This is Favre-a-lous! The Green Bay Packers should be ecstatic!
Brett Favre says he’s reconsidered and still has got some gas in his tank. How is this announcement not a good thing for the Packers, the NFL and those of us glued to the television each Sunday during football season? The fact is that Favre (at just 38 years old) is the most accomplished quarterback in NFL history. Among the many records he broke: he’s tossed the most touchdown passes (442), completed the most passes (5,377) and won the most games starting at QB (160). It’s pretty hard to argue with success. Last season he was 13th of 40 in the heralded QB rating. If Favre is about to go down nose-first in terms of performance, it won’t be next season.
Although he told the Packers he wasn’t ready to give them an answer, they forced his hand back in March. Sometimes when you force an answer, you get an answer you don’t want. The Packers wanted an answer and Favre gave a retirement speech (which included “I know I can still play”). From being around pro athletes all my life, I’ve learned that you can take the athlete out of the game but you can’t take the game out of the athlete. Someone who’s been playing football all his life can’t suddenly pack it in and accept doing nothing. Look at Julio Franco – he was 49 years old when he finally came to grips with retirement. Look at all the pro coaches who retire only to resurface a year later with a new team.
If you remember my theory about sports being entertainment, this comparison fits perfectly. Cher has been on at least five retirement tours. Barry Manilow is on his third and who knows how many times “The Who” have said goodbye. Great performers, like athletes, never retire; they just keep going like the energizer bunny. They know no other way of life.
So now the Packers have focused the last four months on working with Aaron Rodgers (Favre’s successor-in-waiting for the past million years). Despite what Favre does, Rodgers will be a better player because of Favre’s premature announcement. How does this hurt the Packers? The only people who should hold grudges are Rodgers, his agent and maybe his girlfriend (time to hold off on that big ring).
Money probably played a role in Favre’s decision as well. You don’t get as many endorsement opportunities when you’re retired. Brett Favre is no Peyton Manning when it comes to commercial appearances, but he gets his fair share. With gas prices rising and Favre’s love for the big truck and SUV, he probably couldn’t afford to retire. I’m sure he’ll be courted by MapQuest or some GPS service to spread the word that “sometimes you need help making the decisions on how to get where you’re going in life.”
(My only warning to Favre is to remember in August your picture appears on the newest release of Madden Football. Favre seeing his face on the cover of Madden is as lucky as a sailor seeing an albatross.)
And if football doesn’t work out for Favre he should try politics. Seems flip flopping is an everyday occurrence in that arena.
But that’s just my opinion.
Dankosky can be reached at kdankosky@scoreatl.com.
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