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
sandersize
January 25th, 2010
12:33 pm
mark your not a sports writer, your an opinion writer. Sports writers know numbers and if you were one you would appreciate everything Brett has done in his career. PLEASE RETIRE Sport fans who watched that game saw one of the most competetive football players keeping his team in the game,even though they as a team had a bad game., they still almost won the game,
Ricky
January 25th, 2010
12:33 pm
You are way out of touch. You have a 40 year old Quarterback that has played hurt and was knocked around in this game. I have seen many of your so called good players go to the locker room and miss the rest of the game. Brett has played hurt thru his career and you want to put the blame on him for losing a game. What about the other players that could not hold onto the ball. You want to talk about overrated , how about Peterson? No mention there?
Mike
January 25th, 2010
12:33 pm
I’m no fan of Favre, but Michael Vick is clearly the most overrated….even before his true colors showed.
jeff t
January 25th, 2010
12:35 pm
run, throw it away, run out of bounds….kick the field goal and go to the super bowl. no I in team, two in IdIot
martin
January 25th, 2010
12:38 pm
Thanks Mark! Favre has always thought he’s bigger than the game. I hope he retires for good so I don’t have to endure another season with the Brett Favre show. Good article.
johnny reb
January 25th, 2010
12:38 pm
Brett “Redneck, drunk, drug addict, No I in Team” Favre the Raiders are calling on line 1. He is no Johnny Utah!
tarheels3
January 25th, 2010
12:45 pm
Buddy you really like kicking a man when he is down, The Vikings lost that game not Farv. Are you one of those guys who never played sports in your life and I totally disagree with you and your article. You need to check yourself before you write an article like this and by the way what are your accomplishments?
joe
January 25th, 2010
12:48 pm
Amen Bradley!!! You said it well. Hopefully he will retire so we don’t have to see or hear about him.
And the ESPN guys would NEVER critize “one” of their own–NEVER.
Bama12
January 25th, 2010
12:48 pm
ok one more, this is for ACE, maybe he has more int’s because he has more attempts than any body else to go along with 7,968 more yards (69,329 total yards)than #2 QB Dan Marino and 1,116 more completions (6,083 total completions) and 77 more TD’s (497 total TD’s). Dan Marino is 2nd in all of these stats and he is considered to be one of the best ever yet he never won a superbowl. Over rated Brett has won a superbowl. and only 10 QB’s have ever won more than one superbowl.
Andrew
January 25th, 2010
12:48 pm
Mark, Did you completely miss the stat that came up during the came that said Brett just passed Joe Montana for all time passing yards!?!? Or did you miss that too? Overrated? REALLY? Maybe your an overrated sports writer! I cant beleive you wouldve even said that. Next time you want to write an article like this, Sit back, take a deep breath an think about what your going to write. 3 can I can again 3 Ok one more time 3 FUMBLES!!! That went back to the Saints, Almost 4 but thank god someone from the viks fell on it. Just like everyone has been saying about the keith brooking comment that he made, “If a defense doesnt like a team scoring then for gods safe STOP THEM!!!! An thats the same for the viks team, 3 FUMBLES by the offense an, an overtime score by the saints! Gets your facts straight before you blame only one man for a loss.
JASon
January 25th, 2010
12:49 pm
Hey Ricky at 12:33, don’t you think it is arrogant of someone to continue playing when they are injured? Why would you want your injury to cause a mistake and cost your team a big game? Not to mention what he did to the entire Jets organization last season by playing injured. This is the essence of Brett Favre’s arrogance. He is human waste, a dark, scum of a person, who deserves nothing but the worst kind of hate.
RT
January 25th, 2010
12:49 pm
I personally think that you are the MOST OVERRATED SPORTS WRITER OF ALL TIME. Minnesota self destructed with fumbles and missted blocks and you like most know nothing fans want to blame the quarteback. That games should never gone into overtime. Minnesota self destructed. I really think that you are just a $hit $tirrer.
Brian
January 25th, 2010
12:49 pm
Yep 310 consecutive starts, 181 wins, 497 career TDs, almost 70,000 yards, over 6,000 completions, 241 games with at least one TD, 61 300 yard games, 185 games with 20+ completions, 18 straight seasons with 3,000 yards, which are all records, I guess you nailed it right on the head when you said he was overrated. Just because YOU don’t like him doesn’t mean you can take away his credit as a football player. Any real sportswriter would know that, but the AJC seems to lack that anyways.
dan
January 25th, 2010
12:49 pm
JET,
Cry me a river. What were the Saints supposed to do? Let him stand in the pocket and pick them apart all day? The rules protect NFL QB’s so much these days, so when defenders can take a shot at the QB they’ll do it. The Saints lit Warner up last week after that INT in the second quarter and I thought it was glorious! I’m so stick of these QB’s being allowed to throw for 300-400 yards while most of the penalties are called against defenders. It’s so bogus. This is tackle not flag football.
Brian
January 25th, 2010
12:55 pm
Yep 310 consecutive starts, 181 wins, 497 career TDs, almost 70,000 yards, over 6,000 completions, 241 games with at least one TD, 61 300 yard games, 185 games with 20+ completions, 18 straight seasons with 3,000 yards, which are all records, I guess you nailed it right on the head when you said he was overrated. Just because YOU don’t like him doesn’t mean you can take away his credit as a football player. Any real sportswriter would know that, but the AJC seems to lack that anyways.
LadyAtl
January 25th, 2010
12:55 pm
Mark My Hero !! Are you hiding yet ………….Am so happy you said it. Brett Chocked and boy was i waiting for it ! ! Got to give to the Ol Man ,he tried.
RT
January 25th, 2010
12:57 pm
Who is Johnny Utah?
Bama12
January 25th, 2010
12:57 pm
johnny reb you should check the stats for the colts in superbowl #3. Johnny utah was not so great in that game after Earl Morrall threw 3 ints Johnny U came in and had 11 of 24 for 110 yards and 1 int no TD’s and the heavily favored Colts went down to the Jets and broadway Joe was MVP
hbspd416
January 25th, 2010
1:03 pm
These stats are from Wikipedia, so I have not double checked with the NFL, but lets look at Favre’s records …. hmm yeah, he looks like an average quarterback to me !!! Bradley, do some homework! If you want to claim he’s over-rated, then state it and justify what makes you think that. But the most over-rated player? Pretty melodramatic and no way you could even come close showing justification as an “expert” to that opinion.
Favre currently possesses most of the well-known NFL career records for quarterbacks, including:
Most consecutive AP NFL MVP awards: 3 (1995, 1996, 1997)[19]
Most consecutive starts by a quarterback (NFL): 286[7] (308 including playoffs)
Most consecutive starts by a player at any position: 286
Most wins by a starting quarterback (NFL) regular season career: 181[7] (Regular season record: 181-104)
Most career passing touchdowns: 497 [3][5]
Most career passing yards: 69,329[5]
Most career pass completions: 6,083[1][7]
Most career pass attempts: 9,811[2][7][20]
Most career interceptions thrown: 317 [5][21]
Most career games with at least three touchdowns: 67 [22]
A victory recorded in the most different NFL stadiums: 32[23]
Most career playoff pass attempts: 745
Most career playoff pass completions: 481[24] [25]
Most career playoff passing yards: 5,855[24]
(2nd) Most career playoff passing touchdowns: 44[24] (Montana, 45)[25]
Not to mention a couple of Superbowl appearances, one of them a win.
Yep, looks like a bum to me….please!
Gary
January 25th, 2010
1:05 pm
Of course he lost the game, he threw an interception when he had a perfectly wide open man next to the sideline on the side he was running to he could have thrown to that was a sure thing that would have cinched the field goal try as good as any throw would have. Brett had to show off his tricks last week instead of being content to win the game handily, but no, he has to always be an ars, which is why they went out of their way in New Orleans to break his ars. You coolaid drinkers for Favre will never change, it is obvious that Peyton Manning is the best quarterback ever, Terry Bradshaw just said his nonsense because that’s all he knows to do to get attention now. That, he figures, keeps him on TV.
JT
January 25th, 2010
1:18 pm
I wonder did anybody else here really WATCH the game or were you just looking at it? Bret Farve underrated???? You gotta be kidding me! let me say this, it’s obvious he threw the interception that blew it, but if it wer enot for those 3 fumbles by Adrian Peterson and 1 by Percy harvin, the game would not have had to get to that point. TWO OF THOSE FUMBLES WERE NEAR THE SAINT’S GOAL LINE!!
Kashi
January 25th, 2010
1:18 pm
OVERRATED? You are calling this base on last night loss? WHY NO ONE IS TALKING ABOUT THE MISS CALLS AND BAD CALLS BY ZEBRAssssssssss? Lets do a count, How many bad calls were there? And how many did they miss?
Tweets that mention Wrong about Favre? An epic fail enables me to rest my case | Mark Bradley -- Topsy.com
January 25th, 2010
1:18 pm
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Mark Bradley, Sean Cannon and Candice Nicholson, John Robertson. John Robertson said: Wrong about Favre? An epic fail enables me to rest my case: Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) And now he stood o… http://bit.ly/4M3oyn [...]
JT
January 25th, 2010
1:20 pm
I wonder did anybody else here really WATCH the game or were you just looking at it? Bret Farve underrated???? You gotta be kidding me! let me say this, it’s obvious he threw the interception that blew it, but if it wer enot for those 3 fumbles by Adrian Peterson and 1 by Percy Harvin, the game would not have had to get to that point. TWO OF THOSE FUMBLES WERE NEAR THE SAINT’S GOAL LINE!! Who’s fault is that? Certainly not Brett’s! Hell no he’s not overrated….that’s just what a true hater would say and that’s ok. They’re(haters)are entitled to their own opinion and that’s cool…but Brett did not lose that game man….
Just Wondering
January 25th, 2010
1:20 pm
Mr. Bradley, did you not watch the game? Brett played heroically! Hit over 15 times and still gunning. Man! Awesome! They should have never been in that position anyway. That game was there’s. The young boys gave it up with the fumbles.
Choker Brett
January 25th, 2010
1:21 pm
Favre choked in a big game just like with the jets and green bay. He’s won 1 title, but some act like he’s a sports superstar. being old and playing a long time doesn’t make you great.
Bulldog Stuck in FL
January 25th, 2010
1:23 pm
Greatfully this internet article is just an opinion column. The thing about opinions are like arm pits… you fill in the rest. Brett Farve brought a good team to a playoff contending level. Subtract 5 turnovers and it’s a Vikings vs Colts Superbowl. I vaguely remember another team that suffered an average of 4-5 turnovers per game as well, and the overwhelming majority of those were INTs.
Mark just wants to draw attention to himself so he can win the “I have more readers” competition at AJC. In my opinion (as much as it may stink) ESPN analysts are better than this guy and everyone knows ESPN analysts suck!
Nuff Said! Go DAWGS!
Packer Fan
January 25th, 2010
1:28 pm
Now the rest of the country knows what Packer fans have known for years….Brett will lose as many games as he’ll win for you. Bad decisions are sometimes saved by his superb athletic ability, but oft times his errant judgements have led to costly mistakes and turnovers. You gotta take the bad with the good when you have Brett.
Personally, I think he’s a hell of a guy….but I’m glad he’s Minnesota’s nightmare now. He can wear a Viking jersey when he’s inducted into the Hall of Fame….He doesn’t deserve to be in Packer Green and Gold.
wheelz007
January 25th, 2010
1:29 pm
WHO DAT!
tryanx
January 25th, 2010
1:29 pm
Guys, for those of you who are looking at a legacy for Brett may be we should compare apples to apples. I have looked up Brett’s career stats on NFL.com and there are at least four players off the top of my head that are better. Peyton Manning Has better stats and has a chance to win his second Super Bowl (Bret Favre has never done that) Tom Brady’s stats are better and he has 3 rings. Joe Montana has better stats and he has 4 rings. That is not to say Bret is not good but the accolades just do not add up. Every team he has played for (except my falcons) has gotten better after he left. He made not be the most over rated but he is also definitely not one of the greatest either.
Bill Jenkins
January 25th, 2010
1:30 pm
Very sad and very hateful writing. You harbor much hate and that’s fine with me because it just consumes your soul… I wouldn’t be surprised if Mark Bradley beats the hell out of his wife for exhibiting such hatred.
The Vikings made plenty of mistakes and Favre’s final mistake is just one of many costly errors that blew the game. But only ignorant people will focus on the one key play at the end and ignore that a long field goal, even with a good kicker, is no guarantee.
Putting in 7 points but fumbling the ball instead (Adrian Peterson) is just as unforgivable as a Favre pick. Favre is not over-rated by any means. If Dru Brees loses to the colts in the Superbowl, does he become over-rated as well? Marino never won a superbowl and played terribly in key situations…is he overrated?
Get a real job, pal. And enroll in anger management classes ASAP.
Bulldog Stuck in FL
January 25th, 2010
1:30 pm
Pardon my spelling errors… didn’t proof read before hitting the Submit button
S Co
January 25th, 2010
1:40 pm
I love Brett but who cares about him right now. The Saints(my hometown team) did their job and now we’re going to the Super Bowl for the first time in franchise history. So suck it up and move on. The two best football teams of the 2009-10 season are the only thing that matters.
tryanx
January 25th, 2010
1:40 pm
Hey nimrod or should I say hbspd416, did you forget the stat about his 371 ints or maybe the 85.6 QB rating oh yea and one ring. Please do not put him into the same category as Joe Montana, Tom Brady, or Peyton Manning. He is an average to Good Quarter back who played a long time.
Doug Roberts
January 25th, 2010
1:42 pm
It doesn’t matter how many good records Favre has. Remember he’s also got that interception record. That’s what counts. Real life isn’t about heroes. It’s about normal people who don’t try to be heroes. Heroes win in mythological stories. In real life, heroes are defeated because they overrate their abilities. It doesn’t matter who you are, throwing across the field like that is a stupid unnecessary risk to take.
Blake
January 25th, 2010
1:43 pm
Mark, Ok, maybe he’s not THE most overrated, but he’s pretty darn close. It was only a matter of time before he did what he always does -tries to win it all by himself and in doing so, loses it all by himself…
Hunter
January 25th, 2010
1:50 pm
Ding Bat … take a look at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brett_Favre#Professional_career and explain again your pathetic logic about Brett being overrated? Who the hell are you anyway .. never heard of you … you are a blogging fool …
D A
January 25th, 2010
1:51 pm
Mark, I have long been a Brett Favre hater (I admit he is great but not as great as the football heads make him), but that was not his fault. I think that was bad organization on the coaches part. That was the biggest sequence of the season for the Vikings and to have a 12 man on the field penalty was inexcusable. I think the interception was irrelvent because if he hits a shorter pass it is still a hard field goal ( >48 yds)
Mike
January 25th, 2010
1:59 pm
Wow Doug Roberts…its a good thing that you are absolutely full of it, or otherwise there wouldn’t be a single real-life story of inspiration or courage in the history of the world. We should all aspire to be non-heroic dull dimwits as yourself.
Bradley is a moron
January 25th, 2010
2:00 pm
The most overrated sports writer of all time is Mark Bradley. How does this idiot have a job after writing such a lousy article. What a moron
BigBam11
January 25th, 2010
2:05 pm
I have mixed emotions about the game, because I am definitely not a Saints fan, but congrats to them for making it and to an outstanding season. But to call Brett Favre overrated, Are U Serious???? He was not the only one that screwed up. Peterson is the one overrated. If superglue on the gloves were legal then the Saints would not have stood a chance. I don’t know what the future plans are for Brett but if he truly calls it quits for REAL this time then truly a job well done and young quaterbacks should aspire to reach a fraction of his accomplishments. With all that being said, Saints fans can hang it up. Manning is a quarterback’s quarterback and will not make those mistakes and put on a clinic to bring glory to my wife’s team. The Indianapolis Colts. I’m looking forward to a good SuperBowl. Mark I’m not calling you and idiot, just a HATER!!!
OneFreeMan
January 25th, 2010
2:06 pm
The best to play the position by far. I was not a Brett Favre fan but, I have to admit there has been none like him and I doubt if there will be another. He one tough man. The coach should not have put the ball in his hands.
The Falcons traded him… LMAO
Keep playing Brett.
Here's the call of the play...
January 25th, 2010
2:13 pm
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/images/01/25/FavreINT.mp3
IlliniDawg
January 25th, 2010
2:15 pm
Hey I got a lot of traction with some of the names on my early morning post (3:50) – Michelle Wie, Mike Vick, and Dale Jr.
But what about some of the others? Barry Bonds? Marion Jones? Both exposed as steroid-enhanced, self-obsessed frauds.
Andy Roddick? Bode Miller? Aleen Iverson? Ridiculously, hyper-talented guys who never seem to come close to getting everything out of that talent.
Jodie
January 25th, 2010
2:17 pm
She’s cleaning up now so she might not be that late.
Shepard
January 25th, 2010
2:34 pm
Mr. Mark Bradley, yes favre threw the pick but he thought he could make a play and thats life, talking about overated your writing is over-rated, the man made a mistake and he did does more than you ever will.
eaglevet
January 25th, 2010
2:41 pm
Overrated??? I don’t think he is overrated. He didn’t blow the game. They were already in a bad place for a high chance field goal because of the penalty on the previous play. Thats one of they reasons why they to throw the ball. His pick didn’t determine the outcome of the game. Because they still could have missed the winning field goal and the game went into overtime. The saints didn’t win off of the int. The int sent it into overtime. Not to mention that there were four fumbles that played a huge part in the outcome for the vikings.
NOLA
January 25th, 2010
2:48 pm
Who dat, who dat who dat say gonna beat ‘em saints? not the darn ‘cons cause the ‘cons are still basking in the gloryy of back to back winning seasons.
Who dat, who dat?
winston in wyoming
January 25th, 2010
2:55 pm
no terry bradshaw is the most overrated…an average qb with unbelievable talent
CherylWilson
January 25th, 2010
3:05 pm
JET: I agree with your comments. I really used to have a lot of respect for the Saints going into the football championship game with the Vikings, but I have lost all respect for them. I no longer want the Saints to win the superbowl. The Saints got OUTPLAYED by the Vikings by a country mile. Final stat sheet: total offense: Saints:257 yards; Vikings: 475 yards! The Vikings generated almost twice the offense of the Saints and I didnt think that was possible. Its good enough just for the Saints to get there. I dont want the saints hoisting championship trophies or getting fitted for championship rings. They dont deserve it. They are a bunch of thugs and assasins. The saints pretty much had a bullseye over Farves head the entire afternoon as they were trying to hit the target all afternoon, punch his lights out and put him out of his misery. The saints were intentionally trying to injure Farve and they succeeded. Farve ended up on a stretcher getting taped up on the sidelines. But to Farves credit, he didnt miss one offensive play the entire afternoon. What a champion Brett Farve is. This game with the Saints will only add to Farves legacy. Farves play this season all year as well as his gutty performance in yesterdays game made a believer out of me. I believe in Brett Farve and I am glad he came out of retirement to grace us with his presence one more time. I dont agree with the way he handled it and how he held the Vikings hostage until August before notifying them of his intention to play for them, but the legend of Brett Farve was stabilized yesterday and I wish him nothing but the best in the future whether he comes back or not. THE FARVE WATCH IS ON.