Baseball is far and away my favorite sport. I fell away when the St. Louis Blues hockey club was good in my childhood, and because my brother harbored not-too-farfetched dreams of being an NHL goalie. But "The Boys of Summer" (cue the Henley) are my obsession. Still, football (American, that is) has a place in the hearts of two brothers who watch pretty much every sport, and who, to this day, maintain that they could announce any of them should the need arise. (Call us, seriously.) But football needs a kick in the pants to approach "Distirbingly Misplaced Affection" status. And one man has kept me between the navigational beacons of "Casual Fan" and "John Madden" for the balance of my life...Brett Favre. That's right: the one that every self-respecting football fan is supposed to hate, because the current crop of announcers gets all in a lather at the sight of him, and because he's retired and unretired more times than Rocky Balboa. Well, if I may: Poppycock. Horsefeathers. Balderdash. Every male who has even dreamt of being an alpha loves Brett Favre (upon reflection, at least). Consider the evidence:
*A current consecutive starts streak that dates to September, 1992 (nearly 300 games).
*Super Bowl Champion and 3-time consecutive NFL MVP (1995-97).
*The all-time leader in touchdown passes, passing yards, and completion percentage.
*The only current NFL player to be a grandfather.
*Played perhaps his best game (21-30, 399 passing yards, 3 TDs) on the eve of Christmas, 2003, one day after his father, Irv, died suddenly. Irv would have wanted it that way.
*Had his best statistical season in 2009 at the age of 40.
*Led his team, the Minnesota Vikings, within one play of the Super Bowl in 2009.
And in what surely should please "Uncle Bryan" and family, the Favres are Catholic. Am I supposed to be upset that a guy 40 years old is so good at football that he can't make up his mind? Am I supposed to be mad that his right arm is a cash-cow for America's most popular sport? Are we supposed to be angry that he took a 4-12 Jets team to 7-9 and 1 game from the playoffs in 2008 with a torn rotator cuff in his throwing shoulder? Not to mention the torn biceps. All I know is that the hometown team was the worst in the league, but I barely felt the sting because "The Gunslinger" was at work. And now he's back.
*A current consecutive starts streak that dates to September, 1992 (nearly 300 games).
*Super Bowl Champion and 3-time consecutive NFL MVP (1995-97).
*The all-time leader in touchdown passes, passing yards, and completion percentage.
*The only current NFL player to be a grandfather.
*Played perhaps his best game (21-30, 399 passing yards, 3 TDs) on the eve of Christmas, 2003, one day after his father, Irv, died suddenly. Irv would have wanted it that way.
*Had his best statistical season in 2009 at the age of 40.
*Led his team, the Minnesota Vikings, within one play of the Super Bowl in 2009.
And in what surely should please "Uncle Bryan" and family, the Favres are Catholic. Am I supposed to be upset that a guy 40 years old is so good at football that he can't make up his mind? Am I supposed to be mad that his right arm is a cash-cow for America's most popular sport? Are we supposed to be angry that he took a 4-12 Jets team to 7-9 and 1 game from the playoffs in 2008 with a torn rotator cuff in his throwing shoulder? Not to mention the torn biceps. All I know is that the hometown team was the worst in the league, but I barely felt the sting because "The Gunslinger" was at work. And now he's back.
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