Favre to Packers’ Brass: “How Do You Like Me Now?” December 6, 2008
Posted by Paul in : Uncategorized , trackback
To those of you that have listened to the radio show for any length of time, you know how I feel about Brett Favre. Yes, I would qualify as having a man-crush on the guy. Not only does he have a rocket arm, a youthful exuberance that won’t go away, and gun-slinging attitude. But he’s soulful, simple, humble, zen-like almost. And he’s got that Agassi-like capacity to connect with everyone. Do I own a pair of Wranglers? Not yet! But don’t put it past me to change my current jeans allegiances…
When we first went through the summer-long melodrama involving Brett and the Packers, I was leading the pack (note the lack of capitalization) in vehemently defending the Hall of Fame quarterback. Yes, he was undecided on his future. But, in my opinion, he had earned the right to come back at any time. Not only that, but I continued to believe–like some football pundits–that he was the better football option for the Packers under center, for the present. And in a “Win Now” league, Favre was the incumbent meriting re-election by management.
Fast-forward a few weeks, past the mid-way portion of the season. The other night, the Jets and Patriots face off at The Razor in a huge Thursday night match-up with the AFC East lead at stake. In a great contest, Favre shows that he’s capable to play careful football. I’m not calling it “cautious”, but “careful”. No hugely dangerous throws. No unnecessary chances taken. He didn’t simply “manage the game”. In a big-game, Favre understood the situation, took what the defense gave him, orchestrated a game winning drive, and made the big plays when his team needed him to do so…
And you thought there would be no encores. The Jets would certainly be sent packing, by the bruising Titans in Nashville. Tennessee was undefeated, after all. With their physical two-pronged running attack, and equally imposing rush defense, there was no way that the Jets could even dream of stopping the freight train that had built up such a head of steam. This is where Chris Berman inserts, “That’s why they play the games”. Not only did the Jets bring the Tennessee Express to a screeching halt, but they were able to bring the Titans down from the ranks of the undefeated. Two huge back-to-back statements on the road had this team flying high…
As of today, Green Bay stands at 5-7; trailing their Nordic counterparts and the Monster of the Midway by 2 and 1 games respectively. They’ve lost 2 straight games, and find themselves in a dogfight to even make the playoffs. And it doesn’t take a NFL prognosticator, or rocket scientist to tell you that the wild card teams from the NFC will most likely not come from the North. The South and East divisions have stronger candidates at this point in the race. Aaron Rodgers may have just inked a new long-term deal, but he hasn’t been able to come even close to replicating the success that Favre brought to the Pack last season.
By contrast, the J-E-T-S Jets Jets Jets now stand at 8-4 atop the AFC East, and are brimming with confidence, having won 5 out of their last 6. You add to that the boost they from winning on that Thursday night against the perennial team of the past few years, and from knocking off the AFC’s best in the Music City, and there’s reason to celebrate in New York. The Big Apple may well be a baseball town by nature, but the talk of the won has to be football, and most notably the Jets. No team, in recent memory, has had more benefit from the arrival of a star quarterback.
Here’s what he’s bringing to the table:
1) Moxie/Confidence: Anybody that watched the game last night could see that Favre brought an additional swagger sorely missing from the Jets in the past. In such a huge game on the road, a quarterback of his caliber was all New York needed to put them over the top. Much like a point guard on the basketball court, a quarterback’s job is to make his teammates better. Favre, by his very attitude, confidence adds to his teammates’ confidence level. Each player knows that if they complete their jobs, their signal-caller will be there to make the winning plays, in the clutch.
2) Credibility: Fireman Ed could tell you that spending the last few years cheering for the J-E-T-S had been a little rough. Under Eric Mangini, New York is a combined 22-22, with only 1 playoff appearance in 3 years at the helm. Not to mention, he’s a young guy; re-becoming the youngest coach in the NFL, when Lane Kiffin got removed from his post in Oakland. He’s actually more junior than his starting quarterback Brett Favre; who just turned 39 in October. Granted Mangini won AFC Coach of the Year, after he took the Jets into the playoffs, in his first season. But anybody will tell you that age, experience, and track record matter in getting you credibility in front of your players. Getting an elder statesman with the war scars and triumphs that Favre has, can only help a club in building up its own credibility, when picking a direction and executing on it. For a franchise that has always played second-fiddle to their Meadowlands co-habitants in New York, the Jets instantly put themselves on the NFL map, with the acquisition of #4.
3) Excitement: Chad Pennington, under center, was blue collar, workmanlike, and was going to middle-manage the game for you. He certainly wasn’t a rock star CEO, but could deliver you some solid victories given a decent running game, as he is now showing us in South Beach with the Dolphins. But for anyone to tell me that he made quarterbacking exciting is an outright lie. Pennington, under center, is bland; the Gerber baby food of QBs. Favre, conversely, is the salsa picante; equally able of threading the needle with a strike between defenders 25 yards down the field, and throwing it up for grabs for receiver and defensive backs alike. But he delivers thrills, and more often than not, victories.
4) Identity: Can you say Rich Kotite? A failed experiment with the now-prosperous, vibrant, collegiate Pete Carroll. The public embarrassment spawned by the last-minute resignation of Belichick. The Jets have been marred by histrionics at the top of their organization. If the head coach is supposed to be face of the organization (as Mike Nolan had no trouble reminding us when McCloughan was promoted to GM of the 49ers), then the Jets must feel like an invitee to a masquerade ball. Or better yet, John Travolta or Nick (Coppola) Cage in “Face Off”; switching identities like most of us change our pants. With Brett, you’re getting a confident southern boy, who knows who he is… He’s not afraid to tell you what he thinks, and he knows how to let it all hang out. He’s a calming and stabilizing influence in the huddle. Where others may have panicked, Brett is more likely to tell a joke, to generate some laughter, and keep everyone loose…
All of this to say: if one were to ask me what my religious beliefs were, I would most probably answer along the lines of what my Facebook profile states on that issue: “Think [George] Carlin/ [Bill] Maher”. But if there’s one thing that might have me believe in Pigskin Gods, this turn of events may well do it. Brett Favre, once brutally shunned by a team that had him for done, reemerges in the media capital of the world, and ignites a franchise that had fallen on mediocre times. Most often, when star athletes have left their long-term homes, they were on the down slopes of their careers, and were delusional on their abilities to write good latter chapters to their legacy. But once again, the gun-slinging maverick from Mississippi bucks the trend and surprises us all… Thank you, Brett.
Comments»
Farve is indeed a future Hall of Famer but he damn near pissed off everyone this offseason. I will say it was memorable to watch him carve up the Raiders in 2003 on MNF just after his father passed away
Three more games for that Fav-re guy to keep the Jets from being grounded…
Great piece co-host! Favre has made Jets football relevant for the first time since Joe Namath was their QB. Favre gives this team a puncher’s chance to win the AFC in what has turned out to be a wide-open conference. At this point, the Packers have to regret their treatment of Favre, even if it was the right thing to do at the time based on his absurd behavior. To make the Pack really wish they had kept the Ol’ Gunslinger around, Favre must lead the Jets to the playoffs and make noise once there. The Jets have a 1 or 2 year window with Favre. Everyone will forget those great road performances in New England and Nashville if the Jets don’t snap their current putrid 2 game funk. Favre and the Jets have played miserable in losses to Denver and in San Francisco. They need to win 2 of their last 3 (and perhaps all 3) if they want to make the postseason. I certainly hope they do, as there is no more interesting man in the sporting world right now then the man that wears #4.
Paul is a psychic. Forget Dionne Warwick and the Psychic Friends Network. Personally I was one of the many pundits who thought he was washed up. This proves to me that Favre is one of the greatest NFL players ever and Paul is pretty damn smart in his assessment of Mr. Fav…re