The first pro sports team I ever really “loved” was the Green Bay Packers. I can’t really explain what prompted it, but they’ve always been “my team.” To this day my favorite football memory dates back to January 26, 1997 at the Superdome in New Orleans. I remember seeing Brett Favre run down the field, helmet in hand celebrating the fact that Green Bay had beaten Drew Bledsoe and the New England in Super Bowl 31. When I would use the create a player mode on football games growing up, I would make myself number 4 and play quarterback. Brett Favre was my football hero. Maybe that’s why I feel so strongly about him today.
I supported Favre when he played for the Jets. It was the first Christmas together for me and the woman who is now my wife, and the “big gift” she got me was a Favre Jets jersey. I didn’t blame Green Bay for letting him go; it was time to move on. Having said that, I had no animosity towards Brett while he played for New York. The Jets even became my “other team.” I realized that the Jets missed the playoffs mostly because of Brett’s sub-par play, and when he held his (most recent) retirement press conference, I was sad to see him go, but knew that the time had come.
Then Brett did the unthinkable: He signed with the Vikings. Some say that he feigned the retirement in order to get to play for Minnesota, some say he changed his mind when a seemingly great opportunity presented itself. I’m not going to debate the circumstances that landed Favre in purple, the fact that he put it on is bad enough in itself.
Some people have tried to relate Favre going to the Vikings to Babe Ruth donning a Yankees uniform, but it’s just not the same. Ruth was sold to the Yankees. The Red Sox owner wanted to finance a Broadway production and sold Ruth and several other players to do so. Brett Favre chose to play for the rival Vikings. Joe DiMaggio never chose to play for the Red Sox. Larry Bird never volunteered to go play for the Lakers. Terry Bradshaw never put on a Cleveland Browns jersey; their teams meant more to them than that.
Before you even start, don’t give me that, “Well the Packers weren’t loyal to Favre” thing. They were! They let Brett jerk them around with his faux retirements time after time. They put Aaron Rodgers on standby for years while Brett tried to decide if he “had it in him” one more time. They never gave him an ultimatum about coming back, they sat idly by waiting on him to make up his mind. The Packers were more than loyal to the wishy-washy Favre.
My wife told me the other day that she doesn’t understand why I’m so adamant about my disdain for Favre, and at first, I couldn’t give her much of an answer. I guess it all goes back to disappointment. I’m not getting into his alleged extramarital affairs. I don’t know who he sent pictures or messages to. I’m let down at the way he has spit on his legacy. He wanted one last shot, and the Jets brought him in the season he personally kept them from making the playoffs. He should’ve ridden off into the sunset after the 08.
Some players just are supposed to be associated with certain jerseys, even if they spent some time with other teams. It was before my time, but I’ve seen pictures of Willie Mays in a Mets uniform, and Johnny Unitas in those hideous powder blue Chargers’ uniforms, and Joe Montana playing for the Chiefs. The difference? They were all traded to those other teams. Because of that fact, everyone thinks of Mays as a Giant, Unitas as a Colt and Montana as a 49er. Even with his season at the Meadowlands, Brett was never going to be remembered as Jet just like he was never going to be remembered as a Falcon. He was destined to always been a Green Bay Packer. Now ,I’m just not so sure.
People say that great players can’t damage their legacies; I disagree. Nobody argues that Michael Jordan isn’t an all time great, but anytime he’s mentioned in conversation someone always mentions him playing for Washington. Favre has put himself in the same boat. I’ll admit, Favre doesn’t look as “rusty” as MJ looked, but this season has seen him fall fast. His most recent “last run” at a Super Bowl has been over shadowed by off field scandals and on field injuries. When he’s not being accused of sending inappropriate texts he’s being helped off the field with a towel to his bloodied chin, leaving his iron man streak in jeopardy. Part of me sees it as sad; that’s the part of me that grew up pretending to be Brett Favre in my backyard, throwing a football into a bucket. Then part of me kind of smiles when I see how far he has fallen. Of course, he hit rock bottom for me the day he put on purple.
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