Monday, December 13, 2010

Detroit: Bench city

If we are to believe Minnesota Vikings quarterback Brett Favre, his shoulder injury is so serious that he would not have played yesterday in their matchup with the New York Giants. This is big news, given the fact Favre has started 297 consecutive NFL games (321 including the postseason). However, he has been given a 30-hour reprieve, thanks to the Twin Cities weather wreaking havoc on the Metrodome. With the game being rescheduled for this evening at Detroit's Ford Field, this also means an extra 30 hours of Favre playing up the drama, as he is wont to do. There have been reports that he has texted former coach Steve Mariucci indicating he is unlikely to play Monday, while Vikings interim coach Leslie Frazier maintains Favre's status is a "game time decision." Of course, it would be vintage Favre to defy all logic and actually come out and play despite an ailment medical experts deem a "3-4 week injury." It would also play in to Favre's narcissistic tendencies for fans to marvel at his ability to overcome all obstacles.

But I digress.

If Favre does indeed sit this one out, it would bring to an end the most impressive iron man streak ever seen in pro sports. And if the streak has to end, how bizarre would it be for his first benching in 20 years to occur in Detroit. You see, that is the very city where, in May 1939, New York Yankees legend Henry Louis "Lou" Gehrig took a seat on the bench. Gehrig had not missed a baseball game in fourteen years, a streak of 2,130 games which was the all-time record for nearly six decades.

To this day it's hard to fathom that a city know for manufacturing Mustangs would be the resting place for an Iron Horse.

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