Once Again Green Bay Is Handcuffed, And Brett Favre Has The Key
Once again Green Bay is waiting on Brett Favre to make a decision - He can either stay retired and allow the Packers to move on. Or forgo retirement and put this proud franchise in an extremely uncomfortable situation.
There were a couple of ways we could’ve interpreted Brett Favre’s tearful retirement speech a few months ago.
One could see it as a player who had done all he could and left everything that he had on the field. There was nothing left to prove. There was a Super Bowl victory, league wide respect and an icon status to relish in. Upon securing his place in NFL history, he was leaving a proud and satisfiying career behind and was going to genuinely miss the game. Hence the tears.
Then there is the view that can be seen of a player whose last pass was an interception, costing his team a Super Bowl berth and their opportunity to possibly upset the then undefeated New England Patriots. Tears of frustration and a feeling of letting his beloved Green Bay down cut him to his core. Those thoughts have haunted Favre him from that day; leaving him with a sense of unfinished business. Hence the “rumors”.
We witnessed much of the former but more of the latter in Favre during that press conference which has brought us to wide speculation and “rumors” as Favre has called them that he is returning to the NFL.
Returning to Green Bay.
Where Aaron Rodgers has been named the starter.
The same Aaron Rodgers who Favre publicly stated that he would not help in his development to “take his job” when Rodgers was a rookie four years ago. The same Aaron Rodgers that played pretty well against the Cowboys after Favre was injured early in the game. Rodgers has been the good soldier, held the clipboard, performed when called upon and was finally going to get his chance to shine, when all of the sudden.
“HATER IN THE HOUSE!” (sorry Stuart)
It hasn’t been confirmed or denied, Favre did say that they were rumors. What he didn’t say is if they were true or false. The thought of Favre donning #4 again has the Packer Nation thirsting for the Kool-Aid that Favre has once again souped up for them, this time adding his own tears for good measure.
Aaron Rodgers and his career be damned.
So if you’re Packer management what do you do in the event of Favre’s return? Take him back and demote Rodgers, who will more than likely ask to be released or traded. By doing this you appease many of the fans for one more season, but with no successor? At the risk of looking incompetent to many around the League including some within the front office.
Or do you put your foot down, tell Favre enough is enough and let him figure the rest of his career out in another city maybe Minnesota or *GULP* Chicago? Incurring the wrath of the Packer Nation and being listed with such Wisconsin notables as Jeffrey Dahmer and Bud Selig.
Regardless of what is done this melo-drama put the selfishness of Favre on full display. To even have something like this leak out is wrong. From what I’ve heard there is much truth to Favre wanting to return to Green Bay next season. Packer corner back Al Harris and members of Favre’s family have pretty much said where there’s smoke there’s fire.
How hot does it get in Green Bay in August?
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July 8th, 2008 at 8:33 pm
I say let him walk. The Packers need to move on and Brett has had control of them for long enough. He’s a legend and all that good stuff, but they need to treat his ass like an employee just like other players get treated. The Titans locked Steve McNair out for crying out loud. Maybe he isn’t the legend Brett is, but if they (Titans management) have the balls to do that to him then Green Bay should have the balls to let Brett’s ass go and move on with Aaron Rodgers.
July 8th, 2008 at 8:42 pm
The sad part is that 90% of their fans are so drunk off of the Favre-Aid that they don’t see it.
I know management wants to move on and anyone that rips them for not allowing him back is an idiot. He hasn’t won anything in 10 years for cryin out loud.
F**k stats and the record books what has he won lately
July 8th, 2008 at 9:03 pm
Just for the record, 90% of the Packer fans are not drunk on Favre-aid and although we have loved Brett Favre for 16 years, enough is enough. He would have been welcomed back with open arms, had he not gone through this whole retirement thing. Now, we still love him, but we are growing weary of the waffling. Just think about all of the tribute books, magazines, etc. that have been sold. Look at the tickets sold for the first game of the season, when he was supposed to retire his jersey. People have spent a lot of money for those tickets and now what? I don’t want to hear anymore from Bonita Favre that Ted Thompson didn’t want him back. Bull. Ted Thompson did not want a sports “diva” calling the shots and I don’t blame him. I never thought the day would come when anyone, least of all myself, would call Favre a “diva” but it is how he is acting. Texting the GM about a possible return? How about a phone call or a trip to Green Bay. Stop with the games. If he wants to play, let him earn his spot, but don’t trade him (especially not within the division). Deanna Favre said in her book that Brett would always be a Packer. Let’s see.
July 8th, 2008 at 9:10 pm
I wrote this hoping that I would get the honest response from someone who cared about the Packers more than they did Favre.
Thanks for your honesty.
July 8th, 2008 at 9:18 pm
This is why you just shut the hell up until training camp..to retire early in the offseason is just asinine to me
July 8th, 2008 at 9:44 pm
Anyone who doubts Brett’s abilities and more importantly his heart to play the game of football are FOOLS!! Green Bay would be stupid to let him go, no matter what, the football in the hands of Favre on any given play could be the next spectacular moment in football history. He is famous for making something out of NOTHING, just look at what he did last year with a bunch of rookies and replacements. I personally salute Brett if he comes back, for me him retiring is like an end of an amazing era in FOOTBALL, a sport that has become more and more pussified in the last ten or so years. He is the last of the rugged quarterbacks, who aren’t only not affraid to be hit, but salute the great D linemen that challenge him to stay away and make the plays he does. I cried the day Favre retired, and not just for the loss of a great quarterback, but for the loss of the true game of football as well! He is the Michael Jordan of Football, there will NEVER be another one like him!!!
July 8th, 2008 at 10:12 pm
trade that prick, Rogers will become a free agent next year and if they accept Farve back he will be pencil in as the starting QB which will not sit well with Aaron Rogers and he will leave to Chicago or Minnesota. It is time the Packers moved on with their youth movement and left their past behind and it was their defense that gave the Packers a 13-3 season not FARVE.
July 8th, 2008 at 10:40 pm
I don’t doubt his abilities or his love of the game. I just question why a team leader continues to do this to his team. I didn’t want him to retire. I loved watching him play. I agree that there will never be another Brett Favre. But why is he doing this? He has just put his team between a rock and a hard place.
July 9th, 2008 at 1:37 am
I will say this about Favre…what do you do when you’ve laced ‘em up 253 straight times?
I guess Warren Sapp hasn’t called Brett for that fishing trip.
I understand his thinking. I’ve flipped and flopped over Favre, but from a fan standpoint–the media aside obviously–I’d rather he play.
When he’s gone, he’s gone…
July 9th, 2008 at 5:37 am
How can anyone fault this guy for not wanting to retire? He made a mistake, I don’t blame him, he maybe superhuman on the field, but he is a HUMAN afterall and we all make quick decisions and mistakes! He loves the game of Football and still wants to play!! let the man PLAY!!
July 9th, 2008 at 6:31 pm
“the football in the hands of Favre on any given play could be the next spectacular moment in football history.”
Or the next spectacular interception thrown into triple coverage…………..
July 10th, 2008 at 12:47 am
Six months and Deanna has had enough…its Farve’s wife pushing this…..she is sick of him already.
July 10th, 2008 at 4:26 am
Miranda, you may be right, Deanna wants him out of her house, maybe it’s time Bret got a “real job”. I have heard he wants to play for the Bucs
July 11th, 2008 at 8:47 pm
Well this is one LIFETIME Bucs Fan who would welcome Brett Favre with open arms! That would be a dream come true to see Brett playing for us, instead of against us
July 11th, 2008 at 9:21 pm
Let’s see…………what was Chad Johnson called when he wanted to be released from the Bengals?? Why isn’t the media calling ole Brett these same venomous adjectives?
July 15th, 2008 at 2:28 pm
Ain’t been around for a while coz of…well, you name it….but I come back to TheStartingFive.net and still reading all this ish (FOR FREE!!!) that’s a lot more truthful than anything I read anywhere else….and that I largely agree with. Really…..to me, there was a moment in the ‘03 playoffs when Brett couldn’t (yes….’03…..five years ago…like the length of this damn war) engineer one of his impressive comebacks…and I thought to myself, dude needs to quit. He doesn’t have the magic anymore. But yet here we are. This boy (I’m white) is the biggest drama queen in the history of the NFL. On the topic of the double standards for black and white athletes, you guys were right all the time during ‘06 and ‘07 when I was visiting this site a lot…and of course nothin’ has changed. And as long as you indulge Brett’s childishness and ego…he’ll continue playing the town. All the usual suspect commenters who suggest that Favre is the beneficiary of unusually indulgent treatment (athlete of the year from SI, anyone?) that I read here….are as always on point. Anyway, be well TSF regulars….except all you hating trolls.