I don't usually blog on a Saturday but I figured I'd bring this up now because tomorrow's gonna be a blur of Youth Sunday at church followed by our Harvest Fest and then partying it up in Hollywood. I'll be honest, Halloween isn't really my holiday - never got to celebrate it much as a kid and I outgrew it as a result. But I'm taking it serious this year thanks to dope plans and a creative costume idea.*
What's not so scary is the fact that Brett Favre will hobble on the field Sunday and people will defend him out there. Oh, Brett nearly won the game last week. Oh, Brett is a warrior. Oh, Brett finds a way to make magic out of nowhere. I got nearly sick hearing Ron Jaworski**do this on Pardon the Interruption Friday afternoon as if his grit/toughness gave him a pass.
How about people drink a nice glass of reality. This isn't Favre of 2006 or even last year. This is an old man playing quarterback who's clearly not healthy nor making enough smart decisions. Consider the other losing teams in the NFL.
Alex Smith has gotten blame for the 49ers winless start. Tony Romo got plenty (perhaps too much) of blame for the Cowboys start. Kyle Orton has gotten hell for Denver's poor play. Matt Moore/Jimmy Clausen struggled with Carolina. Yet somehow excuses are still being made for Favre's play.
And then of course there's the Streak. 291 consecutive games as a starter - a great streak of toughness. It has defined Favre's career. Now it overshadows it. Cal Ripken Jr. faced the same questions during his Iron Man streak but in the final years, he was still a top notch shortshop playing for division championships from 95-98. It's why he ended up sitting down 3 years after breaking Lou Gehrig's record, the streak was getting in the way and he did the right thing.
Brett Favre is now more concerned about protecting the Streak than doing the right thing. And worse, his head coach is letting his decision-making be blurred by it.
Brad Childress is the same guy who sent teammates to beg Favre to come back this year. He's the same guy who went away from using the NFL's top running back to a pass-oriented attack instead of mixing it up for an even potent balance. Childress now stands guilty of enabling Favre and forgetting who runs Minnesota.
Favre's rep has taken a bigger hit for the fact he's openly flirted with a younger woman. No need to rehash the sordid details** but this is just icing on the cake for the anti-Favre brigade. Remember folks, icing is a luxury, not a necessity. It's extra to pile on him but in the long-run, it can overshadow the more important reason we don't like him.
If he was a real coach, Childress would step to Old Man Favre and say "You have two choices, either voluntarily sit down and give yourself the dignity of ending the streak or I end it for you and bench you in favor of Tarvaris Jackson." Of course the only balls in Minnesota are being thrown on the field, not in decision making.
4 years ago, Brett Favre was still a great quarterback who could've retired on a good note. Now he's shown himself to be a selfish, self-centered spin doctor who plays that down-home charm up to hide the fact he's insecure about losing his star status and loves the power he holds over teams and players.
I'll give you a parallel on the streak. I only missed 3-4 days of school related to illness from 7th grade-12th grade. I believe in showing up if you can wake up and walk around. Sick or not, you work hard and fight through it. But then I realized, my body gets tired. I can't function as well if I'm dragging. I realized in college that it's more important to take mental/physical breaks than show up every day. Nobody can function at 100% every single day without resting at some point.***
Take the Power Back, Brad Childress. Sit him down for the good of your team, reputation and the game. Be a man and say what we all need to hear. End this dog-and-pony show and show that no player is bigger than the game. Otherwise, enjoy that top-10 pick next April.
*My favorite costume besides Wolverine in 3rd grade. Freshman year of college, I woke up on Halloween to hear Jam Master Jay was killed. I dressed up as JMJ and I was sad that it took a White dude dressed as Nelly for folks to know who I was. (Some said I was Amish) 8 years later and we still miss that DJ who made our day.
**Ironically Jaws held the previous Iron Man streak at 116 games. If anyone's the wrong person to speak on whether Favre should sit, it's him. And I respect Jaws for his takes and old school demeanor but Friday made me sick.
*** Any grown man who went looking around for the pics of Brett Favre's manhood needs to check their sexuality. Any sports website that posted links to those pics is an embarrassment to what it does. Looking at you, Deadspin.
****Kind of why I don't believe in the "no days off/we grind everyday" motto. I can do more at full strength in 4 days than you can in 5-7 with little sleep. Rest only makes you work harder if you want it.
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