BLOG: The Never-Ending Brett Favre Saga
By: Bill Campbell
I find it hard to see the end of Brett Favre's career in a sea of fines and lawsuits. Until he went into his "play or retire" phase, I always found him to be one of the very few opposing players worth the price of admission. And, believe me, it's been a long time since I've ever paid to see any opposing player.
Except for most of the 2010 season in Minneapolis, Favre has not been the same player since leaving Green Bay for the New York Jets and, eventually, the Vikings. It has always been fun watching him play and I always felt that he enjoyed playing. That he'd rather be there, under the center, ready for the next snap, than any other place in the world. It's where he felt he belonged.
Now when you hear or read something about Brett Favre, it's always about a huge fine from the NFL office or a potential lawsuit involving one or more massage therapists dating back to his days with the Jets.
Favre had one of those easily recognizable football names coming out of Green Bay like Lombardi or Bart Starr or Hornung. When you watched him play, he held you in suspense for long stretches, wondering what he would do next. It's not that way anymore. I always thought the game was constant for Favre too which made it very much worth the price of a ticket. But now, a once great 20-year career is nearing its end and is not much fun at all. Certainly not as much fun for the fans – and, I suspect, not as much fun for Brett Favre either.
Flyers' goalie Michael Leighton is proof positive how an injury affects a player personally, but a team as well.
They were calling Michael Leighton a waiver wire wonder just a season ago. Now they are hoping he can recover from back surgery so they can waive him to their Adirondacks farm club to work his way into playing shape if he remains unclaimed.
General Manager Paul Holmgren calls this the best move the Flyers could make in the best interests of both Leighton and the team. His last activity was last Thursday and he did, indeed, look rusty in the first two periods, but had a scoreless third period in a 7-4 victory over Los Angeles.
Because the Flyers had three goaltenders, Leighton, Bobrovsky and Boucher, the goalies weren't getting enough practice time, so they gambled on waiving Leighton who, until now, hadn't attracted much interest – probably because he makes $3.1 million. Big money for a back-up goalie.
But there was further risk involved in waiving Leighton: it would leave the Flyers unready for anyone in their system with NHL experience if an injury did occur to either Bobrovsky or Boucher. They might be in serious trouble.
And, oh yes, before it slips our minds, the Eagles have a game of more than mild interest here on Sunday afternoon. They have a date with the team with which they opened the season four months ago. Green Bay is coming here again and Andy Reid is expected to start as many first- teamers as he can find providing they can run, walk or take a hit – including Michael Vick.
The Packers present a lot of problems including their 34-year old cornerback, Charles Woodson, who'll be in the Pro Bowl for the seventh time this year and who has had quite a season: 105 tackles, five forced fumbles and two pass interceptions, returning one for a touchdown.
A lot has changed on both team rosters since they opened the season here at the Linc four months ago. But many of the same players are still involved on both teams. Green Bay won that opening game in September and Packers linebacker Desmond Bishop remembers a comment Eagles cornerback, Asante Samuel, made to him as the players were leaving the field. The Packers were happy they had just won the game. The Eagles were downcast, they had just lost it. Bishop turned and Samuel said to him, "We'll see you guys in the playoffs." That time has come. Pro Bowl linebacker Clay Matthews, one of the best around, says he is ready for Michael Vick.
The chase is on.
