Written by Chris O’Dell
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This is the kind of game that brings drama and intrigue to football. This is the kind of game that will produce the kind of subtext to make it a bigger-than-life football game for any Vikings or Packers fan. This is the kind of game you could call one of the biggest regular season football games of this century. |
That’s because, not only is Monday Night Football’s match-up between the Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers one of the biggest rivalries in the sport today, it also boasts one of the biggest storylines a game could possibly have – thanks to Mr. Brett Favre.
The former Packers gunslinger made his career in Green Bay and, in the process, became one of the biggest icons the city, or state for that matter, has ever seen. Favre was a hero to the state of Wisconsin. And now, he is the team’s archenemy.
When Favre hung up the green-and-yellow Packers jersey for a New York Jets uniform, all was OK in Green Bay. Sure, their city’s savior was playing for another team, but at least it wasn’t a team in the same division. In fact, the Jets aren’t even in the same conference as the Packers.
If it had ended there, Favre would still have a place reserved alongside Bart Star, Vince Lombardi and Jim Taylor among the city’s all-time gods.
However, when Favre signed with the Vikings in mid-August, all was not OK in Green Bay. Favre now dons the purple and gold of the Packers’ most hated rival. And to make matters worse for Packers fans, Favre has the Vikings sitting pretty at 3-0 and first place in the NFC-North coming into this week’s match-up.
If that wasn’t bad enough, salt was added to the wound when current Packers head coach Mike McCarthy admitted Favre “had a desire to play in Minnesota” as far back as two seasons ago when Favre was still on the Packers’ roster. Ouch.
So for the low price of $12 million, Favre has officially and irrevocably ruined his reputation and legendary status in Green Bay. He will forever be known as a traitor to the state of Wisconsin. He might as well be a cheese-hating, Viking-loving, bratwurst-despising Minnesotan to Packers fans. Because what Favre did to them is just as bad, if not worse.
Now the Packers have to come into the Superdome and play Favre and his Vikings in front of thousands of screaming Minnesota fans.
The looming showdown between these two NFC-North rivals will carry all the regional drama in the world for the above-mentioned reasons. However, this is a game that will appeal to any and every football fan in America. Don’t be surprised if ESPN receives enough of an audience to make this game one of the most-watched regular season football games of all time.
Football fans around the globe will tune in to see if this game truly lives up to the hype and speculation it has received. Many fans are still getting over the shock value of seeing Favre in a purple #4 jersey that reads “Vikings” on its chest.
This game will cross the lines of football and dive into areas normally reserved for reality TV in our country.
As Packers linebacker Nick Barnett so stylishly put it, “It’s hard to adjust to it. You can’t blame them [Packers fans]. They were in love with Brett Favre, and he dumped them and went with another chick. They’re a little heartbroken.”
It isn’t as if every individual associated with the Packers now hates Brett Favre. In fact, most of Favre’s former teammates in Green Bay still hold him in high regard.
The feeling of betrayal and heartbreak is mostly from the fans. The fans who grew up watching and idolizing Favre. The fans who thought Favre was a hero to the city of Green Bay.
However, here we are – just days away from the Monday Night Football match-up. And when Monday arrives and Favre officially dons the purple and gold against his former team, he is no longer a Green Bay Packer. He is no longer the man who saved Green Bay’s franchise and made all Packer fans forget about Bart Star, Vince Lombardi and Jim Taylor.
From this moment on, Favre is now the man who plays for the rival team. He is now just another Packers enemy.
