Sure, Favre a nice story, but thank you, Giants
The Giants beat the Packers, meaning Green Bay won't represent the NFC in Super Bowl XLII.
Hip-hip-hooray!
Listen, I'm not saying I wanted Brett Favre to throw the interception that led to the Giants' 23-20 overtime victory in Sunday's NFC title game.
"Very disappointing," Favre said. "It's disappointing the last pass I threw was intercepted and gave them a chance to win."
I'm certainly not saying I wanted a New York team in the Super Bowl, either.
Pick your poison, I guess -- having to hear about the Giants or the Packers for the next two weeks.
I'm already sick of hearing about another quarterback named Manning being in the Super Bowl, about Tom Coughlin going from jerk to genius as a head coach, about Spike Lee, Jerry Seinfeld and all those other insufferable New Yorkers.
But hearing stories about Cheeseheads for two weeks would be just as unbearable.
What can I say? Once a Chicago team's season ends, I tend to root against everybody instead of rooting for anybody.
That might sound cruel considering Favre is a true folk hero. No athlete is more appealing. He plays the game with the passion we all like to think we would have if in his position.
It would have been inspirational if Favre did make it to the third Super Bowl of his career at the advanced age of 38.
As the classic song lyric goes, "Fairy tales can come true, it can happen to you, if you're young at heart," and Favre is young at heart.
What a story it could have been, the old gunslinger slinging his guns at the AFC champion Patriots, who will attempt to complete an undefeated season.
It would be a featured film worth paying $10 to see. But the Packers in the Super Bowl? No, sorry, I don't think so.
You see, in case you forgot, Favre does still play quarterback for the Packers. The team you -- if you're like me -- have disliked since the cradle.
I could envision a Republican pulling the lever for Hillary Clinton before a Bears fan pulls for Green Bay. I could see Hugo Chavez buy dinner for George Bush before a Bears fan would want to watch the Packers in the Super Bowl.
This isn't American politics or world affairs. It's much more important. It's sports, where truce is a four-letter word.
My opinion always has been that Cubs fans should never side with the White Sox and Sox fans should never side with the Cubs.
No, not even if one gets to the World Series.
The same goes for Bears fans and Packers fans. Why would a Bears fan ever want the Packers in the Super Bowl, or vice versa?
Because it would be neat to see Brett Favre win another championship as a reward for an entertaining career?
Heck, this rivalry is bigger than any one state or city, so it has to be bigger than any one player.
I don't recall Green Bay hoping Walter Payton would finally play in a Super Bowl. I just remember the Packers smacking a late hit on him out of bounds up there.
In fact, it's doubtful Bears fans would have wanted sympathy to blow down from up there.
So now, no, not even Brett Favre could get this Chicagoan to root for Green Bay.
mimrem@dailyherald.com