Brett Favre part 76…I’m back

 Well it’s official.  Brett Favre to the Vikings.  I remember hearing several times after he agonized over his decision that this wasn’t over.  One of my friends stated that this was just a ploy to get out of training camp but that he will be  in purple this year.  Well it turns out that Chicago Bear fan was right.

If you take a step back and look at this whole situation, I believe something went really awry with the front office in Green Bay.  I see a front office who eagerly wanted to move on with Aaron Rogers and a future Hall-of-Famer who wanted to leave on his own terms.  Who was right?  I don’t know.  It is the prerogative of the front office to make sure that they put a competitive product on the field.  From Favre’s perspective, is Aaron Rogers really an upgrade?  Hasn’t he earned the right to call his own shot? 

Well we know how it has played out.  The Packer front office got their wish and convinced him enough to leave.  Favre then played his hand.  He played the NFL’s retirement system very well so he could dictate how and where he would go.  What better place than Minnesota, hated rival.  What a great way to get back at the front office than show up to Lambeau on a day that was supposed to honor your Packer greatness in the jersey of your enemy.   You say but what about his fans?  Won’t this alienate his fans?  In a word, no.  He is their hero.  He led them to greatness.  Brought championships back to ‘Titletown.’  I would be willing to bet that after the initial sting has worn off the ill feeling held by Packer fans will turn to management.  As time wears on, I would be willing to bet the prevailing thought in Wisconsin is that the Packer front office blew this one. 

Either way this is a great situation for Favre.  The Vikings possess the two things that take pressure off the QB, a premier running game and a stout defense.  The defense will keep opponents out of the endzone and Adrian Peterson and that O Line will control the clock and punish the enemy.  This puts Favre in a position where he doesn’t have to make 50 throws to be competitive.  In fact, the play action game becomes the knockout punch in their gameplans.  This means only a few throws a game for Favre which is perfect for his high mileage arm.  This addition makes the Vikings a contender in a big way.

My Michael Vick Take

Let me start off by saying I’m dog lover. I love my little pug and she is a family member to me. She greets me when I get home. As a pro-dog person, I’ve had a keen eye on the Michael Vick proceedings. I believe that his conviction and punishment were just.

I watched portions of his 60 minutes interview while I made dinner for the family and I have to say that my feelings on this have changed. I initially believed that this man should have known better and that I would be okay with him never playing again. I don’t feel that way anymore. I believe in second chances. I believe in that everyone deserves a shot at redemption if they feel bad about what they did and change the course of their life as a result. I believe Michael Vick needs a second chance to redeem himself. If he truly renounces what he did, then he should get a chance to play again. Now if he blows this second chance and reverts back to a point where he’s involved in dog fighting then all bets are off. Vick seemed genuine in his regret during the interview. How much of that was coaching of his legal and image team remains to be seen. I choose to believe at this point that he regrets this ever happened and wants a second chance.

With all that said, what changed my mind you ask…Couple of things. The fact that Tony Dungy is laying his name on the line for this man says a lot to me. I view Tony as a pretty stand up guy and for him to vouch for Michael Vick admittedly buys him capital with me. I’m willing to give Mr.. Vick a second chance because Dungy thinks he’s changed. Second and really the most important is because of my faith. Without getting into a big spiritual discussion here, I am going to say that my faith has taught me that we need to forgive when no one else will because we are forgiven when we shouldn’t be. I think that applies here.

I am going to continue to watch this situation unfold. If Vick has changed his words will become action. If his words are just that…words then he will fall back into the same traps and lose this chance. I’m willing to watch this thing unfold. I hope has seen the error in his ways and has made a true change.

Why I quote movie lines incessantly…

Don’t know how to write a tribute article so I’m just going  to talk off the cuff here.  John Hughes movies shaped my growing up years.  I was grounded a lot as a child.  I was very good at testing the line my parents set for me and I also was very good at checking their consistency.  I ended up grounded a lot as a result.  John Hughes and his movies helped get me through paying my debt to my folks.  After looking at his amazing body of work, I would have to say that of the movies he directed these three really shaped who I am today.  In fact his movies got me into to the bad habit of quoting movie lines as part of my everyday conversations.

Sixteen Candles

I think of this movie and I just laugh.  My wife loves to quote this movie.  Some of my favorite lines are:

“…the donger need food”

“Lumberjack: What's your last name?
Long Duk Dong: Dong.
Lumberjack: What's your first name?
Long Duk Dong: Long.
Lumberjack: What's your middle name?
Long Duk Dong: Duk.”

Howard: Dong. Where is my automobile?
Long Duk Dong: Oto-mo-biiile?

“Oh sexy Girlfriend…”

Long Duk Dong: She at the church. She getting married to oily bohunk.
Jake: Married?
Long Duk Dong: Married.
Jake: Married?
Long Duk Dong: Yeah. Married
[closes door]
Jake: [turns around, under breath to himself] Married?
Long Duk Dong: Married! Jeez.

Howard: Who was it? Well what did they want?
Dorothy Baker: [shocked] Sex.

 

Weird Science

Another movie whose lines I probably quote without even realizing it.

Wyatt: Gary, you're just as uptight as I am, all right?
Garry: Nobody could be as uptight as you! Nobody! Your middle name is tense. Wyatt "Tense Up" Donnelly.
Wyatt: All right, this is true, this is true.
Garry: It's true.
Wyatt: But it's not so bad. We can hear the music.
Garry: [sarcastically] We can hear the music, that's great. Maybe if we put our noses to the door, we can smell the food!

Wyatt: Gary?... By the way, why are we wearing bras on our heads?
Garry: [hesitates] Ceremonial.

Chet: How 'bout a nice greasy pork sandwich served in a dirty ashtray?

GARY'S MOM: Don't you think Gary was acting a little strange tonight?

GARY'S DAD: Gary? Who the hell is Gary?

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off

My word I love this movie.  I can remember trying to be Ferris Bueller.  (I failed miserably btw)  I unsuccessfully tried some of his antics.  I can try to list my favorite quotes but it’s another one where I will unknowingly quote this movie because it is woven into my being…Ed Rooney is a very underrated character in this movie.

Ferris: Hi. Do you speak English?
Garage Attendant: Uh, what country do you think this is?

Ed Rooney: What's the score?
Pizza Joint Owner: Nothin' nothin'.
Ed Rooney: [not really listening] Who's winning?
Pizza Joint Owner: The Bears.

Grace: Oh, Ed. You just sounded like Dirty Harry just then.
Ed Rooney: Really? Thanks, Grace.

Maitre D': You're Abe Froman?
Ferris: That's right, I'm Abe Froman.
Maitre D': The Sausage King of Chicago?
Ferris: [caught off-guard] ... Uh yeah, that's me.

Ed Rooney: I don't trust this kid any further than I can throw him.
Grace: Well, with your bad knee Ed, you shouldn't throw anybody... Its true.
Ed Rooney: What is so dangerous about a character like Ferris Bueller is he gives good kids bad ideas.
Grace: Mmm-hmm.
Ed Rooney: Last thing I need at this point in my career is fifteen hundred Ferris Bueller disciples running around these halls. He jeopardizes my ability to effectively govern this student body.
Grace: Well, makes you look like an ass is what he does, Ed.

I tried to find the YouTube clips for each of those scenes but I couldn’t get them all.  I loved his movies.   His movies captured the awkwardness and comedy of the teenage years.  Something I certainly identified with as a young teenager.  So what say you…Any favorite quotes or movies that I left out?