Fla\/\/ed
Footballguy
From JSOnline http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=664935
His haters think he plays for records but those that follow the Packers and Favre know otherwise. No need for the haters in this thread.
Peeling a record label
Favre does not see numbers as his legacy
By GREG A. BEDARD
Green Bay - The numbers, like blitzing linebackers, just keep coming and coming.
As he stands on the precipice of breaking one of the most honored records in football, the career touchdown mark of 420 held by Dan Marino, Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre is alone in the spotlight.
For a guy who has made his career being the ultimate team player, it is terribly uncomfortable. Sort of like having a game go down to the final drive, and not having the ball in his hand.
Favre's first question during a national conference call Wednesday was which record meant more to him, the number of victories by quarterback, or the touchdown mark?
"Well, uh . . ." followed by a 9-second pause was Favre's initial response.
"I want to win," he continued. "I just want to play in these games, and if the records happen, they happen."
Make no mistake, the marks will fall. Just about every one of them. Favre already has already broken Marino's record for completions and John Elway's mark for victories by a starting quarterback.
Soon the lists for touchdowns, attempts and yards will all have Favre's name at the top. And needing just two interceptions to tie George Blanda's career record of 277, Favre will have that one, too. Since it takes some of the luster off himself, Favre had no trouble discussing that dubious mark.
"You can't have all the good records, that's the way I look at it," Favre said. "If you're going to talk about the good (records), we might as well talk about the bad ones."
The fact that Favre will wind up holding both the touchdown and interception records seems almost appropriate. He's always maintained that with his gunslinging style of play, the good will come with the bad.
"There have some bad plays, some bone-headed plays, whatever you want to call them," Favre said. "But a lot of those good ones would not be there if it wasn't for taking a chance. For me, it has been well worth the risk."
Some might say Favre's decision not to retire the past two seasons has been rewarded as the Packers have started this season 2-0 and won six straight games dating to last season.
If having fun is a barometer, Favre definitely did. He seemed to have a ball Sunday as he completed 29 of 38 passes for 286 yards and three touchdowns in the Packers' 35-13 victory over the New York Giants, a performance for which Favre was named the NFC's offensive player of the week.
"I enjoy playing on this team right now," Favre said. "There are a lot of young guys. It kind of keeps me young. There's a lot of enthusiasm and hope around here.
"I would love to lead this team to another Super Bowl. But you know what? I'm going to do my best to do that."
But Favre also knows there is a flip side. If the Packers' start turns out to be a fluke, starting with the game Sunday against the San Diego Chargers, the decision about returning for an 18th season might not be his to make this time.
"I think that is a factor," Favre said. "Who knows what happens? I do know this: If for some unforeseen reason we go 4-12 or whatever, they're going to go in a different direction anyway, whether I like it or not. That's just the facts, especially at 17 years and my salary.
"But there are a lot of factors that go into it. We may struggle down the stretch. I might not play that well. The team might not play that well. Whatever. They may want to go in a different direction. OK, then maybe it's not meant to be."
His right ankle might need surgery to go along with the two he has had on his left, but Favre said he felt fine physically. Two more starts would give Favre 241 consecutive starts, passing former Minnesota center Mick Tinglehoff to move into second on the all-time list. Only the Vikings' Jim Marshall at 270 would be ahead of Favre.
Of course, that would be another record attached to Favre's name. That's fine, as long as those marks aren't used to define him.
"To me, my legacy is much more than the records," Favre said. "If I have to have records to continue my legacy, then somewhere along the way I did something wrong. I hope it's the way I played the game and the durability. The reliability means much more to me than that.
"It's been way more than I ever dreamed of."
His haters think he plays for records but those that follow the Packers and Favre know otherwise. No need for the haters in this thread.
Peeling a record label
Favre does not see numbers as his legacy
By GREG A. BEDARD
Green Bay - The numbers, like blitzing linebackers, just keep coming and coming.
As he stands on the precipice of breaking one of the most honored records in football, the career touchdown mark of 420 held by Dan Marino, Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre is alone in the spotlight.
For a guy who has made his career being the ultimate team player, it is terribly uncomfortable. Sort of like having a game go down to the final drive, and not having the ball in his hand.
Favre's first question during a national conference call Wednesday was which record meant more to him, the number of victories by quarterback, or the touchdown mark?
"Well, uh . . ." followed by a 9-second pause was Favre's initial response.
"I want to win," he continued. "I just want to play in these games, and if the records happen, they happen."
Make no mistake, the marks will fall. Just about every one of them. Favre already has already broken Marino's record for completions and John Elway's mark for victories by a starting quarterback.
Soon the lists for touchdowns, attempts and yards will all have Favre's name at the top. And needing just two interceptions to tie George Blanda's career record of 277, Favre will have that one, too. Since it takes some of the luster off himself, Favre had no trouble discussing that dubious mark.
"You can't have all the good records, that's the way I look at it," Favre said. "If you're going to talk about the good (records), we might as well talk about the bad ones."
The fact that Favre will wind up holding both the touchdown and interception records seems almost appropriate. He's always maintained that with his gunslinging style of play, the good will come with the bad.
"There have some bad plays, some bone-headed plays, whatever you want to call them," Favre said. "But a lot of those good ones would not be there if it wasn't for taking a chance. For me, it has been well worth the risk."
Some might say Favre's decision not to retire the past two seasons has been rewarded as the Packers have started this season 2-0 and won six straight games dating to last season.
If having fun is a barometer, Favre definitely did. He seemed to have a ball Sunday as he completed 29 of 38 passes for 286 yards and three touchdowns in the Packers' 35-13 victory over the New York Giants, a performance for which Favre was named the NFC's offensive player of the week.
"I enjoy playing on this team right now," Favre said. "There are a lot of young guys. It kind of keeps me young. There's a lot of enthusiasm and hope around here.
"I would love to lead this team to another Super Bowl. But you know what? I'm going to do my best to do that."
But Favre also knows there is a flip side. If the Packers' start turns out to be a fluke, starting with the game Sunday against the San Diego Chargers, the decision about returning for an 18th season might not be his to make this time.
"I think that is a factor," Favre said. "Who knows what happens? I do know this: If for some unforeseen reason we go 4-12 or whatever, they're going to go in a different direction anyway, whether I like it or not. That's just the facts, especially at 17 years and my salary.
"But there are a lot of factors that go into it. We may struggle down the stretch. I might not play that well. The team might not play that well. Whatever. They may want to go in a different direction. OK, then maybe it's not meant to be."
His right ankle might need surgery to go along with the two he has had on his left, but Favre said he felt fine physically. Two more starts would give Favre 241 consecutive starts, passing former Minnesota center Mick Tinglehoff to move into second on the all-time list. Only the Vikings' Jim Marshall at 270 would be ahead of Favre.
Of course, that would be another record attached to Favre's name. That's fine, as long as those marks aren't used to define him.
"To me, my legacy is much more than the records," Favre said. "If I have to have records to continue my legacy, then somewhere along the way I did something wrong. I hope it's the way I played the game and the durability. The reliability means much more to me than that.
"It's been way more than I ever dreamed of."
Ya gotta love the cheeseheads and their terminal myopia when it comes to this topic, though. 
Favre has played in a WCO-based offense his entire career, one of (if not) the most famous offensive "systems" in pro football, no?
Ya gotta love the cheeseheads and their terminal myopia when it comes to this topic, though. 
