This latest Favre drama is too funny to watch. What started as rumors from family members has evolved into a huge spectacle that has to have some truth to it. The sports media, notorious for slurping Favre, has even turned on him.
Two of the best NFL reporters offer really good insight:
“In 2007, he’s the king of Wisconsin again, coming off one of his best seasons. Now, he’s like that unpopular relative who always threatened to show up at your house for the summer and then plops himself on the couch.”
Ouch.
Sports Illustrated’s Peter King brings some good perspective all-around, but explains why Packer fan (and NFL fan for that matter) is reacting to Favre’s alleged desire to return:
The one thing I don’t believe Favre understands yet is the tumult which will greet his return to the Packers, or to another NFL team. There are Packer fans who have moved on, and wish he would do the same. He doesn’t realize fully — yet — that Brett Favre returning to the Packers would bug a slew of Packerphiles who wish he’d make a decision and stick with it and ride off into the sunset with his glory intact. Because he insulates himself from much of the football world in Mississippi, I’m sure he doesn’t realize the impact that playing for another team would have on his bleed-Packer-green fandom.
Well put Peter. As a Broncos fan, I would have loved to see Elway come back, especially when the Broncos had a lousy season as they had after he was gone. However, Bronco fans realize that retirement is part of the game and Elway has found other ways to stay active in football without suiting up and playing. I realize Favre is different: where Elway got to ride off into the sunset as a Super Bowl MVP, Favre’s last pass in the NFL was an interception.
At the same time, this is just a lose/lose situation all around. If Favre submits his plea to return in writing, the Packers have little choice but to accept him, and throw out all of the re-adjustment of the offense they’ve made to suit Aaron Rogers. If the Packers dare deny him or release him, they’ll face the wrath of angry Packer fan for costing out their greatest quarterback. Both Favre and the Packers can spin about how they want to come back and compete, but the reality is that this could become the season of sentiment. Whether Favre is entitled to it is debatable, but I think the other 52 players in that locker room may have a tough time swallowing that they’ve been set back 4 months from the rest of the league just because Favre “got an itch”.
This whole situation reminds me of the Ben Folds (Five) song: Steven’s Last Night In Town.
“But We thought he was gone
And he’s come back again
last week it was funny
now the jokes wearing thin
cuz everyone knows now
that every night now
will be [Brett’s] last night in town”