Column: Hangem up Gunslinger

Published 12:00 am Friday, April 21, 2006

20,29,0,62,4. No that isn’t the IQ of the Vikings offensive line, it’s the stat line for Brett Favre last season. Let’s look a little closer at the Lambeau Legend’s numbers.

20 &045; Passing touchdowns last season. Not bad considering No. 1 option Javon Walker was out for the season, there was serious lack of running game, and not much semblance of an offensive line.

29 &045;&160;Number of interceptions thrown last season, a career high. What is not so telling about this number is how many, drive/game killing interceptions he had. Throws that were nowhere near a single green jersey. Throws that would have even made John Madden, the great Favre apologist/promoter, shake his head and say, &8220;Even the Great Brett Favre can have an off day.&8221;

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0 &045; The number of rushing touchdowns scored by Favre. Not that he is thought of as a game breaker with his legs, but you would think in 16 games there would be a chance for one.

62 &045; Number of rushing yards recorded by Favre. Again not that we would expect a ton; but when you are back there slinging INTs like you’re auditioning to play Daunte Culpepper in the upcoming Fox Drama, &8220;When good quarterbacks go bad&8221; one would think tuck and run every once in a while.

4 &045;&160;The number of wins posted by the Green and Gold. Now, I know the Vikes have had some lean years, and if you say anything to a Packer fan their retort is always ‘How many Super Bowl’s have you won.’ But if Scottie Pippen can call Kevin Garnett over-rated, if Bill Simmons can question why KG can’t get the Wolves to the playoffs alone. Then I feel justified in wondering why the ‘greatest quarterback’ of my generation can’t muster better numbers than that.

Last summer Favre publicly criticized Javon Walker for holding out and wanting a better contract. Favre claimed Walker was hurting the team by not being at mini-camp. Well if I were Javon Walker I would be on every talk show possible calling out Favre. All he has done this off-season is jerk around the Packers and reporters.

He calls press conferences, and then acts insulted when reporters show up hoping for a decision. Last season Favre said there was no way he would mentor rookie Aaron Rodgers, and the media said it was because he didn’t want to train in the guy who will take his job. They called him tough.

I call him selfish. I have enjoyed watching Favre play 15 seasons in the NFL, I too thought he was a tough, gun slinging, gamer. But I use the past tense. Now I am ready for him to retire, its too bad that for some, these will be the last memories we have of No. 4.