"GOD FAVRE" NO ASS KISSING..JUST FACTS ABOUT THE CAREER OF BRETT FAVRE

on March 4, 2008 11:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (149) | TrackBacks (0)

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When word spread that Tupac died, the initial reactions were disbelief. Most Tupac fans (including me) had a belief that, even though he always lived on the edge, it just wasn't possible for him to die. Twelve years later you will find people who still can't believe he is gone. I can only assume that is how fans of Brett Favre feel now. Even though every year Brett threatened to retire, no one actually believed it. Now that it has happened, they are in a state of shock and they are mourning as if he truly had died.

Why he retired is an interesting topic, but not one I am going to tackle now, but I think it is important that someone puts Brett's career in perspective that doesn't have his lips attached to his ass..

1- The Falcons

Before we even get to Green Bay, I think, to be fair, we need to start in Atlanta. A lot of people in this industry blame the Falcons for giving up on Brett Favre, but the fact of the matter is that, in Atlanta, Favre did not show that he was not going to be anything except the MVP of beer drinking and partying. Should the Falcons have shown more patience with Favre? Sure, but hindsight is 20/20 and no one at the time thought Favre's career would end up like this. Even Ron Wolf, the former GM of the Packers, in his wildest dreams couldn't have imagined that Favre's career would reach the heights that it did. When he traded a 1st round pick for Favre, there were many in the media who said he gave up way too much. Honestly I believe if Favre would have stayed in Atlanta, he would have just been another QB who hung around the league for 5-6 years never to be heard from again.

2- The Takeover

As a kid I was a big Don Majkowski fan mainly because he had a cool nickname "The Magic Man." Ironically he got that nickname because he had a knack of fourth-quarter comebacks. So when he got hurt and Favre replaced him, even though I was just in grade school, I was disappointed. In that first game, Favre pulled out a "Magical" victory and the rest, as they say, is history.

Young Brett was not much different than the Favre of the Falcons, except the Packers organization and coach Mike Holmgren were able to harness some of that wildness. But, the fact of the matter is that Favre, at times, was more interested in what was happening at the bar than on the field. On the field, while he made some plays that you thought weren't humanly possible, he also made a lot of boneheaded plays that cost his team opportunities to win games. This is what drove Holmgren crazy. Holmgren had this extremely talented young man but he had no idea what he was going to do from one play to the next. There was a time early in Favre's career that many thought he would never be disciplined enough to be anything more than just wild a QB. Favre would occasionally make the spectacular plays, but never did he take his team deep into the playoffs. But two things happened that changed everything for Favre.

3- Sharpe & White

A lot of people know Shannon Sharpe, the former Denver Broncos and Baltimore Ravens TE, who is currently working for the NFL Today crew. You have to be a real sports expert to remember his more talented older brother Sterling Sharpe who was a WR for the Packers in the early 90's. Sterling Sharpe was a combination of Cris Carter, Terrell Owens and Hinds Ward. He was that good.

When Favre became the QB of Packers, Sharpe was his "Linus Security Blanket". It didn't matter if he was double or triple covered, everyone knew the ball was going to Sterling. Unfortunately, the whole premise of the "West Coast Offense" is to distribute the ball to the open man by going through a series of progressions. For Favre, the progressions were 1- Sharpe, 2- Sharpe, 3- Sharpe and 4- Probable INT. Sharpe unfortunately had a serious back injury that cut his career short, but, in retrospect, it was the best thing that ever happened to Favre because it forced him to learn to run the "West Coast" offense they way it was intended to be run.

Even when Brett was playing at a MVP level, the Packers only got over the hump when they signed Reggie White as a free agent. I honestly believe that, if the Packers never signed White, they would have never won a Super Bowl under Favre's tenure. The Packers needed a presence in that locker room to offset Favre's "wild & crazy" ways. It was a perfect balance not to mention that White, at that time, was the most dominant defensive lineman in the game. White made the Packers defense as dangerous as the Packers offense. When I think about the Packers winning the Super Bow,l I don't think about Brett Favre throwing a strike to Andre Rison on their first offensive play or Desmond Howard running back a kickoff for a touchdown. It was Reggie White simply destroying the New England left tackle with the "hump" move and sacking Drew Bledsoe twice to seal the deal in the Super Bowl.

You cannot underestimate how much Reggie White is responsible for Brett's being seen as one of the greatest winners ever as opposed to another Dan Marino.

4- Party Like A RockStar

This is the part of the story you definitely won't see on ESPN and, if you do, it will be twisted into something positive when it really isn't. At a time when we are crucifying Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds for their use of HGH and steroids to become better athletes, you won't see anyone criticizing Favre for using prescriptions pain killers in excess to make sure he could play on Sundays.

You won't see anyone criticize Favre for getting illegal refills on those painkillers. You won't see anyone criticize Favre for admitting, early in his career, he would much rather get drunk than study the playbook. It is a reality and, if you are going to show all the good, you must speak on the bad. I applaud Favre for overcoming his addictions. But the fact of the matter is that, for a very long time, Favre was a much worse teammate and person than the T.O.'s and Chad Johnson's of the league that the media are so quick to criticize these days. I admire anyone who has the guts, as Favre had, to admit to having a problem. But the halo that some fans have around his head was only good for a cup holder for his drinks not too long ago. So, lets have some perspective with the "holier-than-thou" act.

5- The Downfall

I have said this for many many many years. Sorry if I am being redundant. But, from the time he was not able to lead his team to a game tying TD drive in the Super Bowl against the Broncos, his career was never the same. From 1998-2006, a Favre season went basically like this:

A- A few memorable plays that only Brett Favre could make.
B- A so-so regular season (usually 9-7 or 10-6)
C- A killer INT thrown in at least half of those losses and normally a choke job in the playoffs.

Be it allowing Michael (pre-pitbull) Vick and the Falcons to become the first team to beat the Packers in Lambeau field to throwing 6 INTs in the playoff game against the Rams or throwing a horrible INT in OT against the Eagles, Brett Favre killed the Packers. Granted they would not have been any good without him. But, they weren't losing in spite of him, they were losing because of him. This was extremely underreported by the media. Nevertheless, those who played close attention saw what was happening even if the Favre Disciples would never admit to it. The facts speak for themselves.

6- The Rebirth

Honestly, I did not expect anything different in 2007 from Favre than I had seen in the last 8 years, but I was wrong. Favre played, in my mind, his best season since his Super Bowl season of 1996. He was doing a lot of "Un-Favre" like things such as taking the "check down", not throwing killer INTs and playing smart. In the back of my mind, I always feared that the "Old Favre" would come back. When the Packers played the Cowboys in a battle of one-loss teams he played like the "Old Favre" which is a bad thing. But, he bounced back and played excellent ball the rest of the way.

I still couldn't shake the feeling that, when the playoffs started, he would revert. But then, he played such a masterful game against the Seahawks that I was finally convinced that he had changed permanently. I secretly said to myself that, if the Packers got to the Super Bowl, I would pick them because of the way he was playing, As quickly as my opinion had changed, the Packers played the Giants and we all know what happened (more on that later).

Brett Favre has provided some of the greatest and most inspirational highlights in the history of the NFL. I think we all remember where we were on the Monday night after his dad died when he had a magnificent performance against the Raiders. We all cheered him on as he played while knowing that his wife was fighting breast cancer. No one played the game with as much pure joy as Brett Favre. I loved watching him play just because you knew something exciting was going to happen, either good or bad. Favre is, no doubt, a first ballot Hall of Fame selection.

Brett Favre was a legendary NFL QB but just not as legendary as many think.

1- Joe Montana
2- John Elway
3- Dan Marino
4- Tom Brady
5- Peyton Manning
6- John Unitas
7- Steve Young
8- Troy Aikman

I would rather have any of these QBs before Brett Favre because, while spectacular is great for the ESPN highlight, it doesn't necessarily win games. The end of the 2007 season is a perfect illustration of why you love Brett Favre, but also while, in my mind, he could have even been better. He had a magnificent season and provided us with highlights that we will be watching for years to come. But when it mattered the most and his team needed him to lead them to the Super Bowl, he threw the last of many mind boggling INT to the Giants Corey Webster. That lead to the Giants, not the Packers, going to the Super Bowl. In the end, that is what I will remember most about "God" Favre.

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149 Comments

By Brett Favre on March 5, 2008 12:04 AM

I love you to Littal

By Terrance on March 5, 2008 11:46 AM

Great article this is the type of stuff I expect from BSO

By Dan Marino on March 5, 2008 11:47 AM

I hate him for breaking all of my records

By Heinken on March 5, 2008 11:47 AM

I know you want to take a drink come on brett

By Packer Nation on March 5, 2008 12:15 PM

whitesportsonline would have never wrote anything like this

By Joe Montana on March 5, 2008 12:25 PM

yeah i am much better

By Trevor on March 5, 2008 12:36 PM

You can not like Brett Favre and/or pick any QB you'd like over him, but the bottom line is this:

1976-1991 (16 seasons prior to his arrival), the Packers were 97-143-4

3 seasons in that 17 year span they had a winning
record. 1 of those seasons (1978), they were 8-7-1.

1982 was a strike shortened season and that was
another one of their winning records at 5-3-1.

That's 3 winning seasons, 13 losing seasons.

1992-2007 (16 seasons with): 161-95

1 losing season with Brett.

He didn't play all of those years with Reggie White and he never had an All-Pro caliber player beside him aside from Sterling Sharpe and Ahman Green.

You can't compare Brett favre to Barry Bonds because Favre was a man and admitted to the world what he did. Bonds is just a liar and now holds a sacred record over a true legend in Hank Aaron.

By James on March 5, 2008 1:10 PM

I think the article makes an important point when speaking on Brett Favre. He should have won more Super Bowls. Arguably he had at least 5 or 6 teams capable of winning the Super Bowl and just won 1.

I think the Barry Bonds comparison is fair in terms of the media coverage

By NFL Draft Countdown on March 5, 2008 1:35 PM

I believe the Packers had the talent to get to at least 1 or 2 more Super Bowls if Farve wouldnt gunsling it and played like he did in 07.

By Aaron Rogers on March 5, 2008 2:13 PM

So what am I suppose do now?

By TJ on March 5, 2008 2:19 PM

Your list of QB's....LOL....shows how much you really know.... :/

instead of being a down right biased writer, how bout you be more informative.

GG, article blows just like you do to your dad.

By James on March 5, 2008 2:21 PM

TJ that was very tasteless. and you didn't point out anything that he said was wrong

By Common Sense on March 5, 2008 2:24 PM

I dont understand how you can not put Brett in your top 10, it goes beyond principle not to put him in. Just keep hating on how phenomenal players defeat all the odds put before them. I dont want to hear about vicodin this alcohol that. You haters just envy what you CAN NEVER HAVE. Thats why you hate on him because what ever was thrown at him he overcame and prevailed minus the super bowls he should have won.

By Brett Favre on March 5, 2008 3:44 PM

How dare you not put me in your top 10. If you werent retarded you would be able to look at stats and see I am the greatest. U have Fucking Dan Marino at number 3 lets see I beat all of his records and the chump never got a ring. And dont be hating cuz I like to get my drink on. You think I am the only player in the L that drinked open up your dam eyes and get learn some common sense.

P.S. White Sports online is a way better site the this garbage, they actually have common sense and a college education!

By 4 on March 5, 2008 3:59 PM

First, it was a neck injury to Sterling Sharpe. Second, it was the 2nd offensive play of the game he threw the touchdown on.

There's no way Steve Young and Troy Aikman are greater. Besides, how is Young over Aikman when Aikman won more rings during the exact same career period?

By NFL Draft on March 5, 2008 5:16 PM

I'd be willing to put Farve 3-5

1. Elway
2. Brady
3. Farve
4. Montana (always had stellar talent around him)
5. P. Manning (more SBs gets him higher)
6. Marino

I didnt know where Unitas would fit in... probably 3rd looking back but this is a rough list

By Robert Littal on March 5, 2008 6:33 PM

For those that can't count I have Favre at #9...Meaning he is in the top 10

By Harry on March 5, 2008 7:39 PM

Anybody who has Favre ahead of Montana is on crack

By Joe Natham on March 5, 2008 9:39 PM

Not as good as me

By Lawrence on March 6, 2008 8:06 AM

No top 10 ten for Warren Moon? Wow, he deserves that seeing that you ranked Marino so high based on stats alone, check Warren's. Aikmen? No way he's top ten, he's not even in the same league as those other qb's in your list, Terry Bradshaw is just as deserving as Aikmen, "good" but not "great" qb's on great teams.

By 4 on March 6, 2008 1:24 PM

Explain your reasoning for putting Aikman, Young, and Marino ahead of Favre...your credibility's lacking.

By Kent on March 6, 2008 5:00 PM

The career stats alone puts Favre ahead of Marino. But also add in that Favre actually quarterbacked a winning Super Bowl team, and coached another Super Bowl team later in his career. Marino's lone Super Bowl appearance came early, and he never made it back. Plus Marino had to throw all over the place since he never had a bell cow runner behind him. And Young sat for a lot of years before Montana left. I'm still trying to figure out how he got in the HOF, especially on the first ballot.

By Robert Littal on March 6, 2008 5:57 PM

Being a QB is not just about stats. It is about intangibles and more importantly not making the big mistake which Favre made time and time and time again. That is why I have those QBs rated ahead of him.

By 4 on March 6, 2008 10:36 PM

What intangibles did Marino have that Favre didn't? an 8-10 playoff record? 8-10 in a weak AFC? Steve Young's intangibles didn't stop Favre from leading his underdog team to beating Young's favored Niners year after year in the playoffs. Aikman's intangibles are named HOF Emmitt Smith, HOF Michael Irvin, and a huge o-line. Some stats are overrated, and some aren't. Wins can't be overrated. Neither can leading the Packers to the highest winning percentage over the stretch of his career, or the fact that the Packers were the last team in the up and down free agency era to have a sub-.500 season (and that was 2 years ago, 13 years after free agency started)

By Robert Littal on March 7, 2008 12:13 AM

I am waiting on 1 person to refute the fact that in the biggest games of his career more times than not he was the reason the packers lost.

The facts are the facts. Great QB, Great Stats, Great Wins, but for the last decade he has choked up in big games. If I had to win 1 game I would be much more comfortable with those other 8 QBs and deep down you would be too.

By 4 on March 7, 2008 3:07 PM

Marino never won a big game, so I'm not more comfortable with him. Maybe I take Young if he has Rice, but then again, Favre wins the playoff head to head record. I take Aikman if he has the other two triplets. So are you taking those other guys by themselves over Favre by himself?

By Robert Littal on March 7, 2008 5:33 PM

If the teams were equal I am more confident those 8 guys would not make the crucial mistake that Favre has always made

By 4 on March 9, 2008 3:19 PM

when things were even close to equal (1995-1997 when the Pack had their most talented team) Favre won 3 mvps and went to back to back Super Bowls. Young won his Super Bowl when? When the Niners bought Deion and a number of other high priced free agents to go along with Jerry Rice. Troy had the triplets. Things have NEVER been equal, Favre has always done more with less.

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