Favre

[Ed Hoyle]

Don't blame Favre's family for his actions...and vice versa.

 

Anyway, someone sent this to me. It's an interesting read.

 

 

Enigmatic, charismatic, contradictory Favre departs

JIM SOUHAN, Star Tribune

 

Brett Favre will stand on the Vikings' sideline for the last time today. Thus will end one of the most volatile episodes in Minnesota sports history, an 18-month window in which Favre sequentially proved right anyone who ever praised or doubted him.

 

Favre will end his career as a limping contradiction. In a society that revels in either-or debates, Favre has proved that "all of the above" can be the correct assessment of a polarizing individual.

 

You can take either side in a debate about Favre and be right.

 

He is at once the most prolific passer in NFL history and the most erratic great quarterback to ever play the game.

 

He is renowned for his fourth-quarter comebacks and clutch play, and yet has thrown more season-destroying interceptions than any quarterback in history.

 

He is the toughest man in the annals of a brutal sport -- having started 297 consecutive games at a position that is the equivalent of a clay pigeon at a shotgun range -- and the most emotionally needy player ever to don a helmet.

 

He is a charismatic leader who can unite a locker room and inspire a huddle, and he is a divisive figure who was known in New York for ignoring his teammates.

 

He wouldn't tutor Aaron Rodgers, his chosen successor in Green Bay, yet he volunteers his time coaching high school kids in Hattiesburg, Miss.

He launched or improved the careers of a dozen coaches -- including Andy Reid, Jon Gruden and Mike Holmgren -- and ended the head coaching career of the man who brought him to Minnesota and helped him make $28 million in 18 months.

 

He craves the spotlight but won't dress for it, favoring old jeans, sweaty golf hats and perpetual stubble even during news conferences watched by millions.

He shuns the media five days a week -- a writer from Washington, D.C., once told me it was easier to land a one-on-one interview with the President than with Favre -- yet manipulates national reporters every week to disseminate dubious messages.

 

He will forever be remembered as an iconic Packer, yet he began his career with Atlanta, visited New York and chose to finish his career with the Packers' arch-rival, intent on beating the franchise that made him famous.

 

He is a Hall of Fame quarterback who became a symbol of longevity, and yet each of the four teams that employed him was glad to see him go.

 

He prides himself, as he once told me, in "playing like a kid," even when teammates put a rocking chair in front of his locker.

 

He "loves the game" yet can't bring himself to show up for offseason workouts or the opening day of training camp.

 

He is a Southern good ol' boy who made his reputation on the Frozen Tundra.

 

He reveres the record book and NFL history but once flopped on the ground to help New York Giants defensive end Michael Strahan break a sack record.

All of which makes you wonder: When Brett Favre looks in the mirror, does his reflection appear in 3-D?

 

Because Favre is so internally conflicted, so relentlessly contradictory, offering a final assessment of him isn't easy.

 

Remember, it was a year ago that Favre was preparing to help the Vikings whip the Dallas Cowboys in the Metrodome, in one of the most impressive victories in franchise history.

 

It was less than a year ago that Favre was preparing to run the Vikings' offense up and down the field against the eventual Super Bowl champion Saints in the deafening Superdome.

 

At the age of 40, in his first season in purple, Favre came within one pass of taking the Vikings to a Super Bowl they might well have won.

Therein lies the Favre conundrum: He was the reason the Vikings were able to come within one of Favre's startlingly amateurish interceptions of doing what had never been done before in 50 years of Vikings history, and he was the reason the Vikings followed that thrilling season by with an implosion so spectacular it could probably be seen from space.

 

Favre giveth, and Favre throweth away.

 

Even at the end of a season in which he showed up late, extorted team owners for a raise, got his coach fired, destroyed his team's Super Bowl aspirations, became the subject of a sexting scandal and groveled for sympathy every time he stubbed his toe, Favre set a record for perseverance that may never be matched and conducted a dozen of the most compelling, funny, insightful news conferences we'll ever witness.

 

It is typical of Favre that as his performance and machinations destroyed this season, destroyed what might be the last chance for many of his teammates to qualify for a Super Bowl, he remained a popular figure in the locker room, a source of humor and a subject of admiration.

You can hate Favre or love him.

 

But why choose?

[bpwallace49]

Pretty logical article.

 

Only one observation that is left out . . . at the end of everything, Favre loves himself and his own opinion over everything else. Over teammates, over coaches, over family, over franchises. The only thing more impressive than his records, is his stunningly enormous ego and his high opinion of himself. While this is not a strange phenomenon in professional athletes, he prefers to live by a misbegotten legend of just being a "good ol boy that would play for free cause he loves the game". That myth was torn down over five years ago, and his legacy is poorer for it.

[Jackass]

and ended the head coaching career of the man who brought him to Minnesota and helped him make $28 million in 18 months.

 

umm, i don't think Chilly needed any help ending his career.

[BeeR]

Pretty logical article.

 

Only one observation that is left out . . . at the end of everything, Favre loves himself and his own opinion over everything else. Over teammates, over coaches, over family, over franchises. The only thing more impressive than his records, is his stunningly enormous ego and his high opinion of himself. While this is not a strange phenomenon in professional athletes, he prefers to live by a misbegotten legend of just being a "good ol boy that would play for free cause he loves the game". That myth was torn down over five years ago, and his legacy is poorer for it.

Props, very good post, very well said. I woulda probably just said "good riddance to the d-bag." Lazy that way. Thx.

[Ed Hoyle]

Pretty logical article.

 

Only one observation that is left out . . . at the end of everything, Favre loves himself and his own opinion over everything else. Over teammates, over coaches, over family, over franchises. The only thing more impressive than his records, is his stunningly enormous ego and his high opinion of himself. While this is not a strange phenomenon in professional athletes, he prefers to live by a misbegotten legend of just being a "good ol boy that would play for free cause he loves the game". That myth was torn down over five years ago, and his legacy is poorer for it.

 

 

True.

 

So, if you were Favre. Would you have played for free?

 

I believe he does love the game. I think TT was just as much behind the whole debacle, but we'll never know. But, 90% was Favre's ego.

I've got friends in GB who say TT let Favre know from the get-go that he was not "HIS" quarterback. That's just rumor, but if anyone checks the timeline, the "will I play...maybe I won't" didn't start until TT got to Green Bay, so maybe there's something to that story. Either way, Favre could have handled it with a lot more grace.

 

He totally tarnished his legacy, but the first year in MN proved that he could still play. This last year was one year too long and he went out a broken man.

 

Let's all just hope he stays retired.

 

JMHO ...If Thompson doesn't win a SuperBowl in his tenure I think he'll be better known as "the guy who chased Favre from Green Bay" and people will have forgotten Favre's stupid stupid mistakes and ego.

Edited January 14, 2011 by Ed Hoyle

[bpwallace49]

True.

 

So, if you were Favre. Would you have played for free?

 

I believe he does love the game. I think TT was just as much behind the whole debacle, but we'll never know. But, 90% was Favre's ego.

I've got friends in GB who say TT let Favre know from the get-go that he was not "HIS" quarterback. That's just rumor, but if anyone checks the timeline, the "will I play...maybe I won't" didn't start until TT got to Green Bay, so maybe there's something to that story. Either way, Favre could have handled it with a lot more grace.

 

He totally tarnished his legacy, but the first year in MN proved that he could still play. This last year was one year too long and he went out a broken man.

 

Let's all just hope he stays retired.

 

If Thompson doesn't win a SuperBowl in his tenure I think he'll be better known as "the guy who chased Favre from Green Bay" and people will have forgotten Favre's stupid stupid mistakes and ego.

 

But it sure isnt like Ted Thompson whiffed on the replacement, which would make your criticsim more justified. Aaron Rodgers is doing prettttttty well so far. One man doesnt make a team, so who knows if they would have won a super bowl if Favre stayed? he sure didnt lead anyone else to a super bowl either favre isnt about team. he isnt about teammates. he is all about HIMSELF and HIS ego. maybe he didnt like not being worshipped when TT came to town, didya think about that? Maybe that is why the empty retirement threats started? because he wasnt being catered to? He was catered to in NY (separate dressing room for the diva) and he had players come visit hom begging him to come back, (keep feeding that massive massive ego)

 

And it isnt that he got paid for playing, he deserves to be fairly compensated, and Green bay always took care of him from a financial standpoint. It is that his self constructed "legend" was just of a good ol boy that just loved the game so gol darn much he woulda played for free! Granted that is also a construct of the media (madden) but one that he tried to cultivate as well. It all comes back to his EGO.

 

And that makes me sad as a guy that watched the guy from his first snap as a Packer and I was at the game when the played his last snap as a packer.

[piratesownninjas]

JMHO ...If Thompson doesn't win a SuperBowl in his tenure I think he'll be better known as "the guy who chased Favre from Green Bay" and people will have forgotten Favre's stupid stupid mistakes and ego.

People tend to forget what kind of roster Mike Sherman had built when Thompson came on board. The team sucked, and Favre was years removed from greatness. It's my opinion that if Thompson wouldnt have taken over, Favre would have burnt out years ago. 2007 wouldnt have happened. Thompson has built up a team that has contended 3/4 years and is only getting better. He turned over a horrible roster with little talent and has built a great team going forward. I understand that you're a Favre guy through and through, but it's getting harder and harder to downplay Ted Thompsons skill. I agree at times with your assesment of Mike McCarthy and his brain farts with his playcalling, but the Ted Thompson bashing is insane. And I know that my anger towards Favre has ceased, but I wont forget how he tried to screw over a franchise and went to the rival Vikings.

[Ed Hoyle]

People tend to forget what kind of roster Mike Sherman had built when Thompson came on board. The team sucked, and Favre was years removed from greatness. It's my opinion that if Thompson wouldnt have taken over, Favre would have burnt out years ago. 2007 wouldnt have happened. Thompson has built up a team that has contended 3/4 years and is only getting better. He turned over a horrible roster with little talent and has built a great team going forward. I understand that you're a Favre guy through and through, but it's getting harder and harder to downplay Ted Thompsons skill. I agree at times with your assesment of Mike McCarthy and his brain farts with his playcalling, but the Ted Thompson bashing is insane. And I know that my anger towards Favre has ceased, but I wont forget how he tried to screw over a franchise and went to the rival Vikings.

 

 

GULP...I agree with you..for the most part....Imagine how hard it was to type that. I've always said he's nowhere near the genius that Wolf was. I can't even deny how the team is playing now. They've got a legitimate shot. (I even read a WSJ article that was talking about how one of Wolf's kids actually works for GB as a road scout.)

 

I was just making the point, that if Thompson doesn't win the big one....that it is always going to be an "asterisk" in many people's minds. I can't find the article, but the "guy who chased Favre from Green Bay" was actually used by the person who wrote the article. I just wish the battle of the egos had ended better.

 

Like, you with Favre, my being pissed at TT has faded. They have a legit shot this year at winning out the rest of their games. And, I'm already getting the ketchup ready to eat crow.