Why Brett Favre? Why? Athletes Hanging By a Thread

Is it for the love of the game? Is it for the love of money? Is it for the fact that an athlete has nothing better to do once they retire, so therefore they have to unretire to satisfy their boredom.

I see nothing wrong with an athlete wanting to come back, if it’s their inner drive to win a championship after coming so close many times previously.

For this reason, I would understand why Brett Favre would want to come back and play pro football again. However, looking at past accomplishments and the amount of money he’s made, it doesn’t make sense why he would ever even consider a comeback.

He’s already won a Super Bowl title. He’s won three MVP awards, has surpassed the record for most touchdown passes at 442, most completions at 5,377, and consecutive games started by a quarterback at 253.

He’s been the most respected professional in the NFL, but this latest saga has people like me questioning that notion.

Favre announced his retirement on Mar. 4, 2007, and in his press conference a few days later, he announced that, “I've given everything I possibly can give to this organization, to the game of football, and I don't think I've got anything left to give."

Weeks later, he stated he wasn’t ready to retire and wanted to comeback, and this whole saga followed.

I don’t blame Packers' GM Ted Thompson and coach Mike McCarthy one bit. Once Brett Favre announced his retirement, the Packers were ready to move on. Two-year backup Aaron Rodgers was given the starting job and an opportunity to see what he can do for them this season.  

The way I see it, the Packers are in a lose–lose situation.

If Favre does comeback to the Packers, even in a non-starting role, it allows for a huge dark cloud to hang over the team. Not only does Aaron Rodgers have pressure to perform, as he will be watching his back on a weekly basis, but the whole team will be involved in this controversy, which will, for all purposes, lead to uncharacteristic losses and a chance lost at claiming the division title. 

If Favre doesn’t comeback, and let’s just say he goes to a division contender, like Minnesota, then Ted Thompson, Mike McCarthy, and the Packers' whole upper-management will be looked at by the fans as the bad guys.

Not only that, but having Favre play in the same division allows him a chance to beat his former team twice.

The real loser is Brett Favre.

Whether he comes back to the Packers or not, it taints his legacy of retiring as a player that was perhaps on top of his game and it takes away some of the respect that he earned amongst his peers as a classy professional.

This also raises the issue of how set in stone is it when a professional retires?

A few "retired" athletes that are still kicking it in the game today:

Gary Roberts

The oldest forward in the NHL, he missed most of the 2007–2008 season with a broken leg and high-ankle sprain. At 42, he still managed to play 49 games for the Penguins, and he added five goals and 14 assists while playing on the fourth line for most of the year.

He says he still feels healthy, but at his age, it’s time for him to call it quits, as he’s already won a Stanley cup and enjoyed most of his success with Calgary and Toronto.

Chris Chelios

If Gary Roberts is the oldest forward in the NHL, then Chris Chelios is the oldest player in the NHL. At age 46, he’s won three Stanley cups with Montreal (once) and Detroit (twice).

He’s won the Norris trophy three times, ranks eighth all-time amongst defensemen in assists (754), and he’s the only NHLer to play 400 games for three different teams, Montreal, Chicago, and Detroit.

With Nick Lidstrom being the iron horse and captain of the team, the emergence of Brian Rafalski as the No. 2 defenseman, as well as youngsters such as Niklas Kronwall, Brett Lebda, and Andreas Lilja, is there any reason for him to continue on? Give the younger guys a chance to accomplish more playing time.

Sam Cassel

The 39-year-old point guard for the Boston Celtics won two NBA championships in his first two years in the league with the Houston Rockets in 1994 and 1995. He’s been an integral part of whichever team he has landed on.

He was part of the “Big Three”, along with Ray Allen and Glenn “Big Dog” Robinson on the 2001 Milwaukee Bucks team that made it to the Eastern Conference Finals. In 2004, he helped then-MVP Kevin Garnett take the Minnesota Timberwolves to the 2004 Western Conference finals.

This year, he signed on with the Celtics on waivers and rode the bench most of the year, but when he did come off the bench, he provided the support for Paul Pierce, Ray Allan, and Kevin Garnett to help Boston win their first NBA championship in 22 years.

I think he’s done enough for his career to warrant a retirement.

Julio Franco

Is he still playing? Last time I checked, he was hitting baseballs in his 50s.