Cal Ripken Jr. vs Brett Favre

[The Brain]

Over the years I’ve heard some debates on whose consecutive game streak is more impressive, Cal Ripken Jr. or Brett Favre. Throughout all the debates there was one undetermined factor. We didn’t know when Favre’s streak was going to end. Now that it’s over let the true debate begin. Which is more impressive? Ripken’s 2632 or Favre’s 297?

I’m going to keep mine relatively short. Many of you know I’m a diehard baseball fan and only a casual football fan. Cal Ripken Jr. is my all time favorite player and I have a room full of memorabilia dedicated to him. It should come as no surprise I’m picking Cal, but I admit I may be biased.

Those who pick Favre will undoubtedly point out how football is so much more physical than baseball. It’s certainly a valid argument. However, baseball has a 162 game season while football is limited to only 16. I think it’s more impressive to go out and play every day instead of every week.
Unless he is in a major horrible slump the starting QB is going to start if he can. In baseball the manager may pull a guy out of the lineup, even once, on any given day if someone is in even a minor slump or a pitching match up isn’t favorable. My point is the streak is more about being physically able to compete. For a manager(s) not to sit a guy for even a single day for 17 years is amazing.
Ripken’s record will likely never be broken. I know people said that when Gerhig held the record, but with the game the way it is now I think it’s safe to say no one will come close to 2632. I wouldn’t be surprised if no one ever comes within 1000 games. On the other hand people are already speculating that Peyton Manning is going to break Favre’s record.

I’m going to leave it at that for now and let some responses come in. Either way both men have a very impressive record and both deserved to be recognized for it. They’re almost impossible to compare, but that doesn’t mean we can’t have fun trying.

 

[Big Sexy]

To me it comes down to which full season you think is tougher in terms of physicality. Baseball's 162 game season with basically no contact or the NFL's 16 game season where you're getting your ass kicked every game. Ripken's streak averages out to just over 16 seasons and Favre's averages out to just over 18 seasons.

Both streaks are extremely impressive and there isn't really a wrong answer here, but I'm going to go with Favre. He has taken a beating over the years and has played through tons of injuries that would keep most guys out for multiple weeks. He has also played through tragedies like the death of his father. It's very surprising that Ripken was never benched for being in a slump, but you also have to factor in the fact that once his streak started to be recognized there was not a manager in baseball that would have sat him for that reason.

Again, not really a wrong answer here but I'm going with Favre by a slim margin.

 

[People's Champ]

Its Brett Farve for me, but as you guys have said, its not by much. I think the physicality of the NFL made what he did just a little more special. Its rare that anyone in the NFL goes a full season without missing time, let alone what Farve did. Its hard to pick one without feeling as though you're wrong, but if I'm forced to choose, then I'm going with Farve, but not by much.

 

[Megatron]

I'm going to go with Ripken on this one. In football, you're always assured of playing only 1 game a week (unless you're playing on MNF or Thursday Night, which in that case you get more rest after). Cal played through every doubleheader, 10 game in 11 nights trips, for 15ish years, which is remarkable. And he did so playing at a high level, going to the All-Star game every year, winning 2 MVPs, 8 Silver Sluggers, and 2 gold gloves. He was a normal lock for 20 HR's and 150ish hits a year. Nowadays guys almost always get a day off every one or two weeks, even the big stars. It's not that Cal didn't go through some injuries as well.

I'm not trying to discredit Favre, although sometimes he could be terrible with the multitude of bad decisions that he's made, but I find that Cal playing at a high level (all-star and SS) throughout the most draining sport regular season is remarkable.

 

[Jonnie Walker]

I pick Favre just based off of how physical football is and the fact that Favre has played through some rough injuries and even played the day after his father died. While Ripken's streak is longer, and very impressive, I don't think it can match up with almost 300 games in the most physical sport that there is, and when you're getting hit HARD every week you play. Both streaks are extremely impressive, but I can't overlook Favre's streak, it's just too impressive, and it's a shame that it had to end the way it did. It's kind of funny when you put it into perspective, because one of the reasons Favre came back this year is because he didn't want his final NFL throw to be an interception, and if he doesn't play again this year, his last throw will end up being a pick. I wonder what would've happened if Atlanta never traded Favre.

 

[kozzomozzo]

I like Favre's streak better for the fact that it may be the greatest football record ever while Cal's streak is phenominal as well I think that The 56 game hitting streak by dimaggio is the greatest in baseball.

 

[LSN80]

Im going with Ripken here, and the answer is relatively easy. What baseball player in todays game plays 162 games? So many Sunday games, a player is sat to give them rest after a long week. For Ripken to play without getting that Sunday break, or even to miss a game for a nagging injury, is amazing.

Its no knock on Favre. The guy is maybe the toughest football player to ever play the position. He's played through countless injuries over the years. Those who speculate about Peyton breaking Favre's record need to consider that Peyton plays the game where often never gets hit, due to him getting rid of the ball so quickly. Favre takes hit after hit and plays through the injuries that would sideline alot of QB's.

But in the end, its hard to pick against Ripken. Baseball players do so much traveling due to the number of games they play a year. To not miss a game due to flu, rest, or an injury for 17 seasons is just an incredible feat.

 

[CH David]

Give me the Ripped Ken Jr.! Oh Ripken, yeah, that's it. 162 games a year for over 16 years is impressive at the probably the hardest defensive position in the game. That's over six months out of the year upwards of 5-6 games a week. He may not get hit everyday on the field like Favre would on Sundays and the occasional Monday, but it's not like he didn't get his share of injuries, whether severe like Favre's broken fingers or not. Favre had time to rest his injuries a little bit (I know he still went out and played with the injuries the next week) but Cal didn't have that rest period.

It's a tough call but for me more impressive is the amount of games rather than the years or seasons it took. The physical toll 162 games takes on your body from the travel to playing everyday and to do that for 16 years with maybe one or two days off a week (besides the week of the All-Star Game). Favre gets beat up with generally a week to heal, Cal didn't.

 

[MizFit]

Ripken, no doubt about it.

Yes, football is obviously a more physically demanding sport. But Ripken's 2632 consecutive games streak is just incredible. The man played 162 games a year for 20 years, that is pretty damn incredible. Now Favre played an impressive 297 in a very dangerous sport, but thats only a 16 game season with one game every week. Ripken wins this by a mile.