Want to see a list of headlines on ESPN.com? I'll save you the trouble:
• Favre may show up at camp • Favre 'clears it up' in interview with Fox • Few fans attend Favre rally in Milwaukee • Pack fans rally, calling for Favre reinstatement • Pack won't release Favre • Sources: Favre seeks unconditional release • Favre itching to return to field • Packers: Favre officially on reserve/retired list • No comeback for Madden '09 cover boy • Teary Favre says 'It's over' • Favre's official farewell: Thursday in Green Bay • Packers QB Rodgers seeks own path to stardom • Packers to retire Favre's No. 4 during opener
Mood swing? Hardly.
This is the cunning cat-and-God game Favre is playing with the Packers, and indeed, the entire world. Some say the years of abuse and cortisone have warped his mind. Others say it's the concussions.
Still, more point to his history of painkiller abuse (a few even raise the issue of the low test-scores in Kiln, Mississippi, but I digress). But the truth is that we mere mortals cannot fathom the thought-process of a Higher Power.
For the Lord of Lambeau giveth, as Michael Strahan with his single-season sack record can surely attest—and the Lord taketh away, as he did when snatching victory from the jaws of defeat on countless occasions.
Both times, fans and haters alike questioned what they saw—doubted their faith. But they no longer have reason to.
As of today, Brett Favre stands tall as your all-time career leader in touchdown passes (and interceptions). But his lackluster wide receivers deserve much of the blame for the interception record, since they never could seem to beat their man.
Guys like Sterling Sharpe, Bubba Franks, Antonio Freeman, and Javon Walker weren't even qualified to be in the NFL, let alone as starting receivers. Each of these heartless, lesser men failed to fight for catchable balls each and every game.
Why, you ask? Well, even Jesus had Judas. And it took a man as great as Favre to persevere through such hardship.
Alternatively, maybe Favre was so brilliant that he saw a benefit in leading the league in interceptions twice and placing in the top five for interceptions nine times.
For you see, he knew that his apparent tendency to throw interceptions—which was entirely intentional, mind you—pulled opposing linebackers and safeties out of the box, urging them to sit back in coverage zones.
Then, and only then, could Favre hand the ball off to his notoriously average running backs—Dorsey Levens, Ahman Green, and Ryan Grant among them—allowing them to turn their otherwise insufficient skills into positive yardage.
In this way, Favre not only won games, but he allowed players like Samkon Gado to have a job in the NFL; surely sparing him a life of crime and or welfare dependency. Years later, most of us have yet to think so far ahead as Favre had years ago.
But Favre was so great, he still managed to force over 440 touchdowns down the throats of these utterly hapless Green Bay receivers. At 38-years old, he managed to line up passes to wideout routes so accurately that Green Bay receivers like Greg Jennings and Donald Driver found themselves at the top of the league's yards-after-catch list last season.
Despite having the good sense to keep Favre playing in Green Bay until now, Packers' brass never cared enough to surround Favre with a talented team. His Favreship was forced to toil in trenches behind inadequate and undersized linemen (fortunately, Favre's chiseled frame never needed a burly or dirty line to be successful, unlike Troy Aikman and John Elway).
His defensive line, the one part of the team often hailed as consistently great, was only so good because of its constant practice with Brett Favre. I am sure that every great Packers sack-master, from Reggie White to Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila to Aaron Kampman, understands that just nearly tackling Favre in practice means being the best defensive pass-rushing force in all of the NFL.
What quarterback, or offensive lineman, could stand up to a defensive end trained at attempting to sack the immortal Brett Favre? Just one: Brett Favre!
What's more, Brett Favre's much-maligned reputation for under-performing in domed venues was really a protest to return American Football to the great outdoors—the way it was originally intended to be played.
His difficult-to-catch fastballs were actually meant to stick to the frozen hands of receivers, shattering fast-forming ice and ensuring completions. Unfortunately, this meant Favre was largely unsuccessful at road venues in warm-weather areas like Tampa Bay. But it was playing his best before the Cheesehead faithful in Lambeau, the true believers, that was always most important.
Favre never lost sight of the goal. And that goal wasn't to win the Super Bowl, or he would have retired long ago. The goal was never to win the MVP, or he would have stopped after his first or second, and certainly his third. The goal wasn't to break the all-time touchdown, starts by a quarterback, or wins by a quarterback records, or he would have stayed retired during this most recent offseason.
The goal was always to save us. To save us. Think about that for a minute.
No, I don't know how remaining undecided on retirement will save us. I do not understand how his text messages (which were ironically intercepted) will reveal his divine plan to us. I do not even know why he insists on keeping lifetime backup Aaron Rodgers in limbo.
Come to think of it, I don't know why he called out Javon Walker for holding out for more money—I thought that was kind of lame.
And the whole Randy Moss thing. I mean, Packers fans hate Moss, don't make them change their minds. They're notoriously stubborn.
Oh, and that whole locker room controversy, that was just ridiculous. I really wish he would've just squashed that when he had the chance, but getting back to the point...
We must accept that we may never understand His way.
Favre is what we need in our world. We must all promise ourselves to continue to read every scrap of Favre-media we can find: watch every podcast, listen to every interview, watch every highlight...
...Or we may lose Favre from our daily lives. And that would be the greatest tragedy.
I implore all of you, please continue to consume every bit of Favre you can, just like you've done for the last so-many years. Keep up the good work, and Favre will never fade from our world.
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about 1 month ago
How many times is Favre going to retire? Jesus Christ Brett, you talked Packer's front office into flying to that crap hole Mississippi to re-sign you and you changed your mind! AGAIN!
I had a girlfried who was really insecure and she always wanted me to "prove" my love. She kept threatening to leave and I kept begging her to stay ... went on for years. Finally, while she was away on one of her "tests", I moved out and on. It blew her mind.I remember her screaming "I was just kidding!" as I got on the train.
about 1 month ago
I respect Favre as a football player and as one of the greatest quarterbacks of all-time, but jesus would this man make up his mind?!?!! I am so sick of him dragging this whole thing out just so he can get John Madden to sing his praises one more time, which by the way, he probably already has. John Madden loves Brett Favre like a fat kid loves twinkies. It is arguably the biggest man crush in the history of sports!
about 1 month ago
Farve made up his mind... he wants to play, for someone other than GB. I just hope GB doesn't trade him and makes him sit out the year.
Why would he want to tarnish his legacy in GB? This is stupid on his part.
about 1 month ago
The Packers Don't want Favre, that is why he is asking to be released and play for someone else. The guy gave 17 years to the Pack, never missed a game period. Yes, his flip flopping is a pain, but Ted Thompson's ultimate goal is to put out the best players to win football games and ultimately the Super Bowl. Bottom line, #4 gives you that best option. Tke him back as the starter. Go Fvare!!!
about 1 month ago
I think it is the ideology the Favre is a God that is giving him the rational to cause a circus with the Packers. He is no God. And he shouldn't be able to do what he is going just because he is Brett Favre. A great player, and hall-of-famer, no doubt. But you don't get any special rights because of that, just the proper recognition.
about 1 month ago
There are clearly two sides to this debate. If you think Favre should be a Packer let Thompson know by sending him cheese: https://www.thepoint.com/campaigns/bring-back-brett-favre
If you think he should just retire and take up golf check it out here: https://www.thepoint.com/campaigns/stay-retired-brett-favre
about 1 month ago
Funny stuff here. Sounds like something Stephen Colbert would do about himself.
about 1 month ago
Awesome stuff, Jared!!
about 1 month ago
Do your research. Your comments about Samkon are laughably offensive. The only crimes committed here are your ignorance, your stereotyping, and your defamation of another man's character. You should aspire to Samkon's quality of character.
"In this way, Favre not only won games, but he allowed players like Samkon Gado to have a job in the NFL; surely sparing him a life of crime and or welfare dependency. Years later, most of us have yet to think so far ahead as Favre had years ago."
about 1 month ago
I agree with Karl. You have no Idea who Samkon Gado is. A committed man who was a 3rd stringer for a no name college and became Green Bay Packer. He's also in Pre-med to become a doctor so that he could use that knowledge to help people from here to Nigeria, to where ever else he'd like to go.
"In this way, Favre not only won games, but he allowed players like Samkon Gado to have a job in the NFL; surely sparing him a life of crime and or welfare dependency. Years later, most of us have yet to think so far ahead as Favre had years ago."
That messed up your entire article. It's liek taking a perfectly clean glass of water and putting a speck of dog poop in it.
from about 1 month ago
/sarcasm
about 1 month ago
This was a sarcastic piece. I was pretty sure I made that obvious...
/sigh
about 1 month ago
You never know, someday "Dr." Samkon Gado will have to SAVE your life or someone you hold dear . . . . . and you know what? He'll do it! So, no matter what you say about him, no matter what you think of him - our lives are all the more blessed for God allowing our paths to cross with Samkon. You obviously don't know who he is or what he's all about.
28 days ago
While I am probably the biggest Samkon Gado fan of all-time --- there is a slight chance that the author indeed did know about how awesome Gado was and was pointing out the obvious irony of it.
Sort of like the Obama New Yorker Cover...
Maybe not -- either way SAMKON RULES!!!!
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