Jul 30, 2008

It all started to go downhill for #4 when Mary chose Ted

I just want to preface this by saying the whole situation is stupid. The only reason I say it’s stupid is because it doesn’t seem like there’s a resolution anywhere in sight. Regardless of what the media is reporting this second, players, fans, and management are being tremendously inconvenienced, and the way it seems, more bad will come out of this situation than good.

Brett Favre still wants to play, SURPRISE! You mean the guy who refused to take time off to mourn his own father’s death, let alone, gasp, heal an injury, didn’t really want to retire? So just like the last few seasons when all the talk surrounding Favre’s retirement has pointed toward yes, and then Brett says no, we’re clearly seeing more of the same in 2008. Are you really that surprised? Apparently the whole state of Wisconsin, and a good portion of America are.

Regardless of the “Breaking News” that we keep receiving from the worldwide leader, the story is that Favre wants to play, rather start, preferably for the Packers, and Green Bay wants nothing to do with it. Favre just filed for reinstatement into the league, he has not been granted it yet, but what everyone is waiting to see is what happens next? Will the Packers brass trade their towns’ God in an attempt to avoid disrupting the team chemistry they’ve been working on since one of the top 5 NFL all-time greats called it quits in March? Is Favre’s backup for the past four seasons, Aaron Rodgers, the right guy to pick up the pieces from last years’ NFC Championship loss? We see that teams are interested in the NFL’s all-time leader in passing yards, TD’s, and practically every other important QB statistic, but what exactly is a 38-year old Brett Favre worth?

Let’s get the facts straight. Favre is absolutely coming off of one of the top three seasons of his career. Not only did his team play great, but Favre threw for his most yards since 1999, had his fewest interceptions since ‘96, and had the highest completion percentage of his career all last season. We saw a rejuvenated Favre, not to mention a very consistent Favre. But consistency is what the problem had become for Favre, who has started every single game for the Pack since ’93. That’s 15-straight seasons! Is it that hard to believe that the man could get tired from all the work that he put in? To be at the top of his game last season, after all the wear and tear he’s taken over his career, is just a testament to how hard of a worker he is, and after last season he said he didn’t want to put in the work anymore…going out on top. Nice.

To quote Borat Sagdiyev: “Not!” Football is in Brett Favre’s blood, he doesn’t know a life without it. Watching ESPN for the past month for Favre has been like going to the liquor store for a recent college grad…nostalgic, emotional, and real motivation to second guess your past. As tired of Football as Favre may be, he is a competitor to the death, so just like Roger Clemens and Michael Jordan before him, you better believe Favre will try to play football as long as he has an able mind and body…and right now there’s good reason to believe that Favre has both.

If you were to ask me my take, which clearly you are since you’re reading my blog, I cannot see Favre playing for another team. As ready as Aaron Rodgers could be, there is a good chance of rioting in the streets of Green Bay if their idol/big brother/favorite athlete gets shipped away. Unfortunately for Green Bay, they’ve inherited a Public Relations nightmare, and they’re in a real catch 22. I don’t know that Favre is the right man for the job, especially after having no intention to play football for the past few months. However, I do believe that the Packers should welcome Favre to training camp, and allow him and Rodgers to compete for the position. The playbook has been changed to fit the new personnel, if Favre can master the playbook and create a better connection with the talent than Rodgers can, then the job should be his. After all, this is a game about winning, you do what it takes to win, not to make your players happy. Yes happy players play better than unhappy players, but if Aaron Rodgers has to sit the bench because he’s not the best man for the job, that’s the essence of competition.

However, it seems that the Packers are intent on not allowing Favre to even show up at training camp for fear of disrupting the environment that they’ve created A.F. (After Favre). Apparently the team is standing behind Rodgers, and it makes sense to try and form some team unity. The team united last year and had its most successful season in a decade, and they’re hoping that even though they’re enduring a major change in the offense, they can still move forward and make progress on their championship aspirations. So what about Brett?

Favre has two years left on his contract, and said he only wants to comeback to Green Bay if he can play, but that he’s willing to be traded to another team. Favre wants to play, and plenty of teams are looking for a quarterback. I’m sure the last thing Green Bay wants to do is trade Favre to either division rival Chicago or Minnesota, although both would love to get their hands on Favre. The other two prevailing options have been the Bucs and the Jets.

Ok, I’m a die-hard Jets fan…and I say no. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I’m not Mike Tannenbaum (Jets’ GM), and I know a lot of Jets fans are excited to even hear Favre’s name mentioned in the same breathe as our team, but we already have a QB controversy. I’m not saying that either Chad or Clemens are the right guy to lead this team, but one thing I do know, if the Jets are able to bring in Brett Favre…WHO IN THE WORLD IS HE GOING TO THROW THE BALL TO? I’m sorry but I’m beyond sick of the Brad Smith screen, and while Laveraues Coles and Jerricho Cotchery really are good receivers, they’re both possession receivers…Favre is a risk taker and we don’t have the threats to pair with him to have any kind of success. To me, getting Favre would be waisting a first-round pick and whatever else they’d be stupid enough to give up. I’m sick of losing and I know Favre stands a better chance of making the Jets a winner than either of the guys they have now, but realistically, with the strength of the AFC, the Jets aren’t even on the radar…with or without Brett Favre. I digress.

While it makes more sense for the Pack to push Favre to the AFC, trading him to Tampa Bay is a better option than allowing him to stay in the NFC North. I don’t really get why the Bucs’ want to bring in Favre since they already have like 5 QB’s at training camp as it is. And Jeff Garcia did lead Tampa to the top of their division in ’07, not to mention was selected to play in the Pro Bowl alongside Favre. But even Garcia could tell you, his coach loves quarterbacks. Garcia told the Canadian Press on Monday “he (Bucs' coach Jon Gruden) loves quarterbacks. But he likes to just date. He doesn’t like to marry.” Whatever that means. He seemed pretty married to Rich Gannon in Oakland. I guess he doesn’t like to marry guys who he knows can’t win the big one. So why is he so interested in Favre?

Yes he’s an all-time great, it’s heavily possible that he is the best player to ever play his position, if not the game of football in general. But I, Jared Mintz, think Brett Favre’s a little washed up. What?!? I know, that’s blasphemy, especially after his career season in 2007, but he’s 38! He literally pulled a rabbit out of his behind last season, but there were times where he looked like the Favre of the mid 2000’s. Throwing prayers, holding onto the ball too long, just not looking like the Brett Favre that America fell in love with. Not to say a few mistakes are unacceptable, but to talk about Favre like he’s still in his prime is ludicrous. He’s got a strong arm, and he does understand the game really well, but he’s stubborn and often tries to make plays that aren’t there. At times last season Favre looked washed-up, as he had the two seasons before, and I’m just making the observation that as players get older, their talent doesn’t usually come and go, it usually just goes. And while I’m not saying Favre has nothing left, I honestly don’t believe that he has all that much left. This is why even he, for the first time in his career, said goodbye to the game of football.

But regardless of what I have to say about the matter, the saga still continues, and hopefully for everyone involved a solution will be drawn up sooner than later. Like I said, I can’t see Favre in anything but yellow and green. If the Packers decide to go with Favre over Rodgers, what’s the worst thing that’ll happen? Rodgers demands a trade or release? Don’t forget, the Packers just drafted Brian Brohm, a guy who probably could have been a top-10 pick had he come out in 2007. Besides, all the talk since Favre retired is if career-backup Rodgers can fill Favre’s shoes. However, if Brett Favre is allowed to fill Brett Favre’s shoes in 2008, Brian Brohm could very easily fill those of the less important name…is it Aaron Rodgers, or Back Up?

Here’s the bottom line: Brett Favre isn’t a bad guy for wanting to come back and play for the Packers. He wasn’t sure of his retirement, realized he wants to play, and by no means wants to upset anyone in the matter. Unfortunately it’s not as easy as that. Someone will be upset, whether it’s Favre who the Packer’s will refuse to play, trade, or release, the cheeseheads who will have to not only wave goodbye to Favre, but be forced to see him cheat on them in another uniform, or Aaron Rodgers, who will either be told to grab that familiar seat on the bench, or be told by his coaches and management that the team is his, and that his memory will be swiped to remove all Brett Favre data from it in an attempt to make his life easier when the hecklers at Lambeau constantly remind him that he’s not number 4.

One thing’s for sure, Green Bay will never be the same…that is of course, unless Favre is taken back and given his starting spot, and the Packers run wild in 2008…I’ll keep you updated.