Brett Favre has finally hung up the cleats and called it a career. A day which has been either long awaited or long dreaded depending on your particular Sunday allegiance.
We all know the numbers, Farve walks away the reigning record holder for nearly every passing statistic, good and bad. He leaves the game on a high note, and amidst bitter feelings about the franchise not going after Randy Moss. In a way it is a parable for his career. Favre was the only man to win the league MVP award 3 times, and to make such a feat more impressive, he did it in three consecutive years. But with all the records, and all the hype and the talk and the painful abuse for the last two years of the phrase 'child-like wonder' Brett Favre leaves the game wearing a single Superbowl ring. The same number worn by Trent Dilfer, Jim McMahon and Brad Johnson and Steve Young. One less than Bart Starr or Bob Griese. Two fewer than Tom Brady.
What does all this mean at the end of it all? Not much, really. Favre's legacy will be as a fan favorite who will alway be added to the popular "arguably" the best ever. Very arguably.
Marino never won a ring, he got there just once. Marino played on some bad teams, made passable beacuse of Dan Marino. Favre usually had a solid defense, almost always had receivers, and with a few seasons excepted the Packers had a running game. So does the lack of hardware diminish the legacy of a great QB who is a sure first-ballot hall of fame player?
Time will tell.
What it does mean is that Aaron Rogers takes over a team that had one of the most loved, by fans and by the media, players in the history of the NFL. Will Packers fans embrace their new field general or lament his every move for not being 'Favre' enough?
The 2008 season just got interesting for the NFC North. Suddenly it is anybody's game.
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