Supposedly the evening NFC Championship was a ratings success. Apparently a lot of people tuned in to watch the New York Giants seal the victory over the Green Bay Packers in their 1700th attempt to end the game victorious.
Problem is, I bet people just had their TV set on and was doing something else, because few people, if any, showed any guts to tell us how things went down in that game.
Brett Favre choked again. The legend and Two-Time MVP (his co-MVP is fraudulent and a slap in the face to Barry Sanders' amazing season), proved he couldn't carry the load the way he use to back in the 1990's. Don't take that as a sign that he should retire. Not once have I ever said he should retire. But, as usual, nobody call him out for that interception that ended Green Bay's season. Nobody called him out for allowing New York to have numerous chances to win the game. Nobody said he was outplayed by Eli Manning - because he was.
Did you watch the game?
Or do you have to be Chad Johnson, Randy Moss, or Terrell Owens to draw attention to themselves and be ridiculed for it. So much for throwing snowballs and "having a great time". We watched Favre do what he has done several times in playoff games and that's crumble down the stretch. Excessive celebrating with officials is "having fun" yet anyone else gets fined for that.
At least Tom Brady clutched up when he had to.
We talked about Green Bay's defense and running game being the reason why they could get to the Super Bowl. The running game stopped and their team became pass-oriented in the second half. Big mistake - but they had to do it since the running game was shut down, right? So they had to start gunslinging. And they lost because of it. Had Peyton Manning did what Favre did in overtime you'd be crushing him right now. But Favre slides under the radar again. Total hypocrisy.
OTHER BULLCRAP
- If I haven't done enough to ruffle a few feathers (not that I'm trying to), this might do the trick. A writer on Fox Sports decided to be cute with a blog post and certainly got some attention:
"I believe there should be rules for booing. One, you never boo amateur athletes on the team you support. Two, you boo professionals on the team you support only for a visible lack of effort. Booing because they screw up is for sub-morons"
- If I find out an amateur had beat his girlfriend, played while academically ineligible or started a fight on the playing surface would you like me to applaud? You didn't think of all the angles, which makes me wonder who the real sub-#### really is. You get your ticket punched and as long as you obey the stadium rules you can boo whoever you want. You can boo an amateur athlete who has 3 kids with 3 different women. Or I can just ask him politely to wrap up. An amateur athlete will be ragged on if they absolutely deserve it.
"I don’t believe all Patriots fans are worthless cobags; I believe most Patriots fans are worthless cobags"
- This coming from a guy who wanted Green Bay to badly make the Super Bowl? For what? So that New England could slap them around with their junk? I've been to Buffalo games and find New England fans to be a LOT better than other fans I have encountered over the years. Whatever, I shouldn't bother critiquing this ####. I will move on.
- The Miami Heat find ways to lose and they are suddenly doing it with flare. It's as if they script this. Put them on the clock for a nice draft position.
- Sidney Crosby is out 6-8 weeks and nobody noticed. I guess they are the same people who watch Packer games.
- Roger Clemens gets an invite to Houston's pitching camp. Maybe he can get back into pitching shape on Houston's clock so he can bolt for New York like he did last year. Very smooth.
- Golf season begins this week. Different year, same old storyline. Let's see what Tiger does this season.
- The New England Patriots will complete the perfect season. The venting is over, and so is this incredible post.
Thanks TheDan for being one of the very few bloggers on this site who aren't in love with Brett Favre. I totally agree with you about Favre being a two-time MVP, not three. Nobody called Favre out on his interception for a number of reasons, including:
1. Tony Romo already blew it earlier in the playoffs and they're still talking about it (because he did it AGAIN)
2. Everyone is in love with Favre, so he can do no wrong (even though he owns the record for most interceptions thrown and proved why on Sunday)
Last edited by Mischief Banes on January 23rd at 4:50 AM.
Hi Dan, no question Favre cost the Packers, especially that last pass, which was just horrendous. Whether or not he deserves his MVP's is irrelevant, since they won't be taking them back any time soon, although that's a good point about Barry Sanders.
The Packers were winning early in the season with defense and ball control. As soon as they started counting on Favre to "make things happen," they were done....
yeah, Favre's pretty much got a lifetime pass, like Jeter.
As for booing amateur athletes, I agree with you. College athletics is big business and big emotions. If they want the cheers, they have to be able to handle the jeers.
I don't hate Favre, but I definitely feel that he's a little overrated. I agree with you guys about Barry Sanders being sole MVP of that season, even though as HalfBaked says, it really doesn't matter now. I feel bad for Aaron Rodgers because at this rate, he'll never get to play. Favre will just keep coming back.
I don't believe that Favre is over-rated. You don't have the kind of regular season he had at age 38 if you are "over-rated". However, he is no longer the post-season QB he was. That's a fact, backed up by his 3-6 record over his last 9 post-season visits (could be 2-7, if Harris didn't INT Hassleback). The Packers can no longer rely on him in big games to win it for them; he does not perform that well under pressure anymore. McCarthy is to blame for the losses, though. He abandoned the running game for no known reason, and allowed Favre to be the QB he seems to become in high-pressure games. Over-rated? No. the same QB he was 10 years ago? Definitely not.
Honestly, the Giants outplayed the Packers in every aspect of the game. Green Bay was extremely fortunate to be close, and really the 90yd TD catch-and-run was about all that kept that game from turning into a walk for NY.
TheDan, you're harshing on Favre too much. NY was loading up to stop the run, and their CB's were jumping the short/intermediate routes (knowing that in the conditions long passes were unlikely). Favre was in a no-win situation.
Instead of bashing Favre, give credit to the Giants. They played a very good game.
When I say Favre is overrated, I mean that in regard to how he is talked about by people in the media. He had a terrific season for someone his age, but he's not who he used to be and that's how he is portrayed by sports writers and such.
Let's face it. Certain players reach that status where they seem to be untouchable. It usually comes from a long successful tenure, like Favre or Cal Ripkin.
Sometimes it comes from just an awesome talent, coupled with great success like Joe Montana, Michael Jordan or Magic Johnson.
Whatever the reason, these players attain almost godlike stature. People are afraid to critized them because they will draw so much flack.
But remember before each of these attained success, they were once known as the guy who 'could not win the big one.'
It will be interesting five or ten years down the road to look back at the ones today who are labeled as the 'promising young talent' or as the 'chokers' or 'the one who can't win the big one,' and see what they have (or have not) accomplished.
Thanks for the comments everyone. I was ready to stick to my guns on this.
And I DO give credit to New York. My point was not about New York's excellent run towards to Super Bowl, but how one man has escaped criticism where any other QB (pick one - black or white) would be taking heat for it. I'm not into sports to feel sorry for athletes so stop feeling sorry for Brett. He's had a great career and can still play another year or two in this league if he chooses. But when you criticize someone you better be able to do it to the person who commits the same mistakes. Brett has received a free pass for years and takes all the credit when his team wins. Brutal.
The New York Giants have played great football. But my post was not about them.
The last interception would never have even come into play had our defense not given up 60 yards in penalties to march the Giants down the field. And had Favre completed the pass? You'd be singing a different tune...the Pack lost the game because they were out-coached...everytime thing slook a bit "tight" McCarthy virtually abandons the running game and starts tossing it around...when that happens, things can get ugly. So before you accuse someone of getting a "pass" take a look at the whole picture.
"And takes all the credit when his team wins"??? On what planet do you watch the game? Favre is the first to share his successes and the team's succeses with everyone on the team...
Last edited by smitty63 on January 23rd at 12:52 PM.
Mischief Barnes- Why is it that on almost every comment board you bring up Farves INT record ? What team do you cheer for ? It sounds like one that Farve must have tourched at one point in is career seeing sense that is all you can say about him.
PackersFanGirl- We both know where we stand on the Farve issue, but I think we can agree to disagree on that topic. However I do have to agree with you that the running game was given up for no appearant reason. To rush the ball only 13 times 14 if you count Farves one scramble attempt, is just down right bad play calling. And yes I agree Farve doesnt have the same ability to take on the pressure at times but I cant help but wonder what your thoughts were like after the Denver game this year when the Pack won it in OT ?
To most everyone else who says Farve loss that game for the Pack and other then pointing out he threw that interception. What is your reasoning ?That would be like saying Eli won the games for the Giants and yet he threw no TD's. Same being for Plaxico, he had a great game but again no TD's. I believe the Packers lost that game as a team, the D gave up that TD late in the game because of stupid penelties and other then the one drive the Giants pulled out to tie it up at 20 all you cant really say they did that well either. Yes they won, but until that ball went threw both teams werent producing anything really after halftime. Back to the play calling here for the Pack when you dont run the ball and the D knows you arent running it it makes it a lot easier to drop 7 or 8 guys back to cover 3 or 4 recievers so of
I should've clarified that in general I believe the QB position gets too much credit when a team wins and takes too much criticism when a team loses.
However, that last interception by Favre was pretty pathetic, let's be honest. That pass was late and poorly thrown and basically never had a chance of being anything other than a pick. That interception was all on Brett Favre, no doubt.
Smitty - Giants outplayed Green Bay. Eli outplayed Favre. Out-coached? Maybe so, since the Packers went away from the running game in the second half. But New York had 3 or 4 opportunities to finish that game and Brett did it for them with that nice pass in overtime.
GNnGld - Had the Packers won the game we would have heard how unbelievable Brett Favre is. No credit to the D that has been carrying them most of the year. So since they lost, and Brett helped them to it, we'll give him the credit for the loss as we would for the victory. It's only fair.
The Dan- Oh I could go on and on all day on this topic, but I see that you are a Pats fan. I find that interesting. Are you so bitter about Farve because even in his failures he still takes the lime light away from your almighty Patriots ?
I could say Brady chocked too. He threw 3 picks this last weekend. So by your standards the Pats should have lost right, seeing sense throwing an INT means you lose the game right ? But wait they didnt lose, they won so where does that leave your statement about Farve ?
Blue - Seems everyone wants to give Favre a free pass. But yeah, boo pro athletes if they don't perform.
GN - Tom Brady won his game and made the passes he needed to make down the stretch. Where was Favre when they needed him in overtime? Where was he against Minnesota in 2004 throwing underhanded passes? Where was he against Atlanta when he crapped the bed in 2002? Where was he against St. Louis throwing 5 picks in 2001?
My point is, Pats fan or not, Favre's choke-jobs go unnoticed. Again, if any other QB did what Brett did this past weekend the media would have been all over that person. But not Brett. With you being a PACKERS fan why don't you give some more credit to the Defense, receivers and running backs because they deserve it more than #4.
And why isn't anyone calling Tom Brady a warrior for clutching up after his foot got busted? They would be building a sculpture for Favre if he did the same thing.
From Toronto, CANADA. On hiatus from sports talk show. Also the starting shortstop for the Lizzards. Honorary member of "The Clique" because I am a made guy. If I ever got to work for Fox Sports I'd put into my contract that I must put in no less than 60 hours of work per week.
Just shows that sports is my life.
And check out the Samsung T10. Excellent MP3 device. For more info: http://www.an ythingbutipod .com/archives /2007/10/sams ung-ypt10-rev iew.php
