Brett Favre has reached icon status, much like Harmon Killebrew of the Minnesota Twins four decades ago. He is given the lion’s share of the credit when things go right and conversely, the lion’s share of the blame when things go wrong.

I was never a big Brett Favre fan, probably because he was the starter for the Green Bay Packers for many years. There was always a blue funk when the Vikes lost to Favre and the Packers and rejoicing when they won. Sixteen seasons Favre stood against the Vikings. Under Favre Green Bay won seven Division titles, went to four NFC championship games winning two and two Super Bowls winning one. Favre was also voted NFL Most Valuable Player three consecutive years. During those 16 years the Vikings had some good teams, but never got to the Super Bowl. One quick way to look at what Favre meant to the Packers is to project how the Vikings would have fared with Favre. Just think of Favre to Randy Moss and Cris Carter. It wouldn’t have been fair to the rest of the NFL.

When Favre had the ball trailing by a touchdown with less than two minutes on the clock Green Bay was extremely dangerous and Favre was in his element. I never could understand why the Packers wanted to get rid of Favre, who was still one of the premier quarterbacks in the league. A terrific gate attraction and a favorite of Green Bay fans. Was it because Favre has become greater than the team and the coach? I think so. Management wanted the team to be theirs, not Favre’s. Still it was hard to understand how some agreement couldn’t have been reached between the Packers and their future Hall of Famer.

Other sports have had players that overshadowed their owners. Look at Babe Ruth. After he lost his effectiveness, the Yankees wouldn’t even hire him to coach third base and pinch hit occasionally. Babe made millions for the Yanks and made it the best franchise in sports. But he spent his final year with the Boston Braves.

It wasn’t only Favre beating the Vikings that caused me not to care for him. Not as obvious as sportswriters in the past, but the media took the side of management in his struggle with Green Bay. And it was hard not to feel that if Green Bay didn’t want Favre there must be a reason. Favre would not quit and subsequently was traded to the New York Jets where he flopped at the end of the season due to an injury. The Jets said that Favre insisted on playing with a torn biceps. I accepted this at the time, but looking back on it, Favre may have been asked to play and in any case who runs the team anyway. Then began the on-again, off-again courtship by the Vikings and I thought what a publicity hound this guy is. But as I watched him through the season I changed my mind about Brett Favre. I believe he is what you see. A good ol’ boy that likes to hunt and fish and doesn’t like training camp. (In fact, I heard he has bought some land here in southeastern Minnesota.)

In a poll conducted by the St. Paul Pioneer Press, a quarter of those responding blamed Favre for the loss. Not so, I don’t think the Vikings would have been in the game without Favre. He certainly led a heroic comeback, not once, but twice. He did throw an interception when he was beaten up and in pain, but that play should not have been necessary. A penalty occurred because a sideline coach did not count to 11 and the Vikings needed the five yards back.

It seems to me that given the year Favre had, another year should happen.