I like to consider myself a big sports fan. I watch and read a lot and I think I know quite a bit about sports. Rare is there an occasion when I get tired of a sports story, but here is one.
Brett Favre retired, wanted to come back and created the melee that the Green Bay Packers know as their 2008 preseason. Frankly, I’m sick and tired of hearing about it and I honestly do not care about it whatsoever. I’m going to be clear here. This is THE ONLY post I will make about Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packer situation, unless there is an outcome to all this that merits discussion. At this time, however, I feel that as a faux journalist, it is my responsibility to address prominent issues such as this one.
Quite frankly, both sides are completely wrong, but, in this situation the Packers are more wrong, if that is possible.
Brett Favre erred in making a premature retirement, I think both sides agree on that. It was a terrible decision he made to inform the Pack that his career was over when there was even an ounce of desire to play professional football. However, I can’t completely fault Favre here since the Pack asked him to make a quicker decision so they didn’t sit in limbo waiting to decide the future of their team. Quarterback is one of those positions that really help direct and shape the personality of a team and each QB has such a different and unique personality that Packer decisions would be based on who was behind center. Therefore, I can’t completely blame the Packers for asking for an early decision.
That, of course, brings our story to training camp where the Packers moved on with the understanding that Brett Favre’s career is over. This is where they messed up. Let’s be real here; The goal for any professional football (or any sport) team is to win a championship. While I understand the Packers want to commit to Aaron Rodgers as their QB of the future so he doesn’t walk in his free agent year at the end of the 2009 season, Brett Favre is the superior quarterback. The Packers came inches away from the Super Bowl last year and if you put an inexperienced quarterback in their system, he clearly has less of a chance of leading the team to the Super Bowl than Favre, the hall of famer, who had a geat year in 2007. The Packers should have welcomed Favre back with open arms, knowing full well he is their best chance to win. Forget Rodgers. I know it sucks for him and he is the person most hurt by all of this crap, but face it – guys like him are a dime a dozen. You can easily draft another “understudy” to Favre (much like the Pack drafteda fairly decent QB in Brian Brohm in the 2008 draft) next year or the year after, but how can you cast aside a true hall of famer.
In no way am I Favre’s biggest or even smallest fan, but if you’re the Packers you can’t let Favre walk or get dealt to another team. Dare I say “legends” like him – especially those who demonstrated there was plenty left in the tank last season – don’t come around too often and if you’re Green Bay, you can’t have him wear another team’s uniform. Especially if he gives you the best chance to win.
Sorry Aaron Rodgers. Brett Favre is the Green Bay Packers. He’s a great quarterback and much better than you will likely ever be, so fight for the job with everything you have and I wish you nothing but good luck. In fact, I almost want you to have a phenomenal training camp and to beat Favre. But, he’s a legend. You have no chance to win fan approval and would be better off leaving after your contract is up. So be prepared to grab that clipboard again this season, put on a frown and know your career in Green Bay is over.
Backwards K 