The Monkey and I were away on business for the past 24 hours, cut off from television, internet, and any kind of media, so I was a bit shocked late last night to learn that the Jets had come up with a victory against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Brett Favre Sweepstakes.

Being a Redskins fan and a transplated New Yorker (now living in New England), I was unable to root for the New York Giants during my eleven years living in New York, so I sort of adopted the New York Jets. I don’t know what’s more frustrating - being a Redskins fan or a Jets fan, but despite that conundrum, I still have some affection for Gang Green, although they’ve been a pretty ugly franchise over the last few years.

I can’t imagine that the Gunslinger isn’t thinking the same thing right now. Just think: Favre had an opportunity to play for Buccaneers, who compete in the weaker NFC, have Green Bay on their schedule, and were a playoff team last year, but now has to come over to the Big Apple’s Red-Headed Step Child Franchise in the midst of a directionless rebuilding process and attempt to piece together an enduring conclusion to his legacy.

Favre seemed worn out and underwhelmed at his press conference, and rightly so. It’s been a tough couple of weeks and he showed his weariness all over his face. While the Jets’ schedule appears to be rather easy coming off a 4-12 season last year, I can’t help but think he was closer to true competitiveness with Jon Gruden and the Buccaneers.

I am still holding out hope that Minnesota or Tampa Bay moves to trade for Favre in the 11th hour. Wouldn’t that be a slap across the incredibly huge face of Mike McCarthy? The fact that Pennington was released by the Jets essentially erases that possibility, but its still fun to think of the prospect of Favre getting the last laugh here. There is no doubt that Favre would have derived a lot of energy and direction from the prospect of competing against his former team. Now, in the unfamilar AFC East, Favre has to contend with the likes of Tom Brady and the San Diego Chargers and the tougher AFC playoff contenders. The Monkey and I will wish him the best of luck and will hopefully get to see his preseason debut against my Washington Redskins on August 16th, as it is likely that that game will be picked up for a national broadcast with the media frenzy that will surely accompany it.

Jets Regular Season Schedule and Prediction

Here’s a preview of the Jets 2008 schedule and a prediction for how they’ll turn out this year with the addition of Favre and other key free agents like Alan Faneca and the 2008 draft class:

Dolphins: Jets win. 1-0.
Patriots: Jets lose. 1-1.
Chargers: Jets lose. 1-2.
Cardinals: Jets win. 2-2.
Bengals: Jets win. 3-2.
Raiders: Jets win. 4-2.
Chiefs: Jets win. 5-2.
Bills: Jets win. 6-2.
Rams: Jets win. 7-2.
Patriots: Jets lose. 7-3.
Titans: Jets lose. 7-4.
Broncos: Jets win. 8-4.
49ers: Jets win. 9-4.
Bills: Jets win 10-4.
Seahawks: Jets lose 10-5.
Dolphins: Jets win 11-5.

That’s probably a best-case scenario, but with the Jets’ horrible outing in 2007, their 2008 schedule couldn’t be much easier.

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The Football Gods are none too happy with Packers management for contracting a political charlatan like former Bush talking head Ari Fleischer to come to Packers Camp and give a few pointers to the club on the intricacies of media relations in sports. While it is no surprise that people that work in professional football seem to have a conservative political bent, the fact that they would invite such a credentialed double-speaker and truth-dodger, who was the mouthpiece for the Bush Administration during the deception-filled run-up to the Iraq War, informs us as to their intentions concerning the Brett Favre saga.

I have talked about the insulting nature of the $20 million “marketing role” offer to Brett Favre to basically shut up, re-retire, and go away in a previous post here. And if Brett takes the offer, I will certainly have a few things to say about his personal integrity, but as of now the Monkey and I can only construe the offer as further evidence of an “integrity vacuum” that permeates many strata of our culture, from the military to corporate America, to professional sports.

• If the Packers are so confident of the skills and quarterbacking-acumen of Mr. Aaron Rodgers, they should have no problem with allowing him to demonstrate his supremacy over Mr. Brett Lorenzo Favre in open competition.
• If the Packers truly care about winning now, not in the future and in the hands of an unproven backup, they should welcome home Mr. Favre.
• If the Packers really want to increase their advantage against a Division rival over the next several years, they should trade Favre to the Vikings in exchange for a couple valuable draft picks, negatively impacting the Vikings ability to draft quality players in the future.
• If the Packers truly respect the man that literally built the modern-day Packers franchise through his grit, determination, and maverick spirit, they should release him. But one other famous Libra perhaps articulated this concept more eloquently than me and the Monkey ever could: “If you love someone, set them free.”

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Here’s what me and the Monkey (sic) know about the current state of affairs between“The Gunslinger” and his not-quite-yet former team:

• Favre won a Superbowl in 1997, the Packers’ first Championship in 30 years.
• Favre played quarterback for the Packers for 16 seasons, and 253 consecutive starts, an NFL record for a QB.
• Favre holds the NFL record for career touchdown passes.
• Favre holds the NFL record for passes completed.
• Favre holds the NFL record for career passing yards.
• Favre holds the NFL record for most 3000+ passing yard seasons.
• In 2007, at the age of 38, Brett Favre logged the third-best statistical season of his career and best season since winning the Superbowl, leading his team to just one game away from the Championship with the youngest roster in the league.
• In 2008, the Green Bay Packers offer to pay their marquee unretired QB $20 million to “re-retire.”

So why on earth is it that the team that Brett Favre has essentially personified for nearly two decades does not want him to take the reigns for the 2008 season? And offering him a multi-million dollar contract to go back down to Mississippi and throw balls to some high school players? Is there something we’re missing here? If ever a “non-employment” offer of 20 million bucks could be insulting, this would be the time.

When you consider what Favre means to the organization and to the Green Bay community it’s inconceivable that they would not want him to lead the team for another season, “un-retired” or not. At his age, it’s easy to say that the game may have passed him by or that he’s lost a step, but that line of thinking goes out the window when you consider his statistical accomplishments from last season. Granted, he threw a couple ugly interceptions against the Superbowl Champion New York Giants, but hey, those same Giants defeated the only undefeated regular season team in NFL history, so it’s not like the Giants were a bunch of slouches stealing a game from the old-timer.

From this Monkey’s perspective, the only question that the Packers organization should be considering is just this: who is best poised to lead this team and win now? Not tomorrow. Not in the future. And not maybe. Now. I can’t see anybody fitting that bill for Packer Nation other than the real “Iron-Man,” Mr. Brett Lorenzo Favre.

Let’s call a spade a spade. Who are the best QB’s in the NFL right now? Peyton Manning and Tom Brady for sure, Drew Brees, Matt Hasselbeck, most likely, but isn’t it arguable that Brett Favre could be included in a group of the top five, top ten at least? And one thing’s for certain, we can all be sure of one QB who’s most assuredly not in that top five bunch…

Aaron Rodgers has been named Packers starting QB by Coach Mike McCarthy. He must be looking pretty damn stellar to beat out a first-ballot Hall of Famer coming off one of his best seasons ever without even a head-to-head competition in Packers Training Camp, considering he’s never started a game or played in much meaningful NFL action.

The idea that Rodgers is going to seamlessly replace a legend, pick up where the team left off, and lead the Packers to the playoffs is ludicrous. Sometimes, you never a replace a legend. Don’t believe me? Ask the Denver Broncos. Or the Miami Dolphins. A notable exception is the San Fransisco 49ers; but in their case Steve Young had already proven himself while Joe Montana recuperated from injuries.

So What Gives?

The only explanation I have for what we’re seeing is a terrible case of hubris on the part of all parties involved:

• On the part of Favre, for not thinking through his decision making process properly when he bid farewell to the NFL, for going public with Greta Van Sustern (of all people), and for not actively engaging team management about his intentions in a timely, private, and respectful manner. But hey - the guy’s a Libra (like me), so how can we expect him to be good at making tough decisions?
• And on the part of Packers management and coaches, for essentially disowning their most famous, important, and accomplished player in franchise history. They have repeatedly expressed their intention on moving forward as an organization and putting their plan for the future into place.

Granted, it’s important for a team to want to move foward and a team must think about the future, but winning in the future on the shoulders of a fourth-year untested rookie shouldn’t come at the expense of winning now.

What Brett’s Horoscope Has to Say

Here’s something interesting I pulled from Brett’s horoscope for the month of July:

The real fear you’re struggling with is that of isolation. It’s as though you feel removed from yourself as well as from the world…you are starting to feel angry about being isolated. The problem is that it’s not entirely true. There are key facets of your life where you are visible, participating in the world and the focus of true admiration…Please recognize that your work is not only having an impact, but you are reaching people on the emotional level as well. You are finally involved with something that expresses your true values, your commitment to caring for the world, and which meets the most important criteria of all, contacts people personally. Therefore, you can feel good about responding to the call for leadership. If you’re feeling isolated, let that stand as a reminder of the condition of 99 percent of the population, and is a key part of why you must do the work you are being called up on to do.

Many have urged Favre to go back to Mississippi. Those people don’t understand what it means to be a competitor. It is in their blood. They cannot control it. It urges them to do things that “regular” people don’t quite understand. Other players know this, but every retired player who says Favre should step away is simply jealous that he still has the physical skills to be on top of his game.

So What Will Happen?

Mark my words, Brett Favre will be a Minnesota Viking before this thing is done. As much as the “right thing to do” is to bring the Prodigal Son back into the fold, at this point Packers management have displayed their inability to do right by Favre, so they might as well go all the way. What was at first unthinkable — dealing him to a Division rival — has now become a genius strategem. Instead of granting Favre’s release so he could sign with a Division rival and get nothing, how about trade him to a Division rival, get something in return, and damage that team all at the same time? In exchange for a draft pick or two the Packers will get this monkey off their back, unload a very expensive contract, and modestly debilitate their rival’s future draft, thereby weakening them as a franchise for years to come. Machiavelli himself would be proud.

And the downside? Only losing to the hands of the Favre-led Vikings in the season opener on the grand stage of Monday Night Football, that’s all. Last year, the Vikings were a quarterback away from serious playoff contention. With Favre at the helm they could be dangerous. And they have Green Bay on the schedule twice. Get ready Aaron Rodgers.

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