Angie Barker, Entertain Me

Brett Favre is having a difficult fall.

That is the nature of football: savior or villain. In both instances he makes the same heroic choices; it’s the outcome of the play that determines his title. He has the most touchdown passes at 502 and the most interceptions at 324. Granted, he’s been playing for like a million years so those numbers are slanted, but still impressive. He takes chances. Sometimes he changes positions with Moss and gets passed the ball downfield and sometimes he throws an interception during the playoffs in overtime. He may not win ‘em all but he gives it everything he has.

The reasons we love him are the same ones that frustrate you. I say you, and not us, because he doesn’t frustrate me. I love Favre and once I deem someone infallible they can be forgiven anything. When he passes for 31 yards in the first half, I think ‘Big deal. He’ll pass for 233 in the second.’ I am very specific in my encouragements and I know it helps. Favre can totally hear me, otherwise why would he point at me every time he throws a touchdown?

When he played against the Packers for the first time… on a Monday night… in the highest-rated cable viewing ever with 21.8 million viewers… and became the first quarterback to defeat all 32 teams, I thought ‘that’s amazingly bittersweet.’ All that drama swirled into a tornadic-fury of excitement and overwhelming awe. It was love at total domination.

Any Minnesotan worth their lady slipper would have tossed their lefse in the air when Favre threw his 500th touchdown pass to Randy Moss. I think they secretly brought Moss back just for that moment to prove that the football gods love us. Watching Favre run down the field to embrace Moss in the end zone was a total goosebumper. After 20 seasons, he still loves playing the game and it shows everytime he hangs his head and in every hug he gives. His energy is so contagious it makes me want to hug him… probably. Maybe we’d jump high five instead.

While I can’t get enough of the man’s daring moves, I can understand fans’ frustration with them. What I can’t understand are the retirement people. The ones who think Favre is past his prime and should hang his pink cleats up for good. Those people are clearly not watching the same athlete I am. That’s not just my opinion, but a fact, and here are some more facts to back up my opinion that I stated as a fact: 11-time First Team All Pro Selection, 3-time Associated Press NFL MVP, 5-time NFC Player of the Year, and Super Bowl XXXI Champion. The man has skill and a trophy room to prove it.

If he ever decides that 70,000 plus career passing yards is his limit and actually retires I hope he will finally use his teaching degree with an emphasis in special education, because I know where he can get a sweet subbing job.

Albert Lea resident Angie Zoller Barker’s column appears every Monday in the Albert Lea Tribune. Email questions, recommendations, or comments to entertainmecolumn@gmail.com.