Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Taking Hate Too Favre


Last year, when Brett Favre and Ted Thompson got into their battle of the egos, I opined that the Green Bay Packers sent the wrong guy packing.

Don't get me wrong before I started, Favre most definitely had a role to play in his less-than-glorious departure from the Pack. But it also wasn't anything new from him and the management could have handled their end better, including making it obvious that they booted him out for something other than Favre's behaviors (such has offering him a couple of million dollars in bribe money to stay home and stay quiet).

Now, Favre has been able to manipulate his situation so that he can not only play for the Minnesota Vikings, but also skip the training camp and all of the minicamps. (Favre has made it abundantly clear over the years that he loathes those things.)

A lot of fans and even the sports reporters for the local paper have been griping endlessly since he signed with Minnesota last week. Their complaints have been on everything from his manipulation of the system with his pseudo-retirements to calling him a "traitor" to the Packer Nation.

While I have written that I would rather see Favre ride his lawnmower off into the sunset, and I too felt deep shock at him signing on with the "enemy," I don't have that same level of animosity.

All one has to do is look at the situation objectively. Thompson pushed Favre out, for whatever reason. I still think it was the wrong thing to do, and it has done a lot to turn me off from football for a second year now. But it happened, and it is way too late to go back and fix it.

The Packers moved on, for better or worse (most likely worse - don't let the two preseason games fool you), and have chosen to go with Rodgers, the back up quarterback.

Favre also has moved on. He played for the Jets, and now has been able to finagle his way onto the Vikings. Did he do that to get back at Thompson? Without a doubt. But that is not a sign of a personality flaw. It is just another aspect of his high level of competitiveness.

To be mad at Favre now would be like a guy dumping his girlfriend, and then getting pissed when she starts dating other people, including guys he doesn't like very much. He let her go, and he needs to deal with the consequences of his actions. If he now realized how badly he screwed up, he should just be mad at himself. But to take it out on her would only show how petty he is.

Likewise, true Packer fans shouldn't be mad at Favre. The Pack packed up his stuff, threw it out in Lambeau's parking lot and told him to get out. If he went on to play for one of our rivals, so be it. If you are going to be mad at someone, be mad at the guy who pushed him out and changed the locks - Ted Thompson.

3 comments:

  1. I don't know if you have a level of access to the team that your readers are unaware of, but there is one point to quibble over in your story.

    As I've heard the story, Favre was given the chance to stay (not be pushed out the door) and opted to retire. In that sense he pushed himself out the door.

    When he came back, because it is a personality flaw to be chronically indecisive, it is my understanding that he was told he would have to start from zero like Rodgers and compete for the job. That didn't sit well with Favre it appears, and he wanted to go elsewhere.

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  2. The Packers moved on, for better or worse (most likely worse - don't let the two preseason games fool you), and have chosen to go with Rodgers, the back up quarterback

    Rodgers has done very well. Compare his numbers to NFL QB's.

    Favre thought HE was the General Manager of the Pack--which he is not. Yes, he's a superstar with enormous talent and physical gifts; but he simply is NOT the Man-in-Charge of the Packers.

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  3. Jeramey,

    It's just like the Merc. Marine scenario. They offered something they knew Favre would reject. Besides, that offer came after they had pushed Favre out and he started going public with it.

    Daddio,

    The numbers that matter is 6-10. Favre beat that in half a season.

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