The Favre-Viking Experiment. Did it work?

The NFL regular season ended yesterday. An inordinate amount of fodder has been spewed about how Brett couldn't possibly last an entire regular season because of his age. What would you expect of one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play the game who's still playing at the age of 40 - and never missed a game in his career (19 years)? So I wanted to take a quick glance at the effect of Favre's presence on the Minnesota Vikings' team during this past season. I'm aware that anti-Favre-ites bitch about Favre in the post-season, but this ain't about the post-season.

First, let's look at Favre's numbers for the season:

Statistically, this season was Favre's best in his 19-year career, unprecedented for a 40-year-old. A 107.2 passer rating (2nd in the league and his highest ever), 68.4 completion percentage (3rd, highest ever), 4202 yards (6th, and his 6th season of 4,000+ yards), 33 TDs (2nd), and a HUGE STAT - only 7 INTs (tied for 2nd least with two other players AND his lowest amount in his career). Aside from adding stats to all the meaningful NFL QB records he owns while also adding to his consecutive game streak of 286 (regular season only), Favre set another NFL record with 9 seasons of 30+ TDs. AND, Favre will be the FIRST 40-year-old QB to start a playoff game in NFL history.

These are Favre's personal stats. NO ONE can argue with his numbers. If you think you can, than you're a walking lobotomy and someone should just pull the plug. Do I think Favre's a viable MVP candidate? Certainly - as much as Drew Brees (QB, Saints), Peyton Manning (QB, Colts) and Chris Johnson (RB, Titans) are. Will he get it? Not sure.

2nd, what about the team...the Vikings?

The team finished 12-4, two wins better than last year. Favre's presence undoubtedly made the team a PASS FIRST, RUN SECOND team - in contrast to what everyone said when Favre joined the Vikes, which was all Favre had to do was hand the ball to Adrian Peterson.

If you think Tavaris Jackson could've accomplished the same result, think again. A) The Vikings more than likely would have relied more on the running game with Jackson. B) Would Jackson have elevated the play of other players as Favre did? C.) There's no way you can know proof positive what Jackson would've done had he started this season, so shut your piehole.

Interview any player at the squad - Favre's knowledge of the game, experience, intensity, competitiveness and "having fun" attitude was infectious (see #5 below for Jimmy Johnson's definition of "infectious"). And perhaps you could say the team did the same for Brett. Receivers were loading their laptops with opponents' game footage to take home and study because Favre did it. Who was in the film room studying tape late Saturday evenings? Favre. Who heard of Sidney Rice before this season? Visanthe Shiancoe finished tied for fourth among all players with 11 TD catches and Adrian Peterson - even while finishing the season with 400 less rushing yards than last year - led the NFL with 18 TDS. 9 Vikes were selected the Pro Bowl (Percy Harvin was just added as a return specialist today). The Vikings' defense led the league in sacks. At least 5 Vikings' receivers had 50+ catches (unprecedented) and rookie Percy Harvin totaled 2,081 all-purpose yards this season, including kickoff returns, the most in Vikings history and a heavy favorite for Rookie of the Year honors. Favre's ability to make the rest of the team bring its "A" game is another reason I feel he's worthy of his 4th MVP.

Schism? Fuck your schism, ESPN's Adam Schefter. Rift between Coach Childress and Favre? A non-story blown up by the media for simply self-serving purposes.

Now let's take a look at what some naysayers have babbled before and during the season. Believe me - there were a ton of these. Here's just a few of the asshole rantings I remembered off the cuff:

1.) Bill Simmons/ESPN - September 10. "We've seen players willingly tarnish their careers to hold on for a couple of extra paychecks, but never at the expense of demigod status in a specific region. Weird. All of it." The man wanted to play ball, Bill. Perhaps if you and your colleagues had the same passion for your job, you wouldn't churn out mindless pieces of dribble week-to-week in the hopes that you'll break a story with unnamed sources like Jay Glazer (FoxSports.com) and Chris Mortensen and Adam Schefter (ESPN)

Simmons also said this: "Prediction III: A promising Minnesota start (3-0) will unhinge thanks to a fatal Molotov cocktail: an aging, reckless, washed-up QB who fades in November/December (Favre), a shaky coach (Brad Childress) and the pressure of unrealistic expectations." The Vikes finished 12-4, after going 10-0 and are the 2nd seed in the NFC and Favre had his best year ever, douche bag.

2.) In July, FoxSports.com's Adam Schein made his 2009-10 NFL predictions, including that the Vikings would be crazy to sign Brett Favre and drop Tarvaris Jackson. In fact, Schein has been anti-Favre and anti-Vikings the entire season, whether it was via FoxSports.com or on his Sirius radio program. Check out this link - play the top video on Favre - and listen to this asshole.

3.) Former Patriot Rodney Harrison shot his mouth off on numerous occasions about how the Vikings' signing Favre was bad for the team. This - from a player voted one of the dirtiest players in all of football (multiple honors) and was suspended for using human growth hormones (which is illegal). Here's one of my blog post bitches about Harrison - and a second.

4.) Ex-Viking Fran Tarkenton. Shut the fuck up, bitter old man. One instance, Tarkenton says Favre is selfish and that football is a team sport and in another instance, Fran says he hopes Favre fails...which would mean Fran's ex-team fails. Isn't THAT selfish, Fran? Part One. And Part Two.

5.) Coach Jimmy Johnson, who's featured on the Fox pre-game show. Last week, Johnson said Favre is infected with a disease due, a comment that stemmed from Favre telling Vikes' Coach Childress that he wouldn't come out of the Carolina game when the Vikes were leading 7-6 in the 3rd quarter. Keep in mind, Chilly DISCUSSED the idea of pulling Favre to protect him and never said 'I want to pull you out of the game'. This media non-story blew up to the point where the media questioned who, in fact, is running the Minnesota Vikings - Favre or Coach Childress - and pointed out an apparent power struggle due to differences of philosophy concerning the running of the offense.

Now yesterday, Jimmy Johnson stated (after the Vikes trounced the Giants, 44-7) that the Vikings are FAVRE'S TEAM. ???? Hypocrite.

6.) Merril Hoge. Ex-NFLer stated that when Favre is asked to sit by the coach (which he wasn't), you sit. "Vikings are one and done in the playoffs!"

I don't know about the one and done thing, but the following week, Hoge was just as befuddled as the rest of us were when the Colts sat Peyton Manning for most of the game and the Colts lost. Why was it not OK for Manning to sit on the bench, yet Favre should've sat no question, Hoge? Hypocrite.

7.) Kevin Seifert of ESPN and a multitude of other sports talking heads including ESPN's Mark Schlereth (ex-Bronco), Jemele Hill have come down on Favre, doubting his ability to be effective all season. Hill suggested Packer fans throw batteries at Favre when he returned to play Green Bay at Lambeau (she was reprimanded for that comment by ESPN). I tweeted her - she said she was kidding and apologized for it. Do I hear a "WHATEVER!"? Some writers have jumped back on the Favre bandwagon - Hill and Kevin Hench (FoxSports.com). And they all refer to Favre as a "waffler".

Hey, we all have opinions. Fine. But I despise people who consistently contradict themselves; I despise hypocrites. Quite frankly, the media are vermine. And you know, I don't know how the Vikings will perform in the playoffs and I don't make predictions like every other moron out there. But you can ask any one of a number of sports columnists or thousands of fans what they think - I'm sure they'll tell you. As I've stated repeatedly, the vast majority of sports columnists' rants amount to nothing but "blah, blah, blah" because they can't write and are forced to talk from their assholes.

Which anyone can do.