It's not that Favre's skills haven't diminished (they have) or that Favre hasn't lost focus on the games (he has). It has nothing to do with horrendus stats or so called excuses. The truth is that Brett Favre could be playing a lot better, and he isn't. But that doesn't mean it's time for him to retire.
The Green Bay Packers have a unique relationship with their city: they are the city, and the ONLY symbol, the face of that team is Brett Favre. Drive around Green Bay for a day and you will see Favre's image every where. Listen to a local child, say four or five years old, and you'll hear that child speak of Favre. Chances are he or she will be wearing a Favre jersey too. Brett Favre means more to the town of Green Bay than any other athlethe has meant to any town in the history of sport. I dare you to find me a better example. Babe Ruth? He was hated by half the baseball fans of New York. Jerry Rice? Frisco is too big of a town.
Brett Favre brought respectability to Green Bay. He made the game exciting again. He made Packer fans believe again, and he has helped turn Green Bay into a booming NFL tourist attraction. I saw the stadium. It's a cathedral, and Favre made that happen.
For that, he can retire whenever he's goddamn ready.
Dare I say that Wayne Gretzky may have been the face of Edmonton while he was an Oiler? I mean, who the hell in the US (or world for that matter) had even HEARD of Edmonton?
ReplyDeleteSo you saying the Favre is the face that built Lambeau field? With that said, I suppose he will also be the face that destroys the image and makes a mockery of the prestigious game of football in lambeau. It doesn't make sense for people to pay hommage to a person because he once was great, and he WAS great, now he's not even average.
ReplyDeleteIts a sad thing to watch once talented professional players dragging out their career because they believe they still are great, when its obvious to everyone around them they are not. In fact it becomes embarrassing and tarnishes their legacy.
.02 anonymous
I'm not completely convinced it tarnishes their legacy... I think people are generally forgiving of the final few years of a legend, and forget about it...
ReplyDeleteWas Joe Montana's legacy tarnished because he his career struggling for the Chiefs? Was Bobby Orr's as he hobbled around the ice as a Blackhawk? Was Dan Marino's as he stunk up the joint on a bad Dolphins team? Will Jerry Rice's accomplishments be tarnished because he played a season as 3rd WR for Seattle and then couldn't even make the Broncos team?
I think Rice is a good comparison in this sense, being as it's pretty recent and he obviously was not an impact player any more. The difference is that as a WR, Rice just vanished for games. As a QB, Favre actually KILLS the Packers and has cost them a game or two this season.
I don't think Favre goes out like that, if only because the team was absolutely decimated by injuries. I'm willing to see one more year from him, with a healthy team, an impact rookie or two, and a decent free agent signing or three. Maybe if the situation is a bit less desperate, he takes less risks and makes less mistakes. Who knows.
I don't think he's done quite yet though.
Nope, I disagree. Injuries/Schmijuries Favre's brain is one complete fart at this point in time. "let me see, I can throw this duck into 3 man coverage, or a little safe checkdown over the middle....3 MAN COVERAGE AWAY"
ReplyDeleteThe pack should SIT him and give "the young kid" some experience, as he's the future, not favre
Wayne Gretsky was the face of the Edmonton Oilers before he became the face of the L.A. Kings before he became the sad face of the New York Rangers. Had Gretsky remained with Edmonton for his entire career he might have challenged Favre. But he didn't.
ReplyDeleteTo .02, who makes several valid arguements, I have several biscuits for your intellectual consumption. First, I never said that Favre is the face that built Lambeau field. He is the face that remodeled it in 2001. He is also the face that took a small town and gave it bragging rights over a lot of big towns in an era where that task is darn nearly impossible.
I think that you underestimate Favre's talent. If you consider that (1) he is constantly under pressure because of a horrendous offensive line, (2) he has no running game to keep the defenses honest, (3) he has one decent wide receive and three terrible ones, (4) he has an oft injured average tight end and several awful backups, he's actually done a pretty good job. Well, at least for a quarterback who has no one to throw to or hand the ball to.
When I watch Favre, I do not see a "once talented professional player dragging out their career". I see a talented veteran who has not had any support from his teammates or his front office. Now that's a friggin tragedy.
One last thought: I've seen Favre throw into triple coverage and it frustrates me too. The reason he's not throwing to the "little checkdown" is because there isn't one. Because of the god awfull ineptitude of the offensive line, the Packers have been forced to max protect on passing downs, often times leaving both the running back and the tight end in to block. Defenses, wise to this, rush 4 guys and drop 7 into coverage, and still get pressure on Favre (the running backs and tight ends can't block either). On about 80% of Favre's throws into multiple coverage this has been the case.
From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinal's Cliff Cristl:
ReplyDeleteFisher also was slow to react to a blitz on the first series, leading to an intentional grounding penalty. And Fisher’s failure to pick up a blitz led to Favre’s second interception, which was returned 24 yards by safety Deion Sanders.
No question, Favre threw the ball up for grabs. But he had only three options on the play: Throw the ball away for another grounding penalty, take a hellacious hit that may well have resulted in a fumble or chuck the ball high and deep and hope wide receiver Donald Driver could come down with it against a defense that started with eight men in the box and a single safety.
It was a first down play and Kevin Barry was on the field as the tight end. Both Fisher and fullback Vonta Leach stayed into block. That left two receivers in the pattern, Driver and Ferguson. When Fisher feebly missed his blitz pick-up against safety Ed Reed, Favre had to step to the right and turn away from Ferguson. With linebacker Tommy Polley roaring up the middle on a delayed blitz, Favre chose to fling the ball downfield toward the only receiver in his line of vision just before he was nailed.
Was it a poor throw? Sure. But once Fisher missed his block, the play was going to end in disaster no matter what.
I also read yesterday that one of the criteria Reggie Bush is looking at when hiring an agent is finding one that will promise him he will NOT land in Green Bay. No clue how an agent can promise such a thing, but sounds like he'll pull an Eli Manning if the Packers have a shot at him (which it looks like they won't anyways).
ReplyDeleteI can't say I blame him. Ahman Green, injured reserve, torn thigh tendon. Najeh Davenport, injured reserve, broken leg. Samkon Gado, injured reserve, torn MCL. Walter Williams, injured reserve, high ankle sprain. Tony Fisher, missed 4 games, broken ribs.
ReplyDeleteIf you were a running back would you want to come to Green Bay?