40 and fabulous: a BrettFavre love story

Count me among the vast minority of people rooting like hell for BrettFavre to come back again this year.

 

It's not that I'm a Packers fan still burning a flame for Favre even though he left us. I'm not. It's not that I'm a Vikings fan, hoping Favre might finally get us over the hump. Not that either.

 

It's just that I don't care if someone's a little flakey. I don't care about their texts, posts, or tweets. I'm weird that way.

 

Actually, that's not really true. If he didn't deliver the goods, I'd probably care about all those things. I'd probably go on a rant about style over substance.

 

But Favre delivered like a 1950's milkman last year. Until he starts killing dogs in cruel and unusual ways or starts flipping out his own version of Big Ben's Tower of London, I'm willing to overlook the fact he's a little dramatic.

 

Back In 1992 I was going nuts living in a crappy cracker box apartment. One Sunday afternoon I was hanging out watching the Packers play the Bengals and a guy named Favre came off the bench early then connected on a long touchdown late for the victory.

 

After the game Packers coach Mike Holmgren gushed about what a great win it was, like it was all part of some grandmaster plan. It might have been his first win as a head coach.

 

I wasn't buying it. A backup quarterback came in off the bench and caught fire, I figured.  It happens once in a while.

 

But he kept doing it. Favre mania took off and never stopped. For whatever reason, whether it's his boyish unpretentious manner, free wheeling style, or some of his personal struggles that made him seem more human than the rest, no quarterback in the last 20 years has been quite as scrutinized ... or romanticized.

 

Like anyone else, I've been occasionally amazed at some of the dazzling plays. But Favre was never one of my favorite players; I could take him or leave him.

 

Until last year, that is, when he had one of the best years in NFL history. When it dawned on me he was 40 years old. 

 

Most guys that age are sneaking smokes in the garage so their wife doesn't see. Favre's tossing 33 touchdowns.

 

Most guys that age are shooting out of bed at 2:30 a.m. to shake off the cramp in their calf. Favre's shaking off the crap the New Orleans Saints knocked out of him in the second half, getting up and coming back for more.

 

Favre's joined the likes of Nolan Ryan, George Foreman, and Randy Couture. Men who defy nature. Genetic freaks. We shouldn't be watching these guys on live sports television. We should be watching them on friggin' Wild Kingdom, accompanied by Marlin Perkins' careful narration.

 

Whether you like the guy or not, the fact Favre's out there playing better than quarterbacks almost half his age is fascinating. Fascinating the way watching the Discovery Channel about an old mountain gorilla who manages to remain leader of his troop despite challenges from other silverbacks half is age is fascinating. 

 

It just isn't supposed to happen. Like, ever.

 

Most NFL quarterbacks who survive for a long time overcome their diminished skills by drawing on their knowledge of game built on years of experience, usually in a backup role. Favre, older than most older quarterbacks, still does it by making off-the-cuff plays other quarterbacks don't. It might have been quaint when he was 25. At 40, it's a minor f*ckin; miracle.

 

But none of that matters, because the guy's a little weird. You know, can't make up his mind, that sort of thing.  Apparently, he's made a fool of himself in recent years, and his game has tanked.   

 

I'm not buying that either. Early in his career, the pundits convinced us we loved Favre when we didn't. Now anti-pundits who look and smell an awful lot like regular pundits are convincing us we don't love him when maybe it's about time we should.

 

Favre's the same guy he's always been, capable of great highs and great lows. He was that same guy last year, except his highs were higher, his lows were lower, and he had the best season of his career, one of the best years of any quarterback in NFL history, in fact.

 

Favre's 107.2 passer rating in 2009 was the 12th best passing season ever. Here's the list:

 

Player	Year	Rating
Peyton Manning	2004	121.1
Tom Brady	2007	117.2
Steve Young	1994	112.8
Joe Montana	1989	112.4
Daunte Culpepper	2004	110.9
Milt Plum	1960	110.4
Drew Brees	2009	109.6
Otto Graham	1947	109.2
Kurt Warner	1999	109.2
Dan Marino	1984	108.9
Sid Luckman	1943	107.5
BrettFavre	2009	107.2

 

More amazing, Favre accomplished it at an age when most men are trying to find a way to work a little more fiber into their diet. 

 

Name	Age	Starts	Record	Cmp	Att	Cmp%	Yds	TD	Int	Rating
Vinny Testaverde	41	15	5-10-0	297	495	60.0	3,532	17	20	76.4
Warren Moon	41	14	7-7-0	313	528	59.3	3,678	25	16	83.7
BrettFavre	40	16	12-4-0	363	531	68.4	4,202	33	7	107.2
BrettFavre	39	16	9-7-0	343	522	65.7	3,472	22	22	81.0
Doug Flutie	39	16	5-11-0	294	521	56.4	3,464	15	18	72.0
Phil Simms	39	16	11-5-0	247	400	61.8	3,038	15	9	88.3
Warren Moon	39	16	8-8-0	377	606	62.2	4,228	33	14	91.5
Brad Johnson	38	14	6-8-0	270	439	61.5	2,750	9	15	72.0
BrettFavre	38	16	13-3-0	356	535	66.5	4,155	28	15	95.7
Charlie Conerly	38	10	8-1-0	113	194	58.2	1,706	14	4	102.7
Craig Morton	38	15	10-5-0	225	376	59.8	3,195	21	14	90.5
Dave Krieg	38	12	6-6-0	226	377	59.9	2,278	14	12	76.3
Fran Tarkenton	38	16	8-7-1	345	572	60.3	3,468	25	32	68.9
George Blanda	38	12	3-9-0	186	442	42.1	2,542	20	30	47.9
Joe Montana	38	14	9-5-0	299	493	60.6	3,283	16	9	83.6
John Elway	38	12	10-2-0	210	356	59.0	2,806	22	10	93.0
Ken Stabler	38	14	7-7-0	176	311	56.6	1,988	9	18	61.4
Kurt Warner	38	15	10-5-0	339	513	66.1	3,753	26	14	93.2
Vinny Testaverde	38	16	10-6-0	260	441	59.0	2,752	15	14	75.3
Warren Moon	38	15	9-6-0	371	601	61.7	4,264	18	19	79.9
Y.A. Tittle	38	11	1-8-2	147	281	52.3	1,798	10	22	51.6

 

Favre needs one more year to catch Warren Moon and Vinny Testeverde as the oldest quarterbacks to start the majority of games for their teams.  They both accomplished it at age 41.  But they also missed action.  Favre, third on the list, started every game and led his team to a winning record.

 

Narrowing the list to just the QBs who started every game, Favre holds the top two spots and appears four times in all. That's incredible.

 

Name	Age	Starts	Record	Cmp	Att	Cmp%	Yds	TD	Int	Rating
BrettFavre	40	16	12-4-0	363	531	68.4	4,202	33	7	107.2
BrettFavre	39	16	9-7-0	343	522	65.7	3,472	22	22	81.0
Doug Flutie	39	16	5-11-0	294	521	56.4	3,464	15	18	72.0
Phil Simms	39	16	11-5-0	247	400	61.8	3,038	15	9	88.3
Warren Moon	39	16	8-8-0	377	606	62.2	4,228	33	14	91.5
BrettFavre	38	16	13-3-0	356	535	66.5	4,155	28	15	95.7
Fran Tarkenton	38	16	8-7-1	345	572	60.3	3,468	25	32	68.9
Vinny Testaverde	38	16	10-6-0	260	441	59.0	2,752	15	14	75.3
BrettFavre	37	16	8-8-0	343	613	56.0	3,885	18	18	72.7
Dan Marino	37	16	10-6-0	310	537	57.7	3,497	23	15	80.0
Dave Krieg	37	16	4-12-0	304	521	58.3	3,554	16	21	72.6
John Elway	37	16	12-4-0	280	502	55.8	3,635	27	11	87.5
Kurt Warner	37	16	9-7-0	401	598	67.1	4,583	30	14	96.9
Rich Gannon	37	16	11-5-0	418	618	67.6	4,689	26	10	97.3
Roger Staubach	37	16	11-5-0	267	461	57.9	3,586	27	11	92.3
Vinny Testaverde	37	16	9-7-0	328	590	55.6	3,732	21	25	69.0

 

One thing that stands out is how many of these old-timers led their teams to winning records. It makes sense; quarterbacks that old still playing every game must be pretty good or they wouldn't be there. In the case of Elway, Warner and Gannon, they each made it to the Super Bowl.  But in terms of statistical accomplishment, though, Favre's 107.2 passer rating, 33 touchdowns, 7 interceptions, and 68% completion rate in 2009 leaves everyone else in the dust. 

 

Last year Favre also became the oldest starting quarterback to win a playoff game and the oldest quarterback to start a conference championship game.

 

Quarterback	Age	Att	Yds	Rate
BrettFavre	40-106	46	310	70.0
BrettFavre	40-099	24	234	134.4
Phil Simms	39-073	25	124	29.4
Phil Simms	39-067	26	94	71.6
Fran Tarkenton	38-331	37	219	53.8
Johnny Unitas	38-240	36	224	39.6
Johnny Unitas	38-233	21	143	62.2
Earl Morrall	38-228	11	51	66.9
Earl Morrall	38-221	13	88	68.7
John Elway	38-217	29	336	99.2

 

The big knock on Favre these days is, of course, his waffling on retirement.

 

Big deal. Hell, I've been trying to take Friday off from work the last six weeks. Gone so far as to schedule vacation, tell the boss, and make alternate plans. Then I end up coming in anyway because I just can't tear myself away from the place I love it so much.

 

Apparently that makes me and Favre the world's biggest d-bags.

 

And how about the fact he's holding the poor Vikings hostage? You know, the Vikings, those trusting souls who had no clue he just might take a little while to make up his mind.

 

Look, if your neighbor's wife is stepping out and he doesn't care, then why should we? The Vikings either have the world's biggest case of Stockholm Syndrome or they went into this with their eyes wide open. Maybe your neighbor's wife makes one hell of a meat loaf.

 

Some "pundits" who run shitty websites that claim to be all about the "facts" point out BrettFavre ruined a couple Januarys with colossally mindless season-ending gaffes.

 

Yes, that was unfortunate. 

 

Just as Peyton Manning's colossally mindless season-ending INT (at the hands of the same player) in the Super Bowl a couple weeks later was unfortunate.

 

Just as Kurt Warner's colossally mindless season-ending INT to James Harrison in the Super Bowl the year before was unfortunate.

 

Almost as unfortunate as the colossally mindless INT Tom Brady threw to the Colts' Marlin Jackson that ruined the Patriots' January 2007.

 

Which was almost as embarrassing as the mistake-prone Steve Young's fumbles and INTs vs. the Cowboys that ruined Januarys 1993 and 1994. 

 

We all have our challenges. BrettFavre's challenge is a fatal flaw that seems to rear its ugly head at the worst possible times. His interception in the NFC Championship last year was  like the silenced gun of Benny Blanco from the Bronx that cut down Carlito just as he was about to board the train, the image of Caribbean paradise passing before his eyes, just beyond his grasp. 

 

I've searched everywhere looking for the elusive director's cut with an alternate ending, but there isn't one. Some movies just end that way.

 

But it doesn't have to be over. 

 

Simple law of averages dictates that Favre and the Vikes will be hard pressed to repeat what they did last year in terms of wins and dominance, and many people say the Packers are favorites to win the NFC North. 

 

But Favre proved last year he still has the athletic skills, savvy and panache to lead a team. Savvy and panache don't win games (you might say in Favre's case it's helped him lose games), but even Favre's most vocal critics would grudgingly admit he has an ability to raise the level of his game in contests that have emotional importance to him.

 

If BrettFavre comes back, is there anyone out there who believes he won't send Aaron Rodgers and his three day beard back to shaving school again this year?

 

If that happens again the Vikings win the division again, with another shot at going to the Super Bowl. On the train, two stops to go, Caribbean straight ahead.

 

It could happen. That'd be something worth tweeting about.