Gregg Easterbrook calls it: Favre's "Tragic Flaw"

[TUSooner]

Link:
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=easterbrook/100126&sportCat=nfl

Excerpt:

Hamartia. The "tragic flaw" described by Aristotle: A leader cannot control his own inner shortcoming, which causes him to achieve the reverse of what he desired. In "Antigone," the king, Creon, tells himself he is acting in the interest of the city, when actually he is acting to glorify his own ego -- this hamartia destroys him. Brett Favre comes up a bit short of a character in ancient Thebes, but on Sunday he was brought low by hamartia all the same. It was not enough for Favre's team to reach the Super Bowl -- he had to get the credit. Game tied with 19 seconds remaining, Favre scrambled at about the New Orleans 40-yard line, with open field ahead of him. All he needed to do was run a few yards, hook-slide, call timeout, and the Vikings' strong-legged kicker, Ryan Longwell, had a solid chance to win the NFC championship. But the credit had to go to Favre; he had to throw a spectacular pass at the end, so television announcers would swoon. So he heave-hoed a dramatic across-the-field pass. It was intercepted, and the Saints won in overtime.

Perhaps you are thinking, "It was just a dumb mistake, and the whole thing happened in a couple of seconds." No. Two years of Favre's life built up to that moment. For two years, Favre has insisted that entire NFL franchises, the Jets and the Vikings, become thralls to his celebrity. He has used his stature to demand, demand, demand -- the crux of the demands are always attention and publicity for himself. Now he is brought low. In two of the past three seasons, Favre has lost in the NFC Championship Game. Each time, his team seemed poised to win at the end; each time, Favre's final play was a disastrous interception. And each of those title losses eventually came in overtime -- to punish Favre for his hamartia, twice the football gods allowed him to come so close, so close, then denied him. Favre has been brought so low, he is now being laughed at in Wisconsin, and he has only himself to blame. Aristotle would not be surprised by the ending of the Favre saga. If, of course, it was the ending.

[cvsooner]

While I agree he made a terrible decision and an awful throw, I'm not so sure running was really an option on his ankle. I thought he'd throw it to the receiver he had semi-open on the right side of the field...and maybe he could've limped into the open field enough to pick up a few yards.

[BoulderSooner79]

While I agree he made a terrible decision and an awful throw, I'm not so sure running was really an option on his ankle. I thought he'd throw it to the receiver he had semi-open on the right side of the field...and maybe he could've limped into the open field enough to pick up a few yards.

+1. The OC got conservative too early on 1st & 2nd down and gained nada on 2 runs. Then the substitution penalty put them in a bad situation. At that point, the highest probability outcome was going to be overtime. Had Favre made a good throw and led Rice away from the DB, then they get a high probability FG try -- too bad it didn't happen.

[TUSooner]

Y'all got nothing to say about Eaterbrook's assertion that self-aggrandizement is Favre's tragic flaw? I thought it was maybe a bit harsh, but Brett does seem to need to play and to have the attention. Is he different than other players who can't say good-bye to the game? I'm thinking there could be something to what Easterbrook says, in light of Brett's locker room troubles with the Jets last year and his little fit with Childress this year.

[RedstickSooner]

Y'all got nothing to say about Eaterbrook's assertion that self-aggrandizement is Favre's tragic flaw? I thought it was maybe a bit harsh, but Brett does seem to need to play and to have the attention. Is he different than other players who can't say good-bye to the game? I'm thinking there could be something to what Easterbrook says, in light of Brett's locker room troubles with the Jets last year and his little fit with Childress this year.

Well, honestly, the accusation just seems kinda... overblown. Sure, he's got an ego: He's a quarterback. Most of 'em (Sam and Jason excluded) have egos the size of Rhode Island. A lot of 'em, without that ego, would suck truck nuts. Pretty sure if Favre wasn't full of himself, he wouldn't still be playing. And fact is, he's playing pretty well. Especially for a geriatric.

I've always been largely ambivalent about Favre. Only time I got excited/interested in his career was this season, because I thought his arrival in Minnesota meant that AD would finally have the sort of kick-arse year his talent deserves. Instead, it's like college all over again: Injuries and the vagaries of the football gods means AD's best year was his rookie year. Which doesn't make a damned bit of sense.

It just seems to me there's got to be a solid dozen QBs out there who would've tried to throw rather than scramble for the first down. Hell, half the time, the announcers *praise* QBs who always keep their eyes downfield while keeping the play alive with their feet. They say that's how you're trained in the NFL -- to always look for someone to chuck the ball to, because if you get in the habit of tucking and running, you're gonna suck, and miss out on making plays.

[badger]

I used to love him. The longer he prolongs his retirement, the less I love him.

[Leroy Lizard]

Brett Favre joins the Vikings, and then end up within one or two plays of going to the Super Bowl. The freakin' SUPER BOWL!

How can anyone dismiss what he has done for the team?

I'm not a Favre fan. Personally, I'm not a fan of any athlete, and especially NFL players. But I will defend them if I think the criticism is unwarranted. And for anyone to think that Favre has been anything but a tremendous boon for the Vikings is pretty incredible. And the fact that he can do it at 40+ years is even more impressive.

[TUSooner]

Brett Favre joins the Vikings, and then end up within one or two plays of going to the Super Bowl. The freakin' SUPER BOWL!
How can anyone dismiss what he has done for the team?

I'm not a Favre fan. Personally, I'm not a fan of any athlete, and especially NFL players. But I will defend them if I think the criticism is unwarranted. And for anyone to think that Favre has been anything but a tremendous boon for the Vikings is pretty incredible. And the fact that he can do it at 40+ years is even more impressive.

SO?!!?! That doesn't change the fact that he's a hubristic egomaniac whose tragic destiny, the result of his flawed character, is the stuff of Greek drama, now does it ?!?!

;)

The longer he prolongs his retirement, the less I love him.

I'm kinda like that, but it doesn't seem "fair" for some reason, after he's had such a great season, so I'm not quite ready to admit it. :D

[Leroy Lizard]

SO?!!?! That doesn't change the fact that he's a hubristic egomaniac whose tragic destiny, the result of his flawed character, is the stuff of Greek drama, now does it ?!?!

Well, if being a hubristic egomaniac helps you win, so what?

I'm not ready to play pop psychologist on a QB simply because he throws an INT.

[Fraggle145]

SO?!!?! That doesn't change the fact that he's a hubristic egomaniac whose tragic destiny, the result of his flawed character, is the stuff of Greek drama, now does it ?!?!

Name one pro athlete that isnt in some way hubristic or egomaniacal and I'll call you a liar.

[TUSooner]

Y'all ever heard of hyperbole? how about a winky face -- ;) ?

But seriously.... I like Easterbrook's invocation of hamartia. I don't know if it really fits with Favre (or doesn't fit others), but it's a more interesting idea than most of the old socks that get chewed on around here.

[TUSooner]

Well, if being a hubristic egomaniac helps you win, so what?

I believe Easterbrook's proposition is that it helped Favre LOSE. Just pointing that out in case you didn't actually read what he said.

[rawlingsHOH]

While I agree he made a terrible decision and an awful throw, I'm not so sure running was really an option on his ankle. I thought he'd throw it to the receiver he had semi-open on the right side of the field...and maybe he could've limped into the open field enough to pick up a few yards.

yep

[rawlingsHOH]

In two of the past three seasons, Favre has lost in the NFC Championship Game. Each time, his team seemed poised to win at the end; each time, Favre's final play was a disastrous interception. And each of those title losses eventually came in overtime -- to punish Favre for his hamartia, twice the football gods allowed him to come so close, so close, then denied him. Favre has been brought so low, he is now being laughed at in Wisconsin, and he has only himself to blame.

Semi ironic considering their own QB just did the same, in overtime, in the playoffs, to lose it.

Dumb article all together.

[Leroy Lizard]

I believe Easterbrook's proposition is that it helped Favre LOSE.

But until now, he has helped the team WIN. Has he not?

[ashley]

That guy is a nut. He just had to write something so he chose to make a buzz. Sportswriters love to tear down the great. Farve has won a superbowl and had a great year.

[DarrellZero]

It's nothing new for a leader to be brought down by the very thing that makes them great.

Live by the sword, die by the sword.

[XingTheRubicon]

I love how it's all the sudden "the interception that cost the game." It would have been a 55 yard field goal. He was so beaten up, he could barely run and he tried to make a play. If MN was on the 28, then fine, colossal F up....the 38? Go ahead and let me know how many 55+ yard field goals Minnesota's kicker has hit.

[BoulderSooner79]

Longwell is good and his career long FG is 55 yards, but you gotta believe his odds are low. Favre really has to make a play in that situation to have a decent shot to win in regulation. But at 3rd and 15, the advantage went to the defense. So I don't see the int as losing the game, but not gaining the 10-15 yards they needed was a case of not making the big play to be the hero. That's why I was so disappointed with the play calling on 1st and 2nd down; they had the Saint's sack in a vice and didn't take advantage. The D had to crowd the line to stop the run and Favre had been on target all night. A run-action pass on 1st down would have been hard to stop.

[TUSooner]

But until now, he has helped the team WIN. Has he not?
(Well. except for that other game GE mentions, where he got to the cusp but tossed the rock to the wrong guys again.)
C'mon, Professor. At least enjoy the esoteric nature of the whole proposition. Like this:


It's nothing new for a leader to be brought down by the very thing that makes them great.
Live by the sword, die by the sword.

[TUSooner]

Longwell is good and his career long FG is 55 yards, but you gotta believe his odds are low. Favre really has to make a play in that situation to have a decent shot to win in regulation. But at 3rd and 15, the advantage went to the defense. So I don't see the int as losing the game, but not gaining the 10-15 yards they needed was a case of not making the big play to be the hero. That's why I was so disappointed with the play calling on 1st and 2nd down; they had the Saint's sack in a vice and didn't take advantage. The D had to crowd the line to stop the run and Favre had been on target all night. A run-action pass on 1st down would have been hard to stop.

Well, if you insist on effing up a good argument with FACTS, go ahead!!!

:P

[BoulderSooner79]

Well, if you insist on effing up a good argument with FACTS, go ahead!!!

:P

Sorry, Favre is (was?) tragically doomed.

[cvsooner]

Without Favre this season, the Vikes aren't even in the championship game to lose and he had a lot to do with the fact that they had come from behind to tie the score. Turnovers (fumbles and interceptions) killed them in this game.

And if Hartley misses that field goal, I suspect the Vikes win in OT.

[cvsooner]

And I still think Bush's TD wasn't a score. Bad call in my opinion.

[rawlingsHOH]

I love how it's all the sudden "the interception that cost the game." It would have been a 55 yard field goal. He was so beaten up, he could barely run and he tried to make a play. If MN was on the 28, then fine, colossal F up....the 38? Go ahead and let me know how many 55+ yard field goals Minnesota's kicker has hit.

Yep. They wouldn't have even tried a 55-yarder. The INT was bad, but he needed to pick up yards. an incomplete pass would have resulted in a punt.

[Leroy Lizard]

C'mon, Professor. At least enjoy the esoteric nature of the whole proposition.

I know better than to perform pop psychology on someone I never even met. We don't know why Favre threw the pass, and to assume that it was because of a character flaw is just plain ridiculous.

[Eielson]

Childress and the entire Viking's organization knew what they were getting into. Don't act like Favre is using his fame to manipulate them. They wouldn't have even gotten this far with Tarvaris.

[SoonerDood]

TMQ has pissed me off all year. He's a real smart guy, but knows next to nothing about CFB and only mentions our beloved Sooners in a negative light.