Friday, June 12, 2009

On cheering for Favre

My objections to Brett Favre as a Viking are sincere. As a one year fix he makes 2009 a Super Bowl or bust year, thus setting the team back a season in finding a long-term starting quarterback. And that would be worth it, if Brett Favre was the QB to get the Vikings to the Super Bowl; however, Favre's playoff history suggests to me that he's not going to make a good team a transcendent playoff team. It would also be worth it if the Vikings had an heir apparent ready to watch a year then step in, but they don't. All this makes me think it's just not worth the emotional maelstrom that comes from seeing the long-time Packer nemesis in a Viking uniform and actually rooting for him.

But...if he becomes a Viking, root for him I will. I am not a sports columnist; if I were, I might grit my teeth all season thinking "I hope Favre and the Vikings fail in the playoffs so I can be proven right." But I'm a Viking fan. I want to see the Vikings win a Super Bowl, even if that means it is Favre that leads the team there. I'd rather see the Vikings win a Super Bowl and be proven wrong than see Brett Favre choke another playoff game and be proven right.

And that is why, if the Vikings do sign Brett Favre, I will be on board rooting. I will have hope. I'll make a distinction between hope (an irrational believe that good things will happen) and optimism (a rational belief that good things will happen). I'll root for the Vikings all year, hoping they can get to the playoffs and win their playoff games and win a champion (granted, I distrust Favre enough late in a playoff game that my hope will be something like "Maybe the defense, running game, and first-half Favre will build up such a lead it won't be on Favre to win the game in the fourth quarter or overtime").

I don't want Brett Favre to be a Viking. But I can't foresee a situation in which I won't be rooting for the Vikings to win every game, where I won't be rooting for their quarterback to be successful, where I won't be desperately hoping this is the year they win the Super Bowl. I look forward to cheering for the Purple in 2009, whoever plays quarterback.

3 comments:

  1. That makes at least two of us. Actually probably thousands of us fans feel the same way. We may not like what look likes an inevitability (barring his shoulder checking out badly), but we will cheer the Vikings because they are the team we love.

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  2. See why I hope Favre makes a comeback.

    www.playtowinthegame.com

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  3. Of course we'll root for him. For god's sake, we're vikings fans - if we haven't quit yet, this is no reason to do so.

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