Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Fran Tarkenton Crushes #4


From here.

Fran was asked about the whole Brett Favre retirement, un-retirement:

“I think it’s despicable. What he put the Packers through last year was not good. Here’s an organization that was loyal to him for 17, 18 years, provided stability of organization, provided players. It just wasn’t about Brett Favre. In this day and time, we have glorified the Brett Favre’s of the world so much, they think it’s about them. He goes to New York and bombs. He’s 39 years old. How would you like Ray Nitschke in his last year (playing for) the Vikings, or I retire, and go play for the Packers. I kind of hope it happens, so he can fail.”

On what more he feels the Packers could have done as an organization during the break-up with Favre:

“They did everything, but you get into a position, and I understand he’s been glorified so much. He’s been a great player, there’s no question about it, but it’s all about him. It is supposed to be all about your team. If you’re going to be the quarterback of your team, you need to be there in the off season workouts in March and April. Peyton Manning’s there. Tom Brady’s there.”

Fran’s take on what he sees out of Favre’s quarterback abilities or lack there of:

“I think he has been a great flamboyant quarterback, but he has made more stupid plays than any great quarterback that I’ve ever seen. Look at his final game in a Packers uniform. He blew that game against the Giants. He’s playing against Eli Manning, I love Eli Manning, but he’s still not a great quarterback. He’s not Peyton yet, or Tom Brady. He’s just a guy. And they’re (Packers) are playing at home, and they’re in a tight situation, they went to overtime and he (Favre) throws the interception that allows them (the Giants) to come back and win the game. He has done that and driven his coaches crazy all of his career.”

20 comments:

DOGY said...

Well said, purple pansy.

AP said...

Let me guess, it was Fran pulling the J.A.G. on Eli that made you want to post this, right?

greatone said...

I'm buying a vikings #10 jersey right now, that is beyond well said

Go Pack said...

Wow. I hate the Vikings and everything about them more than I hate mushrooms. Which is a lot. But anytime I hear Fran Tarkenton's name, I will think "yup, that guy knows what he's talking about." Genius.

Favre's hillbilly family said...

We're coming after you, Fran...

Jim Kelly said...

However he can't really talk about losing big games, the guy was 0-4 in Super Bowls, i'm just saying

packers fans said...

Who else would be in favor of signing Fran to a 1 day contract and retiring his jersey? Awesome, Tark.

wv23 said...

Unfortunately for Fran Tarkenton, the Interweb exists:

Career
Brett Favre: 310 career interceptions in 9,287 attempts, meaning 3.3 percent of his passes were picked off.

Fran Tarkenton: 266 career interceptions in 6,467 attempts (4.1 percent).

Playoffs
Brett Favre: 39 TDs, 28 INTs - including 5 TDs and 1 INT in two Super Bowls (and 8 and 5 in Conference Championship games).

Fran Tarkenton: 11 TDs, 17 INTs - including 1 TD and 6 INTs in three Super Bowls (and 2 and 3 in Conference Championship games).

Tarkenton led the league in interception percentage twice in his 13 year career. Favre? Never.

As far as Fran's statement that Brett went to New York and "bombed"?

Favre had an 81.0 QB rating last year. Tarkenton's career QB rating? 80.4.

So, Fran can give us all lectures on what a horrible teammate/person/Packer/Jet Brett is/was - and he can talk about Favre's interceptions all he likes. But the fact is, Brett Favre was infinitely better at his job than Fran Tarkenton when it comes to throwing the football (and Tarkenton was no Michael Vick on the ground, no matter what people's memories tell them, as he never rushed for more than 376 yards).

Fran would have you believe he never threw an interception in a big situation. The InterWeb tells us otherwise.

curious said...

That was a lot of research for nothing. When in this article did Fran say he was a better QB than Favre?

Search your InterWeb and get back to us.

wv23 said...

let's see...

fran criticized him for throwing big interceptions and making stupid plays. fran threw more big interceptions - and at a greater rate.

fran said brett went to new york and "bombed," except favre was better in new york than fran was for his career.

the point: fran could stand to be a little more self-aware when criticizing others.

jpj said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Ralph Wiggum said...

I love Fran Tarkenton so much that I want to take him behind a middle school and get him pregnant.

Brad said...

WV - While I appreciate your research, I'm afraid compairing QB stats from the 60s/70s to 90s/00s is an exercise in futility. Even some of the Hall of Famers of that era threw a boatload of INTs.

Terry Bradshaw - 212 TDs, 210 INTs
YA Tittle - 242 TDs, 248 INTs
Joe Namath - 173 TDs, 220 INTs
Kenny Stabler - 194 TDs, 222 INTs
Johnny Unitas - 4.9 INT%
Bob Griese - 5.0 INT%
Bart Starr - 4.4 INT%
Daryle Lamonica - 5.3 INT%

All in the HOF except Stabler (4 pro bowls) and Lamonica (5 pro bowls). Even the elite QBs in that era threw tons of INTs...so, comparing QBs from then and now is apples and oranges - it was such a different game.

This concludes my longest comment ever.

wv23 said...

brad - that's fine, but how many of them threw 1 TD and 6 INTs in super bowls, then lectured other QBs about throwing INTs/making stupid plays?

and fran twice led the league in INT percentage, which means he was throwing INTs at a greater rate than any other QB in the league at the time. that does translate eras.

Brad said...

Unitas did have a not-so-stellar 69 QB rating in the playoffs, yet he's considered (by some) the best ever. He also lead the league in INT % twice.

Look - I'm not saying Fran was better than Brett. Just pointing out the differences between INTs then and now. Much more acceptable then, considering guys who threw them all the time were multiple pro bowlers and in the HOF.

And if Fran can't rip Brett, then who can? Only people who were better than him? That's like 7 or 8 people on earth. Unless you've played QB better than Favre, you can never rip him? I think ESPN practices this theory. Ha.

Tim said...

No one has ever disagreed that he has made some of the craziest mistakes in the history of playing quarterback, but those risks often turned into the outstanding plays that he will probably be remembered for many decades from now. This was a guy who needed coaching. He was raised by a coach and thrived under coaches who weren't afraid to get in his face. Sherman was afraid of him and look what happened to those teams. I will argue until I'm blue in the face that McCarthy is just as responsible for Favre's outstanding 2007 as Favre was.

wv23 said...

as far as unitas, he isn't even the best colt quarterback ever.

Goldy said...

I would rather talk about skanky Alaskan chicks than Favre. And I am not a fan of skanky Alaskan chicks.

Anonymous said...

Its truly pathetic that the haters cheer on Francis despite him obviously making it up as he goes. Anyone who follows the Packers should laugh at the notion that they did everything to help Favre. Poor fella doesn't mention anything about the Thompson antics and all the leaks that keep coming out of Green Bay that turn out to be laughable like the Favre helped the Lions story.

Really is there anything in the rant at all? Still the broken hearted schoolgirls think its really kewl cause he slimed Favre.

Lance's Other Nut said...

Anonymous-

What was that, I couldn't hear you with Favre's dick in your mouth.