Circling The Bases’ Craig Calcaterra, like many of us, watched the end of yesterday’s NFC Championship game. Unlike many of us, he was sufficiently inspired by Brett Favre’s latest season-ending boner to make the following contribution to popular culture.
So last night Brett Favre throws an interception that costs his team a trip to the Super Bowl. You think he’s going to be ripped for it, but within minutes of the game ending the ESPN talking heads are launching right back into that “he’s like a kid out there/he’s a gunslinger” baloney. The best one was Tom Jackson who said “That’s the thing about Brett Favre; he’s not afraid to throw an interception. That’s one of the things I most admire about him.”
I thought that was some of the best suck-up-inspired denial of reality from a commentator I’ve heard in ages, so I quickly tweeted the following for laughs: “That’s the thing about Bill Buckner. He’s not afraid to muff a grounder. That’s one of the things I most admire about him.” Worried that people may not get the joke, I applied a #FavreRulesForAll tag on it. I giggled to myself for approximately four seconds, shut my computer down and went to sleep.
Once Calcaterra awoke, he learned he’d given birth to a Twitter sensation. Amongst the highlights ;
“That’s the thing about Clint Barmes: he’s not afraid to carry deer meat. That’s one of the things I most admire about him.” – Crashburn Alley
“That’s the thing about Rick James, he wasn’t afraid to kidnap and torture people in a crack haze. Gotta respect that.” – Chris Fontecchio
“That’s the thing about Kenny Rogers. Not afraid to walk home a run. Gotta admire that about him.” – Sundeep Paruchi
What are these guys talking about? Farve did not lose the game. It was fourt down and 56 yards away from a field goal because the coach sent 12 men on the field. He threw an interception which only came back about twelve yards and time ran out so it did not cost the Vikings anything. You lose the game for the team when the other team runs it back for the winning score. The Saints looked inept until that final drive. Oh and if the other players didn’t fumble the ball on the Saints red zone twice, the Viking would have 42 points, and if the Vikings did not fumble the ball in their own red zone, the Sainst would only have 21 points. Who lost the game guys. Hey, if you don’t know what’s happening in a game, shut up.
You don’t have to be Tom Dempsey to make a 56 yarder in a dome, Mark (and Favre threw his 2nd INT on 3rd down, not fourth). One of those fumbles in the NO red zone was charged to Favre on a botched handoff to Peterson with less than a minute left in the first half. Though it might be a tad harsh to put all the blame on Favre’s shoulders (agreed, the 5 yard penalty for 12 players in the huddle was huge) his 3 turnovers were the sort of thing most other QB’s would be crucified for. If Favre tucks the ball in and runs 4 or 5 yards, maybe Longwell kicks a 50 yarder. If Favre tosses the ball out of bounds, at least the Vikes have a shot at Longwell kicking it from 56 yards out. Certainly there’s a degree of difficulty in making such a field goal, but I am sure you’ll agree it’s much harder to kick a game winner when the other team has the ball.
56 yard field goal easy? There are coaches who would sell their soul for one who can kick a 51 yarder. The vikings completely outplayed the Saints almost doublings the yardage total, but they as a team made too many mistakes and I am includings Childress.
If you throw an interception and it is run back for the winning touchdown, THAT is called losing the game. If it is only returned 12 yards and no points are made on the possession it is not called losing the game. New Orleans got all the breaks in the game and even got the ball in the overtime. Sometimes it’s just destiny, but they won’t breakk any viewer records like yesterday’s game.
I don’t recall saying a 56 yard FG would be easy, Mark, but no soul-selling was necessary. In Ryan Longwell, Childress has a kicker who is 22 for 36 lifetime from distances of 50 yards or greater
If you throw an interception and it is run back for the winning touchdown, THAT is called losing the game. If it is only returned 12 yards and no points are made on the possession it is not called losing the game.
ok, but this can certainly be called giving the game away, yes? as in literally giving the other team the ball 3 times including one play before your team would have attempted the game winning field goal.
Vikings are not my team. I am stuck with Dobovan McLoser. I am being open minded. Two fumbles in the Saints red zone that should have been two easy scores. Giving the ball to the Saints on their own six yard line and they score a touchdown. The score shopuld have been 42 to 21 at the end of the game. In overtime, they get the ball. Get a completion call on a ball that was being juggled and touched the ground before the Saint’s player stuck it to his leg. A pass interfereence call on a ball that was uncatchabl;e and the defense’s legs got tangled with the receiver. The Saints should have l;ost this game, They needed every break and they got that and more. Maybe it was devine intervention.
Theyare calling McNabb great and he got shuit out at Dallas for the conference championship. Maybe we can trade McNabb to your team.
Good news. There are tarde talks between the Vikings and the Eagles to trade McNabb for a second round pick. Googbye Donovan!!!!
Two fumbles in the Saints red zone that should have been two easy scores.
one which was favre’s.
Maybe it was devine intervention.
or maybe it was an aging qb who is known for making poor decisions under pressure.
Maybe we can trade McNabb to your team.
thanks but i don’t think they’ll pay that much for a 2nd stringer.
FAvre handed off to Peterson. Peterson was running before he opened his arms. Fumble charged to Peterson according to the stats. Are you owning up to a team? Name it. Or are you afraid to look silly?
i’ve never been afraid to look silly. but anyway, in order to be charged with a fumble you need to lose possession of the ball. if you don’t have possession you can’t fumble it. fumbled handoffs that aren’t completed are charged to the qb.
as for where my football loyalty lies i went to my first pats game in 1978. i was there for the lean years, the victor kiam years, the years i paid money to sit on aluminum bleachers in a frigid, half-empty, wind-swept stadium to watch the likes of tommy hodson and marc wilson pilot the team to futility. i’ve enjoyed the resurgence of the last decade which i believe included a super bowl victory over donovan mcnabb and his eagles.
thanks for asking.
“fumbled handoffs that aren’t completed are charged to the qb. ”
and that’s exactly what happened during the exchange between Favre and A.P. That the fumble was charged to Favre was cited by Joe Buck during Fox’s telecast, and the box score confirms as much. But fuck, none of that should stop someone from repeatedly sending in nonsensical comments to CSTB.