How the Packers Contributed to Brett Favre's Retirement

Darkness hangs over Wisconsin tonight as the shockwaves from Brett Favre's retirement announcement settle. 

No more Superman, no more daring feats to be seen. 

It isn't just the prospect of life without Favre that has Packer fans confused. There is something about Favre's announcement that doesn't quite seem right.

It wasn't even really an announcement. The biggest decision in professional sports was reported on the Web after Favre confessed in a lengthy, early morning voicemail to ESPN's Chris Mortensen. 

Favre said he was tired. 

He said anything less than a Superbowl victory in 2008 would be a failure for him, personally. He said he wasn't coming back.

Packer faithful are searching for a reason why.

But Favre never appeared in public on the day of his announcement. There's just that rambling voicemail.

Since contacting ESPN's Mortensen about his decision to leave the NFL, Brett Favre has remained silent at his Mississippi property. 

The only insight into a mysterious retirement announcement comes from brief comments made today by Favre's brother, his agent, and his personal pilot. 

These people all hinted that more could of been done by the Packers' organization to convince Favre to return for another season. 

Two allegations were subtly made.

First, the team doesn't use free agency to support Favre. Just like last year, the Packers did not even make a serious move for free-agent Randy Moss. 

Before today, many people dismissed Favre's desire to play with Moss as an urban legend of sorts. But it does not appear to be fictional. Maybe playing with one of the best receivers in football history is one of the only prospects juicy enough to excite Favre at 38.

Secondly, the Packer's brass treated Favre with a stubborn indifference since the NFC championship. Apparently, Coach Mike McCarthy used the precious few conversations he had with Favre to remind the icon of fundamentals like what giving 100% means - that approach to dialogue doesn't seem right.

Reports have also surfaced that McCarthy and General Manager Ted Thompson even evaluated tape of Favre during the playoff by-week to determine if he could still play at a high level. Getting a scouting report on their own superstar while gearing up for a title run doesn't seem quite sane.

Hadn't Favre been playing at a high level all season?

Attempting to respond to Favre's decision, McCarthy and Thompson sounded befuddled and defensive at an afternoon Green Bay press conference. A normally docile press crowd hammered both of them with questions regarding what they didn't do to keep Brett Favre.

Basically, McCarthy and Thompson both pled the Fifth regarding any contribution  to their quarterback's departure.

As reality sinks in for Packer's fans, suspicion arises.

It doesn't seem Favre really wants to retire. It seems his desire to leave the game is as flighty as his short lived desire for a trade was last year at this time.

For those familiar with Favre and the Packers, nothing seems in character on either side about the impersonal, third-party nature of the communication leading up to yesterday and how it trickled into the media.

So, for now, many fans will be blaming McCarthy and Thompson for depriving the Packers of an additional year with Favre - because it seems Favre could have been convinced to return. 

But, it seems Packers' management would rather rebuild than shoot for stars in 2008.  

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