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Brett Favre steps into glare of NYC spotlight

By Ryan Chatelain, amNewYork Associate Editor | ryan.chatelain@am-ny.com

August 8, 2008

Brett Favre holds up his new New York Jets jersey at Cleveland Browns Stadium before an NFL exhibition football game between the New York Jets and Cleveland Browns Thursday, Aug. 7, 2008, in Cleveland. Favre was traded from the Green Bay Packers to the Jets earlier in the day. (AP Photo/Mark Duncan / August 7, 2008)

Can a Mississippi farm boy survive the demanding football fans and tenacious media of Gotham, let alone lead Gang Green to a Super Bowl championship?

It's one of the biggest questions being asked as new Jets quarterback Brett Favre transitions from little ol' Green Bay, Wisc., to the Big Apple.

"Brett has never been, to my knowledge, an antagonistic kind of guy toward the media," said Jamie Dukes, an analyst for the NFL Network who played with Favre in Green Bay and Atlanta.

"When he's played poorly, he's put it on his shoulders and taken responsibility. From a New York media standpoint, I think they're going to respect him.

"The Green Bay Packer fans are just as critical as Jets fans," Duke said. "I've played there in Green Bay, and I know. ... It can get nasty up at Lambeau when things aren't going well."

Many Jets fans Thursday were already rolling out the red carpet for the future Hall of Famer quarterback who led the Packers to two Super Bowls.

"It's the best move the Jets ever made," said Andrew Ball, 18, of the Lower East Side.

Others, however, weren't so sure that the team is better off with Favre, considering that the quarterback is a couple of months shy of his 39th birthday.

"He's not going to make the team better," said Gino Longo, 42, of Brooklyn. "We need better defense, and he's old. I was talking to my friends about it this morning. Everyone thinks it's a bad decision."

One thing is certain: Expectations will be high for No. 4, who takes over a team that underwent a $140 million roster overhaul in the offseason.

"The offense has a lot of great complementary pieces for Favre - a good running game, steady receivers and a much improved offensive line," said Brian Bassett, editor of SNY's thejetsblog.com. "Favre's talent should definitely translate to more wins, but it might take some time."

"He makes them a playoff contender," Dukes said.

At least one New York resident was sad to see the three-time league MVP leave the Packers but believes he'll quickly assume a leadership role with his new team.

"Green Bay's loss is the Jets' gain," said Patrick Daley, 53, a Wisconsin native who owns the bar Kettle of Fish, a Packers hangout in the West Village.

"When he walks into the Jets' locker room filled with young players, he'll be an icon."

Simone Herbin contributed to this report.