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It's the Truth: Favre's proving Thompson wrong

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Jason Whitlock

Jason Whitlock writes about the sports world from every angle, including those other writers can't imagine or muster courage to address. His columns are humorous, thought-provoking, agenda-free, honest and unpredictable. E-mail him or follow his Twitter or become a fan of Jason Whitlock on Facebook.

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Updated Nov 5, 2009 2:09 PM ET
     
 
The Truth can be inconvenient, impolite and painful. The reason you read my NFL Truths column is because you realize I will address the inconvenient, impolite and painful, even when the "friendly fire" damages yours truly. Like most red-blooded, patriotic football fans, I participated in Brett Favre Celebration Week and built my Sunday around watching Favre's return to Lambeau Field.
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There was wall-to-wall television, radio, blog and newspaper coverage leading up to Vikings vs. Packers. I found very little Truth in any of it. Sports media coverage is oftentimes too polite, afraid to deliver pain and too focused on making sure anyone of any power is happy and comfortable. That's why an innocent kid like Steve Bartman can be portrayed as the dumbest fan in all of sports and/or the primary reason the Cubs didn't reach the 2003 World Series and a buffoon like Ted Thompson can hold his head high while earning millions of dollars ruining the Green Bay Packers. We have nothing to lose trashing Bartman. Ted Thompson might pass us some juicy trade gossip or gas our egos with press-box chitchat. So last week the media performed a full rectal examination of Brett Favre's emotions, and no one — that I saw — took a peek into the empty cranium that upon being given control of the Packers franchise in 2005 decided its first order business was to develop the Brett Favre Relocation Plan. Twenty-four regular-season games into Favre's removal as Green Bay's starting quarterback, Ted Thompson looks every bit as stupid as Peter Pocklington, the man who traded Wayne Gretzky to Los Angeles. The inconvenient, impolite, painful, highly entertaining and worthy-of-ample-discussion truth is Brett Favre wanted out of Green Bay because he believes Ted Thompson is a moron. Favre spent one year in New York just so he could get to Minnesota and prove that Ted Thompson is a moron. Halfway through the 2009 season and after two Vikings victories over the Packers, the Favre prosecution team has rested its case and anxiously awaits Thompson's defense the second half of the season. As jury foreman, I'm ready to vote guilty on all charges. Short of winning the Super Bowl, there's not a damn thing the Packers can do to mask Thompson's incompetence. I'll be asking my peers in the jury room to sentence Thompson to the unemployment line and hand Favre the league's MVP Award. That's right. Halfway through the season Favre is the clear-cut MVP. It ain't even close. Right now Favre is sportsman of the year. That's not hyperbole. If Favre's second-half play matches what he's delivered through eight games and the Vikings win the Super Bowl, he will have elevated himself to Babe Ruth, Muhammad Ali, Michael Jordan and Jim Brown status. What Favre has done so far this season is the stuff of legends. It surpasses Ruth's "called shot" in the 1932 World Series and Joe Namath's Super Bowl guarantee. I'd put Favre's 2009 performance on par with the "Miracle on Ice" and Ali's "Rumble in the Jungle" victory. I'm telling you, despite blanket coverage, we've totally missed the Favre story. We've failed to put this in proper context. Favre is doing what Michael Jordan could not. MJ hated Jerry Krause, the general manager of the Bulls. Jordan believed Krause was an idiot and was in too much of a hurry to break up Jordan, Jackson, Pippen and Rodman. Jordan "retired" and first tried to prove Krause's idiocy by managing the Wizards and then tried to prove it by playing for the Wizards. Jordan failed. He drafted Kwame Brown No. 1 overall and put together two forgettable seasons in a Wizards uniform. The 40-year-old Favre, however, is having the greatest season of his 19-year career. His 106 QB rating is seven points higher than his previous best. He's on pace to throw just six interceptions, which would be seven fewer than he's thrown in any season as a starter. It's deeper than the numbers. It's the 32-yard, back-of-the-end-zone rope that beat the 49ers with two seconds to play. It's the 58-yard heave to Sidney Rice that set up the game-winning field goal to beat the Ravens. It's the seven TDs and zero interceptions in two games against the Packers. And it's the passion for the game. Favre is the Magic Johnson of football. Like Magic, Favre's personality and emotion overwhelm his teammates. You had to bust your ass and get out on the break because you knew Magic passed out candy at the offensive end like every night was Halloween. Guys play hard for Brett Favre. There's something about good-old boys from the South. They're natural leaders. Everybody loves them. Favre and Steve McNair were cut from the same cloth. They could connect with and inspire an opposite-race teammate just as effectively as a teammate who shared a similar background as theirs. Favre's famous "MNF" game against the Raiders after his father died is the best testament to Favre's intangible leadership qualities. Most of the media focus on Favre's great stats and overlook the fact that Favre's receivers made numerous circus catches that night. Favre's teammates cared about him so much that they picked him up on a night when he needed a lift. All of this reflects poorly on Ted Thompson. Favre contended throughout his final seasons in Green Bay that he could still perform at an MVP level. He wanted better support. He wondered why Thompson's first significant act as GM was picking Aaron Rodgers in the first round of the 2005 draft. Think about that. Five years ago Thompson used a critical draft pick on a player to replace the QB capable of a 106-passer rating in 2009. The Packers had their quarterback of the future — Brett Favre. In 2006 and 2007, the Packers led the NFL in salary-cap availability. Thompson made one significant free-agent acquisition — cornerback Charles Woodson. The rift between Favre and Thompson became irreparable when Thompson refused to go after Randy Moss, who shares the same agent (Bus Cook) as Favre. We can assume that Favre had inside knowledge that Moss would strongly consider signing with the Packers. Thompson is dedicated to building the Packers through the draft. Moss joined Tom Brady in New England. The Patriots won 18 straight games and Brady set nearly every single-season passing record with Moss at his side. Brady and Peyton Manning are allegedly better QBs than Favre, who has a rep for throwing huge INTs. Favre would contend he's more prone to give in to his gambling nature when he feels he has to compensate for a talent deficiency. In his mind, give him Randy Moss, Adrian Peterson or Reggie White and his TD-INT ratio will be 3 to 1 and he'll be in contention for the MVP. The NFL is a win-now league. When you have a chance to pair Favre with Randy Moss, you take that opportunity, win a Super Bowl or two and deal with the consequences later. Thompson chose to avoid the consequences and plan for the future. He tired of the Favre offseason drama, tired of catering to Favre's ego. What an idiot. Favre was right. A year after Favre led the Pack to 13-3 and the NFC Championship Game, Green Bay finished 6-10 and out of the playoffs. This year it appears the supporting cast Thompson gave Rodgers is inadequate. The offensive line can't protect Rodgers and the defense looks weak against top competition. Meanwhile, Favre has Adrian Peterson in the backfield and Jared Allen rushing the opposing quarterback. Favre has the most talented offensive and defensive players in the league. And he's not simply riding their coattails. They're all pushing each other. Favre is doing the most.

By forcing his way out of Green Bay, retiring from the Jets after one season and staging a Flava Favre, will-he-or-won't-he drama this offseason, Favre placed an unprecedented amount of pressure on himself. When the season started, the only people in the Favre bunker were Brett, Deanna, Bus Cook, Brad Childress, Zygi Wilf and John Madden. The media felt burned by Favre. Fans were sick of the nonstop coverage. Fran Tarkenton made a return to relevancy blasting Favre in radio and TV interviews. Adam Schefter floated a theory/story there was tension in the Vikings locker room over Favre's arrival. Favre has made assclowns of everybody, particularly Ted Thompson. Ali took on the government and love-it-or-leave-it America and established a reputation as "The Greatest." Other than that, I can't think of another athlete who has exceeded what Favre has accomplished this season (without overcoming a major medical issue). Drew Brees is putting up nice stats. Peyton Manning and the Colts are undefeated. Brees and Manning can't touch Brett Favre. Even if the Saints and the Colts run the table, Favre is the MVP unless he falls apart down the stretch. You can e-mail Jason at BallState0@aol.com or find him on Facebook at facebook.com/jasonwhitlock.

Tagged: Brett Favre, Adrian Peterson, Colts, Raiders, Sidney Rice, Vikings, Patriots, Saints, Jared Allen, Randy Moss, Jets, Bears, Tom Brady, 49ers, Peyton Manning, Aaron Rodgers, Charles Woodson, Packers

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