>And on it goes, the never-ending saga of Brett Favre’s retirement – or not.
Let’s see. He debated and thought it over and, for a few years, made his fans happy with One More Year. In the off season, we called it the biggest non-story.
Then he took a deep breath, shed a few tears, and called it quits. Packers fans waved goodbye, paid tribute to the quarterback and the man, and started looking ahead to the future with Aaron Rodgers.
Then Brett panicked. Without football, who was he?
Let’s jump ahead, past a season with the New York Jets and one with the (hated) Minnesota Vikings. Let’s look at the big picture.
Brett Favre has always played football. He doesn’t remember a life without it. Even his childhood revolved around the game.
Brett Favre, bless his heart (my Southern friends know what that means), never really had a chance to grow up without that pigskin in his hands and in his heart. Dare I say it? Yes, I do: Brett is still a kid. He still hasn’t grown up. Think about it.
He’s 40 years old and he works out with the local high school football team.
When he doesn’t get his way, he blames others (Ted Thompson, Green Bay general manager, can vouch for this).
After it’s clear that he won’t get in, he badmouths those who supported him in the past.
He has trouble making decisions. This has made him a laughing stock, even as it’s gained endorsements (Sears television commercials, anyone?).
He publicizes his decisions or pseudo-decisions by text message. Text messages, people! In any field, sports or business, text messaging is not a serious form of communication. I don’t even want to know if he abbreviates his spelling teen-text style.
For years, we fans have praised the gun-slinger, the play maker, the childlike athlete. It’s time for that youngster to grow up. What will he do now? Here are a few suggestions:
- Open a bakery and specialize in turnovers!
- Join the BP management. They could use a good ole boy from Mississippi to handle PR.
- Cell phone company spokesperson: for plans with unlimited texting, of course.
- Waffle maker.
- Shoe manufacturer, specializing in flip-flops
Other ideas, people? Suggest in the comments, please!
>LOL turnovers! I'll give him my cell phone, see how far he can toss that….!
Ah I miss the boyish enthusiasm, it was so infectious-will there be another Favre?
>I couldn't agree with you more! And Bret isn't the only one…look at Michael Jordan. "I'm retiring, no I'm not, yes I am, now I'm playing baseball, now I'm retiring from that, now I'm playing basketball again with another team." And recently we have the LeBron James drama, not a retirement, but still a little boy in a grown man's body seeking attention wherever he can get it. I'm not a sports fan myself, but I see the passion that pro athletes inspire in their fans. It's often sad what happens to these athletes once they're past their prime. They often feel left without a purpose and put out to pasture, so to speak. It seems that the pro sports organizations would find a way to help these athletes with this transition. It's just not the same as retiring from teaching or the post office or some other 9-5 job. Retiring from fame, glory and the limelight obviously comes with consequences many of these athletes didn't expect.
>I was about to write you a very nuanced comment about the silliness of sports in general, but it got out of hand. Let's just say I cannot feel your pain, I don't get it, but you're such a great person that SOMETHING MUST BE DONE. I don't know what, but I'm going to work now and I'll think about it there.
Jenny
>I kind of wish he would just go away. Imagine, if you will, what football season is like in my family: My father and his family are from Wisconsin–read: Cheeseheads to the nth degree. My dad's brother-in-law is a die hard Bears fan and my sister-in-law is from Minnesota and a fervent Vikings supporter. Could there be a worse combination?
Luckily, I don't care about any of it and find it mostly pretty funny.