Anti hero Favre gift-packaged redemption for New Orleans

[retrojint]

Watched and listened to a lot of commentary yesterday about how much this Super Bowl win means to the beleaguered city of New Orleans.  And deservedly so given how much that quaint southern town has been brutalized by bad politicians and even worse weather over the years.  Throughout the analysis, one figure has been missing, however.  Our new favorite non-person, Brett Favre.  Without his egotistical, maniacal brain malfunction at what would have almost assuredly been the end of the Vikings-Saints game, the magic of Super Bowl Sunday would never have had a chance to happen.  This is a good thing.  For the crestfallen Vikings' community I have only this to say--tough hops.  You made a pact with the devil.  As always, he pulls out just before gratification.  As for Favre, as far as I'm concerned, a higher order in the universe repaid him for running up the score with cheap play-action touchdown passes like he did against the Giants and then Cowboys in the playoffs.  If you listened to Keith Brookings following that game, you get the distinct impression that should they face each other again, Keith would be determined to send Favre not into retirement but the emergency room.

Sometimes it works out.  It did Sunday.  The football gods saw to it to knock down Peyton Manning a bit.  No offense, just reality.  The guy is human.  And we are still bitter about the Colts decidedly unmanly decision against the Jets that gave the Jetsons an entirely unwarranted entry into the playoffs.  The FBI, not Goody, should take a look at what happens in those late season games when the integrity of the contest is violated by chicken xxxx decisions.  So for the Colts, perhaps go for perfection the next time.  And although I am sure that I am the only one on this board who feels this way, I am happy for Jeremy Shockey.  The greatest TE to ever play for the Giants, now has a ring that he can call his very own.

[BlueMoshik]

"As always, he pulls out just before gratification. "

 

Somehow this captures the essence of the man.

But Retro, do you really have Shockey over Bavaro on your Giants TE list???

[LennG]

The greatest TE to ever play for the Giants, now has a ring that he can call his very own.
 

Steve

 My fine friend, have you fallen and banged your head, and have forgotten a fellow named Bavaro. In fact I would put Bob Tucker ahead of Shocky also.

 And personally, he was the reason I was rooting against the Saints. I really did NOT want him to have another ring.

[TXGiant]

My feelings exactly Len!  Shockey was the sole reason I was rooting against the Saints! Even thought Garrett Hartley and Chase Daniel both went to my local high school and I watched them them play since they were sophomores, I couldn't get over the Shockey factor.

[babywhales]

If the colts would have won, Shockey not getting a ring was a positive outcome of the event.

I also would say Bavaro was better than Shockey, although both helped the gmen win a ring, one did it with his actions on the field and the other did it by simply not being on the field.

[GiantFD]

Favre losing the way he did, was justice. Minnesota was much the best that day and he BLEW IT!

He treated the Jets players like garbage last year...He was not a good teammate and he pulled his I don't do training camp thing with the Vikes.

I guess he will try to take until August to decide if he's coming back. I hope the Vikes won't let him get away with it.

I used to admire Favre, How misguided I was!

[pagan43]

Did anyone catch the tv ad during the SuperBowl that featured a white-haired Favre accepting the 2020 MVP award (that had a moving hologram of himself at the top)?

At least he has good humor about how his refusal to retire has become the running joke of the league.

pagan43

[GiantFD]

Did anyone catch the tv ad during the SuperBowl that featured a white-haired Favre accepting the 2020 MVP award (that had a moving hologram of himself at the top)?

At least he has good humor about how his refusal to retire has become the running joke of the league.

pagan43

I have to admit, that was funny.

[squibber]

I pray that Favre doesn't get hired to do pregame shows after he retires.  I won't watch it.  I'd rather watch the movie Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

[jimv]

Favre ended his last three seasons by throwing an INT; two lost NFC Championships for his teams.  'Nuf said.

Bavaro was the best TE I've ever seen on all teams, not just the Jints.  And, Lenn, I agree that I'd even take Bob Tucker over what's-his-name.

[Gmo11]

I'm with you Retro though it's lonely on this particular pedestal. I was rooting for Shockey to get his ring and he did.  Listening to Brees talk about him really sheds some light on the situation with the Giants in my opinion.  He deserved to get this ring and I'm glad he did.  Not only that he caught the winning TD pass.  He gave them the lead they would not relinquish.  Good for him. 

And had he played his entire career here, I agree he would have been the greatest TE in Giants history.  He had more physical talent than any other, he just didn't stick around long enough to own all the records.  Bavaro gets the nod, barely, but Shockey could easily have overtaken him with a full career in blue.

[jimv]

gmo, we're all entitled to our opinions and, certainly, yours is as valid as anyone else.  But, I feel that I have a right, at least, to address yours.  Bavaro had soft hands & would, IMO, consistently catch the passes that Shockey couldn't; e.g., Shockey dropped an easy TD that would've secured the W in the 49ers Playoff game in 2002.  Bavaro was a bruising runner, as good as & probably better than Shockey; e.g., all I have to do is point to the catch & run against the 49ers on 12/1/86.  That brought us back from a deep hole spurring us to a key W on the way to SB XXI.  Bavaro was an incredible blocker from the get-go.  There were some experts who thought he could have easily played OT.  Shockey learned to be an average blocker & did well.  Just one side of the story.

BTW, Shockey DID win a SB ring with the '07 Giants.  It was HIS decision NOT to honor it & demand a trade.  I have no particular joy or animus toward him & his success in this SB.  I'm just happy for the Saints.  It's been a long wait for them & they deserved it based on their play.

[Rocky56]

Bavaro was head and shoulders over Shockey based on his attitude and work ethic alone. Bavaro's Giant career was cut short by a severe knee injury. Shockey's was self terminated by greed, ego and stupidity. All else being equal Shockey shouldn't have been allowed to carry Bavaro's jock.

[pagan43]

Let's not forget that while Shockey energized the offense, and played with a passion that was easy to love if you were a Giants fan, easy to hate if you where the fan of any opposing team, he was also incapable of playing in a complete season without either missing games to injury or being severely hampered to the point of near uselessness.

Even this year he limped through several games and was replaced many times by the other tightends on the Saints roster.

This does not equate to greatness in my book.

I think history will eventually show that Shockey was a fierce competitor, who played with attitude, but he will pan out to be only mediocre according to the stats for TE. He just misses too many snaps due to injury.

pagan43

[LennG]

Gmo

 Sorry my man, but I agree fully with Jim. How many times did we wince as Shockey dropped pass after pass. He was all attitude and each year, less and less talent. I know you were around to have watched Bavaro in his prime, and even after his prime, and even then he was twice the TE, receiver and blocker, and just all around great teammate, that Shockey only dreamed about being.

 You know the big difference between Shockey and Bavaro. Shockey needed to continue to tell people how great he was, and never really showed that on the field. Bavaro never said a word and he let his actions on the field speak for him. Just watching him, we knew how great he was.