Brett Favre… I just don’t get it…
by gee-roj on Feb 12, 2009 10:45 AM CST
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PrintESPN is currently running a front page story about how the NFL will just not ever be the same again without the miraculous Brett Favre. I just don’t get it; at all. I have never believed that this guy was the unprecedented QB the media has always portrayed him as.
Yes Farve holds the NFL record for career passing yards and touchdowns but he also holds the all time record for interceptions. All this tells me is that the guy simply played for a really long time; which he did. As a general rule a QB is expected to have a 2 to 1 touchdown to interception ratio. Favre has 464 TDs to 310 INTs; that’s not even close to reaching a 2 to 1 margin. Maybe it’s his 0-9 record at Texas Stadium or perhaps it was his awful interception against the Giants in 2007’s NFC championship game but I’ve just never thought of him as a big game QB.
Here is a quick list of Quarterbacks whose careers I respect more than I do Favre’s
Joe Montana
Tom Brady
Dan Marino
Peyton Manning
John Elway
Roger Staubach
Dan Fouts
Steve Young
Troy Aikman
Johnny Unitas
To be fair I will admit that in the mid 90’s Favre did have some outstanding seasons one of which culminating with a Super Bowl win. But if you listen to the media you’d think this guy redefined the position, is retiring with 7 Super Bowl trophies and dissevers a spot on “The Sports Mt. Rushmore” next to Michael Jordan. I do believe that he is worthy of the Hall of Fame but I draw the line when the media says things like, “the NFL will never be the same” or that “football just won’t be fun anymore.” Is watching an over hill has been throw multiple interceptions in a game really that much fun?
Tony Romo is apparently the heir apparent to continue Favre’s style of play. I sincerely hope not. It is my hope that Tony continues to grow and develops his own style. A style that tomorrow’s QB’s try to emulate; a style that produces more touchdowns, less interceptions and more super bowls.
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Favre has to be the greatest player of all time whose name people still don't know how to spell.
I’ll give him that much.
I don’t get the deification of Favre either but I thought he played well enough to win against Dallas in the ‘95-96 NFC Title Game and Super Bowl 32 even though yes, he indeed had two turnovers in each of those games. Then again, you could point out that it was actually Desmond Howard going crazy in Super Bowl 31 that broke that game open or else it might have went down to the wire. If it weren’t for the Packers defense getting bludgeoned by Emmitt Smith and Terrell Davis, Favre would have another ring.
But I agree there’s no excusing how poorly he played through the last decade of his career in the playoffs including two awful wing-and-a-prayer INT’s against the Eagles and Giants.
+1
However, I’m not sure about Dan Fouts over Favre but there are many other quarterbacks in NFL history I’d rate over Favre. Some player careers grow in stature after they retire. I wouldn’t be surprised if in 5 to 10 years his career stature declines quite a bit.
In my opinion...
…this has got to be the best Brett Favre tribute ever.
Celebrity or Imposter?
YOU Decide...
http://www.xanga.com/metaltometal/689036052/celebrity-or-imposter/
Gee-roj
Let’s start with this statement from Keith Olbermann, about his time with ESPN and one of the reasons he left them. He said that nothing ESPN does is NOT about ESPN.
Now, look at this statement through Olbermann’s prism. It’s true. Nothing will be the same for ESPN without Favre. Where will retire and then unretire every offseason, as Favre has done what, the last five, six years?
It’s not about Brett’s needs, or ours. It’s about ESPNs. They just lost one of their surest, easiest sources of off-season programming .
And let me add that sportswriters and media outlets go overboard on marquee QBs. Think of all the love SI threw Joe Montana’s way after he left the game. Or my favorite, the John Elway hagiography. When he retired, a Sporting News scribe posted a poll asking fans to rank “Elway’s Greatest Comeback Wins.”
Super Bowl 32 was on that list. I wrote to him and pointed out that Green Bay had the ball first, and scored to go up 7-0. The Broncos tied the game on their opening drive and never trailed again in the game. I told him he was magnifying Elway’s helicopter run way beyond its importance and that Elway was badly outplayed by Favre, and in fact turned in one of the worst performances by a winning QB ever. Terrell Davis was the reason Denver won that game.
He wrote me back, cited the helicopter run/tackle and said, “yes, but when you saw that run, didn’t it feel like a great comeback?”
You get the felling some of these guys would act as league fluffers if they could.
money comment
Celebrity or Imposter?
YOU Decide...
http://www.xanga.com/metaltometal/689036052/celebrity-or-imposter/
by silverblue5 on Feb 12, 2009 12:43 PM CST up reply actions
That made me spew soda
Through my nose. It was very painful. That was hilarious, but I hate you for the pain you’ve caused.
by the red scare on Feb 13, 2009 12:15 AM CST up reply actions
Fans have to repsect Favre's numbers and longetivity
He’s a NFL legend just for these reasons alone, but it’s the passion and toughness in which he played the game which truly made him special and unique.
There are several qbs that you can argue are the greatest of all time and certainly Favre belongs in that class.
In Romo we Trust
Just think
How Madden must feel. I bet hes crying in his turdunken this whole week, boo hooing over a favreless nfl and favreless sunday night football.
and in the background al michaels is being a jackass as usual.
You Can Pay for School but You Cant Buy Class
Favre should have stayed retired last season.
He accomplished nothing in NY except a tarnished legacy. Players publicly calling him out and he had a private office??? tsk tsk
Come and whisper in my ear, give us dirty laundry - ESPN
I disagree
Favre didn’t tarnish his legacy anymore than other HOF players who ended their careers with other teams like Joe Namath, OJ Simpson, Franco Harris, Tony Dorsett, Emmitt Smith, Joe Montana and many others.
In Romo we Trust
Where did Franco Harris end up?
Feb. 18-24 -- NFL Scouting Combine
Feb. 27 -- Veteran free agency signing period begins. Trading period begins.
April 25-26 -- NFL Draft
by APerfectStar on Feb 12, 2009 9:47 PM CST up reply actions
Montana's stint in KC doesn't really belong alongside the less-than-graceful exit of those others.
-Two playoff appearances.
-A division crown.
-An AFC Title game appearance.
-A head-to-head win over Steve Young and 9ers in their ’94 Super Bowl year.
-Another signature 4th quarter comeback in a classic Monday Nighter against John Elway.
And he was able to accomplish this while throwing to a couple of cats named JJ Birden and Willie Davis who haven’t been heard from since. The Chiefs only real offensive weapon was Marcus Allen; an old Marcus Allen at the end of his road. If anything, Montana’s stint with the Chiefs added to his legacy.
You won't see me shedding any tears for Favre.
I can’t help but hate the media darlings, and he is the absolute queen of them all.
Brett Favre gets hooked on painkillers, and we are told to feel sorry for him, and to admire his ability to overcome. Koren Robinson gets hooked on alcohol and he’s a worthless drunk.
Tony Romo runs around improvising and he’s out of control or immature. Favre runs around improvising and he’s “like a kid drawing it up in the dirt.”
Brett Favre was a very good quarterback for a long time but good riddance.
IF YOU'RE LOOKIN FOR ME...I'M AT THE SCRIP CLUB WITH PACMAN......AND WE'RE BEING REBELLION!!
by Carl Shelton (GloryDayz88) on Feb 12, 2009 10:31 PM CST reply actions
He was certainly the
most overrated QB in the history of the game. He played 18 years so you expect him to have some records. Who at BSPN was in charge of fluffing Brett because my guess is they had a team ready.
He is a sorry individual with what he did to GB year after year not annoucing one way or another. The NFL became a better place yesterday
I don't think it's fair to call him a sorry individual
because GB was at fault as well. I wasn’t a fan of his early in his career but I respect him for lasting 18 years in the NFL. You got to give the guy credit. He never missed a game in his career. How many other QB’s can you say did that? Over-rated-perhaps and over-hyped-yes but give the credit where credit is due.
I disagree
Favre was a truly great qb and a sure fire first ballot HOFer. As a fan, you have to admire and respect his passion and toughness for the game if nothing else.
In Romo we Trust
How screwed is it that the Packers made the right decision by far in moving ahead with Rodgers.....
…….And still finished 5-11? If it wasn’t for the massive hype machine that always surrounds the Cowboys, you’d have to say the Packers had an even more disappointing flop of an ’08.
I'd agree
I was expecting Dallas and Green Bay both to repeat their success of 07. 08 was much more cruel to the Packers.
Epic Fail since 1985
by the red scare on Feb 13, 2009 9:04 PM CST up reply actions
How Many MVPs Did Favre Win?
Three. Only one other player’s done that: Peyton Manning. And Favre won three in a row.
His career got ugly after Holmgren left, as he lapsed back into his undisciplined ways. With the exception of 2007, he’s been a turnover machine this decade. And the media worship of him is sickening.
But in his prime he was one of the best quarterbacks to ever play the game. The only careers I would take over him would be Unitas, Young, Montana, Marino, Starr and Peyton.
Besides, I’ll be forever grateful for his Packers offense ripping up the 49ers in the 1995 divisional playoffs, which, because we owned the Packers in that era, gave us a pass to the Super Bowl. I was dreading us having to play and probably losing to San Francisco again in the Championship Game.
He Was Very Good
But could not carry the team on his shoulders like the others. Aikman might have been the most accurate post season passer ever.
Aikman could have given the opportunity
He didn’t have to because he had Emmitt, but Troy was certainly more than capable.
In Romo we Trust
Your lack of faith is disturbing.
Kidding aside, though, you might have a point. However, all that same 9ers team had to do to gain homefield throughout was beat the Falcons in their season finale and they couldn’t do that. Also, it’s not like Green Bay didn’t dominate that game throughout.
Also, to be fair to the Cowboys, they did finally manage to beat the 9ers again during the following regular season in a tight game in Candlestick.
Matchups
You may be right. However, during that era there were some odd matchups. The 49ers struggled against the Falcons in the 1990’s, so that loss wasn’t too surprising to me, and going into the playoffs that year I thought the Packers matched up well against San Francisco as well. However, as you probably remember, we looked completely confused against them in week 10.
The coaching staff was privately thrilled the way the 1995 playoffs shook out. They thought they matched up poorly against Detroit, San Francisco and Kansas City; but thanks to Philadelphia, Green Bay and Pittsburgh we drew more favorable games.
We played better against San Francisco after that, although we fielded less talented teams. We were fortunate to win the 1996 game, as it almost got out of hand early.
Really? On Kansas City.
I get Detroit and San Fran but didn’t they handle the Chiefs from start to finish on Thanksgiving? I seem to remember Novacek ate them up in that game. Was it because they thought the Chiefs could take away Emmitt and Dale Carter and/or James Hasty could neutralize Irvin? They did have some great talent on defense but they probably even brought less to the table offensively than this year’s Titans who at least had Chris Johnson.
It’s funny how that worked out though because I can’t imagine the Chiefs would’ve did any better a job stopping the offense cold the way the Steelers did after the Cowboys weren’t quite able to knock them out early when they had the 13-0 lead.
The Comment Surprised Me Too
I guess they thought their defense was more difficult to run on. I know Dallas back then loved to face 3-4 defenses. They thought their offensive line could manhandle them and run all day.
You have to at least ad Brady to that list as well
0 = The number of Super Bowls the Eagles have won.
Not Yet
He’s had only three really good seasons (2004, 2005 and 2007). The guys on my list were great year after year. Favre had seven seasons that were in that class, Young and Unitas had six.
If he continues to put up seasons like 2007, he’ll get in.
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