So the Brett Favre retirement watch will have to wait for at least another year and I know that there are those who think that Favre's time has come and that he is doing nothing but tarnishing his legacy as one of the NFL's greatest ever Quarterbacks by continuing to play. Now I wouldn't call myself a Favre fan per say, although it is extremely difficult to not have a certain amount of respect and admiration for someone who has competed at such an elite level for so many years, while avoiding the off the field pitfalls that seem to derail so many atheletes.
Favre has however, beyond a doubt earned the right to decide when he calls it quits. Now I'm not going to sit here and read from Favre's very impressive resume. It is common knowledge that he is on the cusp of surpassing some of the football's most hallowed passing records. If Favre were to quit tomorrow, he would definitely belong in any conversation discussing the NFL's all time greatest signal callers. But he's not quitting tomorrow and this seems to bother some people.
Why? No one is claiming that Favre is at the level that he was a decade ago - Favre himself would surely conceed that as truth - but Favre is far from being an embarrassment at the QB position. This past season Favre ranked 6th in League passing yards, with anything but a stellar set of receivers. Sixth would rank this supposed fossil ahead of golden boy Tom Brady and the kid with the can't miss pedigree, Eli Manning. Favre's 18 Touchdown passes ranked him ahead of Jake Delhomme and Steve McNair. All of this during a Packers rebuilding year. Regardless of Favre's age and inevitable regressing of skills, the fact remains that he is still Green Bay's best option quarterback.
It's not whether or not Favre can still play - the numbers prove that he can - rather its that the Packers organization owes it to Favre to allow him to play. Sports fans have seen it time and again. Said athelete has a breakout season, bolts for the big payday and fans cry bloody murder over a lack of loyalty. Here is an athelete who for a decade and a half, has been an all-star on the field, a model citizen off of it, an athelete who has played through physical injury as well as personal tragedy and in the process, has almost single handedly restored pride and tradition onto a franchise that prior to his arrival, had fallen to the depths of football's oblivion.
The situation might be different if Green Bay had a blue chipper waiting in the wings, but Aaron Rodgers is anything but a sure bet so it becomes even more of an exercise in practicality rather than sentimentality. When it comes to a young and improving Packers team coming off of an 8-8 season, in the wide open NFC, like it or not, Brett Favre still gives Green Bay its best chance of winning.
As sure as death, and taxes, Brett Farve will be inducted into Pro Football’s Hall of Fame 5 years after his last game played. When that game will be, only Favre knows. It's a decision that is ultimately, in his hands and his hands alone, and for a man that has done so much for one organization, for one city, that’s exactly how it should be.
Favre has however, beyond a doubt earned the right to decide when he calls it quits. Now I'm not going to sit here and read from Favre's very impressive resume. It is common knowledge that he is on the cusp of surpassing some of the football's most hallowed passing records. If Favre were to quit tomorrow, he would definitely belong in any conversation discussing the NFL's all time greatest signal callers. But he's not quitting tomorrow and this seems to bother some people.
Why? No one is claiming that Favre is at the level that he was a decade ago - Favre himself would surely conceed that as truth - but Favre is far from being an embarrassment at the QB position. This past season Favre ranked 6th in League passing yards, with anything but a stellar set of receivers. Sixth would rank this supposed fossil ahead of golden boy Tom Brady and the kid with the can't miss pedigree, Eli Manning. Favre's 18 Touchdown passes ranked him ahead of Jake Delhomme and Steve McNair. All of this during a Packers rebuilding year. Regardless of Favre's age and inevitable regressing of skills, the fact remains that he is still Green Bay's best option quarterback.
It's not whether or not Favre can still play - the numbers prove that he can - rather its that the Packers organization owes it to Favre to allow him to play. Sports fans have seen it time and again. Said athelete has a breakout season, bolts for the big payday and fans cry bloody murder over a lack of loyalty. Here is an athelete who for a decade and a half, has been an all-star on the field, a model citizen off of it, an athelete who has played through physical injury as well as personal tragedy and in the process, has almost single handedly restored pride and tradition onto a franchise that prior to his arrival, had fallen to the depths of football's oblivion.
The situation might be different if Green Bay had a blue chipper waiting in the wings, but Aaron Rodgers is anything but a sure bet so it becomes even more of an exercise in practicality rather than sentimentality. When it comes to a young and improving Packers team coming off of an 8-8 season, in the wide open NFC, like it or not, Brett Favre still gives Green Bay its best chance of winning.
As sure as death, and taxes, Brett Farve will be inducted into Pro Football’s Hall of Fame 5 years after his last game played. When that game will be, only Favre knows. It's a decision that is ultimately, in his hands and his hands alone, and for a man that has done so much for one organization, for one city, that’s exactly how it should be.
posted by average john at 11:38 PM
3 Comments:
Are you for real???? Personal tragedy? Doesn't every athlete have some sort of tragedy or loss that they have ever dealt with? Only Favre has lost a parent? Cut the crap!!!!!!!! As for model citizen how soon we forget the pain killer addiction!
YOU SUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wow, anonymous. We all have our addictions. If you took a beating on the field as a NFL QB, you'd be relying pretty heavily on painkillers as well (just like the average person can barely move in the morning until they've had a cup of coffee - and they haven't even been hit by a 350 pound lineman!).
Favre fell into a trap that I think would be very easy to tumble into. And he took it like a man, sought the help he needed, and overcame his addiction. That alone qualifies him as a model citizen.
BMV
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