Monday, August 4, 2008

Favre's coming back but where is he going?

I'm warning you now, I'm talking football. I've had a few commenter's ask me about what I thought about what was going on between the Packers and Brett Favre so here it goes:

I don't know if you remember this but I was sad because Brett Favre announced that he was retiring after playing for the Green Bay Packers for 16 years (and 1 year somewhere else) Once Favre announced his retirement the Packers started planning for the 08-09 season without him. Aaron Rogers, Favre's back up for the last 3 years, was announced as the starting quarterback for Green Bay. They also invested in making sure that if anything happened to Aaron Rogers they would have adequate back up. After losing a crucial member of your team, one that has been there for well over a decade, there are adjustments that are going to need to be made and the Packers were on there way to making those adjustments. Fans & players alike were going to miss Favre but things were looking up. The Packers would make it through this transition just like every team before them that has lost a star quarterback.

Well, a few weeks ago Favre announced that he wanted to play football; he planned to come out of retirement if the NFL would allow him it. When I first heard this I hoped & prayed that all I was hearing was a rumor. I tried not to listen to all the talk involving Favre and the Packers but every time either was mentioned my ears could not help but listen carefully. After all, they were talking about my team! How could I not listen.

When Favre was first flirting with the idea of coming back the Packers pretty much told Favre that they had moved on. They really didn't want him back. I would like to think that the main reason for telling him this is that they hoped he would stay retired. They even offered him a 25 million dollar contract if he would stay retired but help them out with the team for the next 10 years and always be known as a Packer. (I thought he should have taken this offer)But Favre says he wants to play. This is where the problem comes in. Favre retired before his contract with the Packers was up, so he was still property of the Packers once he gets reinstated (which he did on Sunday.) The Packers now have 3 options they could release Favre which would mean that he is free to go to any team he wants but this also means that the Packers who've paid him 12 million + every year would get nothing for him, zero, zilch, nodda. This might be what Favre wants but it in now way benefits the Packers. From there were rumors that Favre would go play for the Vikings, one of the Packers biggest rivals. Would you want your ex-quarterback, one that's been with you for 16 years to go to your biggest rival? No I think not! Plus it would just be wrong for Brett Favre to be a Viking! No matter where this whole ordeal leads Brett Favre I would like to cheer Brett on no matter where he goes but truth be told if he were to become a Minnesota Viking or a Chicago Bears I really don't know if could do it. I don't think it is inside me to cheer for either of those teams despite who might be playing for them. And to think that Seth thought I was a Favre fan not a Packer fan. My feelings on this issue prove to him, myself, and anyone else that cares to know that I am a Packer fan through & through and might proud of it! (although they have had better starts to their seasons than this)

The other 2 options the Packers have are to trade him (which means he goes to another team and the Packers get money for him - I'd like to note that I think this is a horrible idea) or keep him. If they keep him they then have to decided if they are going to let him play or if they will bench him (which would just be wrong, and sadly it was one of the many rumors that went around at one point.) It sounded like they were going to let him & Aaron Rogers duke it out for the starting QB position. Sadly (there seems to be a theme here) from the sounds of things it seems that a trade is in the works. To whom I don't know. Could be the Buccaneers or the Jets I'm praying it's not the Bears or the Vikings. I'm waiting to hear just like everyone else.

It saddens me to watch this whole event take place. It has become a saga between my team and one of my favorite players, it's just not right. Just like "There's no crying in baseball" there should be no saga's in football.

It's hard to give my opinion because I only know what the media is telling me which we all know is usually less than accurate. But I do have an opinion so I'm going to share it. I think Favre should have stayed retired. I do believe that he has a few good years left in him to play at a competitive level and I wasn't so sure that he should have retired when he did, but once he announced his retirement I think he should have stuck with it. Of course he is going to want to want to play when the season starts up again it's what he's been doing for the last 17 years of his life. All he knows is football. It's been his identity. I think he, like most people that retire, is going through and identity crisis or a midlife crisis or whatever you want to call it. When the Packers offered him the quarter million dollar deal to stay retired I think he should have taken it but since he didn't I think that he should do what it takes to stay a Packer but I know that's the die hard fan coming out in me. I want Favre to always be known as a Packer and now he won't. Did you know that at some point in his career he signed a lifetime commitment to the Packers which meant that he would always be a Packer! He's going back on his word and I have a hard time with that. I don't think anyone has successfully come out of retirement (I may be wrong here please let me know) It's never worked out. I wish Favre would have never announced his retirement in the first place then he would still be a Packer. That is all I want. I want Favre to stay a Packer but like I am trying to teach my almost 1 year old daughter, we don't always get what we want.

*You know you're a die-hard fan when one of the categories in your labels is Packers*

3 comments:

Andrea@Sgt and Mrs Hub said...

I had heard some stuff about this a little while ago. Hmmm... interesting. And I'd have to say I agree with you, all the way.

But, I should really be quiet now because I don't know football. At all. But I really, really like to watch it!! :)

-Andrea

Sarah said...

I just saw the headline this morning... "Favre goes to the Jets"
It made me think of you...not sure how you feel about it but at least now he'll be local. :)

bethany said...

I have to say, as a die-hard Bills fan, I'm not happy that he's gone to the Jets!

I do think that once he decided to retire, he should have stuck with it. But...when that's all you know, I guess you're going to feel empty when training camp comes around and you're sitting at home.