The end of an era

Every year for what feels like the last decade I've spent the days following the end of the Packers' (or Jets', or Vikings') season hoping that it wasn't over for Favre. Now, I just accept the fact that it is.

I compared being a Favre fan to being a battered wife married to a rich guy. Usually the rewards are good, but every now and then you have to take a beating. This is not meant to belittle battered women, they just need to learn when to be quiet (this is in extremely poor taste, but it made me chuckle).

I always said you should never leave anything in the tank, leave it all on the field, so win or lose you can say you did all you could. As Favre led the Vikings down the field for a potential game-winning field goal I saw something I never saw before: Favre looked old. Not old because of his gray hair, or the wrinkles around the eyes, but he just looked beat up.

Though I didn’t give up hope when he threw the interception at the end of the game, I figured that was going to be that. Granted it shouldn’t have been, because there was at least one botched call (that was even reviewed) which would have given the Vikings the ball in overtime. It will be weird to not see Favre on the field next year, but I think he’s done. I think he proved what he needed to prove this year.

This was an emotionally draining football season for me. Last year rooting for two teams was easy. This year it was difficult for many reasons, mostly who do I root for when they go head to head?

If his career is over, and I’m fairly certain that the beating he took on Sunday ensures that it is, I can live with that. I think he’s done enough, proved his point, silenced (most of) his critics. When he walked away after the last NFC championship game loss I was mad. He was there, he could still do it. He was never playing “for me”, but still I felt a certain amount of kinship with him for all of the good and bad times he gave me. From the bottom of my heart I give my thanks. Thanks for everything Brett, you made football interesting for a long time. In a way I hope he doesn’t come back because outside of his last pass it would be hard for him to go out on such a high note.

Plus, go Saints! Mostly because Peyton, and the rest of the Manning family, are a bunch of douche-bags.