Bond
07-01-2003, 08:26 PM
NFC Notes: Fading Favre?
by Rick Kamla - Senior Editor, Fanball.com
Tuesday, July 1, 2003
It seems like yesterday I was watching the Packers on a Sunday afternoon back in the early 90s when I first saw this crazy gunslinger named Brett Favre running all over the place, breaking his receiver’s fingers, and keeping both teams in the game.
It seems like yesterday I was listening to then Packers' head coach Mike Holmgren explain to the media how his immature but obviously talented quarterback was going to need a little more seasoning before all the picks morphed to tricks.
It was yesterday when it finally dawned on me that 2003 might actually be Brett Favre’s final season in the NFL.
Up until yesterday I had completely disregarded all of this “nonsense” about Favre retiring, calling it “presumptuous gossip designed to sell papers.” But that was before I read the following quote from King Cheese himself.
"In some ways, I have thought about retirement," he admitted to the Biloxi Sun Herald while hosting a golf tournament over the weekend. "I know I can play three more years, but I don't now if that's what I want. This time last year, I was dead set on retiring after the (2002) season and when it came to an end, I changed my mind. Who knows, I may be dead set on retiring next year at this time. Only I will know when it's time.”
Great. Is it not enough that San Antonio Spurs’ sniper Steve Kerr is contemplating retirement? Is it not enough that Britney Spears is on sabbatical? Now I have to ponder the sobering prospect of our beloved NFL without Fav-rah?
You might as well bring on the apocalypse. I don’t know if I’m strong enough to handle any more negativity.
Ah, but if you think I’m taking this speculation a little hard, you have no idea. Favre’s quotes have sent Wisconsin into a nervous state of panic. And you know what happens when a state full of drinkers gets nervous, don’t you?
My sources tell me Packer fans have taken their public urination to embarrassing new lows. Public sinks from Poplar to Racine are being soiled as we speak. Making matters worse, the epidemic has spread to drinking fountains, trashcans, and convertibles.
In exchange for that mortifying information, my sources made me promise to publish the following invitation from Wisconsin Governor-elect Jim Doyle. I’m a man of my word, so here you go.
“Hi. I’m Jim Doyle, Governor of the great state of Wisconsin. If you love the smell of Iowa in the summertime, you need to pack up the kids and head up to Wisconsin for the Fourth of July. We’ll smell you later.”
Packer fans need to look at the bright side. If this is truly Favre’s final season, at least you’ll have Akili Smith and Eric Crouch to fight for the right to succeed him. (And Bronco fans thought they had it bad when Brian Griese was picked to succeed John Elway.)
Speaking of Elway, just where does Favre rank among the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history? Is he better than Elway? Or Montana? Or Marino? Let’s find out.
(Note: Players are listed with their primary team.)
10. Dan Fouts, Chargers: Fouts was one of my faves growing up. Who didn’t love Air Coryell? He ranks fifth in yards and 10th in TD passes, but never made it to a Super Bowl.
9. Jim Kelly, Bills: No other quarterback has taken his team to four straight Super Bowls, and Kelly ranks 12th in yards and 15th in TDs.
8. Steve Young, 49ers: Young has three rings, including one as a starter when he threw for a Super Bowl-record six touchdown passes against the Chargers. BYU ranks 17th in TDs and 19th in yards.
7. Warren Moon, Oilers: Moon never made it to the big game, but he ranks third in yards and fifth in TD passes. And if you include his CFL stats, he would rank first in both categories with 73,333 yards and 463 TD passes.
6. Fran Tarkenton, Vikings: No rings here, either, but Fran ranks second in TD passes and fourth in yards.
5. Johnny Unitas, Colts: Ironically, Johnny U didn’t win a Super Bowl until 1971, when he was way past his prime. He ranks sixth in TDs and eighth in yards.
4. Dan Marino, Dolphins: How sick are you of the cliché “best to never win a major”? Forget Phil Mickelson and major championships for a second and give Marino props for ranking first in TDs and yards.
3. Brett Favre, Packers: That’s right, Packer fans, I have Favre ranked ahead of Marino and Unitas. Are you happy now? All kidding aside, Favre ranks third in touchdowns and sixth in yards, and he has a ring. With a typical performance in 2003, he will move past Fouts into fifth place for passing yards.
2. John Elway, Broncos: Fourth in TD passes, second in yards, first in broken fingers. Plus, after winning his second straight Super Bowl, he walked away on top.
1. Joe Montana, 49ers: Montana is seventh in yards and touchdowns, but first in the most important category: rings. In winning four Super Bowls, Montana had a spotless TD-INT ratio of 11-0.
If there is a fantasy slant to all of this, it’s that keeper-league owners had better think long and hard about retaining players like Ahman Green, Donald Driver, and Bubba Franks. In terms of the 2003 season, however, I am not worried about Green, Driver, Franks, or Favre. In fact, I’d be happy to have any of those players on my teams.
Some of you may be wondering if Favre can keep his fabled consecutive games streak going?
Like Cal Ripken, Jr., Favre is a storybook player. By definition he is supposed to go out on his terms. And like Ripken, Favre is a physical freak. Last year’s knee injury proved you simply cannot break the man. I’m more worried about the sky falling than Favre missing a game.
So prepare yourself for another 3,800 yards and 25 TDs from Favre, and be sure to savor every throw, every fist pump, and every smile. Before you know it, yesterday will be all we have.
------------------------------
Favre's house is up for sale too. It's only a million. I don't like the house that much myself though.
by Rick Kamla - Senior Editor, Fanball.com
Tuesday, July 1, 2003
It seems like yesterday I was watching the Packers on a Sunday afternoon back in the early 90s when I first saw this crazy gunslinger named Brett Favre running all over the place, breaking his receiver’s fingers, and keeping both teams in the game.
It seems like yesterday I was listening to then Packers' head coach Mike Holmgren explain to the media how his immature but obviously talented quarterback was going to need a little more seasoning before all the picks morphed to tricks.
It was yesterday when it finally dawned on me that 2003 might actually be Brett Favre’s final season in the NFL.
Up until yesterday I had completely disregarded all of this “nonsense” about Favre retiring, calling it “presumptuous gossip designed to sell papers.” But that was before I read the following quote from King Cheese himself.
"In some ways, I have thought about retirement," he admitted to the Biloxi Sun Herald while hosting a golf tournament over the weekend. "I know I can play three more years, but I don't now if that's what I want. This time last year, I was dead set on retiring after the (2002) season and when it came to an end, I changed my mind. Who knows, I may be dead set on retiring next year at this time. Only I will know when it's time.”
Great. Is it not enough that San Antonio Spurs’ sniper Steve Kerr is contemplating retirement? Is it not enough that Britney Spears is on sabbatical? Now I have to ponder the sobering prospect of our beloved NFL without Fav-rah?
You might as well bring on the apocalypse. I don’t know if I’m strong enough to handle any more negativity.
Ah, but if you think I’m taking this speculation a little hard, you have no idea. Favre’s quotes have sent Wisconsin into a nervous state of panic. And you know what happens when a state full of drinkers gets nervous, don’t you?
My sources tell me Packer fans have taken their public urination to embarrassing new lows. Public sinks from Poplar to Racine are being soiled as we speak. Making matters worse, the epidemic has spread to drinking fountains, trashcans, and convertibles.
In exchange for that mortifying information, my sources made me promise to publish the following invitation from Wisconsin Governor-elect Jim Doyle. I’m a man of my word, so here you go.
“Hi. I’m Jim Doyle, Governor of the great state of Wisconsin. If you love the smell of Iowa in the summertime, you need to pack up the kids and head up to Wisconsin for the Fourth of July. We’ll smell you later.”
Packer fans need to look at the bright side. If this is truly Favre’s final season, at least you’ll have Akili Smith and Eric Crouch to fight for the right to succeed him. (And Bronco fans thought they had it bad when Brian Griese was picked to succeed John Elway.)
Speaking of Elway, just where does Favre rank among the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history? Is he better than Elway? Or Montana? Or Marino? Let’s find out.
(Note: Players are listed with their primary team.)
10. Dan Fouts, Chargers: Fouts was one of my faves growing up. Who didn’t love Air Coryell? He ranks fifth in yards and 10th in TD passes, but never made it to a Super Bowl.
9. Jim Kelly, Bills: No other quarterback has taken his team to four straight Super Bowls, and Kelly ranks 12th in yards and 15th in TDs.
8. Steve Young, 49ers: Young has three rings, including one as a starter when he threw for a Super Bowl-record six touchdown passes against the Chargers. BYU ranks 17th in TDs and 19th in yards.
7. Warren Moon, Oilers: Moon never made it to the big game, but he ranks third in yards and fifth in TD passes. And if you include his CFL stats, he would rank first in both categories with 73,333 yards and 463 TD passes.
6. Fran Tarkenton, Vikings: No rings here, either, but Fran ranks second in TD passes and fourth in yards.
5. Johnny Unitas, Colts: Ironically, Johnny U didn’t win a Super Bowl until 1971, when he was way past his prime. He ranks sixth in TDs and eighth in yards.
4. Dan Marino, Dolphins: How sick are you of the cliché “best to never win a major”? Forget Phil Mickelson and major championships for a second and give Marino props for ranking first in TDs and yards.
3. Brett Favre, Packers: That’s right, Packer fans, I have Favre ranked ahead of Marino and Unitas. Are you happy now? All kidding aside, Favre ranks third in touchdowns and sixth in yards, and he has a ring. With a typical performance in 2003, he will move past Fouts into fifth place for passing yards.
2. John Elway, Broncos: Fourth in TD passes, second in yards, first in broken fingers. Plus, after winning his second straight Super Bowl, he walked away on top.
1. Joe Montana, 49ers: Montana is seventh in yards and touchdowns, but first in the most important category: rings. In winning four Super Bowls, Montana had a spotless TD-INT ratio of 11-0.
If there is a fantasy slant to all of this, it’s that keeper-league owners had better think long and hard about retaining players like Ahman Green, Donald Driver, and Bubba Franks. In terms of the 2003 season, however, I am not worried about Green, Driver, Franks, or Favre. In fact, I’d be happy to have any of those players on my teams.
Some of you may be wondering if Favre can keep his fabled consecutive games streak going?
Like Cal Ripken, Jr., Favre is a storybook player. By definition he is supposed to go out on his terms. And like Ripken, Favre is a physical freak. Last year’s knee injury proved you simply cannot break the man. I’m more worried about the sky falling than Favre missing a game.
So prepare yourself for another 3,800 yards and 25 TDs from Favre, and be sure to savor every throw, every fist pump, and every smile. Before you know it, yesterday will be all we have.
------------------------------
Favre's house is up for sale too. It's only a million. I don't like the house that much myself though.