Who could argue that the Green Bay Packers would not be a better team if Brett Favre were the QB? He has more experience; he is proven, durable, vetted – a winner. Anybody who thinks that Aaron Rodgers, a promising-but-untested, injury-prone quarterback with almost no NFL experience, could step in and lead the Packers to the Super Bowl next year is, well…delusional.

This argument was put forth by one of my best lefty friends. A true-blue Democrat, but also a good football fan. He’s a Packer loyalist and a Brett Favre fanatic. When it comes to pro sports, he knows his stuff. (The political arena is another issue entirely.)

My friend on the premise that someone like Aaron Rogers might bring back the glory to Titletown: “It just doesn’t happen” he said. “Ever.”

I looked at my friend and smiled. “Why are you grinning?” he asked me.

He was totally unaware of how his (solid) argument could easily translate to another – more pressing (maybe) – contest. He had stepped in it, all right. I helped him identify the errors of his ways: “If Brett Favre is better for Green Bay than Aaron Rodgers – because of his skill, experience, and time-tested expertise – what makes you think Barack Obama will be better for America than John McCain?”

Silence.

“That’s not fair,” he protested. “We’re talking about sports, not politics.”

“You want an experienced leader for Green Bay, but not for America?” I countered.

Packer fans (on the left and the right) know Brett Favre is their best chance for a Super Bowl. They don’t want hope. They don’t want change. They want to win.

We should want the same thing for the nation.