OT: Live by Favre, Die by Favre

This is really just a private note between neighbors.

We like hating each other's football teams, but Minnesota and Wisconsin have a lot more in common than not. We're both fly-over states. We both get a lot of that slow-release rain five months a year. There's that famous "Minnesota Nice," of course, but people in Wisconsin are a lot the same kind of nice. We like our neighbors. We're like our neighbors.

I'm sure football fans in Minnesota are hurting this morning. Here's the thing. We love the guy too. But the thing that makes him great is the thing that breaks your heart. You live by Favre, you die by Favre. We know.

This isn't hindsight—we've watched him a lot longer than you have, remember? Remember 2007 and Corey Webster? The same drive that makes him the all-time iron man, the drive that gets him back out on the field battered, taped and limping to grind out the tying touchdown, the drive that keeps the records falling, is what sends him over the top. I said it out loud at the beginning of the game: impressive that he's had so few interceptions this year, but if the pressure gets intense, his true nature will turn up again. The same impulsiveness that makes him so exciting leads to the mistake that breaks your heart.

Your neighbors could have told you.

I was rooting for the Vikes all the way. (Never thought I'd say that.) I'm sorry the Vikes lost. (Never thought I'd say that.) And okay, I hope you keep the guy around for season #20. Your Vikings might not come home in February 2011 all bathed in Super Bowl glory either, but when you start feeling better, and look back on your 2009, you'll remember how much fun it was. And you'll realize how rare that kind of ride really is in the game.

It's kinda like life. It doesn't end well. But it's great to soar so high, on the way to that last pass.

Mike, in cheesehead mode

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Comments

[Terry Chay]

I remember when FOX first got an NFL deal (1994), and in the opener Terry Bradshaw was on television talking about what a great quarterback this young Brett Favre was going to be (I think Favre started playing in 1992). Looking back there were a lot of similarities between those two: both from the country south, both phenomenal arms, both tough as nails, both threw a lot of interceptions.

There was, however, one key difference. Bradshaw always won the big games.

[Tom]

Favre was fine. I'm losing my mine over our all world running back coughing up the ball constantly. (And, well, 12 @#$!#ing people in the !#$$!!! huddle.)

Do you know how voodoo dolls work? If I staple a mini football to the had of an Adrian Peterson voodoo doll...

[Tom]

I can't even imagine how that game would have gone with Travisty Jackson or Parsley Sage Rosenfels Thyme at QB...

[David Morlock]

Thanks Mike. Well put. We are sad over here on the left side of the river, but it was a heckuva ride.

[Karl Knize]

As a lifelong Chicago Northsider, I viewed Favre's pick yesterday as akin to having the Cubs in 1st place mid season: you don't want to see it happen but you know what's coming. It was painful to watch.

[Damon Schreiber]

How bout a link to a site that might explain what you're talking about? Yes, I get that there was a football game of some sort. Surely it wasn't the Superbowl yet (it's only January 26th - ha ha).

[Cateto/Jose]

This is quite curious, Mike, as two of my favourite hobbies are photography and music (although admittedly, music comes first). And among musicians, I am specifically nuts about Prince (as strange as it might seem, we are a large bunch of Prince hardcore fans; or to be more precise, hardcore fans of Prince music, since it is quite difficult to be fan of Prin the superstar).

Well, for one of those weird coincidences, Prince released a fight song to support Vikings last Friday. And today I find an OT article in my favourite photography site regarding also the football and I see you support Vikings as well.

(For the record, the song is awful, but I hear that most fight songs are similarly ugly).

[Chris]

Having Brett Favre for a quarterback is like having Robert E. Lee for a general. Amazing things are possible, but sooner or later, there's going to be a Gettysburg.

[Geoff Wittig]

Gosh, football can hurt. Your feelings, I mean. I know; I grew up in Buffalo. We know from pain.

I mean, just imagine watching your hometown team claw their way through the playoffs right to the Superbowl itself...only to loose, heartbreakingly, on a missed last second field goal.

Then they do it again the next year.
And the year after that.
And the year after than. Argh!

Makes you want to stick your head in the oven. It's why I don't watch football anymore.

[Kent Whiting]

yes too bad indeed --- as a colts fan I was wondering how he would do against the colts. Not this year.

kman

[Robert Meier]

Mike, We've been watching him all 19 years too from the Minnesota side of the river. But until this year we always rooted against him. It's very kind of you to root for us this year (I actually rooted for the Packers in both Super Bowls too). Bob

[bobdales]

We beg to disagree http://www.fototime.com/DE44C7F4560D0EC/standard.jpg
And very happy to have dodged a bullet.
bd

[Jay Moynihan]

The concept of tragedy in ancient Greek theatre was of a great person destined through a flaw of character, to fall.

The last play he was in, was like the last scene from a Greek tragedy; the gods punishing the hero for his hubris.

[Miserere]

I'm glad I'm not a betting man, because I would have put my money on the Vikings. I really thought Favre was going to pull it off.

I think I'll root for the Saints in the Superbowl, so take notice everyone, and bet on the Colts! :-D

   –Miserere in Boston

[D Carnagey]

Tom

Did you happen to notice that your all world running back did not actually have any turnovers, and Favre had 3? That loss was all Favre. And as a lifelong believer that Favre is and was and always will be overrated, I loved it.

By the way, I'm a Raiders fan, so make jokes at will.

[JasonP]

I (born and bred Cheesehead) ended up marrying a woman from New Zealand who just happened to be a Vikes fan (love conquers all! ;) ). Years of her pointing out interceptions to me were finally vindicated when he signed for Minnesota... only to have the least interceptions in a season ever.

I may not like her team, but I still like her quarterback. It's hard to switch that off after 16 (mostly) good years.

[SM]

I am glad Favre threw the interception and I hope to never see him play again. I really lost interest after he left the Pack.

[Charlie H]

The 12th man in the huddle thing was a real shame, it put him the position to have to make a play, rather then just hand the ball off. And it didn't help that no one came back to him when he scrambled right. ch

[Jason]

As a Jets fan, we too chose to believe that the guy who threw the mindless interception to end Green Bay's season had humbled himself.

But after using the Jets to stay relevant and sit out for the team he really wanted, I knew it would happen - the Prima Donna would lead the charge forward, seemingly to the promised land, then straight off the cliff instead.

They overcame fumbles and red zone failures, but still, Favre had to make a bigger play. Couldn't count on his team, even a kicker he played with in Green Bay. All he had to do was run out of bounds.

I won't deny he's tough as all get out. I won't deny he was a great QB. But in the end, one wonders if a little humility would've carried him even farther.

Terry Chay: Good point about Bradshaw.

[Francisco Cubas]

Very good writing Mike. Not living in the USA, I grew up adoring Joe Montana, but after him, Favre has been great to watch. I also suffered in that game. A classic football player, he deserved another Superbowl.

[CK Dexter Haven]

I'm so tired of the soap opera that is Favre. I'm so glad it's over. But, it's not, is it? Now, we have to look 'forward' to the seven month silly season. Will he or won't he?

I will be very happy when he retires for good. The hype is just out of control. It's like having to listen to Dick Vitale gush over Duke - i have to flip the channel.

All that said, i still have to admit: he had an amazing season, and there's no way they get that far with any of the other QB options.

Maybe the Vikes can draft Sam Bradford? I was a Vikings fan a long time ago. As a kid, i loved the Purple People Eaters, Fran Tarkenton, Ahmad Rashad, and Chuck Foreman. After Favre's gone, maybe i'll like them again.

[Christopher Lane]

Thanks, Mike.

[Debbie Hartmann]

Oh I loved your post! Favre turned me into a football watcher...I only missed watching one game this year. As soon as they lost last night, all I could think about was how very fun it was to watch Favre and the rest of the Vikings this year. I too really hope he is around for another season! Helps make winter just a little bit more bearable...

[Laurie in Cheese Country]

Amen, Mike.

[toto]

"I'm glad I'm not a betting man, because I would have put my money on the Vikings."

Ah, but the Saints failed to cover the 3-1/2 point spread, so you would have been in good shape.

[James Liu]

What? You're a Packers fan?

I am never ever ever reading your blog ever again.

Sincerely, Bears Fan.

Ever.

[kidding]

[jwaddison]

I have no idea what any of you are talking about.

[John Roberts]

As a Saints fan, I was counting on Favre to go into "gunslinger" mode, force a pass he shouldn't have thrown, and give us that crucial turnover. Bret came through for us. Still, I have to admit he's been the most exciting quarterback to watch for the last 20 years or so. Without him, the Vikings would probably have been a 9-7 team at best. It looks like he's got enough left in his tank for at least one more season, but the question is, will the Vikes be willing to roll the dice one more time?

[Mike Johnston]

"but the question is, will the Vikes be willing to roll the dice one more time?"

After this year? Not to mention that he's got one year left on a 2-year, $25 million contract. I think the Vikes will be happy if he comes back, and I think he will, because he won't want that pass to be the last one of his career.

The only thing militating for retirement is how beat-up he got in that game.

There was an NFL player I heard interviewed once about the physical toll a game takes on the body. When you're young, you bounce back by Tuesday. As you get older, it takes you until later and later in the week to recover from each game. When you're in the late stages of your career, you're still taking whirlpools and skipping practice on Fridays. Finally there comes a time when a whole week is not long enough to recover from a game..."and what then?" "That's when you know it's time to retire."

Mike

[Mike Johnston]

jwaddison,
It's our cricket. [g]

Mike

[James McDermott]

Mike,

Could you provide a 'translate this page' facility for your non-US readership, please? Or a Rosetta stone?

[JonA]

So close yet so Favre.

[Mike Johnston]

"Mike, Could you provide a 'translate this page' facility for your non-US readership, please? Or a Rosetta stone?"

James,
You want me to start by explaining why it's a no-no to throw back against the grain late in a game on a rollout? Especially when the QB has open field and only needs to make up a 5-yard penalty and maybe a little more for a field goal try?

Or maybe I should start with Vince Lombardi and the start of the Super Bowl. That way we'd make it up to Fran Tarkenton and the Super Bowl jinx by, oh, I don't know, about Friday.

Or maybe I could start with the fact that Kiln (pronounced "kill") is deep in the heart of Saints country....

Well, in the words of a recent movie promo, "it's complicated."

Mike

[Tom]

Note that Favre is pronounced "Farve".

As an aside, I think it was Peter King that said today that this was the worst beating Favre ever took. As a Vikings fan I'm miffed that his worst beating was not delivered by the men in purple or at least someone in the division. (I'm looking at you, Urlacher.) Vikes always come up short.

Nothing left to do but watch the team who drafted a point guard who refuses to leave Spain. Hmmm... Maybe I'll watch the Wild...

[John Roberts]

Unlike NBA and MLB contracts, NFL player contracts can "vaporize" almost as quickly as those of college football coaches.

Some say this was Farve's best season. It might have been, but he's not going to continue to get better. Sooner, not later, his skills will begin to erode, and his physical abilities will deteriorate. Do Coach Childress and the Vikings owner believe that at age 41 Farve can at least come close to the numbers he produced this year? Do they believe the odds good for continued greatness in 2010? Or will next season bring the beginning of the inevitable slide into mediocrity. (Think Johnny Unitas in Chargers' gear, or Namath restlessly pacing the sidelines in a Rams uniform.) We'll see. If we only had a crystal ball...

[Mike Johnston]

"Some say this was Farve's best season. It might have been, but he's not going to continue to get better. Sooner, not later, his skills will begin to erode"

...And to quote Nelson Pass, "Later, the sun will cool to a white dwarf, and after that, the universe will experience heat death."

Don't forget that what you say is what the Packers thought two years ago. And despite that last pass, he had a pretty fair year in '09.

Mike

[robert v]

who dat?
history made for us down in the south
rob

[Joe Boris]

Favre's receiver stood there flatfooted on that final pass, with a defensive back closing fast on him (and the ball). The receiver should have been coming back toward the ball (and his embattled QB), and he would have made the catch AND still have had a 1st down.
To expect Favre to have 'run it 15 yds.' after the beating he'd taken all day... well, he's great, but "a man's gotta know his limitations" as Eastwood so well opined.

[TSJanik]

Geoff said: "...only to lose, heartbreakingly, on a missed last second field goal.
Then they do it again the next year.
And the year after that.
And the year after than. Argh!"

I think I became less emotional about watching football when I realized that as aggravating as that period was, they were in fact the good years of being a Bills fan.

Tom

[Howard]

Im from WI. I remember the ice bowl listening on the radio, I loved Favre until he decided he was going to MN via NY. As much as the fans want to blame Peterson. He scored 3 TDs one of the fumbles was BF's fault. My recall of the game was that each scoring drive was enabled by NO penalties and the tying TD came from someone trying to pick up a fumble instead of falling on it. In the moments before the interception I was marveling at the accuacy and boldness of Favre and how the guy with his passing won the game the week before. I hope he retires as he should have 2 years ago. If he waits till aug to come back one has to ask who else in another sport waited to resign and why. Let the flaming begin.