Remember when you were nine and it was about six am on Christmas morning? You couldn't contain yourself. You would just start giggling and shacking with the utter excitement of the joys that were so close. Times that feeling by about 44,000,000 and you can begin to scratch the surface of what I'm feeling right now.
Brett Favre is a New York Jet. No, no. Let me write it again. Brett Favre is a New York Jet. I debated the column being just those seven words. Why not? They seem to be the only words that have any meaning at all to me now. Case in point, I got home today and found a note on my mirror from my mother. I had fallen a bit behind on my laundry, and rightfully so, she called me out on it. Because I got home from ESPN Radio (where I intern and, also the home of Brett Favre and the New York Jets) at 2am, she chose to voice her displeasure to me via a note. Under normal circumstances, I would be a bit angry. Not this day. For no one can rain on my parade today. Not good guy Nick Malone. Not Fourth Down co-host and broadcast partner Anthony Defranco ( both Giant fans, as I may add) Today is not a day to talk about the Super Bowl. Today is not a day to talk about Eli Manning, or Plaxico Buress, or Jerry Reese. Today is a day to talk about what is, at its surface, the greatest summer day in Jet history. Maybe the second greatest day in Jet history period.
However, I'm done purely celebrating, for now. Lets get down to basics. As I wrote nearly two weeks ago, I was in tremendous favor of getting Brett Favre here, but not for the traditional reasons. I am not a fan of the "sexy name acquisition." Too often, teams bring in aging veterans who are clearly past their prime just to sell tickets or jerseys or get the headlines back. Brett Favre is not one of those acquisitions. The guy can still play. Look no further then last season when he came within one overtime period of a Super Bowl. He did not play great in that game, but he did play great last season. After a mediocre 2005 and a downright abysmal 2006, Favre threw for over four thousand yards and 28 touchdown passes last season. People (like a co-host of mine) cited his poor performance in 2005 and 2006 as reasons why the Jets should not make the move. This is a valid point if we're talking about this last August. My problem with the "2005 and 2006 were bad" argument is this: how do you explain 2007? That's a question Favre detractors have yet to give me an answer to. It certainly was not his supporting cast. If you have a keen memory, you'll remember that the Packers played almost half of 2007 without a running game to speak of. The receivers were good , but not great. Is Greg Jennings that much better then Laverneous Coles when the later is at full strength? Maybe a little, but not much. Does Jerricho Cotchery have more upside at this point then the aging Donald Driver? Yes. The Jets also will have a solid running game. Thomas Jones somehow managed over a thousand yards with a laughable offensive line. The line was so bad that Jones only found the end zone once. I have a feeling that will change. I don't think you can argue that the Jets supporting cast is not comparable to that of the 2007 Packers. A 2007 Packer team that was minutes away from a Super Bowl.
Most of all, this move makes sense purely because it was necessary. The Jets quarterback situation was in shambles. It was time to face facts. Kellen Clemons was having a horrible camp. By Friday, Clemons had already thrown six interceptions (which makes me smile about the d-backs by the way). It was clear that Pennington does not have the arm or the stamina to lead the Jets on a long sustained run. I know he did it in 2004. I know he did it (kind of) in 2006 (I saw kinda because you always got the feeling that the 2006 club was not as good as their record (10-6). That was proved correct last season). Eric Ainge is not anywhere near ready. Bringing a veteran onto a team that is built to win now makes sense. A veteran who can still play. A veteran who is, debatable so, the greatest player of all time. This is not a guy who will come in and kiss baby's and wave to the fans. Brett Favre is here to bring the Jets back. And he will do that.
You also got to love what the team gave up to get him. It is, in principal, a fourth round pick. If Favre gets 50% of the snaps, it increases to a third. If Favre take 70% of the snaps and the Jets reach the playoffs, it becomes a second round pick. If number four gets 80% of the snaps and the Jets...wait for it....make the SUPER BOWL, it becomes a first rounder. A small price to pay for what Brett Favre can do for you. And what he will do for the New York Jets.
Its win now. They have the defense. They have the o-line. Now, they have the quarterback. The final piece. The green resurrection is complete.
I just saw a superimposed picture of Favre in a Jet uniform.
I think I'm tearing up.
Jordan Lauterbach
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