I was never a Packers fan. I didn’t dislike them, just didn’t really care much one way or the other. They were just another team. But somewhere in the early 90’s their identity changed. It was out with the old Packers of Vince Lombardi – farewell to the smashmouth teams of Ice Bowls past. There was a new sheriff in town.
Brett Favre was fun. He played the game in a reckless way that made it hard to root against him and always on the edge of your seat to see what he’d do next. The childlike enthusiasm and joy on his face when he won that early Super Bowl was contagious and when he popped up out of nowhere in “There’s Something About Mary” the national love affair was on.
I admit it. If I was busy doing something else with the TV on in the background and I heard the words “Brett Favre” on ESPN, I’d look up from whatever I was working on, grab the remote and bring up the volume with hope of seeing something amazing. Now when I hear the words “Brett Favre” I grab the remote to change the channel.
The last few years have been so ridiculous that I’ve almost completely lost the renegade gunslinger that captured my attention years ago… which is amazing considering that he may be coming off the best season of his career.
In the Spring of 2008, Brett Favre held that tearful press conference announcing that he was retiring. Hell, he was 38 years old and coming off a disappointing loss in the NFC Championship game so nobody blamed him, but he had really had a very solid year and it looked like this was one of those “go out on top” kind of guys. You have to respect that. Then he had a change of heart. The way the whole thing went down with the Packers was unfortunate. It’s hard to blame either side too much, really. He said he was done… Green Bay had a good young quarterback waiting in the wings… so he was sent to New York to lead the Jets. Ok. I can live with this. Brett looks a little silly for the flip-flop, but the guy still wants to play. I’m still wishing good things for him.
The Jets season was a nightmare. For the first time, he looked old. He led the league in interceptions, the Jets missed the playoffs… and Brett said “this time I’m really done.” I’m still on his side at this point. He gave it one more shot. Now he sails off into the sunest.
It was here that the wheels came off. As the ’09 season gets closer Favre announces he’s “thinking about” playing again. Really? This guy’s about as reliable as a ’77 Pinto. But the Vikings want him anyway and he says he’ll let them know by the start of their training camp. Training camp starts and the Vikings say “he’s staying retired.” Then he shows up a few weeks later (probably in a red cape) and leads the Vikings to the brink of the Super Bowl, having an inspired season. But it was hard for fans outside of the Twin Cities to enjoy it. He was marvelous last year. No doubt. This should be a time when we’re really rooting for him and looking forward to a new year with the possibility of winning it all one last time. But he made a joke of himself in ’09 and this year he thumbed his nose at us all and did it again.
As recently as two weeks ago we had heard that Brett was retiring again. Then he wasn’t. Now he’s back with the team and practicing as if he never left. But he did leave. And this year was the worst of them all. He wasn’t between teams. He was holding a franchise hostage. When it looked like Favre wasn’t coming back, the Vikings went from Vegas favorites to win the NFC to another team in the middle of the pack. You know why? Because no football team can afford to have two franchise quarterbacks. You either have Brett Favre or you don’t. If you do, great. If you don’t, you go spend a bunch of money to get the next one. But if you “might” have Brett Favre then you’re in big trouble if he doesn’t show up. So much so that a handful of Vikings flew to visit him last week just to get a frickin’ answer once and for all. What a great teammate Brett must be. Other players have to fly across the country to see him just to get an audience with his majesty.
There are different theories as to why he keeps doing this. I hear about injuries and how he is waiting for diagnoses before he commits. I hear that he’s just trying to avoid training camp, which seems like the most likely answer. Honestly, though, I don’t care. The “how” has been such a train wreck that the “why” isn’t even important. Maybe he loves the drama… maybe he’s just an attention hog. Lord knows, the media just eats it up with “Favre Watch” taking center stage. Has there been a time in the last year when you could turn on SportsCenter and NOT hear the names Tiger Woods, LeBron James or Brett Favre? It’s been a giant “who cares” carnival act with ESPN acting as the big media ringleader directing your attention from one freak show to the other.
If the conventional wisdom is correct and Favre is just trying to get out of training camp, then just say so! Would anyone REALLY have a huge problem with a guy of Brett Favre’s pedigree skipping the bulk of camp to keep the wear and tear off? Why does it have to be some back alley deal in a shroud of secrecy, lies and betrayal? Roger Clemens had it right. When the Astros wanted him to come back, he said, “ok, but I’m not going to Spring Training, I’ll join the team a month into the season and on certain road trips that are far from home, I’m just not going to go. Oh, and that’ll be 8 million dollars.” At least then the franchise got to make a decision on their terms. Here it is – take it or leave it. Brett Favre chooses a much more cowardly track. “But it’s my shoulder!” Oh shut up!
In an NFL world where guys just choose to ignore their contracts, pout on the sidelines and demand more money I guess I shouldn’t be surprised by any of this… but there was a time when Brett Favre seemed to remind us of what was good with the game. In the end he’s just selfish – and the people it hurts the most (his teammates and fans) are the people to whom he’s supposed to be the most allegiant.
In “There’s Something About Mary” the question was a funny one. “What about Brett Fav-ruh?” It’s not funny anymore.
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