We've all seen the photos or heard stories of legendary creatures.
Whether it's the abominable snowman scaring people in the mountains or the Loch Ness monster lurking in dark water looking to make one of its rare appearances when no one has a "good" camera with a zoom lens, myths and legends are part of the culture we live in.
Maybe 2,000 years from now, Brett Favre will be regarded the same way.
After all, what he's doing is unbelievable.
He's 38 years old and only one game away from the Super Bowl.
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Wouldn't it be great to see him take on the undefeated Patriots?
Granted, the Super Bowl is three weeks away, and things can change.
Let's hope there isn't a Giants and Chargers Super Bowl. That game would be disgusting. All the media hype heading into the game would give me a headache.
Back to the "what if" proposition.
If the Packers take on the Patriots and the Pack comes out on top, Favre should retire. After all, no one would believe it if he kept on winning and putting up strong numbers (not necessarily winning the Super Bowl every year).
He would turn into a myth.
He and John Elway would be the oldest quarterbacks to win the Super Bowl. Elway was 38 when he won his last.
Of course, all of this is speculation, and none of this may happen.
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Favre could lose to the Giants, Patriots or Chargers and all I've said would be moot.
Ha, ha -- yeah, right.
The guy is a warrior. He hasn't missed a start since the George H. Bush presidential experiment.
He holds numerous records and he is still not done tallying them up.
Things could have been way different.
If the Atlanta Falcons (the team that originally drafted him) had held onto him for dear life, a different story may have been written.
From what I've read and heard, people didn't think much of him there.
Of course, they drafted Michael Vick as well.
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Who knows what the future would have held for the Falcons would if they had held on to Favre. In all likelihood, they would have never drafted Vick and the team would be heading in a direction other than the toilet.
They made a mistake that they are paying for now -- and possibly forever.
Favre knows better than most about mistakes. His battle with drugs and alcohol has been in the media spotlight before. He is also the all-time leader in interceptions thrown.
The reasons for the interceptions is his style of play ... which makes for some intense football games.
He is a gambler on the field.
What's wrong with that?
Like boxing great Muhammad Ali said, "He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life."
The risks Favre takes may cause some to shake their head in wonder, but not Favre. He knows better.
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Risks have paid off huge for him. He has one Super Bowl ring already and he's got his eyes on another.
He should retire when he wants. It would be a real shame if he quit with the heart to still play another season or two.
Sure it would be a gamble, but that's what Favre is all about.
At his age, he has a higher chance for a major injury. The strange thing is, he doesn't know what one is.
Even though I am a life-long Vikings fan, I would sure like him to come back.
I would rather get beat by the Packers with Brett Favre, than by a Favre-less one.
Matt Suoja is a reporter with the Budgeteer. He can be reached by e-mail at msuoja@duluthbudgeteer.com . Call 723-1207.
