Around the league with Fran Tarkenton and Brett Favre!

I’m sure it is not surprising to any of us that future Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre is back in the news. This time, current HOF quarterback Fran Tarkenton, one of the greatest scrambling quarterbacks to ever play the game, had some choice words for him. Let’s get to it as it’s a fun soap opera event every time we talk about Favre.

Part I - HOF QB Fran Tarkenton on future HOF QB Brett Favre: “… he has made more stupid plays than any great quarterback …”

I’m so thrilled someone said this. At KFFL we do have lively, and at times, heated debates. KFFL managing editor Cory J. Bonini and I have gone through our rounds of Favre debates. Those who read my blog know I believe he’s the most overrated modern-day quarterback. You find greatness among players that consistently overcome professional and personal challenges. That is, adversity.

Players such as Joe Montana and Bart Starr with their championships come to mind. Jim Plunkett, Terry Bradshaw and Steve Young are three others as well - players, when the chips are down, you know you can give them the rock and they’ll come out on top more often than not. Favre isn’t one of those players, specifically come playoff time. I’m glad someone who played the game and is in the HOF agrees with me. I bet there are others!

Fran Tarkenton just had to poke the Brett Favre Bear, didn't he?

The only flaw in Tarkenton’s portfolio is that he was 0-3 in Super Bowls. However, you can’t fault him alone because it’s a team game, and the fact he led the team to three championship games states something about his own abilities.

For the record, I get angry when individuals talk about how Steve Young changed the quarterback position with his scrambling and throwing abilities - then, once again, when individuals talk about Michael Vick and how he changed the position. Neither player changed the position because Tarkenton, IMHO, was the first modern-day quarterback to show the world what a scrambling quarterback can do. He changed the position, not the other two. The other two, arguably, took it to a different level. In the end, I will say that Young played the position as best as any scrambling quarterback can! No fantasy take here as much as we’re starting to see individuals finally calling Favre out for whom he is … an extremely selfish player and human being.

Part II - HOF QB Fran Tarkenton on future HOF QB Brett Favre: “Is anybody in New York crying that Brett Favre didn’t come back?”

Tarkenton continues in another interview but with a more politically correct approach. He talks about how Favre has tarnished his legacy and how he put the Green Bay Packers in a bad position, with reiterations of his first radio interview. However, he does make a key point in that it appears as if the New York Jets - at least with the players - are neither missing him nor screaming the team should have kept him. That alone states a lot.

When individuals don’t come out for you publicly, nowadays that silence is not always golden. I believe the players were happy to rid themselves of Favre and his special treatment. Many point to Favre’s numbers before he went down to injury, but I have to say, just as Tarkenton does, it’s a 16-game season! Was he more worried about ending his iron man streak of consecutive games started instead of riding the bench because his play was hurting the team?

Should Brett Favre have been benched down the stretch?

I don’t know and don’t mean to imply he should have been benched. Perhaps he was the best alternative at quarterback, hurt or not. I don’t think so because they went 1-4 in their last five games, and it is ironic the quarterback they gave up on, Chad Pennington, with protection, stayed healthy and led his team to the playoffs. That alone says a lot. I’m not saying Pennington is better overall than Favre, but at least for one year he was! I don’t care about the statistics in this case; the Dolphins made the playoffs - the Jets did not!

Part III - “Is Fran Tarkenton right about Favre?”

This is great as it’s a poll, within the first article I listed in quotes. You see the overall question but it’s broken down into two choices:

1. Yes. Favre is just another selfish diva
2. No. What has Tarkenton ever won?

When I was writing this blog, I checked the results; nearly 41,000 votes were cast, with 73 percent saying “yes, he is selfish” compared to 27 percent asking what Tarkenton has ever won! Heck, I’m surprised many know who Tarkenton is! Regardless, it’s obvious that I’m not alone in my thoughts on how selfish Favre is. However, I do wonder if the 27 percent of voters who voted for, “What has Tarkenton ever won?” are from Minnesota? … Come on people, if we can’t laugh at ourselves, who can we laugh at? I love the state of Minnesota, and IMHO, it’s the country’s fantasy football capital!

It’s a short week. Be productive before the weekend so you don’t feel any guilt, but also remember, great workers have job security in tough economic times. Be good, safe and enjoy the weekend! If you’re looking for breaking news updates that get to you faster than e-mail, follow me on Twitter at http://twitter.com/wdelpilar.