Brett Favre is Bigger Than Ever, Rolling Stone is Smaller

Brett Favre is bigger than ever in the Big Apple, but will he be a big bust? I think so. As much as I love Brett Favre, he's got a lot to overcome. Submitted for your approval, the following facts:

1. Favre's going to a less talented team than the Packers. His new receivers aren't as good as his Packer receivers, and more importantly, the defense backing him up with the Jets isn't as good as the Packers D he leaves behind.

2. Favre's not in shape like he was heading into his great season last year. He spent most of the off-season "retired" and living easy. Maybe not totally easy, but certainly not working out as hard as he did last off-season.

3. Favre's learning a new offense. The terminology may be the biggest change, but NFL offenses are complicated with small differences which can, in the end, make a big difference on coverages. The difference between winning and losing in the NFL is a razor's edge, and a little miscommunication can lead to a big blunder.

4. Favre's on the cover of the Madden '08 video game. The kiss of death for a productive season.

5. Favre is the New York Media darling for the moment. That's about as long as anyone stays the media darling in New York.....a brief moment.

*The Favre-Packer divorce could not have been handled worse. Who's to blame??? BOTH. The Packers should have known Favre would waffle on his "retirement" and Favre himself should have known he would waffle on his "retirement." I think the Packers just got tired of the waffling. Aaron Rogers has a lot of potential, but he's not Brett Favre, and may/will never be. Favre was the Packers best chance to make it to the Super Bowl this year. Now they won't, and Favre won't either, with the Jets. With Rogers, the Packers may make it next year, or the year after that, but this is a "win now" league. How sad that Favre's Packer history had to end this way, the the blame for that lies mostly with Favre himself.


Also catching my eye this week, Rolling Stone Magazine is getting smaller. For so many years, Rolling Stone has been a large-paged magazine, known for it's insight, it's connection with 40 and under Americans (and those 40 and younger at heart), it's cutting edge journalism and it's great photography. I think it still will be. Some of my favorite reading growing up was found in Rolling Stone, including pieces by one of my favorite writers, Hunter S. Thompson. There was a bit of a lull for a few years, but RS "came back" to some degree, and still is a powerful, cultural presence. Though the format might change, the content should be unaffected. Like many magazines and newspapers, Rolling Stone has seen ad revenues continue downward, but as long as they remain true to their principles and their vision, they should remain a force for a long time.