And the Cheese-Wheel Turneth

For starters, Roger Federer will be fine. Two losses in a row never killed anybody’s dominance. Does Tiger Woods win every tournament? Okay … this year, yes, but in 2003 and 2004, not so much. Federer has plenty of time before his window closes.

My illegitimate brother (that is: the man who eloped with my sister some time ago) has asked that we speak about the Nets. Okay, Dear Readers, here goes: The Nets are an impressive 3-4 after trading Jason Kidd. And by “impressive 3-4,” I actually mean “stunning 3-4 since I had them going winless the rest of the way.” The Nets won’t get to 40 wins this year, which will still be good enough to make them the #5 seed in the Eastern Conference. Be happy about it.

Speaking of the major Nets/Mavs trade, let me just say that Jason Kidd is a diva. It’s true, but to be perfectly honest, I understand the whole “diva athlete” thing. I do. It manifests itself in many ways, as well, not just in the typical “I wanna trade” rants. Dan Marino would call out his receivers and constantly blame them for running bad routes. He never said “my mistake” when he screwed up … not even after his embarrassing performance in Ace Ventura. Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan believed that they could play well beyond their prime. They couldn’t. Ben Roethlisberger wants taller receivers. LeBron James wants better perimeter shooters. Michael Vick wants a “Get Out of Jail Free” card.

And what did Brett Favre want? Randy Moss. And a new pair of Wranglers. And to be wanted. What did he get? Just the Wranglers. This is where Favre loses me. He’s a great player and by all accounts a reasonable guy (except for his endorsement of Ron Paul for president … whiffed on that one, Brett). He’s also very human: He has vices (drug problems) and family problems (wife’s cancer, father’s death) that we all can relate to. We sympathize with him because we feel that he’s one of us. Only he’s not one of us. He’s rich and famous and strikingly handsome (I feel secure in saying this). Favre has been a movie star and a Super Bowl champion and even has a cheese named after him. (Okay, no he doesn’t, but he will at some point. Maybe “Brett’s Bree” or “Favre’s Feta.”) And yet he wants more. He wants the Packers to show their undying love for him and if they lapse for even a moment, he retires faster than they can say, “What about Brett Fav-ruh.” Far be it from me to say that Brett Favre is a tad greedy. But what I will say is that maybe he’s a little greedier than he should be … just ask Aaron Rodgers.

Rodgers is 35 and has taken three non-pre-season snaps. I’m sure he’d kill to have a Super Bowl ring and a bunch of all-time records. (And that’s not even mentioning the free jeans.) Or maybe Rodgers just wants a chance to play.

Look, Brett Favre is an icon in a way most people can never even dream of. He’s also largely overrated as a quarterback. If you had to win one game, just one, there are a number of quarterbacks you’d pick before Favre based on their talent. Montana, Elway, Kelly, Staubach, Unitas, Marino, Graham, Bradshaw. You might even pick Brady or Manning first. (Peyton, of course … slow down with the Eli-worship, Kennedy…) The puzzling part is that nobody is loved in the way that Favre is. Not even close. And perhaps that’s why he’s got a little diva in him. I mean, why shouldn’t he be a diva? Jeez, if I were him, I’d probably be even worse … I’d want Levis.