Every time I write about Brett Favre changing his mind, something that happens quite frequently these days, people write to me about how mad they are at Favre.
Frankly (and Bobly and Georgely too) I don't get it.
Since when is the chronic ability to make a permanent decision worthy of such scorn?
If this were true, no politician could remain in office given all their flip-flops. Me, I have trouble deciding between yogurt flavors in the morning.
Maybe that's why I don’t get mad at Favre. Maybe I empathize with him. I don't see anything wrong with having an innate inability to let go of playing football.
Let's consider the case of Tom Cable, who might have broken the jaw of one of his assistant coaches. Shouldn’t this be cause for derision?
Or Manny Ramirez?
Or David Ortiz?
Or any of the other juicers on the Red Sox team that came back to beat the Indians in the ALCS in 2007? Wasn't their cheating a little more distasteful than Favre's waffling?
Granted, Favre is an odd duck. He changes his mind more than anyone I can remember. But it's his right as an American. He wants to play football, he can't let go. That's not really so wrong.
It's odd, peculiar, perhaps ego-driven and very tiring.
But it's not so wrong.
That being said, I still believe that the day the Jets released Favre was the day he and the Vikings agreed he would be Minnesota's quarterback. The Packers did not want Favre in their division, so they traded him to the Jets and included a provision he could not be traded back to the NFC North.
When Favre "retired," the Jets cut him.
All these shenanigans, the on-again/off-again stuff … I believe it's been planned. That Favre had an agreement with the Vikings he would not have to go through all of training camp and he could come in with just enough time to get ready for the season.
The Vikings are bending over every which way to please Favre, so they of course agreed.
It all just fits together too nicely.
It's manipulative, but it's not evil.
I kind of like that Favre is playing. Because I'll get to see him play one more time. The guy is one of the best ever, and it's fun to watch the best.
Plus, it will be interesting to see how Eric Mangini defends Favre. Mangini should know Favre better than any coach outside of Wisconsin, so the schemes and plans he comes up with to counter Favre in the opener could be interesting. And a gauge of the smarts level of the Browns new coach (provided, of course, he has a team good enough to carry out what he wants).
As for Favre, let's just say he's acted goofy and leave it at that.
The venom is just a bit over the top.
{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }
Some people just get mad and overreact at the drop of the hat. It's just how it is. All you need to do is read the comments around ohio.com to see that. Some people just make it their business to complain and be negative about everything, and unfortunately those are the people who are most likely to send emails or post comments. I figure the outrage probably isn't as bad as it seems.
Myself however, I don't mind it all. I'll enjoy seeing Favre play another season.
i had the press conference on in the background while i was cleaning yesterday. as much as i'm annoyed by the brett favre obsession on espn i found him to be pretty entertaining and sincere at the podium.
his quote from frank winters was hysterical:
"dude, it's america"
How you went from talking about Favre wayfaring to talking about the Red Sox is beyond me but I regress. You say your glad that Favre is still playing so you can see one of the greatest play one more time but that not a whole truth. You are seeing one of the greatest players play post being great. At most, Favre is a side show at this point in his career. Yes he “had” great numbers but as the years tack on those numbers become more squid because he keeps getting worse. As most boxers say, “The first thing to go is your speed, the mind still thinks just as fast but your body can’t keep up.” This is Favre’s biggest problem. Now onto your comments about why Green Bay fans should not hold this against Favre, I’m guessing you aren’t a Green Bay fan. I’ll tell you based on my experience. When your “guy” goes to the most hated team or biggest rivalry, he is not only the enemy, he is now a traitor! I don’t think there is a Red Sox fan out there who says, “I still love Johnny Damon.” I think you write well, you just need to be a “true fan” to relate. That’s going to be Favre’s new cliché; I can’t believe he would say that. I can see it now, Favre’s number will be retired Nov 1, as Green Bay fans burn his shirt.
cheers
I'm with Andy, how can you NOT understand how a packers fan would feel ? Were we any different when Thome and Manny left for more money? Or what if Bernie would have went to play for the steelers ?
when being a "true fan" means that you've descended to the mentality of a street gang member it's time to get professional help. any green bay fan that burns favre's jersey should renounce the super bowl championship that he brought to the city.
freakin' idiots.
chance that green bay fans will be kissing brett favre butt at his hall of fame induction:
100%
On Farve (Food for thought)
Brett’s been around for 17+ years, has he not payed his dues??? When any person in general has been with a company for 17+ years don’t they expect loyality from the company? Case in point…We all know that Brett has been undecided about playing that last 7+ years, We all know that Brett doesn’t like training camp much … would you not think that Green Bay should make some exceptions for him to keep him….I’ve gotten the feeling since McCarthy’s got that he’s wanted full control and Brett’s been in his way, and he really didn’t want to deal with Farve cause of his leadership and crowd support but he had no choice….……when Brett said he wasn’t coming back do you think the fans wanted him to retire…you can bet you a$$ they didn’t….however I think McCarthy was ready to move on…so he could have more control….remember at one point McCarthy said Brett can come back and compete for the job….that’s a slap in the face to Brett….(and I’m sure put angry into Brett)I think Green Bay Management pushed Brett out….remember his last year with Green Bay they go 12-4….that doesn’t sound washed up to me…..he goes to the Jets and starts out great(5-1)..leads the league in passing thru 5 games and has them in contention thru half the season…he gets hurt, And the team spirals, is it all his fault ??? yea…I’m a Brett Farve fan, I agree I don’t like his wishy-washy retirement event that happens every year, but as I said, a lot has to do with camp and training….the Vikes, I think have figured it out by giving him a shot without the entire training camp event….if he succeeds and takes the Vikes thru a few rounds of the playoffs, and maybe even into the Super Bowl,,,win or lose…football in general will be more better and more interesting. With Farve back hopefully the Vikes are rewarded, and although I love the Green Bay Packers, Wisconsin and its fans…..I had enough of its management and Mike McCarthy. And now my last point, although Farve is to blame for his wishy-washy antics, let’s give credit where credit is due…..to the mass media, who hound the guy, pound him answers that he probably does not want to give, blow the thing out of proportion and spin this thing to look like he’s a villain….he’s just a guy who likes to play football and is having a hard time stopping….what’s wrong with that, he’ll know when the time comes and he’s thru. His legacy is his legacy what will be will be, that his business, the media needs to give it a break, half those news reporters probably couldn’t find anything to write about if they couldn’t knock on Farve…..go back a few weeks and see how many idiots have wrote unkind commentaries on him recently. By the way I a guy from the Chicagoland area, whose been Packer fan since the 1960’s, I’m still a Packer fan, but I’ll be routing for the Vikes when they play the Packers just because of the way the Packer management mis-handled the Farve situation and made him leave Green Bay….I wonder how many other Packer fans feel the same way…..just my frustrated thoughts! TJR
Pat, I'm not upset that Favre is coming back. I'm able to look at this whole situation rationally and see that:
1. Favre should be allowed to do anything he wants to do with his life, assuming he doesn't violate the law or NFL rules. If he wants to have another rotten reason, further cementing his reputation as the Pete Rose of the NFL (one of the most selfish and obnoxious players in history), it's OK with me.
2. Signing the guy is a business decision for the Vikings; they have the right to do whatever they think best. I assume they remember how this strategy worked for the last team that tried it, but if they don't, oh well.
3. The Jets didn't violate any rules when they acquired him. And I'm pretty sure (not up on my NFL minutiae) that they needed to have Favre retire and/or get cut so the conditions of the deal didn't kick in.
If they're upset that he retired after only one year– after they gave up a draft pick to get him– and then came back.. hey, caveat emptor. Kinda like taking up with another man's wife and then being shocked that she's stepping out on you.
4. If the Packers compare the seasons that Favre and Aaron Rodgers had, they have to be thrilled by how things transpired. And since Favre behaved so badly, virtually no one can blame the club for how things turned out.
5. Unless you paid for Personal Seat Licenses for the Packers or Jets, you aren't owed anything, so you have no right to be upset.
But, as Mr. Monk says, here's the thing. You're a rational guy. And I'm a rational guy. And neither of us buy tickets to NFL games. (I can see them for free, and in more comfort, from my home. And when I can't, I watch something else.)
The people who are getting so upset– who have all this emotion invested in the issue– are the people who spend a lot of money to watch the NFL. They keep Favre (and, indirectly, you) in business.
Are you sure that you want to tell those folks that they need to stop being so emotionally and start thinking rationally?
To me, it seems like a bad idea for the millionaires to keep reminding the fans that their feelings have absolutely no impact on what happens– that their only role in the business is to spend money, to enable their lifestyles
But maybe I'm not looking at this rationally.
I wouldn't have minded if Kosar went to the Steelers. Not one bit. It would have been high comedy watching him try to open up a 12-pack of Iron City with an axe.
Hey Geoff!
He'll probably never read this but I'll respond either way.
You're right, Brett has the right to do whatever the hell he wants to do. He wanted to come back and play in Green Bay, but the Packers decided to move on, and he decided to play, get over it. The fact that you say he is the Pete Rose of baseball is absolutely ridiculous. Didn't Pete Rose bet on MLB games??? Seems much more distasteful than playing for a couple different teams at the end of your career. Secondly, before tearing a biceps tendon in his throwing arm the Jets were rolling at 8-3 coming off beating the Pats on the road in OT and the unbeaten Titans on the road. So he played poorly for 5 games because of an injury, whoa what an awful season.
Sure you can compare Rodgers and Favre's seasons, I would expect you to. Yeah, Aaron statistically had a better season, awesome. But last time I checked fantasy points don't win you games in the NFL, and at the end of the season NY still won more games than GB. Go ahead, make the argument that the defensive blew leads late in the game, but how many times was the ball put in no. 12's hands with the opportunity to win and he blew it…at least 4 if not more? At the end of the day, it's all about wins.
All in all, as a die hard Packer fan and a Brett Favre enthusiast since I was a child, you have to understand that Brett WANTED to play in Green Bay. He didn't come out of retirement last year to play for Minnesota, he came back to play for the PACKERS! Fans forget that and call him a traitor. If anything Ted Thompson pushed him into this and that's why I pray that Favre stomps Green Bay twice this year and he gets the pink slip he deserves. This is going to be fun.
Folks are not mad that Favre(Why he mispronounces his name, I will never know.) is playing football. They are mad, tired and bored with his emotional retirements and unretirements. He is like the Dick Vermeil of football. Wait, this is football. He is The Extreme Home Makeover of the NFL. If you want to see a good cry, just watch Favre for a bit.
Favre can't be happy with the schedule. The Browns defense is going to eat him alive. He may retire again after Week 1…Don't hate me for dreaming.
Vikings 31 Browns 3
The Pete Rose comment was a reference to the five years Rose played (82-86), solely because he wanted to break Ty Cobb's record for most career hits. While he received frequent encomiums from from the media and swooning groupies, Rose contributed no tangible value to his teams (typical season: 421 plate appearances, .286 average, .316 on-base, .296 slugging– this while playing first base).
If you don't get the connection, I'll explain: Favre has been valueless in three of the last four seasons ('07 being the exception).
As for the difference in 2008 records: By the logic you employ, Favre is a worse quarterback than Chad Pennington, because Miami won more games than the Jets last year.
The explanation, of course, is the Jets won more games because they had a much better defense and better special teams. The difference in quality of supporting cast can be expressed very simply: Six of Favre's teammates made the Pro Bowl; three of Rodgers's did.
The difference in defense between the two teams is disguised because New York's defense was charged with 35 points 'allowed' when they weren't actually on the field. That's four interceptions returned for TDs, and a quarterback fumble returned for a TD.
That's a pretty typical performance for Favre, who holds the NFL career record for interceptions (310) and is second in fumbles (157).
Since the record for fumbles is 161– and Favre has fumbled at least 7 times in each of the last four years– I'm pretty sure he'll own that one too. He's also fifth in sacks (469),and has a good shot to make the top three.
If you were a Packers fan, rather than a Favre groupie, you'd understand some of this. The fact that you're rooting against Green Bay, of course, manifestly demonstrates that you're not.
I don't get it either. We are talking about an American hero. People should line up and cheer. What a terrific comeback. He is the Seabiscuit of football. Frankly it smacks of age discrimination to those of us who are 60 and older. I keep hearing everyday how I should retire, give up my dream, my life is over. I should just retire. For all of you out there who are still praying for your dream to come true, Brett is your inspiration. I don't get the anger. Packer fans have bought the spiel from the front office. Apparently it is too painful to see the truth in that Brett was forced out like an old race horse and it was Ted Thompson or Brett — one of them had to go and McCarthy was his henchman. I was a Packer fan too until all that went down and I will no longer support them — until TT & MM are long gone. Jealousy must be another part of this anger. It makes no sense. America — you have a bonafide hero to follow and praise. let's give him our love and support. No one else in any sport has his history of consecutive starts. Can't fans just appreciate what that must have took? Brett has a huge fan base and fortuneately there are a few of us who have our heads screwed on straight. Go Brett! Go Vikings!