Blacknbengal
Well-Known Member
Favre won't be Super viewer
By Rick Cleveland
rcleveland@clarionledger.com
HOUSTON ? Millions and millions of people around the world will watch Sunday's Super Bowl.
Brett Favre will not.
"I won't watch it," Favre said here Wednesday. "I don't really care who wins."
Someone asked Favre to pick the winner.
"Who plays?" Favre asked, shrugging his shoulders and smiling.
Of course, Favre knows that we know that he knows the Carolina Panthers and New England Patriots will play in Super Bowl XXXVIII.
But also know this: He really doesn't care. Brett Favre's interest in the NFL playoffs ended the split second Philadelphia kicked a field goal in overtime for a 20-17 victory that eliminated the Packers from the playoffs.
Favre is a football player, not a football fan. He said he hasn't watched an entire Super Bowl "since back when Terry Bradshaw was playing."
"Don't get me wrong, I have tremendous respect for both teams," Favre said. "They've earned it. It's hard to do; it's really hard to get to this game. I know that better than most."
And Favre, a 14-year veteran who has played in two Super Bowls and won one, also knows he is running out chances to get back to a Super Bowl. That's why he was so devastated after the Packers lost to the Eagles. That's why he left the locker room without talking to reporters for only the second time in his career.
That's why he had not spoken publicly since that game ? until Wednesday when he came here to accept an award for the most outstanding Monday night performance of 2003.
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This was the first chance reporters have had to ask Favre about the ill-advised pass he threw on the first scrimmage play of overtime. Philadelphia's Brian Dawkins intercepted and the Eagles kicked the winning field goal shortly thereafter. Favre knew reporters would ask.
Ask, they did.
"Philadelphia had a perfect blitz for the play we had called," Favre answered.
Favre, under heavy pressure, heaved a high pass down the field, intended for Javon Walker, who had broken off his pattern.
"To say there was a miscommunication between Javon and I would be an understatement," Favre said. "I'm not saying it was his fault and it wasn't completely my fault. It was a split-second decision. I mean, there wasn't much time at all.
"I made a decision to throw the ball, and I have to live with it. And it's hard to accept because I really thought we were going to win that game. It was a shock to me.
"After the game, I was the first one out of the locker room," Favre continued. "I just went and sat in the back of the bus. I don't usually do that, but I didn't want to talk. I didn't have a lot of good things to say. I didn't have a lot to say, period."
Favre surely knew what the rest of us knew. The outcome never should have come down to that pass. The Packers had two chances to win in regulation and blew both.
First, they didn't go for what would have been a game-cliching first down when they faced fourth down and a foot to go at the Eagles' 40.
Then, they played a soft, prevent defense, allowing the Eagles to convert a fourth-down-and-26 play en route to a game-tying field goal that forced overtime.
The better team lost. Favre surely knew that, too.
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If ever a player can be excused for stiffing the media, it was Favre after that game. The defeat ended a four-week run of almost unimaginable highs and lows that began with the death of Brett's father, Irvin Favre, on Dec. 21.
Brett Favre, a future Hall of Famer, played some of the best football of his life in the weeks that followed his daddy's death. Indeed, the performance that won him the award here Wednesday came the night after his father died when he threw for 399 yards and four touchdowns against the Raiders.
Many began calling the Packers a team of destiny, as they kept winning to qualify for the playoffs and then won their first-round playoffs game.
"I don't know if I ever believed we were a team of destiny," Favre said.
But maybe ? heck, probably ? he did, which only added to the shock and disappointment. Which probably makes him even less inclined than normal to watch this Super Bowl.
Someone asked the question again: Brett, who do you really think will win?
"I don't know. Call it a toss-up," he said. "I know this: I'll probably find out when I wake up Monday morning."
Next season, Favre said, he hopes for one more crack at the Super Bowl. And, yes, he said, there will be a next season.
"I'm coming back," he said.
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By Rick Cleveland
rcleveland@clarionledger.com
HOUSTON ? Millions and millions of people around the world will watch Sunday's Super Bowl.
Brett Favre will not.
"I won't watch it," Favre said here Wednesday. "I don't really care who wins."
Someone asked Favre to pick the winner.
"Who plays?" Favre asked, shrugging his shoulders and smiling.
Of course, Favre knows that we know that he knows the Carolina Panthers and New England Patriots will play in Super Bowl XXXVIII.
But also know this: He really doesn't care. Brett Favre's interest in the NFL playoffs ended the split second Philadelphia kicked a field goal in overtime for a 20-17 victory that eliminated the Packers from the playoffs.
Favre is a football player, not a football fan. He said he hasn't watched an entire Super Bowl "since back when Terry Bradshaw was playing."
"Don't get me wrong, I have tremendous respect for both teams," Favre said. "They've earned it. It's hard to do; it's really hard to get to this game. I know that better than most."
And Favre, a 14-year veteran who has played in two Super Bowls and won one, also knows he is running out chances to get back to a Super Bowl. That's why he was so devastated after the Packers lost to the Eagles. That's why he left the locker room without talking to reporters for only the second time in his career.
That's why he had not spoken publicly since that game ? until Wednesday when he came here to accept an award for the most outstanding Monday night performance of 2003.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This was the first chance reporters have had to ask Favre about the ill-advised pass he threw on the first scrimmage play of overtime. Philadelphia's Brian Dawkins intercepted and the Eagles kicked the winning field goal shortly thereafter. Favre knew reporters would ask.
Ask, they did.
"Philadelphia had a perfect blitz for the play we had called," Favre answered.
Favre, under heavy pressure, heaved a high pass down the field, intended for Javon Walker, who had broken off his pattern.
"To say there was a miscommunication between Javon and I would be an understatement," Favre said. "I'm not saying it was his fault and it wasn't completely my fault. It was a split-second decision. I mean, there wasn't much time at all.
"I made a decision to throw the ball, and I have to live with it. And it's hard to accept because I really thought we were going to win that game. It was a shock to me.
"After the game, I was the first one out of the locker room," Favre continued. "I just went and sat in the back of the bus. I don't usually do that, but I didn't want to talk. I didn't have a lot of good things to say. I didn't have a lot to say, period."
Favre surely knew what the rest of us knew. The outcome never should have come down to that pass. The Packers had two chances to win in regulation and blew both.
First, they didn't go for what would have been a game-cliching first down when they faced fourth down and a foot to go at the Eagles' 40.
Then, they played a soft, prevent defense, allowing the Eagles to convert a fourth-down-and-26 play en route to a game-tying field goal that forced overtime.
The better team lost. Favre surely knew that, too.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If ever a player can be excused for stiffing the media, it was Favre after that game. The defeat ended a four-week run of almost unimaginable highs and lows that began with the death of Brett's father, Irvin Favre, on Dec. 21.
Brett Favre, a future Hall of Famer, played some of the best football of his life in the weeks that followed his daddy's death. Indeed, the performance that won him the award here Wednesday came the night after his father died when he threw for 399 yards and four touchdowns against the Raiders.
Many began calling the Packers a team of destiny, as they kept winning to qualify for the playoffs and then won their first-round playoffs game.
"I don't know if I ever believed we were a team of destiny," Favre said.
But maybe ? heck, probably ? he did, which only added to the shock and disappointment. Which probably makes him even less inclined than normal to watch this Super Bowl.
Someone asked the question again: Brett, who do you really think will win?
"I don't know. Call it a toss-up," he said. "I know this: I'll probably find out when I wake up Monday morning."
Next season, Favre said, he hopes for one more crack at the Super Bowl. And, yes, he said, there will be a next season.
"I'm coming back," he said.
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