297: End of the Line

If you want to read about the Pats this week, pretty much all you need to do is re-read last week's piece about the Jets game. Ho hum, Patriots destroy another playoff-caliber team in convincing fashion. Warrants mentioning that the game was played in a blizzard that put last year's conditions in the 59-0 game to shame. Yet despite this Snowmagedon, Brady still managed a season-high 369 yards through the air, completing 27 of 40 passes to go along with a pair of touchdown strikes. Deion Branch turned in a career high 151 yards, yet again forcing us to ask the question "what if Deion never left New England?" The offense is far more diverse now than it was in 2007, and more importantly, the team as a whole is peaking in December rather than September and October. The Patriots also became the first team to clinch a post-season berth. Check back next week for the Pats, when the Green Bay Packers roll into town likely without Aaron Rodgers (concussion).

Tonight, however, one of the most historic and hallowed records in professional sports has come to an end.  Some will be thrilled, as this is perhaps a pre-cursor to Brett Favre going away once and for all. Others will be having feelings of nostalgia, as this record of Brett Favre's that is coming to a conclusion is not your ordinary record. Regardless of where you fall on the spectrum, you'll have an opinion on the end of "The Streak". It's official, Brett Favre will be inactive for tonight's game against the New York Giants, marking the end of his NFL-record 297 consecutive starts (321 including the post-season) at Quarterback.

Now, for some fun facts insight on what Brett Favre's consecutive games played streak means in the grand scheme of things:

-Tonight's game vs. the Giants will mark the first time that Favre has not started a game since September 20, 1992. The following week, on September 27, Brett replaced Don Majkowski as the Packers starter and had not missed a game until tonight. What was different about the world back then?

-I was an only child. JHL came along in '93.

-"End of the Road" by Boyz II Men topped the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart, while "Some Gave All" by Billy Ray Cyrus topped the Billboard 200 albums chart. Needless to say, Boyz II Men and Billy Ray Cyrus no longer remain relevant musicians (although you may have heard of Bill Ray's daughter, Miley).

-Bill Clinton and George W. Bush have each served two full terms as U.S. president. In related news, Monica Lewinsky gained notoriety during The Streak, and Dubya told us that "A Leadership is someone who brings people together".

-The following countries did not exist:  Eritrea, Palau, Bosnia, Serbia, Montenegro, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Kosovo, and Timor-Leste.

-Hugh Millen was the starting quarterback for the Patriots that week. For Hugh Millen's career statistics, click here.

-Millen, Scott Zolak, Tom Hodson, Jeff Carlson, Scott Secules, Drew Bledsoe, Tom Brady, and Matt Cassel have started games under center for the Patriots. Not bad, considering some teams such as the Bears have had about 345 starters since then.

-Jenn Sterger was 10 years old.

-Joe Hesketh was the winning pitcher for the Red Sox that day, with Tom Brunansky batting clean-up. In a shocking twist, the Red Sox went 73-89 that season, the closest they have come to 90 losses in a season since 1966.

-Crow Point Pizzeria didn't exist yet; it didn't open it's doors until 1993. Buffalo Chicken Calzone was just a pipe dream.

-Kramer's first name on Seinfeld remained a mystery.

-My old car, the Volvo "Red Wagon", was two years away from being released as a new car. A luxury car for the time, some might say.

-The Carolina Panthers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Houston Texans, and Baltimore Ravens did not yet exist as NFL franchises.

-Dan Dierdorf was the color commentator on Monday Night Football.

-Cal Ripken, Jr. was still 551 starts away from breaking Lou Gehrig's all-time baseball record of consecutive games started.

-Tyler Seguin, the Bruins 1st round draft pick this season, was 7 months old. In related news, the Bruins were only on a 20 year Cup drought at the time.

Call me crazy, I just don't think Favre texts Sterger back in '92. Although texting didn't yet exist. There's another thing for the list.

And there you have it. It's been a wild ride for no. 4, one that seems almost certain to come to a complete end after this season. Of course, we've heard this story from Favre before. While I ultimately think that 2010 is the year in which Favre finally goes away for good, there were many people who thought 2009 was that year. Or 2008. Or 2007....

Where does Favre's streak rank in the grand scheme of things? In my honest opinion, it's the single most impressive streak and/or record in professional sports history. The era in which is occurred, in which professional football players became bigger and faster and nastier than ever before, just adds to its authenticity. To go out there week in, week out, and take that kind of punishment on your body for nearly 20 years without ever missing a start is, quite frankly, superhuman. With all due respect to Cal Ripken and his streak in baseball, I just don't think it comes close to matching Favre's. Like I said, it comes down the punishment and the toll it takes on the body. Running out ground balls and sliding into second for 2,632 consecutive games truly is remarkable and I don't mean to trivialize it, but when you've got the likes of Ray Lewis, Michael Strahan, Brian Urlacher, Rodney Harrison, etc. chasing after you and trying to knock you flat on your ass on every single play, advantage Favre.

Though the sun will continue to rise as Favre's streak comes to a close, it's going to be a different world out there, for sure. So long, Brett. And please don't make me regret praising you in August when the 49ers or Redskins come calling....