Brett Favre Cult Culture: The Decline of America

The saddest sight at the Lambeau Field Favre-apalooza was the slightly chubby chick and her balding male counterpart holding up a sign proclaiming their undying love for Brett Favre.

Apparently the couple believed leaving the community of Packer fans for a declaration of undying love for one NFL football player would somehow connect them with the celebrity of the player.

One imagines the chubby chick would see herself as 10 pounds lighter in the mirror tomorrow if only Favre would acknowledge her love and devotion as displayed by her sign.

Perhaps her undying Favre love will somehow connect her to Favre’s $12 million Viking’s contract and Favre’s expressed wish tonight in a post-game press conference to win a Super Bowl for the Vikings.

We are a warring species. Even as we admire the truth of Plato: “Only the dead have seen the end of the war,” we contend we mount the cannons only because we have seen the future. And aren’t cannons always part of man’s future?
 
Professional and collegiate sports allow us to participate in pretend wars and hone our fierce instincts to protect all of that which we perceive as us. If our warring sports teams fail, few, if any, will die today in our phony war.

We wear certain team colors and chant mantras in support of certain teams as a way to declare war on those who would slap the milk from our thirsty lips.

When we cry “DEE-FENCE”, “DEE-FENCE”, it is in the nature of all hymns: We come to give praise to what we believe, disparage the enemy, and, give up all our prejudices and quirks as long as we can voice our cheers along with other community others in honor of this fake war between us and whoever is them.

In various stadia like Lambeau Field, our collective voices stamp us as us, and us as community, and us as part of whomever us is.

But then come men like Brett Favre, who says my us isn’t you. Favre’s community is a lot smaller than Packer Fan nation: his community is him and his wife and his kids. Favre was never a warrior for Packer Nation. He was a warrior for his nation.

Now he pretends to war for the Viking nation, but, in the end, he wars for the GreenBack nation; nothing less, but maybe something more if he gets a percentage ownership in a new Vikings stadium?

When popular talk show hosts wish failure for U.S. Presidents, when professional athletes remind you again, and again, and again “It’s a Business,” when two U.S. political parties spend more time raising money than debating policy just to stay in power, and when despots are given lifetime rule, we understand the Packer chubby-chick Favre fan is recognizing we can’t even come together as a community in the pretend war of sports.

One can excuse Favre. He has extended family to support financially and he has never pretended to be anything other than a guy who believes the world is about him.

Poor Chubby Chick. She hitches her star to a celebrity by virtue of a sign. The sign proclaims love for a celebrity Chubby Chick’s community now abhors.

Chubby Chick believes Favre might actually notice or even care about her sign. She hopes a quarterback who left the Packers after 16 years, played for the Jets another year, then signed with the Packers’ arch enemy the Vikings for $12 million annually, would give a crap what Chubby thought.

It’s likely Chubby Chick gave money to various Favre charities, defended Favre when he threw interceptions in a few playoff games, and believes Favre would actually care about who she is if he actually knew who she is. 

Of course, there are hundreds of Chubby Chicks wearing purple and hunkering down in the Metrodome for every Viking home game who believe the same thing now that Favre is playing for the Vikings.

The celebrity adulation of one player on a team isn’t anything new but has vaulted to extremes in the past decade. Brand it one manifestation of the continued dumbing down of America.

Some folks can’t select a favored player without the incessant hype machines of sports media, and others lack the intelligence to understand the games and the reasons the guy who scores the most points might not be the most valuable player on the team.

Favre wants to win a Super Bowl this year but anyone who believes he wants to win it for the Vikings, or the Vikings fans, or Favre fans, is naive. He wants to win it for him.

Favre is the ultimate celebrity for celebrity worshippers: he worships himself. He is of the new American culture, which idolizes self.

Football IS like war: lots of idiots on the sidelines and in the stands.

Read more Minnesota Vikings news on BleacherReport.com

Brett Favre Proves Revenge Is a Dish Best Served at Lambeau

In Brett Favre’s second comeback news conference, he stated playing for the Minnesota Vikings was not about revenge. Only Favre himself knows if the statement was true or not.

Still, the Vikings 30-23 win in Minnesota in week four made the rematch in Green Bay that much bigger. Minnesota had not swept the Packers since 2005, and Green Bay could show the home fans they made the right choice in Aaron Rodgers.

In Favre’s first return to Lambeau Field as a visitor, his numbers were outstanding. Favre completed 17-of-28 passes for 244 yards and four touchdowns.

Aaron Rodgers, Favre’s counterpart, played just as good as the future Hall-of-Famer. Rodgers completed 26 of 41 passes for 287 yards and three touchdowns.

The current Packers quarterback had more passing yards than the former Packers quarterback primarily because Green Bay was playing from behind for the most part. Minnesota was able to build a 17-3 lead at the half.

To start the second half, the Vikings took the opening kickoff and marched down field to take a 24-3 lead. Just when it looked to be a Minnesota blowout, the Packers came storming back.

Rodgers led the Packers to 17 unanswered points in the third quarter to make the score 24-20 in favor of the Vikings heading in to the fourth quarter. The Green Bay comeback had all the momentum swinging to the home sideline.

That is when No. 4 did what he used to do for the Packers for so many years. Favre lead the Vikings down for a touchdown two minutes into the fourth quarter for a 31-20 lead.

Rodgers, not to be outdone, brought Green Bay right down the field three minutes later for a touchdown to cut the lead to 31-26 after a two-point conversion failed. The aging gunslinger put the final nail in his old team’s coffin with another touchdown with less than four minutes to go for the 38-26 win.

Looking closely at the numbers, there are several reasons why Minnesota won this football game. The first reason was pressure on the quarterback.

The Vikings were able to hit Rodgers 10 times, compared to just four hits the Packers managed on Favre. The biggest number was the number of sacks for both teams. The Vikings had six sacks, and the Packers were not able to sack Favre once.

Another reason for the Packers’ loss has to be the lack of a running game. Rodgers was the leading rusher for Green Bay, with 52 yards on five carries. The bulk of Rodgers’ yards coming on a scramble for 35 yards in the fourth quarter.

While Rodgers led his team in rushing, Favre only had to hand the ball to Adrian Peterson to gain yards on the ground. Peterson was able to rush for 97 yards on 25 carries to lead Minnesota in rushing.

The Packers have to find a running game to ease some of the pressure off Rodgers. The Packers quarterback is already the most-hit signal-caller in the league, and if he has to be the running back as well he will not last the whole season.

The final reason for this Packers loss is easy. The job at returning kicks by Percy Harvin for Minnesota. Harvin had five kick returns for 175 yards, and three of his returns set-up a touchdown for Vikings.

Harvin has been an x-factor all season long for the Vikings. He even had a 51-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter while Minnesota was building its first half lead.

With both games against the Packers out of the way, bigger questions loom on the horizon. The Vikings have a bye week after this game, but how will Favre fare for the rest of the season?

Does Brett still care about the rest of this season after beating his old team twice this season? Is the ultimate revenge Favre can give himself a Super Bowl championship?

At 7-1 and with the second best record in the NFC—until the Saints play Monday—the Vikings and Favre will be watched closely all season long. The defense has to play two whole haves and Favre’s health could be an issue. Still, how much Brett wants to rub it in the Packers’ nose could be his major motivation.

The second fallout of this whole scenario could be the job security of Packers GM Ted Thompson, the man many believe sent Favre out of town. With every Vikings win and every Green Bay loss, all eyes must turn to Thompson.

Playing the “what-if” game, one has to wonder what will happen with Thompson if the Packers miss the playoffs and the Vikings make a deep playoff run, or win a championship. The heat will only increase with every step Minnesota takes to a playoff berth.

Thompson believes he has built a solid team, and Favre’s end-of-season “will he or won’t he” could no longer be tolerated. Thompson’s biggest fear has to be Favre having one more championship season left in him.

If Favre does win a championship, Thompson will not be alone in this and Packers head coach Mike McCarthy will be on the chopping block with him. Green Bay will have to choose a sacrificial lamb depending on how well the Vikings do this season.

On the other hand, Minnesota GM Rick Spielman and head coach Brad Childress look brilliant so far by taking a chance on Favre. Both will be safe as long as the Vikings make the playoffs and play for at least an NFC Championship.

Lost in all the Thompson versus Favre talk is Rodgers. Replacing a legend is hard, but replacing a legend who is still playing is even harder. Just ask Steve Young.

Rodgers will always be judged by what Favre did as a Packer. Every success the Vikings have only makes it harder for Rodgers to be completely accepted by Packers fans.

If Favre leads Minnesota to a title, even diehard Packers fans will always wonder what if Green Bay had kept No. 4 behind center. This team was so close in 2007 to a Super Bowl berth, another season missing the playoffs will only add more undue pressure on Rodgers.

Either way, Rodgers may not ever be as loved as Favre is in Green Bay. The only way to change those feelings is Brett not winning another Lombardi Trophy and Rodgers bringing one back to Green Bay himself.

Well, Rodgers had better make that two Lombardi Trophies. The NFL is always about one-upping the other guy. So far, Favre is up 3-0, two wins this season, and one NFL championship. 

Read more Minnesota Vikings news on BleacherReport.com

How Could You Boo the Lambeau Leaper?

How could Green Bay fans boo Brett Favre in HIS house?

Wasn’t it primarily Favre who transformed this franchise from loser to victor?

How could what sounded like the majority of fans boo him when he trotted on to the field?

After all, he’ll go into the Hall with Green Bay’s own colors. Will they boo him then?

On the way to the stadium, Favre also saw some one-fingered salutes, yet he spoke with a smile and a slight laugh when recounting that after the game.

That’s class.

Up until about two years ago, I had been a Favre fan when he wasn’t playing against my Niners.

I admired him for coming back from a painful stomach problem that resulted from an auto accident, dealing honestly and very publicly with a prescription pill problem, helping his wife battle through breast cancer, and playing an out-of-this-world game so soon after his beloved father died.

And then the retirement-unretirement melodrama, the tears, the Fox interview, all the media attention, etc., and that bitterness from those past defeats to Green Bay came to the surface of this 49ers Faithful.

I jumped on the anti-Favre bandwagon.

Regrettably.

Watching him this year, and losing on a last-second bullet from Favre in Minnesota, reminded me of of this guy’s uniqueness.

I don’t think he is the best quarterback ever. It is enough to say Favre is one of the best ever. Where fans and “experts” put him is where they put him.

Tonight he showed what a champion should play like, and he showed how a champion should respond to what were really lame media attempts that basically begged him to say something controversial about Green Bay.

Call it being smart or showing class, or both, Favre didn’t bite.

I also admired him for the emotion he showed when asked how it felt like to talk to his former teammates and coaches after the game. He choked up.

Penetrating my thick head was the realization that this guy just wants to play ball, just like I did when I was much younger. Since he is a world-class athlete, he can do it.

So he sheds some tears. Big deal. He’s real.

And no one can say the guy isn’t tough. In fact, I’ll say this: Favre is the most-durable  quarterback of all time in any league.

It’s Favre’s emotion—that deeply felt love for the game and knowing Father Time is ticking—that led to the retirement drama.

No longer a Favre detractor nor a Favre naysayer, I can see that all the negative written about Favre says more about us than it does about him.

Lastly, I hope he takes Minnesota to the Super Bowl and gets another Lombardi. If any NFL player ever deserved it more, I cannot think of one.

Read more Minnesota Vikings news on BleacherReport.com

Sunday Morning Under the Helmet: What to Watch for in NFL Week Eight

Week Eight is the halfway point in the NFL regular season. It has been an eventful first half full of surprises, shockers, and disappointments.

In the first half, we saw Tom Brady struggle, but then rebound. We saw the Denver Broncos go 6-0 and the Tennessee Titans 0-6.

We saw Cedric Benson emerge as a top running back and Jake Delhomme forget how to play. The Detroit Lions won a game and the St. Louis Rams are making their push for 0-16.

Those are just a few of the things we saw in the first half. What’s in store for the second half? More importantly what will we see in Week Eight?  Take a look:

 

Matchup of the Week: Minnesota Vikings (6-1) at Green Bay Packers (4-2)

Today, Brett Favre makes his return to Lambeau Field where he played for 16 seasons with the Green Bay Packers.

On that field he won games, shattered records and built a great legacy.

As a Packer he was loved, and looked up to. He was the definition of a fan favorite.

Now, just two years after his ugly divorce from the team, Favre will step foot onto the Frozen Tundra once again. But this time he’s wearing Viking purple and could maybe, just maybe, hear some boos.

In their Week Four matchup at the Metrodome, the Vikings beat Green Bay 30-23 in what was the most watched cable television program ever.

In that game, Favre threw for 271 yards and three touchdowns. His counterpart, Aaron Rodgers, tallied 384 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.

The difference in that game was the performances by the offensive lines.

Favre rarely had pressure on him and had plenty of time to stand in the pocket and make smart decisions and good throws. Rodgers didn’t quite enjoy the same protection, as he was sacked eight times and hurried even more.

If the Packers have any chance to tie the season series they will have to protect Rodgers much better this time around.

Since that Week Four battle the Vikings are 2-1 and coming off a heart-breaking 27-17 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in last weekend’s game of the week .

The Packers are 2-0 since Week Four including last week’s 31-3 stomping of the sad Cleveland Browns.

But all that is in the past now and doesn’t matter anymore.

Forget 6-1 vs. 4-2, forget all the Favre mania.

This is a midseason matchup between two division rivals with a playoff atmosphere.

 

Keys to the game

-Brett Favre’s nerves

-Which O-line protects their QB better

-Can Minnesota’s defense slow down Aaron Rodgers?

-Ryan Grant vs. Adrian Peterson

Predicition: Vikings win 23-20 in OT

 

 

Small Names, Big Games

Here, we will take a look at three non-superstars who will post big numbers in Week Eight.

 

Spencer Havner (TE, Green Bay)

With Jermichael Finley listed as doubtful with a sprained knee, the Packers could call on Spencer Havner to play a significant role in their offense vs. the Vikings this afternoon.

Last week, Havner caught two passes for 59 yards including a 45-yard touchdown in the second quarter. On the season, he has four catches for 89 yards and that one touchdown.

Havner, a converted linebacker, goes against the Vikings this afternoon and could have his fair share of success.

The Vikings defense has struggled against tight ends this season. On four occasions an opposing tight end has either led his team or was tied for the lead in receptions against Minnesota.

Those performances include Vernon Davis’ 96 yards and two touchdowns on seven catches in Week Three and Finley’s six receptions for 128 yards and one touchdown back in week four.

If Minnesota continues to struggle against tight ends, Havner could put up career highs this afternoon.

 

David Garrard (QB, Jacksonville)

Jaguars quarterback David Garrard has been inconsistent this season, but his Week Eight matchup makes him a candidate for a big game.

Garrard goes against the 0-6 Tennessee Titans who rank last against the pass.

In Week Four against the Titans, Garrard threw for 323 yards and three touchdowns in a 37-17 blowout win.

Expect similar numbers from Garrard today.

 

Zach Miller (TE, Oakland)

In his last three games against San Diego, Raiders tight end Zach Miller has combined for 19 catches for 255 yards and a score.

Miller goes against those Chargers this afternoon and could put up big numbers yet again.

In seven games this season Miller has 23 receptions for 369 yards and one touchdown including a 139 yard performance in week six vs. Philadelphia and 96 yards vs. those Chargers in the season opener.

Miller also leads all NFL tight ends with a 16-yard per catch average.

 

Oth ers To Watch: LeSean McCoy (RB, Philadelphia), Johnny Knox (WR, Chicago), Vince Young (QB, Tennessee)

 

Upset Alert!: Oakland (2-5) over San Diego (3-3)???

Last week San Diego trounced the Kansas City Chiefs 37-7 and the Raiders got shut out by the New York Jets 38-0.

So clearly the Raiders aren’t favored in this game.

However, they will win.

Despite the fact that San Diego has won 12 straight over the Raiders, Oakland has held a fourth-quarter lead in two of the last three matchups between these two teams including a 20-17 lead until 18 seconds remaining in week one.

It’s quite obvious, but the Raiders are going to need to have success on offense and start scoring some points if they plan to beat the Chargers today.

Oakland is averaging a 31st-ranked 8.9 points per game, a simply embarrassing statistic.

They’re also last in yards per game and average passing yards. In rushing yards they rank 26th.

To have that much needed success on offense the Raiders need to begin with rushing the ball. They’ve showed potential on the ground and they have a chance to break out against the Chargers defense which ranks 28th against the run.

JaMarcus Russell will also be a key factor on offense for the Raiders. Russell has struggled this season throwing for 891 yards, two touchdowns and eight interceptions. He has also fumbled five times.

Russell hit the ultimate low last week when he was benched in favor of Bruce Gradkowski after he turned the ball over three times in the first half.

It’s up to the Raiders defense to give their team a chance to win. Because of their lack of a passing attack and their clear offensive strength being the run game, Oakland’s defense needs to keep the game close so their offense doesn’t have to call on Russell too often.

The Raiders’ defense ranks 25th in points allowed per game, 12th against the pass and 30th against the run.

San Diego loves to throw the ball and are fourth in the league in passing so Oakland’s secondary better be at their best today.

Phillip Rivers will likely look to attack Chris Johnson’s side of the field with All-Pro cornerback Nnamdi Asomougha on the other side.

 

Keys for OAK

-Keep the game close

-Run the ball, run the ball, run…

-Stop Phillip Rivers and Vincent Jackson

-Protect the football, no turnovers!

Predicition: Raiders win 27-25

Read more Minnesota Vikings news on BleacherReport.com

Favreageddon: A Once in a Lifetime Opportunity We Get to Witness

There are few momentous sporting events that take place in our lifetime that we have the privilege to witness firsthand.

The Miami Dolphins completing their perfect season of 1972.

Mark McGwire and then Barry Bonds breaking the single season home run record (before we knew how they were able to).

Pretty much everything Michael Jordan ever did (except for his hall of fame speech).

This Sunday will see another of those as the Brett Favre, once the face and forever legend of the Green Bay Packers, returns to play his former team as a member of their most hated rival.

The events and backstories behind the scenes of this matchup are enough to create a Broadway show. Despite all that has been accomplished between Favre and the Pack, there are feelings of bitterness and resentment, as well as words being thrown back and forth then dismissed as out of context.

When asked about Favre’s motivation to come back, he gave the old political answer of just wanting to play and win a Super Bowl, but when a reporter asked why not just come back with the Jets, Favre didn’t have an excuse lined up, and merely said that it’s over with and to move on.

Now the teams have already played once this year, but in Minnesota. The Vikings stymied the Packers for a win, but Aaron Rodgers refused to go down without swinging. Even after being sacked and intercepted multiple times, he kept firing away. Maybe it’s a good thing these teams have played once already but not in Green Bay.

The feelings of Brett Favre’s return were at first mixed, but now after seeing him beat the Packers in a Vikings jersey, it is unanimous. And there is the burned and destroyed Favre memoribilia to prove it.

The team, organization, whole city and state, and Packer fans across the world are huddled for this game, an almost war if you will. The Vikings are in first place and up by two games. The Packers and specifically Aaron Rodgers NEED to win this game if nothing more than to justify the business move of not catering to Favre’s diva wishes to come back before training camp in 2008.

I think the pressure is more on the Packers than on Favre. Winning this game may be, er who am I kidding, IS more important than winning the Super Bowl, at least this year. Even if the Pack don’t make the playoffs and the Vikings win the Super Bowl, they could always brag that Favre couldn’t get it done IN Green Bay. But what if he does?

What if Brett Favre comes into the stadium he was worshipped in, wearing a Vikings jersey, throws for 300 yards, 4 touchdowns, does one of his celebratory knock down of players in an attempt to seem like he’s still young and cool, not to mention tries to throw a block on a Packers defender? Well, that isn’t as much of an issue if he is unable to beat the Packers IN Green Bay?

But how would the fans react? Unhappy is the least descriptive word. Can we expect beer bottles thrown onto the field ala the Cleveland Browns in 2001 on an unpopular call by the officials? What if it snows, and we could see snow balls hurled to the ground like in Giants Stadium back in 1995 (against the Chargers of all teams)?

However, one has to wonder, is this what Favre wanted all along? Even though we heard the almost as redundant statement “I’ve never taken steroids” that he was not interested in coming back again, the evidence tells a different story.

He booked several hotel rooms for this game back when he was still “retired.” He convinced the Jets to release him, which was the only way he’d get to play for any team in the NFC North (part of the clauses in the trade to the Jets).

Instead of signing with Minnesota right away, he manipulated the media as he has been doing into hyping it up. Then, waiting until after the Vikings actually play a preseason game, he decides to play for them. Therefore, other teams do not have as much time to study up on Favre as the Vikings quarterback and will not be as prepared for him.

Now other legendary players who left their original teams only to come back in another uniform have happened before. Alex Rodriguez was initially booed in Seattle with a Texas Rangers uniform on, but has since become an after thought. Mark Messier returned to New York as a member of the Canucks and was greeted with open arms. Michael Jordan, when he returned with the Washington Wizards, was not villified.

So why is this particular case of same guy, different shirt so emotionally different? Other than the whole reasoning of how this all happened (which really does play a hand in it), playing the position of quarterback in the NFL is different from any other position in any other sport.

What if John Elway came back to play in Denver wearing a Chiefs jersey? Or Peyton Manning playing in a Patriots jersey in Indianapolis?

I can only assume Favre will have extra security on hand. But since this is something he’s been planning since the summer of 2008, I’m sure he’s left no note unchecked.

Read more Minnesota Vikings news on BleacherReport.com

Packer Fans: It Takes a Waffle to Know a Waffle

For the past decade-and-a-half, Sunday afternoons in Wisconsin have sounded something like this:

“Our Favre,
Who art in Lambeau,
Hallowed be thine arm.
The bowl will come,
It will be won.
In (insert Super Bowl city here) as it is in Lambeau.
And give us this Sunday,
Our weekly win.
And give us many touchdown passes.
But do not let others pass against us.
Lead us not into frustration,
But deliver us to (insert Super Bowl city here).
For thine is the MVP, the best of the NFC,
and the glory of the Cheeseheads,
now and forever. Amen”

Well, at least 16 of the past 18 years.

This Sunday, when Favre’s Vikings (oh, you haven’t heard? Favre plays for the Vikings now…) goes to Green Bay to take on the Packers, there will be nothing but a hateful respect.

Meh, who am I kidding. It will be down-right, blinded by rage hate.

Green Bay mayor Jim Schmitt asked Packerland for “tasteful” ways to welcome the former Green Bay god back to Lambeau field. The itinerary for Sunday’s game includes waffle fries (reflecting on the quarterback’s retirement troubles) and has requested that fans wear flip-flops to the game.

Packer fan site cheeseheadtv.com wants to have a video montage of Favre’s interceptions, concluding with his last pass as a Packer, which was an interception in a 23-20 loss to the New York Giants in the 2007 NFC Championship Game. The Pack was 13-3 that season, which was tied for the best record during the Favre era.

They have even temporarily renamed Minnesota Ave in Green Bay to Aaron Rodgers Place.

Never mind that Favre broke every offensive passing record while with the Packers. Never mind the three consecutive MVP awards. Never mind a Green Bay’s first NFL championship in 30 years. Never mind that Green Bay had two winning seasons from 1970 to 1992. Never mind that Green Bay had one losing season from 1992-2007. Never mind that he is one of the most recognizable and respected NFL stars over the last 20 years.

Never mind that he still wanted to play for the Green Bay Packers when they traded him to the New York Jets in 2008.

If anything, Packer fans should be grilling Packers General Manager Ted Thompson for trading the legend in the first place. Favre has shown that he can still obviously play, going 15-8 since leaving the Pack.

If you think that that is interesting, read this:

On KFAN-1130 AM out of St. Louis Park, MN, radio host Dan Barreiro read an e-mail from a fan:

“Aaron is the second best quarterback ever in Green Bay after Bart Starr.”

I don’t know if this was a sincere e-mail from a sincere Packer fan, but it wouldn’t surprise me.

After all, last year’s 6-10 season is behind them. The Packers are 4-2, and one of their losses has come from Favre’s Vikings.

Last Wednesday, there was a long discussion on a local Milwaukee radio station debating A-Rodg’s bid for the Hall of Fame.

Are you kidding me? Obviously it is a case of withdrawal from trading one of the greatest quarterbacks ever. A-Rodg doesn’t have a winning record. He hasn’t won a playoff game, let alone made the playoffs.

Yes, you can argue that he has put up some lofty numbers, but how many legit teams has he beaten?

Rodgers has a career 10-12 record. In 2008 they beat the Lions twice (0-16), they beat the Seattle Seahawks (4-12). Yes he beat the Indianapolis Colts (12-4), the Chicago Bears (9-7), and the Vikings (10-6).

In 2009, off to their hot 4-2 start, they have beat the Chicago Bears (3-3), the Detroit Lions (1-5), the Cleveland Browns (1-6), and the St. Louis Rams (0-7), while they have lost to the Cincinnati Bengals (5-2) and the Vikings (6-1).

We will see what stage Rodgers is at when he plays the tougher part of his schedule (at Pittsburgh, vs. Baltimore, at Arizona) later during the season.

Favre is the only quarterback to have beaten every NFL franchise. 

In a August 2008 interview, Rodgers was quoted as saying, “The things I can’t understand and take personally is when I’m punching in my punch code and somebody says (bleep) you to me. It kinda bothers me. Or when a little kid is yelling swear words. That kinda gets to me.

“The boos, they expect a high level of play and they miss Brett Favre. I understand that. But the (bleep) you, and the little kids saying swear words to me? I don’t understand that. “

It has gone from there to Packer fans, being what they are (waffles) who used to wear at their quarterback now swear by him.

I have nothing against Aaron Rodgers. The guy is a class act and will probably have a good career.

But seriously, Packer fans. All the hype and all the pressure you are putting on this kid is way too much.

You used to have the greatest pressure-situation quarterback of all-time. And you traded him. Brett Favre only comes once in a lifetime. You could have had him for his entire non-bench-sitting career. He would have been remembered as a Packer and only a Packer.

But from now on, when you mention Brett Favre, the Vikings are going to come up.

And for Vikes fans, there is nothing sweeter than to have the best player in your franchise history extend all of his records and play for the “best team he (Favre) have ever played for”, have dramatic come-from-behind wins, be all over the media in Minnesota when you could have kept him in Green Bay.

The only explanation for the sudden Rodgers swing is having Favre in purple. Before, Packer fans didn’t care much. Favre was traded to New York. He was in the AFC.

But now he is back, and he is playing in the division.

The entire anti-Favre pro-Rodgers saga is a defense mechanism. Fans, in my opinion only love Rodgers to get back at Brett Favre.

It is love at second sight. And the only reason that it is love at second sight is that they are desperate.

Read more Minnesota Vikings news on BleacherReport.com

Minnesota Vikings Continue to Confound

Football can be a fickle game, sometimes.

Twice on Sunday, the Minnesota Vikings were inside the Pittsburgh Steelers‘ twenty-yard line, in the fourth quarter, and poised to take the lead (or at least tie the game).

Twice on Sunday, the Pittsburgh Steelers ended those drives with touchdowns of their own.

What goes around, comes around, so they say; and the breaks that had gone the Vikings way the previous couple of games most certainly did not go their way Sunday.

If a slightly suspect tripping penalty isn’t called…If Brett Favre‘s pass is a little lower and a millisecond later…If Chester Taylor catches a pass he should have and normally does…

Losses are going to happen, however.  This is a fact of football, even for that 16-0 Patriots team.

The confounding aspect of this loss is that it could have—and maybe should have—left Vikings’ fans feeling better about the team than last week’s win over Baltimore did.

The Vikings went to the defending Super Bowl champions’ homefield, against the number-two ranked pass offense and one of the best defenses—if not the best—in football, and outplayed them on 125 of the 127 plays.

Those two plays were pretty big, however, and the Vikings need to consider what put them in the situation to lose because of two plays.

Having a first-and-goal from the one-yard line and giving Adrian Peterson the ball only once is a good place to start.  

Brad Childress allows the team to get too cute sometimes, and that was definitely one of those situations.  For future reference, Brad: No team will stop Adrian four times at the one-yard line.  A defensive line of Joe Greene, Reggie White, Deacon Jones, and Alan Page wouldn’t stop Adrian four times from the one.

And yet the team got cute, threw two incompletions, settled for a field goal, and cut the Pittsburgh lead to three—instead of taking a one-point lead for themselves.

The end of the first half was a problem, too. Childress curiously kneeled the ball with one timeout and 24 seconds at the Minnesota 28-yard line, after a soft prevent-shell allowed Pittsburgh to go 91 yards in 1:15 for their only offensive touchdown of the game.

That drive—and a couple of disconcerting Rashard Mendenhall runs to the right scattered throughout the game—were the only problems the defense had Sunday.  

Other than that, Minnesota played arguably their best defensive game of the season.

The Vikings held Ben Roethlisberger to 159 net passing yards, and Hines Ward to one catch for three yards.  Pat Williams had his best game of the season, days after his 37th birthday; the combination of Karl Paymah and Benny Sapp played admirably in Antoine Winfield’s absence; and rookie Asher Allen was spectacular in his first NFL game.

Speaking of rookies: Percy Harvin, ladies and gentleman.  The Human Touchdown.  He is fun to watch, isn’t he?

Speaking of wide receivers: Sidney Rice, ladies and gentleman.  The Human Bungee Cord.  He is fun to watch, isn’t he?

There just really is not that much to get angry about, when you get down to it.  

Favre played the smart, veteran game pundits thought he couldn’t play anymore; the offensive line, despite some inconsistency in the run game, did an excellent job of pass protection for the most part.

The punter?  That’s it, pretty much.  Be angry at the punter, but it’s hard to get mad at the rest of the Vikings right now.

Minnesota’s next game against Green Bay is the more important game regarding the division and conference, and it might even be a must-win affair. But the Steelers game showed the Vikings how close they are to the elite level, and how two plays can be the difference.

Childress will have to learn to get out of his player’s way, and stop trying to out-maneuver the opposition in some mythical chess match he’s concocted in his mind.  Chris Kluwe will have to stop punting like he has a broken leg, and Ray Edwards will have to start playing up to his supposed potential at some point.

Otherwise, there ain’t much to feel down about.

Each week, Minnesota has taken another step towards looking like the Super Bowl team they want to be; be it the improved secondary this week despite the unavailable Winfield, or the ongoing maturation of Rice, or matching the defending Super Bowl champions hit for hit, play for play.  Almost.

If the breaks go one way, this team could be 4-3; they go another way, and the team could be 7-0.  That’s football, and the Vikings still don’t know how good they are, or could be. 

Either way, any Vikings fan should feel better about this team this week.

Even after a loss.

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Hey, Vikings Fans, Don’t Blame Brett Favre for This One

If you simply looked at the scoreboard and the fact that Brett Favre was at least partially responsible for two turnovers returned for touchdowns, you’d easily say that Favre blew it.

That he finally showed his “true colors” or that he “Favre-ed” this one.

If you truly believe this loss hangs on him, you’re sadly mistaken.

A closer look beyond the box score actually shows a hard-fought game that came down to two intense, meticulous drives led by Favre, which saw the Minnesota Vikings dink-and-dunk down the field twice in the final seven minutes in fantastic fashion.

Both drives saw the very best of Favre and the Vikings offense, as they completed pass after pass against what is still clearly one of the league’s better defenses.

The box score itself reads:

Brett Favre fumbled: LaMarr Woodley recovered fumble and returned for 77 yards; and

Keyaron Fox intercepted Brett Favre for 82 yards.

While you can’t discredit the Pittsburgh Steelers‘ aggressive pass rushing and ability to be where the ball is to make the play, it also wouldn’t be correct to simply assume that Favre lost the game on his own.

After a game-winning touchdown pass against the San Francisco 49ers and another clutch fourth quarter against the Baltimore Ravens in Week Six, Favre had restored his fizzled reputation of late-game heroics.

Despite two turnovers that would suggest otherwise, it was quite obvious on Sunday that Favre’s magic was still exuberant, even against the Steelers.

With less than seven minutes remaining, Favre and the Vikings marched down to Pittsburgh’s 23-yard line, trailing 13-10.

Favre dropped back, avoided the initial rush, and just as he was about to release the ball, had the ball knocked out of his hand from behind by Steelers lineman Brett Keisel.

While Favre did hold onto the ball after a pump fake and was at least partially responsible for the turnover, it was not a blatant fumble and was arguably credited more to the Steelers’ pressure on the offensive line.

The final play that decided the game can’t be blamed on Favre either.

Only the biggest of Favre haters will sit back and laugh at the future Hall of Famer while insinuating that he “blew” this game.

In all actuality, it was just plain old dumb luck…

To finish the rest of this article, go here.

Kevin Roberts is an official Brett Favre Examiner, covering one of the NFL‘s greatest quarterbacks and giving you the best editorials and coverage in what could be his final season.

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Drinking the Vikings Kool-Aid

I know the Vikings are 6-1. I know they have the best running back in the league. I know they have a (surprisingly) mistake free quarterback in Brett Favre. I know they have arguably a top-five defense.

I know all these things.

What I don’t know, however, is if I am ready to throw myself into this Vikings team. Unlike most Vikings fans, I don’t know if I am ready to drink the Kool-Aid.

This isn’t simply an overreaction to the Vikings’ first loss. I don’t think anyone expected the Vikings to even sniff an undefeated season – other than maybe Ron Jaworski and the Monday-Night-Favre-Lovers. I’m just choosing to approach this season with a level of cautious optimism, and there is one very simple reason for this.

1998.

We all remember the juggernaut that was the 1998 Minnesota Vikings. We all remember the mention of “greatest-of-all-time” offense. We all remember the 15-1 season. We all remember the certainty of a Super Bowl.

Everything about that 1998 team made a Super Bowl seem inevitable. Everybody felt it. We were drunk off the Kool-Aid and there was no turning back.

The 1998 Vikings were completely unstoppable–right up until they were stopped.

Unlike some fans, I have no illusions of comparing the 2009 Vikings to the 1998 Vikings. There is no comparison. The 1998 Vikings were better, and it wasn’t all that close. The 1998 offense was vastly superior. The defense, while hardly dominant, was solid. They even had a resident afraid-he-might-eat-me fat guy in Jerry Ball to rival Pat Williams.

With that said, the 2009 Vikings are still a very good team. It is highly likely they will make the playoffs, and they certainly have the talent to make a title run. I’m not claiming the Vikings can’t win the Super Bowl, a championship certainly seems plausible.

I’m just not ready to throw myself into Super Bowl mode for a team that hardly seems dominant. Let’s remember Brad Childress is still the coach, after all.

The season has been a success so far, and the Vikings are certainly establishing themselves as one of the championship contenders. I, however, will continue to approach this team with cautious optimism.

I remember how quickly the Kool-Aid can turn sour.

 

 

 

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Brett Favre Needs to Finish All Plays, Even the Bad Ones

At one point, it was really hard to hate Brett Favre. Unless you were a fan of his current opponent, there was something to love about Favre’s game. He’s been labeled a gunslinger, and it was that mentality that made many admire Favre.

Sure, he was turnover prone, but more so than not Favre has a tendency to will his team to victories. Even in defeat, you always felt Favre gave it his all.

Not anymore.

Favre’s reputation has taken quite a hit in the past two years.

First, there was the ugly divorce with Green Bay. The constant waffling on his retirement. His initial success, followed by collapse with the New York Jets. Another ugly divorce. More waffling. Final goodbye. And then he signed with the Vikings.

After a 6-0 start, all seemed forgiven. In fact, I can even probably get over Favre’s actions over the past two years. It’s not like the sporting world isn’t rife with egomaniacs.

But Favre’s actions in the loss to the Steelers, the Viking’s first of the year, are indefensible.

He’s in it just for himself.

It took all of two plays to show Favre’s true colors. Both resulted in Pittsburgh touchdowns.

In the first play, Favre was stripped of the ball. Linebacker LaMarr Woodley scooped up the ball. Yes, he had several blockers with him. But Favre made a feeble effort to get to him. When he failed, he jogged away from the play and stopped.

He stopped!

It’s one thing to be egotistical and constantly draw attention to yourself with the media. But it’s a completely different story to simply give up on a play.

Watch the replay. Several Vikings had caught up to the play by the time Woodley scored. Favre would not have made the tackle, but he could have slowed up Woodley enough to allow someone to catch up. Instead, he just jogged himself out of the play.

Favre does this again at the end of the game. When a screen pass intended for Chester Taylor ends up in Pittsburgh’s Keyaron Fox’s hands, Favre again gives up on the play.

Sure, he runs with them for awhile. Again, instead of trying to slow up the play, Favre slides. His slide had no hope of getting to Fox, but looked as if it were intended for one of Fox’s blockers.

I understand that Favre could risk injury by attempting to make a tackle. But for someone that has alienated two franchises in 24 months, you think he would do a little more to help his current franchise.

Instead, Favre showed the Vikings and his fans that he has no desire to sell himself out to save a play.

You’d think he’d be used to selling himself out by now.

 

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