Jan 20, 2008: Green Bay LOST; Favre HORRIBLE

Yes, mark it down on the calendar. January 20th, 2008 - NFC title game. The overrated Brett Favre and Green Bay played host to the New York Giants at Lambeau Field for the right to face New England in the Super Bowl.

And yes, those Green Bay fans taunted me and continued their Favre-worshipping.

Didn't matter. The QB is overrated. Two TDs, yes. But also two INT's, with the second one coming in OT on the Packers' second play of the extra session. That led to the winning field goal by the Giants. 23-20 New York.

And where was that so-called greatness by Favre? With a trip to the Super Bowl on the line, he came up with a stinker? Where was that so-called awesome performance that he dished out against Seattle a week earlier? Could it be that the Seahawks were that much inferior--and as it turned out, yes, for not tacking on more points after being given a two-TD lead?

Lambeau magic? Please.

And again Favre was lucky. His first interception didn't cost the Packers the game because the Giants gave the ball right back. And again he got huge breaks when the Giants' Lawrence Tynes missed two fourth-qurter field-goal attempts--the latter which would have won it for New York at the end of regulation had the kicker made good on it, but didn't thanks to a bad snap.

And yes, this was the third-coldest title game in history, so-called perfect weather for Favre. He never loses in these types of games. And yet there he was, going just 19-for-35 for 236 yards. Favre was supposed to be better than the much more inexperienced Eli Manning, and yet it is the latter going on to the Super Bowl.

Say, if Manning makes it back again once more in his career, would he have tied Favre in appearances in the big game? After all, Favre has only been to two. Lots of other QBs have been there before too. And of course, this will be Patriots QB Tom Brady's fourth appearance, two more than the overrated Green Bay pivot.

And while fans from New England and New York wait in anticipation of the big game in Arizona in two weeks, Cheesehead fans in Wisconsin can just await the Brett Favre soap opera again as to his on-and-off, should-I-retire-or-come-back routine.

"For me, I kept thinking how many opportunities are we going to let slip away," Favre was quoted as saying. Damn right you are, Brett. You'll probably never get to another Super Bowl unless you get a ticket to get in the stands.

But one consolation: whatever you do, Brett Favre, there will be millions out there worshipping you. No many how many losses you endure, there will always be those who say you're great. Is there any other way to define "overrated"?