Wrong about Favre? An epic fail enables me to rest my case
I’d been hearing it lately: “Ready to admit you were wrong about Favre?” And I admit I was almost – almost, I said — wavering. The man I’d described as the most overrated athlete of our time had had a brilliant regular season. I didn’t see that coming. I didn’t think he had anything left. And now he stood one game from a Super Bowl, and the thought of a two-week ESPN Favre-fest was enough to turn my stomach.
But I held out hope. Even when the Vikings had the ball in field-goal range, I keep saying to myself, “He can still mess this up.” Lo and behold, he did. Which is why Brett Favre is …
The most overrated athlete of our time.
The Vikings kicked the Saints all around the Superdome but neglected to win the game. Favre had much to do with that — a blown handoff on the goal line, a forced interception in the second half, an unbelievable INT inside the final 20 seconds of regulation in a tie game. Even after a splendid season, the Favre I know and loathe blew it at the end.
Naturally, the sycophants on ESPN declared Favre a man’s man for trying to Make A Play, but the first rule of NFL quarterbacking remains: Protect the Doggone Ball. But he couldn’t do it because he’s Brett Favre, the man’s man who never saw a dare he wouldn’t take.
(Oh, and if you’re interested in some intriguing variations on the ESPN Favre phenomenon, check out the roundly irreverant #ESPNFavreRulesforAll on Twitter. One submission: “That’s the thing about NBC executives. They aren’t afraid to yank Conan off the Tonight show. Gotta respect that.”)
So now I can rest easy, at least until Favre retires and unretires again. He’s done for this season. His last pass was a postseason interception, same as in January 2008. Being Brett Favre, he teared up in the postgame interview because he’s a man’s man who isn’t afraid to cry. Or wear Wrangler jeans. Or throw the ball to the other side.
Ready to admit I was wrong about Brett Favre? Look, I’ll admit I’ve been wrong about pretty much everything in my so-called life. But not about Brett Favre. Never about him.
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385 comments Add your comment
Wolfeman
January 25th, 2010
9:17 am
Mark, you’re almost always right on, but why write this now??
With a good leg last night, maybe he runs for 10 yards instead of throwing that last INT.
Who is the best clutch quarterback of my lifetime? I think Joe Montana…..
Brett threw for 29,000 more career yards than Montana did.
Never missed a game…..amazing!
Mark Bradley
January 25th, 2010
9:18 am
See, TM, the Conan thing was a little joke. The whole ESPNRulesforFavre thing is a Twitter spoof of how the Worldwide Leader might explain away infamous failures.
Without-a-clue
January 25th, 2010
9:19 am
You people who make your judgments on one of the best and most exciting quarterbacks to ever play the game, are laughable. You, yourselves, are not overrated because you have never been rated. Count your beans and type your columns and dream on.
EW
January 25th, 2010
9:20 am
This post is bordering on juvenile MB. You’re a good writer, so you can do better than an “I told you so” article that uses one big mistake to prove YOUR hyperbole that Favre is the most overrated athlete of our time. UGH
kepah17
January 25th, 2010
9:25 am
Lets hope he finally retires for good so the lovefest will stop. Maybe he could take Chris Berman with him, that would really make it a good year.
Bradley is a jackass
January 25th, 2010
9:31 am
You obviously have never played the game of football Bradley. On a handoff the ballcarrier is suppose to creat a pocket around the belly and close on it when he feels the ball hit him in the stomach. AP clearly was closeing his arms before the ball got there. Thus the fumble isn’t on Farve. Are you going to write a column slamming AP with his fumbling problems? I wouldn’t bet on it. Farve’s last throw was pretty silly considering he could’ve easily run for 7-8 years to ensure a FG attempt. I just hate it when Mr. Sportswriter guy Bradley is perfectly willing to slam a HOF QB when he’s never put on a pair of shoulder pads in his life , and stepped between the lines. You’re pathetic Mark. Truly pathetic.
RAZOR
January 25th, 2010
9:33 am
IF BRET FAVRE OVERATED, SO IS MATT RYAN
Navigator
January 25th, 2010
9:33 am
Talking about a writer searching for acorn, man you’re searching hard. The tight butt coach that got down the field to the 33 yard line and refused to try to get closer, confusion set in and a 5 yard penalty moved them out (coach my friend not QB caused that problem). Peterson fails to take hand off from Favre and loses ball at the end of the first half (blaming Favre for that, really stupid). Peteson fumbles ball down deep leading to a Saints touchdown (blaming Favre for that too). Receivers dropped key passes all game and of course that was Favre’s fault too. Bradley find another subject to toot your horn, you have no case here.
Not Don Waddell
January 25th, 2010
9:40 am
Epic Fail…really? How could you let that slip in you headline there, Mark.
Glorified blogger. Fantastic.
lifetime reader
January 25th, 2010
9:42 am
Worst op-ed you have ever written. Worst.
Mark Bradley
January 25th, 2010
9:43 am
Ah, come on, lifetime reader. I’ve written a lot worse than this. Heck, I’ll probably top (or bottom, as the case may be) this before noon.
billcanoe
January 25th, 2010
9:44 am
Mark, you are absolutely right. Favre has a cannon of an arm, but his fundamental problem is his incredible ego, which makes him think that he can make unmakeable plays and beat the world. Common sense fails him at the worst possible times. He probably will get into the Hall of Fame simply because of his career stats. But he does not even belong in “the greatest quarterback of all time” discussion. He isn’t even in the room.
NvilleDawg
January 25th, 2010
9:44 am
Mark Bradley is. a. complete. idiot. And he’s the most overrated columnist in the country. Oh, wait, very few know who he is. And, yet, he’s still overrated.
Nativebird
January 25th, 2010
9:48 am
You are SO right. I’ve been saying this for years, at nuch peril from all the Favre-hypers. decent quarterback, decent athlete. If you play long enough on decent team’s you’ll be a STAT machine. You’ll probably hold a lot of records. but ONE superbowl? oh yea..ALL those INT’s. Most by anyone…..EVER.
Brett Favre meet Tom Glavine…Tom Glavine…Brett Favre.
Danny Wells
January 25th, 2010
9:50 am
I just started reading your daily blog about a month ago. Up until this article I have sort of enjoyed it. Aftter I read this one I almost cancelled my feed. If Brett Favre was wrong as much as your are or as much as I am he would have been out of football a loing time ago.
Matt
January 25th, 2010
9:52 am
Mark-Long suffering Vikings fan here. I went through all of the defeats in the Super Bowl in the 70’s when I was a kid, through all of the losses to Washington, Atlanta, New York and now New Orleans in the NFC championship. It’s now 34 years and counting since our last Super Bowl appearance and all I’m left with is…”Brett Favre is a MORON”!!
The really aggravating thing is this team has talent, but I submit that Favre has actually set them back a number of years. Who is going to play QB for this team and bring them back to this point? Not T-Jack or Rosenfals. Bringing Favre in was a huge gamble and it’s going to cost this cursed franchise for years to come.
Josta
January 25th, 2010
9:52 am
Good perspective Mark. Favre probably will be a first ballot Hall of Famer, but with all of the positive records that he holds, he has also thrown more interceptions than any quarterback in NFL history. They seem to come more often in the post-season. That is not protecting the football.
Sam Pelarski
January 25th, 2010
9:54 am
It wasn’t Bretts fault for the loss….!! There were tons of plays that lead up to this unfortunate loss. Peterson made me very nervous every time he carried the ball. I mean I was on pins and needles. Now when farve stepped up to throw I was excited to see how many more yards he was going to put on the charts for us. I’m only 12 years old but I’m old enough to know that this artical is total Bull Sh_t *!*!*!
Tailback U
January 25th, 2010
9:55 am
Mark
Perhaps I am wrong but I think those who are blasting you are not looking at this from the perspective of how Favre is viewed as far
as his ranking goes with other HOF and legendary QB’s.
Rather they are viewing it as if you are stating that Favre has
not been a great QB in his career. Which of course would be a
silly argument. But to compare Favre with some of these other
quarterbacks and put him a some do among the top 5 of all time is
equally foolish . To throw a pick in that circumstance yesterday
with that much on the line and that place on the field is unforgiveable.
Much has been made of the Peterson fumbles and other turnovers but if
you are the elite QB that you have been proclaimed to be no way you
throw that type of careless int. If you are a truly a legend, rather
you find a way to get enough yards for the FG and win. There is much
to be admired about Favre but he is flawed and he is the guy who drove
Holmgren crazy with bad decisions. On a personal level being a little
older than Brett I was hoping that he would pull it out . I have other
friends in the same age bracket wanting to see a Favre/ Manning matchup.
Folks today may be making excuses for Brett but you better know that
when Favre looked in the mirror this morning he knew clearly where
to lay the blame.
teamguy
January 25th, 2010
9:57 am
If you don’t believe this loss was Favre’s fault, then answer this: who had the ball in his hands with a chance to put his team in position to win, and literally threw it away? The prosecution rests.
Pago Flyer
January 25th, 2010
9:58 am
We agree, the NFL overtime rules are goofy. College OT is more fun.
Mark Bradley
January 25th, 2010
9:58 am
Matt, I was in the Metrodome the day Gary Anderson missed the kick in January 1999. I remember walking past the Vikings as they trudged up the tunnel. They couldn’t believe they weren’t going to the Super Bowl. Neither could I.
cutter
January 25th, 2010
9:59 am
Mark Bradley I can safely say I was not wrong about you. You look like just what you are… an idiot. I’m not much of a Favre fan but a bush leaguer like you should stick to writing about hometown screw ups. I’m a Falcon fan but the fact is Matt Ryan is overrated, people were comparing the kid to Peyton Manning and Tom Brady. Matt Ryan can’t carry their jock straps. Maybe one day but nowhere near close to those lofty comparisons right now. Brett Favre is a first ballot Hall of Fame QB who may go down as one of the 3 best to ever play the game. How do you overrate that??? Stay Stupid my friend.
Luther
January 25th, 2010
10:03 am
Bradley is just wanting to dance on the grave of Brett first since he didnt support yet another return. I am not a Brett fan, but to say he is the most overated. I lived the years of Steve Brussard picked over Emmitt Smith, Marcus Cotton, Aundray Bruce, soon to be Jamaal Anderson.
What I am not ready for is the panty waste, selfish, ridiculous behavior that is about to begin with the “Brett Favre Retirement” Soap Opera. It is a bad show that wont go away. Kind of like The Bachelor or Bachelorette or…..
Very Happy for the fans of Green Bay today.
De' truth
January 25th, 2010
10:04 am
Brett Favre is the Arnold Palmer of football. Yeah, he/they hit a bunch in the weeds but “there wern’t no quit” or lay-up in either of them. That’s what made them both so exciting to watch.
PMC
January 25th, 2010
10:05 am
Ok, so the end is known. Peyton is amazing.
Brett Farve is the most fun QB to watch ever. There is no exception. He is the greatest watch of all time. Overrated? Hardly. You knew even after the illegal high low that hurt his ankle he was coming back. You knew an INT was coming… it was still tremendously exciting. If not for a boosh PI call we get a chance to see him drive in OT.
AndyC
January 25th, 2010
10:07 am
Yeah Mark! You got something right for once! Hurray!
MR
January 25th, 2010
10:08 am
The vikings would not have been this far if not for Farve. You really are a dumb ass.
Jeff R
January 25th, 2010
10:08 am
About Favre… I don’t comment much about football, but I’d say this in Favre’s defense: his career outside Atlanta has had him on competitive and winning teams. Until recently, the Falcons have been one of the worst franchises in NFL history – and they still have a way to go to dig themselves out of that hole.
Favre’s got to thank his lucky stars that Atlanta moved him long ago… it’s made all the difference in his career.
More overrated than
January 25th, 2010
10:08 am
Michelle Wie?
January Thaw
January 25th, 2010
10:09 am
This is hilariious! You write using the same stale ink the bleeds sickness all over Wisconsin!! Green Bay Packer fans carry your same sense of jealousy. Favre is a hero and always will be, you’re a simple has been (I question whether you understand true journalism). Your bitterness and cynical attitude keeps you from seeing the bigger picture. You must be wondering what it must be like to have a professional career that you were good at and passionate about.. earning 12 million dollars at age 40. LOL
Nothing wrong with NFL overtime rule
January 25th, 2010
10:10 am
It’s like going to the score cards in an UFC fight. You avoid it at all cost by winning in regulation. What’s so hard about understanding this concept? It’s “sudden death”…
Ryan
January 25th, 2010
10:11 am
1) You can’t assume Longwell would have made a 50 yard FG.
2) The 12-men penalty forced Favre to throw against a defense primed for an obvious passing down.
3) Peterson deserves more blame for fumbling the punt at the 10 yard line, giving the Saints an easy 7.
4) Neither the Vikings nor Favre should take blame for the loss considering the NFL has the most asinine overtime rules in the history of sports.
JeanE
January 25th, 2010
10:13 am
Mark Bradley, you are such a jerk. I admit, I was annoyed when Favre was waffling but come on, the man has more guts and heart in his pinkie finger than you do in your entire body. Yes, it was a bad decision at the end of the game but my God, how can you not admire him (forget liking him) for the sheer force of will it took to drag himself back onto the field? You can’t blame him for losing that game, he had much help from his teamates who couldn’t hold onto the damn ball! And they wouldn’t have even been in the NFC championship without Brett. Yes, he’s an egomaniac, what athlete isn’t? But he has class and I love watching him play. Bradley, you’re just trying to stir the pot, pathetic. And No, I can’t root for the Saints but I hate the Dolts, too. Another Super Bowl where I don’t give a crap.
E43
January 25th, 2010
10:13 am
stats superbowls and records say otherwise but i get your opinion.
Lou Vales
January 25th, 2010
10:16 am
Nobody ever mentions the reason Brett keeps returning is because his family does not want him in the house from August-December. Brett makes Terry Bradshaw sound like Steven Hawking.
Dawgie Bowser
January 25th, 2010
10:17 am
Okay Marky Mark, Overated may be a bit strong here. overated Q.B.’s don’t usually lead their team this far in the playoffs and be just a minor whiff away of playing in the big game. What a great story it could have been if Favre had not only taken his team to Miami but walked away a victor down there. I normally pull for the team thats a little closer in so I cheered for N.O. but held out Favre as my sentimental favorite. He could have easily enjoyed all the spoils and dadgummit he sure came close in my book so I’ll have to fuss with you a little on this one Marky.
Dr. Phil
January 25th, 2010
10:19 am
Favre is not the greatest QB of all time, but he is probably the toughest. He needs to retire while he can still walk.
Brit Massey
January 25th, 2010
10:21 am
Mark,
Your argument against Favre’s greatness reminds me of the argument regarding Rockefeller that says he wouldn’t be rich if he didn’t have oil wells. Point is: he did!!!!!!!!!!
59bulldawg
January 25th, 2010
10:23 am
Aikman’s just mad about that last touchdown against his boys last week! LOL! Of course Aikman never made a mistake did he? Far as I’m concerned he’s just another hater!
85' Bears
January 25th, 2010
10:25 am
Out of these quarterbacks, who would be more likely to throw that pick in that situation: Joe Montana, Troy Aikman, Steve Young, Jon Elway, Brett Farve? The answer is Brett Farve. That interception he threw was just not “one mistake” in his career, he does that more often then all the quarterbacks I just mentioned. Farve throwing a pick is a surprising as Culter throwing a pick. What was suprising, however, was the lack of picks he threw this year. Brett is a hall of famer, he has gawdy stats and the longevity. But for every last minute comeback he has, he has a last minute letdown.
Scott
January 25th, 2010
10:26 am
Except for the fact that his O-line let him get crushed a few 1000 times, his backs didn’t hold on to the ball, and the play call not to safely run the ball on their last possession of regular play…..
um, yes…. it’s Favre’s fault. Where you even watching the same game?!!
Ed
January 25th, 2010
10:27 am
This was absolutely, positively, the most disgusting article I have ever read in the AJC. Bradley turns my stomache.
Peyton's Place
January 25th, 2010
10:27 am
If the Saints think they are going to do the same to Peyton Manning as they did to Warner and Favre they got another thing coming.Manning will shred No’s pass defense.Sharper isn’t as good as Revis and Revis couldn’t stop all of Manning’s recievers,he could only limit one.New Orleans defense has no class…pounding Farve and Warner after they hand the balls off.Indy’s O line is much better than Phoenix or Minn.People in Atlanta like to knock Farve because the Falcons were/are LOSERS and they have shown that year after year….Bradley….labels Favre a LOSER….Takes a WASHED UP BLOG WRITER FROM ATLANTA TO FIGURE THAT OUT???????????????
um yeah
January 25th, 2010
10:28 am
all time leader in is pass yards in the playoffs is the most overated fkctadur
Drunken UGAg fan
January 25th, 2010
10:30 am
Nick Saban is overrated.
GO DAWGS!
HelluvaEngineer
January 25th, 2010
10:30 am
Mark, it’s a catch 22. If he is overrated, he must necessarily have played on big stages through his career. In order to get to that point he must have amassed a winning record that would make any QB envious. While his decision-making has been questionable throughout his career, he has made some major throws to put him under the spotlight he has rightly earned. Favre will rightfully go down as one of the all-time greats…. he would be unambiguously the best if he played with the FB IQ of manning or marino, using him as a footstep to thump your own chest is disingenuous.
Georgina in exile
January 25th, 2010
10:31 am
I wouldn’t agree with Bradley that Favre is the most overrated QB of all time (lots to choose from), but I think a solid argument could be made that he’s the most egomaniacal. (Lots of competition there, also, but Favre is tops.)
Favre desperately wants to go out in a blaze of Super Bowl glory, a la John Elway. Problem is, he’s not following the Elway late-career playbook — don’t worry so much about winning with your arm, but manage the game, avoid turnovers, and keep feeding the ball to your stud back. That’s because Elway managed to keep his ego in check and follow the plan. Favre is incapable of resisting the impulse to be the cannon-armed, late-game hero — THE MAN, as he was in Green Bay until the maturing of Rodgers allowed them to divest themselves of an aging scatter-armed QB whose me-first, me-second, team-third mentality would always stand in the way of another championship.
Post-Green Bay, Favre was shrewd enough to recognize the Elway-Broncos Super Bowl Winning Template and align himself with teams that stressed defense and running, first NYJ, then Minnesota. Favre even managed to follow the playbook the first half of the season. But he got lucky with a few game-winning miracle throws, which fed his ego and drive to be THE MAN. Remember the crisis about 3/4 into the Vikings’ season, when Favre revolted, to the extent that he wouldn’t even address Childress as “Coach” but by his first name, Brad? At that point, the INT in field-goal range that ended the 4th quarter, with Minny never again touching the ball, was inevitable.
Favre will always break his team’s fans’ hearts by leading them to the brink of triumph, then stupidly squandering it with a bone-ehaded INT.
Overrated? Not necesssarily. Egomanical? Definitely.
Ron D.
January 25th, 2010
10:32 am
Awright, Mark. I don’t think you like Favre. He is a great talent. I just think that he exhibits narcissistic and manupalitve behavior. The media doesn’t do a good job of calling him out on this as they do T.O.
who cares?
January 25th, 2010
10:32 am
First!!! And I even read the article.