Brett Favre wants to play football after retiring a few months ago, and he is suffering backlash from the Packer faithful, the media and the Green Bay organization...
With many voices trying to silence him into a quiet retirement, did anyone take a step back and think about the subject with an ounce of judgment?
For the past few years, Favre has spent every offseason wavering on his future with football. After seasons of mediocrity, the wear and tear of the NFL started to bog down on him, but he came back year after year at the behest of his coach, GM and teammates.
Coming off one of the best performances of his career in 2007, he suffered a heartbreaking loss in the playoffs, and instantly rumors began flying that he would retire once and for all.
On March 4, the retirement became official, and everyone lauded him for going out on top, for bowing out with grace, a hero of heroes.
Now he wants to come back...
Pro Sports History Foretold This
Michael Jordan...Randy Couture...Muhammad Ali...Mario Lemieux...
They are all-time greats, for sure, but men who came back from retirement because the itch of competition was too great for them. The average NFL career is 3 1/2 years, MLB about five years, and the time on top for a player is a very small window.
After you are done, you must adapt to normal life, and with the money players today make, "normal" life is playing golf every afternoon.
The thrill and adrenaline rush you get on the field is something hard to achieve elsewhere, and most retired players have a hard time adjusting to life outside the limelight.
While some players hang on too long—Patrick Ewing riding the bench in Orlando, Roy Jones fighting way past his prime—to name a few, many quit way before their time. Floyd Mayweather, Barry Sanders, and Jim Brown are some examples of men who left before finishing off their historic careers.
While some would say what those men did was admirable, the reasons behind their exits where nebulous at best. Brown and Mayweather wanted to try their hands at acting careers, and Sanders being fed up with being a Lion.
So why judge a man who just wants to do what he does best?
Look in the Mirror
Regretting a job is something many have suffered through in our lives. Thinking the grass is greener on the other side, we have to live with their regrets of leaving what we loved doing.
Reports have circulated that Ted Thompson and Mike McCarthy pushed Favre into making a quick decision this offseason about his playing career, so they could plan for the upcoming year.
After years of taking his time to decide, with management coddling him in his decisions, the abruptness of his employers' attitude shocked him into making, what has become apparently, an impromptu retirement announcement.
So after months of tending to his large estate in Mississippi, Favre began throwing to local High Schoolers, and the itch to return became too large to ignore.
He Can Still Get The Job Done
In 2007, Favre led his team to a 13-3 record, posting personal bests in
three major statistical categories, was named the NFC starter at QB at the Pro Bowl, and came with an inch of another berth in the Super Bowl.
At 38 years of age, he proved many of critics that he was still a major force to be reckoned with in the league. Minus the performance of an otherworldly Tom Brady, he would have surely picked up his fourth MVP trophy, making him the oldest player to do so.
As much hope as the Pack has put behind Aaron Rodgers, having him come anywhere as close to the numbers Favre put up in 2007 would be a shock.
So Where Do We Go From Here?
Undeniably, Favre has been the premiere star of the NFL in the past two decades. He wants to play in 2008, whether it be in Green Bay or elsewhere.
If he is granted his release, a number of teams will line up to acquire his services and put him behind the pivot position as their No. 1 guy.
If he returns to the Pack, he cannot be anything but the starter coming off the year he just did.
As fans of this sport, we should all applaud the return of one of the most inspirational, intriguing, and likable figures pro football has ever known. It won't tarnish his image, he is already one of the top quarterbacks of all time.
All it would do is give us a chance to see a man doing what he loves.
Who are we to deny him that?
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2 months ago
There do seem to be a lot of folks who want to criticize Favre for waffling on retirement, but I'm not one of those. I don't blame him for wanting to come back, and furthermore, *I* want him back. I do think, however, that asking for an unconditional release was a bad move. Nothing good can come from this.
2 months ago
Packers have to eat a little crow and understand that Brett is not part of the franchise he IS the franchise and Rodgers will just have to wait. I will admitt that the Favre retiring/not retiring thing has gotten a little long in the tooth; until I remember that his wife was diagnosed with breast cancer and did have surgery so I'm sure that was the most important thought in his mind for a few seasons. With that being said and I don't care what we see posted on blogs, it will be a MAJOR %$#@-up public relations wise for the Packers if this guy EVER suits up in another uniform. I for one will have changed my opinion of them. Not many players come along like Favre and if he has a few moments of unclarity or even selfishness, he's entitled. Thompson and McCarthy take notice.
Peace,
Rick
from 2 months ago
I completely agree with the above gentlemen. I've always been a Packers’ fan, but above and beyond that, I've ALWAYS been a FAVRE FAN. The Packers’ management has truly disappointed me. Brett should go "where he is wanted". He is the magic man, the prophet of the game; again, I am sincerely shocked that the Pack are acting like little "ego-wounded-children". As Sonny said, players come and go, but there is only one Brett Favre. You have our support, Brett!!!
2 months ago
No one can predict what kind of season he would have if he came back. And the factors that would affect that result, including where he plays, have a tremendous bearing. Both sides will end up doing what is right, although the don't really match, do they? Brett will get the choice to choose his team and he'll choose the team that has the best chance for the big game. It won't work out that way, but there's always that tiny chance. And I love that chance, as I'm sure Brett does as well. We live for the game in the best way that we can, until it's over.
2 months ago
I would love to see him come back strong for another team! being a 49 er fan, watching all of the greats (montana and Rice to name a few) put up good numbers for other teams------HMMMM, does Brett want to spend some time on the West Coast!?!?!?!?
2 months ago
I think the Packers are incredibly stupid if they don't take Favre back. They should be thanking him for coming back! You can't tell me Rodgers give you a better chance than Favre because you don't know! Favre can't win with the Retirement issue. If he waits to long to decide to come back, he gets slammed for "holding the team hostage". If he makes the decision quickly, it could be the wrong decision, as it appears it was this time, then he gets slammed for changing his mind. If the Pack doesn't wake up soon, I hope it comes back to haunt them. Maybe in the form of Brett Favre in another teams jersey racking up some points on the Pack in his quest for another Super Bowl!
2 months ago
Yes, a man that has given so much to the sport deserves a second chance. For goodness sake, he has not committed a crime: being indecisive is merely being human. There seems to be no legitimate reason for the Packers' management not to take him back, aside, of course, for their apparent internal strife brought about by their greed for the Yankee dollar. Numerous citizens of the globe, and I say this out of experience, proudly wear the green and gold because of what Brett has done for the team. Letting him go would truly be the proverbial sin. Brett’s statistics from last season were phenomenal, and I can only see them getting better this year. He does get better with age, just as his ratings get better with each quarter. But then again, just think what could happen if he goes to the Minnesota Vikings—they might actually win a Super Bowl in 2009. Wouldn't that be a treat for our friends across the border? And I say this with all respect; there is no sarcasm intended from this faithful Favre fan.
2 months ago
Questions: Are Thompson and McCarthy being paid off by the Foxboro Cheaters or another team to throw the 2008 season away?
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