Opinion
Brett Favre is the real Super Bowl MVP
February 13, 2007
You saw the commercial. It depicted fans of teams unrepresented in the Super Bowl as they dejectedly endured Super Sunday.
The caption read “It’s hard to say goodbye.” What happened next wasn’t a borderline miracle, it literally WAS a miracle: a two-second clip of Favre throwing the ball up to himself and catching it. The NFL made sure the real big story of the week didn’t get lost in the shadows of the Super Bowl: Brett Favre is back!
Now I know what many of you are thinking.
‘Paul, you’re a Vikings fan. You’ve said Favre is mediocre at best. You’ve even said you want to write a dry, sarcastic article praising the man. Come to think of it, this is that article!’
Sorry guy. Like Brett and his thoughts of retirement, I’ve had yet another change of heart.
On the surface, his last two seasons have been just a step below superhuman.
Sure he threw as many touchdowns as interceptions, and sure, he had a QB rating just north of 70. We know he’s going to break the career record for interceptions next season, but let’s stop looking at stats that actually exist.
You have to factor in BFIs, Brett Favre Intangibles. This season, Brett led the league in BFIs with 12, which is 12 more than anyone else in NFL history.
Take the Dec. 17 victory at home over the Lions. In that game, Brett Favre threw no touchdowns and three interceptions, and yet the Packers won. How is this possible? BFIs.
One of his interceptions was thrown in the end zone, resulting in a touchback as opposed to a go-ahead TD return. These are the things that box scores just can’t do justice. Brett Favre Intangibles takes into account things like where you should throw a pick, when you should take a sack and when your arm should go forward but somehow the ball goes backwards.
Like a chess player, each move is calculated. Sure you took out my pawn, but BOOM, there goes your horse guy. John Madden understands BFIs; Joe Theisman understands BFI; even Rayovac understands BFIs.
That is why I was so excited this week. When I heard the news of Brett’s return, I couldn’t help but celebrate and try to spread the news. It’s true! Check the police report!
Brett has meant so much to the NFL. He completed the first pass of his career to the greatest player to ever play the game. That’s right, he threw it to himself. In the Nov. 3, 2003 game against the Vikings, he became the first quarterback in NFL history to throw a block.
He’s also been known to be one of the most charitable players in the NFL, generously giving Michael Strahan the single-season sack record late in the final regular season game against the Giants in 2001.
If you were disappointed by the game Sunday, I can’t blame you. The game itself was not worth re-watching. But nothing warmed this old codger’s heart like knowing the legend will return, and seeing him back where he will be most fondly remembered: the Superbowl ... commercials.
Paul Winkels is a student at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls.