Sunday, July 20, 2008

My take on the Brett Favre thing

The selfish side of me would rather see the Cowboys face Aaron Rodgers up in Green Bay in the third game of the season. The Cowboys stand a MUCH better chance of winning up there against Rodgers than they would Brett Favre. Favre turns 39 in October, which means he's just two years older than I am and still playing at a high level. People can play at a higher level in their late thirties more than ever today than in the 1970s and 1980's. And Favre has YET to miss a start since 1992. I think that Aaron Rodgers must've been in about third grade at that time, when the sreak started. Just like Cal Ripken's streak began in May 1982, shortly before I turned eleven, and lasted until he voluntarily removed himself from the lineup, in the summer of 1998, when I turned 27. The only thing I fault Favre in was when he announced too early, as it turns out, in March, his "retirement". I was shocked considering that the team had been rebuilt around him and he still was their best chance to win, as he proved last year when he turned 38. I know it may not seem fair to Aaron Rodgers but we're talking about Brett Favre. I think that at age 24, on one hand, you could say he's not going anywhere anytime soon. On the other hand, I wouldn't blame him for wanting to be traded either. I think that Favre gives this team the best chance to win this year still and that he needs to announce his retirement, when he really IS retiring, in June or July, instead of March. I am not suprised at any of this, except for the part of him "retiring" in March, coming off his best year since he first hit the big THREE OH. And it was shocking considering that this was the Packer's best team since they got denied their second consecutive Super Bowl win by Denver in January 1998. Many people make a big deal out of what Aaron Rodgers did when Favre was knocked out against Dallas last Novemeber in what on paper was the two Titans of the NFC clashing. The Cowboys defense was as ferocious as they ever were at any time in '07 in that first quarter and a half. Favre was under seige and was knocked out with a bruised elbow. The Cowboys offense rang up 27 in the first 20 minutes of the game, and up 27-10 when in comes Rodgers, who looked unheralded and petrified. The look that he first had when walking onto the field and stepping behind center was of "OH ---- this is the last thing I expected to have happen tonight" And then it seemed as though the Cowboys D backed off as if there was no way this could be a game. The Cowboys Offense also took their foot off the gas pedal as well and left at least ten points on the field in the third quarter. I saw the game, it was obvious. And Rodgers got into a groove and there was no heat from the Cowboys whatsoever until Green Bay was back in it at 27-24 midway through the fourth quarter. Then, finally when the Pack got the ball down only three with a chance to go down and either tie or take the lead in a game that they had been getting blown out in, finally came some heat from the defense, Rodgers looked somewhat like a rookie again and the Cowboys outscored the Pack 10-3 over the final half of the fourth quarter to hold on 37-27. So there was Rodgers out there playing what seemed real well, although even Packer backers would have to be skeptical. I mean over a whole season, what happens? He kind of snuck up on the Cowboys, who I think sort of let the Pack back in it, obviously thinking that it was over when they had sent Favre to the sideline for one of the FEW times in his career. I will repeat what I said at the beginning. As a Cowboys fan, I'd rather be facing Aaron Rodgers on September 21 up at Lambeau Field instead of Favre. I'm being totally honest there. In other words, the Pack would be foolish not to take back #4. He can still play. We all know that.

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