Is This THE Pat? And Is Pat a SHE, Not a He?

Wrightstown’s Pat Vickman also hoped to catch a glimpse of No. 4, before today’s game. “I hope Brett throws for 400 yards, and the Packers win,” she said.

Hmm ... Sounds like our Pat. But I thought our Pat was a dude.

Wait, no. That can't be right. Our Pat would never want the Packers to win. Our Pat's not a Packers fan.

GBPG

Leroy Butler Suggests You Bring an Accessory to Hide Your Face Sunday

 I give you one Leroy Butler, true Packer. 

LINK

UPDATED! - Didja Hear the One About Brad Childress?

No, not Brett Favre's butler or limo driver, but his coach. Courtesy of Chris Mortensen via Deadspin, we have a pretty strange story of the head coach of the Minnesota Vikings dressing in drag aboard their charter.

Word has it the strange situation was some lesson in respect for flight attendants. Apparently, self-respect was not part of the lecture. Good work, Mr. Noodle.

(PHOTO: Muppetwiki)

UPDATE: Visanthe Shiancoe posted cell pics he took of Childress, yes, in drag, aboard the team's flight. Dear Lord, please let the memory of this be wiped from my eyes ...

And may Brett Favre throw five interceptions into the waiting arms of Chuck Woodson.

Amen.

Deadspin

Straight From the Horse's Mouth

Sometimes it's nice to hear a former player speak the truth instead of the company line corporate-speak so many modern athletes are prone to deliver.

Or they can just lie like Brett Favre and say whatever suits them and their selfish aims, and then later retract said lie and act like they have no idea what the big deal was in the first place. 

I give you Lynn Dickey, true Packer. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tK22ey66UJ8 

(PHOTO: Sportsbuy)

Your Monday Moment of Zen

(PHOTO: AP)

Did Injury Ultimately Do in The Ironman as a Packer?

It's no secret that one of the things that drove Favre to be such an ironman and continue to play week after week, even through some significant injuries was his innate fear of being replaced by someone because he was hurt. Being the guy who took over for Don Majkowski due to injury, it firmly planted the seed in Favre's mind. He commented on it several times throughout his career. He was a tough mother, no doubt, but sometimes to a fault (see his awful play during the the weeks with that thumb injury in 2003).

One idea that's rattled around in my brain for some time regarding the Packer's ultimate decision to let Favre continue his annual will-he-or-won't-he charade elsewhere was Rodgers' performance in the November 29th, 2007 Cowboy game. Recall that Favre started finging the ball all over the place. He finished 5 of 14 with 2 INTs before dinging his wing and leaving the game for Rodgers to take over. Thereafter, Rodgers went 18 of 26 for 201 yards, a TD and a few nice plays made with his feet for another 30 yards rushing.

It's hardly a stretch to consider the ramifications of that performance in a huge game and the Packers believing - rightly so - that Rodgers was ready to be a bonafide option behind center. Both teams had come in with 10-1 records and home field advantage on the line. The stakes were awfully high.

Don't get me wrong, it's well-documented the time the Packers gave Favre to make his decision following the 2007 season, his subsequent personal decision to retire, and the two attempts McCarthy and Thompson made to try and get Favre to return that were rebuffed. So, at first blush, though the Packers wanted Favre back, when it began to look less and less likely that he really wanted to return, they had to feel confident with the idea of giving the reins to Rodgers. I'm certainly not saying that one performance makes a career, nor does a season and a half to this point. But there are some very reasonable signs that point to the possibility that Rodgers might just be a very, very good quarterback for some time to come. 

How would things have been different had Favre not gotten hurt in that game? Who knows ... But it gave Rodgers an opportunity to showcase his talent in adverse circumstances, trying to come back from a deficit on the road against a very worthy opponent in front of a national audience.

And perhaps the ironman's fear was realized after all.

(PHOTO: Packers.com)

One Favre Record Falls to Rodgers

According to Eric Goska over at the Green Bay Press-Gazette: "Aaron Rodgers’ passer rating of 155.4 broke the franchise record of 154.9 established by Brett Favre in a 41-7 drubbing of the Raiders on Dec. 22, 2003. Rodgers completed 15 of 20 passes for 246 yards and three touchdowns. His effort boosted his rating for the year more than six points, from 104.1 to 110.8."

LINK

(PHOTO: Sports Illustrated)

Defeat from the Jaws of Victory!

Adrian Peterson makes a fantastic play to get the Vikes into potential game-winning touchdown territory in Pittsburgh only to have The Legendary One throw a "crafty veteran" screen pass that Chester Taylor couldn't handle into the waiting arms of LB Kieran Fox who finished the pick-six. If not for an additional Favre fumble that wound up going for yet another defensive score for Pittsburgh, the Vikings probably steal that game on the road.

Oh well. As expected, the Vikes ran into a better team and lost.

Also as expected, the Packers trounced the hapless Browns.

Favre: 34 of 51 for 334, 0 TDs and an enormous pick (76.76)
Rodgers: 15 of 20 for 246, 3 TDs, no INTs and 23 yds on the ground (155.4)

Smoke, Meet Mirror

The Vikings are averaging 348 yards on offense while allowing 342 on D, a paltry six-yard difference. This is why some observers think their 6-0 mark has a little smoke-and-mirrors to it.

Well, that and it's not week 11, yet, when Favre will begin his historic swan dive into oblivion and the excuses will fly like the swallows of Capistrano.

OK, so I'm ahead of myself. Favre has played far better than his advanced age would dictate and playing indoors for 97% of the year will probably bode well for his tired, unable-to-resist-the-cold-of-January body. I guess that means the Vikings had better hope and pray they finish with a better record than the Giants or we might see something like the image pictured when Favre's mind was anywhere but in Green Bay.

*SIGH* I Guess I'll Have to Talk Down to the Low IQs in the Room, Then

It's come to my attention that an anonymous poster in the comments section believes all analyses to be equal. While it is true that you can compare anything you want, the closer you whittle down the comparisons, the more thoughtful and relevant the analysis. Thoughtful and relevant being the operative words, words not often in the vernacular of Favre fans. They fall back on simple comparisons and cliches, because that's all that's left of their Legend.

Case in point: comparing Favre and Rodgers' careers. Oh, sure you can do it. It's just not relevant or thoughtful. It doesn't give us much to chew on in an intelligent debate. So the comment yesterday about how you enjoy my comparisons between Favre and Rodgers is great. I'm glad you like it. Although it's no secret I hope Favre fails, it in no way impedes my rational thought to consider his performance thus far excellent. I've said so. Read the historical posts on the blog. Rodgers has been as good, surrounded by lesser talent and a failing offensive line. But those things, while relevant also seem like cop-outs, considering he's held onto the ball too long at times and caused some of his own problems. I'd absolutely LOVE one of you Favre lovers to jilt your Legend by saying something similar. But I know you're too bullheaded to do it, because your obvious blindness is evident in your inane comments.

My comparisons, as it were, are week-to-week comparisons or historical when they fit (as in last year). The analyses always have some factual basis. You'll see a lot of stats below, embedded video, quotes, etc., etc. What do Favre fans come with? Comments like: "Without Favre, the Vikings would be 3-3 at best." It's kind of the age-old adage about talking to a wall. Since you Favre fans love cliches, there's one you should understand.

I dare you to admit that Aaron Rodgers is as good a prospect at quarterback as Favre was back in his early years. Furthermore, surrounded with the kind of talent that Favre was surrounded with in the years of the Super Bowl runs, Rodgers just might be as good or better. He's shown accuracy, a very good arm, the ability to make plays in trouble and *GASP* the poise not to throw the ball all over the place. Yes, he's not been able to close the deal in many of the close games. Chalk it up to him, chalk it up to the defense not holding leads he's put on the board, whatever. I believe those wins will come with better talent around him, especially on defense. You saw it in the first game this year and I know that made you lovers stew.

Of course you won't admit it, but deep down you know it's accurate. The most ironic thing of all was when Favre struggled early on in his career, when he couldn't close the deal in the playoffs in Dallas, when he threw too many interceptions, the armchair QBs in this town of "the smartest football fans in the world" were calling for Mark Brunnell to replace Favre. "They should at least give him a shot to see if he can play. His contract's almost up, he'll leave and go play better for someone else." But that same sentiment carried out in actuality years later is met with ... the same reaction?

Perhaps Rodgers won't pan out to be the quarterback Favre was over the length of his career. You just can't seriously compare their careers at present and call it relevant analysis, and then turn around and act outraged when someone else says the comparison is silly by using my comparisons as proof.

GANK! - Advantage Favre

Nice work, a-hole. Try to at least put a good foot on it next time. Jeebus, I've seen high schoolers with more skill than that.

Anyway, onto the action ... The Packers dominated a team they should have and the Vikings played well enough not to let their visiting team make a game-winning field goal with time expiring to go to 6-0. Again, both QBs played very well and the numbers looked like this:

Rodgers: 113.73
Favre: 136.85

Minnesota goes to Pittsburgh next week and will have a tall order against the seemingly resurgent Steelers. The Packers play at Cleveland. Two weeks until Hillbilly and the Clan of the Golddigger Bear return to Lambeau.

Favre Is Favring Favrelous Again!

Your week 5 MVP is, once again, Brett Favre. God, I love the way he plays the game. It's like he's a kid out there!

A kid who's 40 years old, that is. And to make sure we all know he's sacrificed for us in a way no man should be asked to sacrifice for our entertainment, he throws this out there: "For the last 19 years, all the holidays, including my birthday, I'm either playing or getting ready to play," he said. "No different this week, unless Brad is going to throw me a big party. I think it deserves something. I really do. I just want to throw that out there: 40." LA Times

I'm sure you just wanted to throw that out there and that isn't yet another shot at Ted Thompson for kicking your hillbilly ass to the curb. I just wish he'd have done it before you threw that pathetic excuse for a pass to end the NFC Championship game, you ol' Legend you.

Long looooooooooooooong live Brett Favre.

(PHOTO: Bruce Kluckhohn/US Presswire)

Guest Blogger: Badger Steve

Got an email from a good friend who had an interesting and SUPPORTED take on the Favre lovers' need to question those pieces of the puzzle in place around Favre when he was in Green Bay. Emphasis on the word "supported" there.

Favre lovers have a tendency to throw nonsense out there without any factual evidence. In fact, they seem absolutely allergic to the truth, considering the times when it stares them in the face they pretend it's not there like some boogeyman Ted Thompson. The nonsense in question concerning Favre never having a running game to support him while he was here, and now with AP he'll win the Super Bowl.

Take it away, Steve:

"You know revisionist history is one thing that always drives me crazy. While sometimes it's just bad memory or genuine nostalgia like the "good old days," often it's a blatantly dishonest effort to whitewash history to further one's own agenda.

Such is the case lately with the Favre & the running game. Now the story is that Favre never had any running game in Green Bay and look what he did. Just imagine him with AP. Now you know I was a huge Dorsey Levens fan so I'll admit a little bias there. But objectively, he did make a Pro-Bowl and was among the top in the league for a brief period. Wanna know something surprising...take the two best years of AP's career - he had 3494 yards from scrimmage (rushing & receiving) and a total of 23 TDs. Take the two best years of Levens’ career  - 3412 yards from scrimmage and 22 TDs. Now clearly Peterson is a tremendous running back - the best in the game right now and Dorsey Levens was a nice, very solid all around back, but not in the same ball park. But before everybody says Favre never had any kind of running game or running backs, how about we look at the numbers and realize that it's yet another myth which doesn't exactly coincide with the facts.

That's Levens. During a 5 year stretch, Ahman Green rushed for more yardage than anyone in the NFL (2000-2004). He averaged just over 1800 yards from scrimmage over those 5 seasons. Peterson has averaged a gaudy 119 yards from scrimmage per game he started. Ahman averaged 123 yards per start over an 11 year career. And during the 5 year stretch with the Packers, Ahman averaged 148 total yards per game.

So please - this Favre never had any running game garbage is just that. Sure there were some lean years - primarily the initial rebuilding years of Holmgren, and a couple of times when there were significant injuries. In fact, what's the standard bearer in the NFL for a rushing season? It's the 1,000 yard season. In the first three years, Green Bay didn't have one. Over the next 13 years Favre was there, 9 times the Packers had a thousand yard rusher. That does not count 2007 which saw Ryan Grant total 956 yards but led the league in rushing over the second half of the season. Nor does it count '96 when Bennett ran for 900 and Levens 560. In other words, he actually had a fairly solid run support - especially when you consider much of Holmgren's offense was predicated on using a short passing game as an "extended handoff" in place of running the ball."

Gracious

I loved the fact after the Packers/Vikings tilt when one of the ESPN talking heads - can't recall who - described Favre's postgame handshake with his former teammates as "gracious." Anyone can be gracious in victory. Would the same have happened if he'd lost?

Wonder no more! Is that the same gracious Favre who fled the field like a sore loser after Pennington punked his ass on his home field and knocked the aged Legend off his pedestal and out of the playoffs last December?

Yeah, thought so.

But, again, the media's blind love of this jerk knows no objective bounds. Favre could be responsible for swine flu and the headline would read: "Favre's Love of His Fellow Man Leads Him to Single-Handedly Burgeon Their Immune Systems."

Watch Pennington searching for him and Favre getting the hell out of there. Gracious, my ass. 

Not about Revenge, Huh?

This a really good Photoshop job or - more likely - this is proof positive Brett and clan believe their own conspiracy theory and this is all about revenge. In case you can't make that out, that's Deanna Favre mugging for the camera at left in all her gold-digging glory.

Either way, the Favres are proving beyond a shadow of a doubt how petty, juvenile, disloyal and disingenuous they really are. They don't care about you, they don't care about Packer fans, and stooping to this kind of silliness to get their rocks off is fantastic as it proves all of the above.

I'm sure the Favre fans will giggle and not see the fact that the joke's on them. Their blinders are impenetrable. I hope the Favres try to pull this kind of stunt when they stroll into Lambeau on November 1st and get their reward in boos.

Vikings Hold Serve

Favre played as well as he could have and the Vikings moved to 4-0. He outplayed Rodgers in every phase. There's really not much more that can be said than that. The Packers have two weeks to get healthy and start the next quarter of the season and look forward to trying to repay the favor November 1st.

And if the Packers don't find an offensive line and soon, Matt Flynn will be finishing out the season as the Packers' quarterback. 

(PHOTO: Josh Q Public)

"Embarrassingly Transparent"

So says a New York Jets general manager of Favre's plan to use the Jets for a season to earn a spot on the Vikings roster and exact his (non-existent errand for) revenge. Ultimate team guy.

The thing about all of this is Favre is clearly not the player he used to be no matter how many of his fans think he can play at the 1996 Favre level until he's surfing for transportation at The Scooter Store.  That heave to Greg Lewis last week notwithstanding (and if you've followed this blog, even a hater like me found some level of greatness in that play), Favre has never been one to turn his emotion inward. Look at all the big games he's played throughout his career. He either rises up or - more often than not - falls flat on his smirking mug.

The proof will be in the pudding tomorrow night for all of the myopians and Favre fans to rise up as one when he has his shot to prove Ted Thompson wrong. He will be slinging eggs all night as the Packers undoubtedly stack the box to protect themselves from having Purple Jesus run all over them. He'll have every opportunity to show he's still got it. That's precisely the strategy the Packers failed to employ in their Super Bowl XXXII loss to the Elway-led Broncos when an over-the-hill QB was the focus of the defensive gameplan, instead of the all-world RB Terrell Davis. Even with a migraine, Davis made the Packers pay time and time again, yet Shurmur and the Packers refused to stray from their strategy and it cost them dearly.

So Monday night, Favre will get his chance. Will it be a situation where he'll be able to use his emotion to his advantage and beat the Packers on his own, or will he fall prey to the swirling hate in his belly and start heaving the ball all over the place regardless of the color jersey the players are wearing?

All the time spent over the last 14 months, left to his own thoughts, comes down to the first of two meetings tomorrow night. Good luck, Brett. History says it's not impossible, but you're going to need it.

New York Daily News

(PHOTO: Levey/Getty)

This Has GOT to Sting

"It was 16 great years, and I hope they enjoyed it, they appreciated that run as much as I did," Favre told ESPN in an interview that aired Sunday. "But you just have to let it go and just move on."

Proof positive Brett Favre puts himself above everyone else whose shoulders and dimes he climbed upon to get to his status as otherworldy deity. Not only are the Green Bay Packer fans who adored Brett Favre not worth even a positive mention, they now seem equally lumped into the quagmire his conspiracy-filled mind conjured for Ted Thompson and Mike McCarthy.

Behold, your Legend.

USA Today

Uncorroborated But Funny

So the story goes, Aaron Rodgers was golfing in a local charity outing and caught one thin at the tee box, launching it high into the air and sailing toward the neighboring hole. Seeing the uncharacteristically errant shot, he yells "Two!" to warn the golfers coming up the adjacent fairway. They quickly heed the advice and get clear of the drive.

While walking up to their shots, one of the other members of the foursome with Rodgers asks: "I couldn't help but notice you yelled 'two' back there to warn those golfers instead of the customary 'fore.' What gives?"

Rodgers smiled and replied, "As long as I live, I'll never utter the word 'four' again."

Thanks to a friend for this hilarious and 'true' story.

I Wonder If By Close He Means Through Wood or Drywall

Adrian Peterson is the latest to fall under Favre's spell. Quick! Who has Thomas Jones' phone number?! And how quickly before the best player in the game comes to his senses?

Say uber-scribes "Chip" Scoggins and Judd "Zulgad" over at the Star Trib: "Peterson said he already has developed a connection with the veteran QB. Favre has praised Peterson numerous times since joining the team, and it's clear Peterson has great respect for Favre. The two have lockers close together at Winter Park."

Let me repeat that for those of you just in from a long, early morning bender: "The two have lockers close together at Winter Park." Where the hell are you, true Viking fan? You're allowing your franchise player to fraternize with the waffler? He'll wind up in Los Angeles at this rate. Have you no sense of fandom? Oh wait, he'll wind up in LA anyway, because that's where your pathetic franchise is headed when the lease is up on the Hump Dome.

But wait. There's more. Favre has a l-o-c-k-e-r? Come awn. This wasn't on the ticker running on SportsCenter. WHERE THE HELL IS FREAKING RACHEL NICHOLS? And you Favre haters with all of your "he has a Hilton of his own" claptrap. For shame. I guess we now know we can't trust Adrian Peterson around the PBR anymore.

GAWD NO, ALL DAY HAS BEEN HYPNOTIZED BY THE CHARLATAN!!!

Oh Where Are the Favre Fans?

I'm sure they're all waiting for the Vikings to win before trolling. No self-respecting Favre fan ever called their shot before running their mouths. Rest assured, they'll be here after Favre beats the Packers to say ... "I told you so!" in oh-so-many well-thought-out, intelligent paragraphs. Green Bay has the smartest fans in the world, donchaknow?

Come on, myopians, where are you? Where is the defense of his backpedaling, misremembering, revisionist history from yesterday? Could it be he's finally through the looking glass with even you, his staunchest supporters? You have to admit that whole "Well, when I said 'stick it to Ted Thompson,' that didn't necessarily mean I was out for revenge" explanation was particularly choice.

Who is this guy? And does he honestly believe his own brand of b.s.? He must to want people to believe it.

Definition of Class

Aaron Rodgers continues to be and has always been the definition of class when it comes to the barrage of questions surrounding the departure of Brett Favre from Green Bay. He has had any number of opportunities to light up Favre with the truth that he acted like a child to the organization and to Aaron Rodgers personally, but he never has.

When asked today why he didn't reach out to Rodgers, Favre's response was typically juvenile: "For what?" He then went on to drop non-answers in the form of how he knew Rodgers was talented, etc. But he never answered the question, because as jilted as Favre is at Thompson for letting him go, he inexplicably tied that to Rodgers. I get it. Favre's competitive, but where this is a game on the field, off of it these players relate to one another and have camaraderie. Hell, even guys who play the same position on different teams yuck it up, work out together in the offseason, share agents. Don't believe me? Scroll down this page until you come across the image of Favre and Eli Manning chatting before the ESPYs the year Favre retired. That's the guy WHO BEAT FAVRE IN THE NFC TITLE GAME! And he couldn't reach out to a young guy in his own locker room? Wow.

So when Favre answers "For what?" to a question of why he didn't reach out to Rodgers, the obvious answer is how about to show someone you're a human being and not an a-hole. You're the Legend. You're the guy who everyone else looks up to. You're supposed to be the epitome of lead by example. Instead you come across as looking like the jilted lover full of scorn and anger. It fits you about as well as that purple jersey and horn on your helmet. You're wearing horns all right, but they might as well be cuckold horns instead of Viking horns.

Rodgers, on the other hand, is mature beyond his years. He took the questions and answered them truthfully and without sounding like he was above the questions. It's funny how the younger guy has learned all the lessons and the old dog can't be bothered to learn new tricks.

Green Bay Press-Gazette

(PHOTO: Getty Images)

WI Media on Favre: "Defensive, Evasive and Combative"

Mike Vandermause, sports columnist for the Green Bay Press-Gazette had this to say of Favre's conference call with members of the Wisconsin media today:

"Brett Favre spoke to members of the Wisconsin media Thursday for the first time since his tearful retirement farewell 19 months ago, and the legendary quarterback was at times defensive, evasive and combative."

You don't say?

See, the thing about the Favre that all of us who watched him and cheered for him for the better part of 16 years - that the mainstream media and the NFL fandom at large don't know - is that this shift of Favre as the genuine "aw shucks" country boy who played for love of the game into the media hound, loving his records, over-the-hill Favre happened quickly and succinctly when Ray Rhodes was hired as the replacement for Mike Holmgren. Even then there was a rift between Favre and Holmgren about who was more responsible for the success of those Super Bowl run teams. Considering Favre never made it back to the Super Bowl but came closest with a coach who would no longer let him run the team pretty well sums up that picture. Favre was great, but not great enough to win on his own. He just never realized it.

That one year with Rhodes and the subsequent Sherman years changed Favre.

Better stated, Favre changed because he could in those years, because those coaches cared less about coaching Favre and more about being Favre's friend, and more about letting Favre run the show to sometimes disastrous results on the field and definitively disastrous results off of it. Consider the private locker room for instance or the stingy press availability or the sheer hiding from the media when things didn't go precisely as Favre wanted them to, and the years where he was allowed to skip OTAs...

Enter stage left: Favre was allowed to skip minicamps and training camps this season with the Minnesota Vikings, and Brad Childress chauffeured him personally from his plane to the training facility when he arrived in Minnesota. Favre refers to his new coach as "Chilly."

Favre has changed. He's changed for the worst. And for all the Green Bay fans who still love Favre, well, I'm sorry to say it, but he doesn't care about you anymore. He has thrown us all under the bus.

Green Bay Press-Gazette