief to Giants players who were stranded in Kansas City until this morning. The Giants’ plane could not land in Minneapolis because of snow conditions. The team was preparing to do their pre-game walk through in the airplane hanger of the Kansas City airport.