Brett Favre is not Michael Jordan, the Green Bay Packers are not the Chicago Bulls circa 1995 and the NFL is not the NBA. In other words, a Favre comeback is unlikely to lead to even one championship for Green Bay, let alone three. Favre acknowledged this reality when he announced his retirement four months ago, saying that anything less than winning a Super Bowl would be a failure for him at this point and that the odds were against the Packers doing better in 2008 than they did in their dream 2007 season during which everything came together perfectly. So why is Favre reprising his role as Achilles in the tent pondering whether or not to return to battle?
Despite the constant attempts by his fawning fans in the media to airbrush his image, Favre has demonstrated his selfishness on several occasions. For instance, in 2004 when wide receiver Javon Walker made the Pro Bowl and wanted to restructure his contract with the Packers, Favre--who of course already had his big money deal in place--publicly took management's side, breaking the "code" that players do not interfere with other players' contract negotiations. Walker ultimately reported to camp without getting a new deal and promptly suffered a season-ending knee injury. Favre is also notorious for not providing much guidance for his backup Aaron Rodgers; at one point, Favre bluntly said that the Packers were paying him to play, not to be a coach. Red Auerbach's Boston Celtics had a completely different approach when they won 11 championships in 13 seasons: sixth man Frank Ramsey schooled John Havlicek in the ways of the NBA and veterans like Bob Cousy and Bill Sharman similarly helped K.C. Jones and Sam Jones.
For the past several years, Favre has effectively held the Packers' future hostage with his annual vacillations about retiring--and it's not like Favre has been leading the Packers to championships during this time: they went 4-12 in 2005 and 8-8 in 2006 before their 13-3 storybook campaign last year. Favre has a 3-5 playoff record since 2002, with 14 touchdowns and 16 interceptions in those games; the three times that he had a passer rating over 100 the Packers won but he also had three games with a passer rating lower than 56 and the Packers lost by at least 14 points on each of those occasions.
The Packers do not want Favre to come back but if anyone in the organization says that then they will be painted as the bad guys. Meanwhile, Favre holds the franchise, the players and the loyal Packer fans in limbo while he decides what he thinks is in his best interest. No one can question Favre's skills, toughness or competitive zeal--but any other player who repeatedly displayed such selfishness would be loudly condemned.
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5 comments:
Couldn't agree more. It just amazes me that so many can just overlook the fact that Favre has simply not been very good in the playoffs lately. When compared to other QB of his caliber he has had some inexcusable horrible playoff games. Some are painting him as the best ever.
Last I heard, John Elway or Joe Montana never threw 4 or 6 INTs in a playoff game. Last I heard they didn't routinely throw OT INTs in the playoffs. In this decade the Packers have been flat out humiliated at home in Lambeau routinely losing to underdogs. When Elway was with the Broncos they were only upset twice in the playoffs and one of those times was in Elway's second year in the NFL.
Favre's INT% skyrockets like his winning% goes down in the playoffs when compared to his regular season performance. The fact is Favre is a very different QB in the playoffs than he is in the regular season. Elway and Montana performed the same in the playoffs as they did in the regular season. Favre performs poorly in big games.
The only time Favre won the Super Bowl was on a loaded team that some scouts call perhaps the 6th best NFL team ever built. It sported the best defense stastically since the Steel Curtain and a legendary return man that won the Super Bowl MVP. Let's be frank, Favre just hasn't been all that impressive in the playoffs and the Packers need to move on. Like you said, he hasn't exactly been winning championships lately in Green Bay.
anymous reggie
brett favre is the man john elway and joe montana had a great running game anymous and jerry rice the best player favre ever played with was steriling sharpe and that was for like 2 years he had antonio freeman and bubba franks not john taylor and jerry rice and roger craig and terrell davis like those two.
elway got beat rountiley in super bowl till he had a running game and shannon sharpe. montana couldnt win without his loaded team and great defense they had. brett did more with less than any of those guys, i know david going to say there he go with his more with less theory, they played with hall of famers at skill position he didnt have nobody like they did.
he has been selfish they are going to release him now he has asked for one at least put him on minnesota or chicago they are championship contenders.
Reggie:
The team that Favre won a Super Bowl with was stacked with talent on both sides of the ball.
Anyway, the issue now is not Favre's talent but the clumsy way that he is handling this situation. Basically, he is holding the Green Bay franchise, its players and its fans hostage while he decides what he thinks will be in his best interest. If Favre wanted to play so badly then he should not have had a tear-filled retirement press conference. I'd be more inclined to cut him some slack in this regard if he had not had this "Will I retire, won't I retire?" drama for the past several years. Just imagine the outcry if Terrell Owens or Randy Moss ever do something like this.
Favre is being selfish and now that he cannot get his way he is being vindictive, asking to be released when he knows that the Packers are going to take the heat if they release the living legend.
anymous reggie
fact is they forced him to retire he didnt want to as seen on on the record with greta van susteran. brett favre should never back up aaron rodgers under any circumstances they wont release him becasue minnesota and chicago will pick him up tommorow.
the thing is if aaron rodgers is your guy trade him or release him if he still wants to play. i agree it s a double standard on moss and owens 2 of my favirote players.
ted thompson doesnt like favre he lied on 3 diffrent occasions the ball in green bay court you dont want him release him.
Reggie:
How do you know that G.B. forced Favre to retire? That is Favre's story now but he was singing a completely different tune before. All Favre had to do in the spring is say that he didn't want to retire and there would not have been all of this drama. The problem is that he retired, G.B. spent the whole offseason getting Rodgers prepped to be the starter and now Favre wants to come back. Favre is being extremely selfish and if Owens, Moss or anyone else did this they would be killed in the media. Favre is getting some criticism but not as much as he should be getting.
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