I am in shock.

Not just because we will NOT see this again in our lifetimes: 297 consecutive starts.

Partly because, being who he is, he could have trotted out, downed a ball/ran out of bounds/taken a knee/mooned the crowd, etc, and strolled off the field.

Guess what? That'd been # 298.

But he didn't.

He declared before the inactive deadline he wouldn't be going.

No playing back-up. No 3rd string. No bravely suiting-up and coming in to save the day all injured and valiant.

He'd basically said all this week it was no-go - yah, I really believed that. Oh, here he goes again. I might, I might not. Dunno. It's tough. Don't know if I have it left in me, gang. Whoa. I'll keep you posted. This could be it. You better get all the pictures and soundbites you can cuz again...I just don't know.

"Bull&*#%!" I screamed at the radio. "Such a drama queen."

But in the end, he didn't go. And didn't really make all that big a deal out of it.

And I know why:  Leslie Frazier.

Jim Rich, sports director at KMSP FOX 9 in Minneapolis and an old friend did a one-on-one with Frazier at Winter Park last Friday. Frazier's got the Dungy-thing down: you listen, you nod, you respect, you do/do not agree but you're interested. You're relaxed by his steady approach. You feel he likes you and wants what's best for you. Wants what's best for the team.

Jim told me today there was a segment of the interview - that did not air on FOX 9 Sunday - where he asked Frazier about Favre's streak.

Frazier's response? He and Favre had had a "long discussion" this past week. And in it, Frazier began to see Favre's "maturity".  See the guy who wasn't there last year.  See him becoming the "man he needs to be" - need I remind you, we're talking about the grey haired, 41 year old Brett Favre here.

He went on to say they'd discussed very serious matters, about life and about the team.  Frazier was impressed by the 41 year old's "growth".

Jim Rich's translation? You've done enough. We're not going to have you hobbling around and jeopardizing the whole team.

Think Brad Childress could've convinced him of that?

Wilfs', keep Frazier.  Forget the Super Bowl.  He's already done the impossible.

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