Favre from being ready for retirement.
Even in this cynical age when sports stars routinely hop from team to team in pursuit of more millions, a lot of fans have a funny way of taking it personally when one of their beloved heroes moves on.
In 2003, Cleveland fans voted Jim Thome the most popular athlete in the history of the team. This was a year after Thome left the Indians for a lucrative deal with the Phillies. I guess the Cleveland fans didn’t mind it so much when Thome was a National Leaguer—–but when he returned to the AL Central as a member of the White Sox in 2006,he was booed mercilessly whenever the Sox played at Cleveland.
The fans felt betrayed.
It was hardly surprising when the Green Bay faithful booed and heckled Brett Favre on his return to Lambeau Field. A sizable percentage of Cheeseheads are deeply offended that Favre would dare don a Vikings uni and take the field as a member of the hated opposition.
Give me a friggin’ break.
Granted, Favre’s Hamlet act has worn thin over the years, and you can’t really blame Green Bay management for letting Favre go to the Jets so they could move forward with Aaron Rodgers. Even after Favre “retired” from the Jets, it was obvious he still had a passion for the game and he was probably going to make one last comeback attempt—–but who knew he was still gonna be this good? Who knew he’d torch his former team for seven TD passes in two games?
OK, that’s gotta hurt if you’re a Packer Backer. But how can you fault Favre for wanting to extend his career another season or two? As I wrote a few months ago when Favre was still on the fence, of course the guy was going to opt for another year of playing football in front of 70,000 fans every Sunday for lots of dough and the thrill of competition.
In most jobs, you work for 40 years and you retire for maybe 10 years. Twenty years if you’re lucky.
In professional sports, the career lasts 10 years or so, and the retirement lasts 40 years. (If you’re lucky.) Little wonder that so many stars retire, unretire, retire again, unretire. It’s hard to be 35 or 37 or 41 and realize your best days are about to disappear forever.
Somewhere down the road, the same Packers fans who “hate” Favre right now will most likely acknowledge he’s one of the greatest players ever to don a Green Bay uniform. When Favre is inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, he won’t be remembered as a Jet or a Viking. He’ll be a Green Bay Packer.
November 2nd, 2009 at 11:20 am
Amen!
November 2nd, 2009 at 12:44 pm
Anyone who wants to boo this glory hound who hijacks franchises is entitled to do just that. I’m a Bears fan but I’ve never had more respect for Packers fans.
November 2nd, 2009 at 1:34 pm
As a Minnesotan and a Vikings fan, I have to say this season so far has fufilled one of my lifelong dreams. And I don’t even particularly like sports!
November 2nd, 2009 at 1:38 pm
Oh, and Drew? Are you sure you aren’t just looking for another reasons to hate the Vikings?
November 2nd, 2009 at 1:54 pm
Favre’s more like a successful Fredo, taking the side of Moe Green (in this case, purple) over the family.
November 2nd, 2009 at 3:19 pm
I simply can’t believe the hate so many people have for Brett Favre. In a league where athletes have committed serious crimes like murder, manslaughter, and animal cruelty; Brett Favre is vilified for loving the game. What is the worst thing you can say about Brett Favre? That he can’t stay retired. If you’ve seen the man play this year, then you know why he can’t retire. This isn’t some washed up guy who can’t let go of the spotlight, he is playing at a very high level. Before the season started there were two schools of thought on Favre’s ability to play, those you thought he was done and would have no success, and those who thought he could hand the ball off to Peterson and “manage” the game. Well, both those camps were wrong. Favre is making plays, making the players around him better, winning them games, and the MVP of a 7-1 team. Sound like a guy who should be retired? Of course not.
As for the fans in Green Bay, they should be embarrassed for their reaction on Sunday. Favre is the greatest player in their history. He left everything he had on that field every time he played, and never missed a game in the process. Favre had only one losing season, and helped them win numerous division titles, conference championships, and the Super Bowl. I understand how much they love their team and hate the Vikings, but there is no excuse to boo after the game Favre played. I’m fine with booing before the game, a fan should boo every opposing player. Boo him during the game, of course you want him to fail but after the game? The classy thing to do is applaud and respect a good performance by any player or team, but when it’s the best player in your history, get up and show him the respect he deserves. Say what you will about Brett Favre he has always loved and respected the Green Bay fans.
November 3rd, 2009 at 2:17 pm
I’m a lifelong Packers fan, and I do find it disappointing how negative his greeting was. I’ll say in defense of Packers nation, though, that the “boo” is such a universal jeer specifically because it carries through the crowd so well. It probably only took about 5% of the stadium booing their hearts out to generate the sound we all heard on TV.
There is a point I differ on Richard: I decidedly DO blame the Packers management for passing on Favre for Rogers. You’d think the man had earned some kind of power in 16 years here (during which his team won more regular season games than any other franchise). Either side in that debacle could have done more to defuse the situation, but on side is paid to play football, and one side is paid to swallow their damn pride and put the best team possible on the field, and I think we’ve definitively seen that they failed to do so.
Anyway, for reasons irrational, impersonal and completely driven by fandom, I hate the Vikings, and I hate seeing our hero in purple. Brett: have fun, stay healthy, and I hope your team goes 0-8 to finish.
November 3rd, 2009 at 3:14 pm
I truly don’t understand how people can get so upset about whether one group of multi-millionaires can beat another group of multi-millionaires in a kid’s game. Do these people realize that (1) those players aren’t actually from their town and that they often switch teams because one team has offered a nickel more (2) that they have no intention of ever sharing a penny of their substantial salaries or prize money with them (3) that they pay outrageous ticket prices due to the enormous salaries and the greed of the players and owners; (4) that they subsidize through tax breaks the lavish fields that these spoiled infants play on and finally; (5) that these heroes are not heroes at all, but just overpaid egomaniacs who wouldn’t spit on a them if they were on fire. The most ridiculous of these are the grown men who find it necessary to wear a players jersey with the name and number who are many years their junior. You realy need to grow up. Believe me, there is no way anyone is going to mistake you for the actual player. You want to cheer somone who actually fights for you and are real heroes, go find a soldier, donate the money you would have wasted on a high priced ticket or jersey to them.
November 3rd, 2009 at 5:15 pm
All those Packers fanatics who truly feel like Favre playing for the Vikings is the greatest sin or dishonor or evildoing in the history of the world are either pathetic or scary or both. I’d hate to see what other things in life you blow out of proportion and play drama queen to. It’s a lot like the 49ers fans who felt that Joe Montana betrayed him because he still wanted to play after the team kicked him to the curb. But I guess these fringe lunatics wanted Favre to be a Packer for life… who was drafted by and spent a year in Atlanta.
November 3rd, 2009 at 11:20 pm
[...] My thoughts on Brett Favre after the game in Green Bay Posted from my iPhone Add comments This is my response to an article on Richard Roeper’s blog. [...]
November 4th, 2009 at 12:59 pm
Kevin
It doesn’t matter to me what team Favre plays for. I want him to fail. Vikings, Jets, Packers, whatever.
November 6th, 2009 at 11:00 am
The real problem with Favre is those that cover him. ESPN constantly shoves his every move down our throats and the announcers feel Favre can do no wrong. You also have John Madden’s non stop blathering about Favre during other games not involving the Packers or Jets. (Madden retired before Viking Brett, thank God.) It’s the unbalanced coverage of Favre that really has fueled my dislike for Favre. I am also a Bears fan so my anger with him is mostly due to the ruined Sundays I have endured over the years by the arm of #4. All in all is the guy a great QB yes indeed and a sure Hall of Famer.
Go BEARS!
December 6th, 2009 at 6:57 pm
The Judas sign was just over-the-top ridiculous. I agree with the poster that wonders why Favre is so vilified. he wanted to come back. It is his talent, body, arm, money, life, safety, etc. Many millions of men wish they could do what he does. Why shouldn’t he be allowed to do it for as long as possible? I would rather see Favre on the field playing than Dog killer Vick, people killer Leonard Little, rape druggist Janikowski or cheerleader-loving Chmura. (In defense of Chmura, at least he had the sense to just shut up and go away.) I am a sports fan, but I am not royally offended by favre. If Walter Payton had chosen to come back with Green Bay or Minnesota, it wouldn’t have bothered me one whit. Let them play the kid’s game for as long as possible. They have been blessed with that ability. They should milk it for all they can, I say.