But then there is professional football.
I will follow the Packers and Saints win or lose. There is something about the game that piques my interest and motivates me to keep watching. But I must admit the latest chapter in the Favre-Packer relationship has me puzzled.
Favre Partly to Blame
To be fair, Brett brought this on himself. I can understand how he felt when the Giants stunned the Packers and their fans by knocking Green Bay out of their Super Bowl bid last year. He told the media that he was retiring because anything short of a Super Bowl victory this year would be disappointing for him and with so many good teams, such a victory could not be assured simply by his return.
I get it. He was tired - exhausted even - from playing one of his best seasons ever. He was shocked by the loss. Even so, he should have kept his mouth shut and waited for things to settle down before making any rash decisions. Like Michael Jordan, to stop playing the game would be like trying to stop breathing. Anyone who followed Favre's career at all knows this about him, even if he did not know it about himself until earlier this year.
If you don't think Favre is motivated to play, consider this: the Packers offered him a $20 million marketing deal to stay retired, which he turned down. That's a lot of future-generation-little-Favres' college educations to pass up.
Packers Also to Blame
As much as all of this could have been avoided had Favre just waited until this past spring to see how he felt about playing again before saying anything, I feel the Packers have made a huge mistake by letting him go. For the past 16 years the Packers have been defined by Brett Favre's leadership. To not have #4 leading the team - especially after such a great season last year - is very perplexing.
But it is all about business, after all. Aaron Rodgers is getting old sitting on the bench. The Packers, mindful of this and with Favre waffling regarding his return, bet the farm on Rodgers. Their commitment is commendable. Their desire not to go back on their word to him shows their integrity as a business. But businesses are about money, and sometimes circumstances change that require them to make tough decisions.
For instance, considering Aaron Rodgers seems to be either extremely unlucky or injury prone, the Packers acquired two promising, extremely talented backup quarterbacks in Matt Flynn (from LSU) and Brian Bohm (Louisville). Bohm was named the 2005 Big East Offensive Player of the Year while Flynn lead LSU's Tigers to victory in the BCS Championship game last year. So, should Aaron Rodgers not work out, they have plenty of talent. Like I said, it is strictly business. The Packers will have no problem replacing Rodgers with either Flynn or Bohm should it become necessary to do so.
But was that really the best business decision?
Brett Favre is a brand. To not be in a Packers uniform tarnishes that brand. It is as simple as that. The Packers originally said they would not trade him to a conference rival because they were concerned with "tarnishing his legacy." Bull. They were concerned the coveted combination of Favre and Randy Moss might beat the pants off them. It is as simple as that.
I totally understand Favre's desire to play. Professional athletes hardly ever retire after a good season. In fact, most professional athletes either retire from an injury, or when their performance degrades to the point they can no longer compete at a level expected from them by themselves, their team, and their fans. Favre - coming off one of his best years ever - should have known at least that much about himself before retiring.
Where are the Owners?
The Green Bay Packers are unique in that they are owned by a community of shareholders, most of whom live in Green Bay. I don't know the extent to which stockholders have rights in a situation like this, but I do know that each stockholder has voting rights. I also know that an owner of a team can instruct its coaches to do certain things - whether they want to do them or not. Finally, I believe the owner(s) of a professional sports franchise has a responsibility to see the team is managed in a way that represents the best potential financial success. It seems to me the stockholders of the Green Bay Packers have failed both the fans and the team by not forcing the coaching staff and management to retain Favre.
Packers Took The Biggest Risk
The biggest shock will happen during this football season. Odds are the Packers will not make it to the Super Bowl under Aaron Rodgers. As Favre already pointed out, there are too many other good teams out there. I want you to pay close attention to the Packers this year and wait for the head coach or GM to utter something similar to the following phrase:
We knew going into this season it would be a rebuilding year for us.
Remember - you heard it here first, folks.
There is no need for a rebuilding year. Favre had a great offense at his command last year. The key players are back, and the offense has been shored up with their draft picks. This year's team - with Favre as Quarterback - would have been as talented as the 1996 Packers who went all the way. Perhaps even more so, as the current offense does not depend on guys like Desmond Howard to make the key plays.
While I think it unlikely that either the Favre-less Packers or Favre-enabled Jets will make it to the Super Bowl this year, I think it would have been much more likely that Green Bay could have made it with Favre at the helm. A Super Bowl victory does wonders for a team's bottom line and will carry them many years. Even without a Super Bowl victory, I think the Packer's won-loss record would have been much higher if they had retained Favre.
But what happens if the Jets do go all the way - or even just get in the playoffs and the Packers do not? All the bad decisions of the coaching staff, the management, and the stockholders (for putting up with the coaches and managers) will be exposed, and the damage to the franchise will be just as lingering as would a Super Bowl victory or playoff appearance would be beneficial.
At the end of the day, Brett Favre has to play until he can't any more. It's in his nature, and the Packers should have found a way for him to do that in Green Bay. The Jets were willing to give up Chad Pennington, who was a first round draft pick and is loved and respected in the Jet's locker room. With Matt Flynn and Brian Bohm on board, the Packers should have been willing to do the same with Rodgers to make room for the one guy who eclipsed even the legacy of Bart Starr in their history. As a die-hard Packer fan, I think they owed him that much - and I believe it was their best business decision as well.
Of course, maybe I am wrong. Maybe the Packers know something I don't (I certainly hope so). Maybe they will go all they way with Aaron Rodgers. If they do, I will be cheering them all the way.
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