Some Thoughts on Brett Favre and the NFL

I’ve been communicating via e-mail with a friend of mine on the subject of football.

I’ve known this person since our college days at the University of Arkansas, and we both confess to being lifelong Arkansas Razorback fans.

To borrow her own words, being a Razorback fan is part of our DNA.

When it comes to pro football, she’s been a Packer fan for the last several years, largely because of Brett Favre, who retired in March, tried to un-retire once training camp opened and he decided he wanted to play after all, and has resumed his career as a New York Jet.

I, too, am a Packer fan, although my roots go a little deeper — I’ve been a Packer fan since I was 6 and Vince Lombardi was roaming the sidelines. ("A whole lotta water under the bridge," as Dooley Wilson said upon being reunited with Ingrid Bergman in "Casablanca.")

Favre, as I pointed out to my friend, hadn’t even been born when I became a Packer fan. And Favre’s about to turn 39 this fall.

Anyway, my friend says she is no longer a Packer fan. She’s angry with the Packer organization for letting Favre go, and she’ll be watching more Jets games this year.

As much as I enjoy watching Favre play, I don’t know how many opportunities I’ll have to see a Jets telecast in Dallas, Texas — unless the Jets happen to be playing the Cowboys! (Incidentally, the Cowboys do not play the Jets during the regular season.)

But I’ll watch him when I can. As long as he is out there playing, Favre will be entertaining to watch. I wish he was still a Packer.

And I continue to be a Packer fan. I appreciate what Favre did for the team — believe me, after suffering through some of the Packer seasons I’ve suffered through, it was a real joy for me to see them play in two consecutive Super Bowls in the 1990s.

But I, along with my colleagues in the so-called ”Packer Nation,” waited 30 years to see the Packers return to the Super Bowl. If it turns out to be another 30-year wait, well, we’ve already put the first 10 years behind us.

That’s how long it’s been since Favre played in a Super Bowl. And, as he takes over the offense of a team that went 4-12 last year and has to play the New England Patriots twice during the regular season, it’s doubtful that he’s about to return to the Super Bowl.

In 2008, anyway. Beyond that, I’m not prepared to say.

Because Brett Favre is a freak of nature. What else can you call a man who has played the demanding position of pro quarterback for as many consecutive games as he has?

(I’ve heard sportscasters say that Peyton Manning would have to play in every game for the next six years to match Favre’s career mark. Even if the Colts didn’t make the playoffs in any of those seasons, that would still require Manning to play in nearly 100 straight games to match the mark Favre has now — and the meter is still running, if Favre plays in the Sept. 7 opener in Miami.)

For all I know, Brett Favre could wind up playing pro football until he’s 50.

But he’s going to need some good fortune to get through the 2008 season. Before it’s over, he may decide that he might have been wise to do his impersonation of Rocky Marciano and retire on his own terms — unblemished and unbowed.

By the way, the Patriots will be the Jets’ second-week opponent. It’s the Jets’ home opener — I’m guessing that one will be televised nationally. The following week, Favre and the Jets will travel to San Diego to play the Chargers on Monday night.

Welcome to the AFC, Brett. Good luck.

Anyway, I guess this is an appropriate point to offer my 2008 predictions.

• AFC East: The New England Patriots. Who else?


• AFC North: Pittsburgh Steelers


• AFC South: Indianapolis Colts


• AFC West: San Diego Chargers


• Wild cards: Cincinnati Bengals, Miami Dolphins


• First round: San Diego 30, Miami 7; Pittsburgh 21, Cincinnati 17.


• Second round: New England 28, Pittsburgh 14; San Diego 17, Indianapolis 16


• AFC Championship: New England 23, San Diego 20

I’m not predicting a 16-0 season, though!

And, in the NFC …

• NFC East: Dallas Cowboys


• NFC North: Chicago Bears


• NFC South: New Orleans Saints


• NFC West: Seattle Seahawks


• Wild cards: New York Giants, Minnesota Vikings


• First round: New York Giants 20, Seattle 17; Minnesota 16, New Orleans 7


• Second round: New York Giants 21, Dallas 14; Chicago 10, Minnesota 9


• NFC Championship: Chicago 24, New York Giants 3

And that leaves us with a Super Bowl between the New England Patriots and Chicago Bears — a rematch of Mike Ditka’s championship nearly a quarter of a century later.

But with a different result — New England 23, Chicago 13