Let’s take a sec and think back. We’re
gonna hop into my DeLorean, crank up the old Flux Capacitor, and go back to a time when a certain someone
retired from professional football. I’ll do my best to give you all the
abridged version, but I would be remised if I left out any key points.
Thanks
for their up-to-date timelines of the Brett Favre/Green
Bay Packer saga:
1/20/08, Packers lose NFC Championship Game
Thanks
to an interception from Favre and a
47-yarad field goal by Lawrence
Tynes, the Green Bay Packers’ season
was over – and so was their dream of another trip to the Super Bowl.
3/06/08, Favre retires
Finally!!
No more guessing games. We can all move on peacefully with our lives and sleep
easier knowing that we won’t have wonder if he’s retiring. He’s done. He’ll
never come back unless it’s for “Old-Timer’s” Day or when the Packers retire
his number. At least that’s what we thought
at the time. Then again, we were wrong.
On the
other side of town, The Madden Cruiser had a dark, rainy cloud hovering over it as John Madden
sat in a corner with tears in his eyes. He opened a bottle of red wine, lit
some candles, listened to some Sade on his iPod and stared at a picture that reminded
him of happier times. Madden fell asleep with tears on his pillow and realized
that his “bro-mance” was no more.
The
Month of April
Rumors begin
to circulate of a comeback and Favre denies these rumors. Of course he would
deny the rumors. What evil mastermind do you know would reveal their plans to
the enemy? That’s like Cobra
Commander
sending a member of the Crimson Guard to G.I. Joe Headquarters with their plans to steal the B.E.T. Go get G.I. Joe the Movie for reference
So
Favre’s Agent, Bus Cook, decides to play the role of Destro to Favre’s Cobra Commander, and got the ball rolling by contacting other teams
to inquire about trading for Favre. You always send the “little man” to do the dirty
work for the Kingpin.
There was the possibility that
Favre knew that the Packers were ready to move on without him and to make
things easy for everybody, he gets traded to another team. That way, he continues to play and the Packers can go
ahead with the Aaron Rogers era.
Then, during an interview, Favre says he might consider a comeback if the opportunity
was presented to him. I guess he was just keeping his options open. By now, its
evident Favre wants to come back.
6/20/08: Coach Mike McCarthy is told by Farve
that he may want to play again
According
to McCarthy, NFL.com
reported that Favre told him (McCarthy), “You and Ted (Thompson) need to have a
plan if I do come back. Either give me my helmet or give me my release.”
Hold up; you (Favre) just retired, the Packers have moved
on with you in preparation for the season, they’re one month away from training
camp, and you want to return to the team? Plus, you want to throw ultimatums
around about your return. You, as we say on the block, are buggin’.
The
Months of July and August:
So much
went down in the month of July; I really don’t have the time and patience to go
through it all. That’s why you have the
links to the timelines from ESPN.com and NFL.com. Between the text messaging,
the 10-year, $25 million contract offer and the reinstatement; everything went
from bad to worse.
In all
honesty, do we really need to see the timeline; this story has been following
us throughout the entire off season. It’s now gotten to the point that we can
recite the entire saga like it’s a bedtime story.
To make
a long story short, once Favre was reinstated, he met with Coach McCarthy and
it was decided that it was in the best interest for both sides to divorce. A
day later, Favre was traded to the
Jets, Jets, Jets, and Green Bay gets a conditional Draft Pick that
gets higher in rounds depending on Favre’s performance. For now, New York is celebrating.
This
saga had more chapters than the Star Wars series – and finally, it’s done. We
can all move on peacefully with our lives and sleep easier knowing that Favre
has a team and the Packers will move on. Wait a minute; I said the same thing
about his retirement earlier, and look at how that turned out. Damn it!
Bottom
line is this: both sides were right and wrong in their stances. Favre should
have never retired if he felt he was going to have the urge to play again. He
could do whatever he wants, but just because he has that right; it doesn’t mean its right.
I commend him for not taking the 10-year, $25 million contract offer. Had he taken that contract, he would have looked like a
sellout. Remember, throughout this
entire ordeal, Favre keep saying that all he wanted to do was “just play football.”
The
Packers made their bed with Aaron Rogers and were ready to lie in it. They know
this kid is no Favre, but they’re ready to move on and start fresh. They
stood by their guy and that should give Rogers
the confidence he needs to do well this season. Only time will tell if he’s
ready for the big show.
At the
same time, the Packers should have been upfront with Favre from start and told
him that there was no room for return once he signed his papers for retirement.
Considering the fact that he has “straddled the fence” for the past few years
about his retirement, they could have added a clause that stated that if he did
want to return to the team or football in general as a player, he would have to
give some of his contract money back to the team.
That could
have kept him away. Then again, it may have not, considering all he wanted to
do is “just play football.”
