By Daniel Torres / Asst. Sports Editor
By Daniel Torres / Asst. Sports Editor
Brett Favre’s career with the Green Bay Packers was nothing short of magnificent. His distinguished play has given him almost every record a quarterback could own, including a Super Bowl Win.
Favre was also one of the most loved players, keyword being “was.” The state of Wisconsin was infatuated with Favre, in fact, the name Brett rose dramatically for baby names in the late 90’s and early 00’s in Wisconsin.
So seeing Favre in a Vikings uniform now definitely angered a lot of Packer fans, especially those who named their child after him.
So should we view Favre and think bad? Should we think of him as a traitor? The answer is no.
True, Favre did flip-flop on his retirement decision. The Green Bay management though, wanted to move on with the future of the organization.
They wanted to move on with Aaron Rodgers, the young quarterback who had always sat on the bench and watched Favre go out and make history. If Favre came back, he was to sit on the bench as Rodgers went out onto the field.
What a slap in the face to Favre, after all he did for that organization, as well as the State of Wisconsin.
Whenever a player walks into your organization and gives you over fifteen years of hall of fame play with only one losing season, you keep that player, hands down.
Instead, the Packers dumped him with the New York Jets, where they knew they wouldn’t have to face him again. Then all of a sudden, one season later, Favre is a free agent and is free to sign with whomever he wants.
Favre chose to sign with the Vikings. They were the team most interested in him, and I’m sure having two shots to get back at the team that sent him packing was probably on his mind somewhere.
Then there are the Packer fans, the loyal cheese heads we hear so much about. Where’s the loyalty for the man you think of every time you call over little Brett for supper?
Where were they at when general manager Ted Thompson and coach Mike McCarthy were reluctant in taking back Favre? Where were all the Packer fans when Favre was shipped out to New York, did they try to bring him back? No.
So Favre got his first chance at revenge when the Packers came to visit him in Minnesota Oct 5. He got his revenge with a 30-23 win.
The real game to watch though was Favre’s infamous return to Lambeau Field. The very place that used to chant his name as if he was God, because in Green Bay, Brett Favre was God.
So what kind of reception does a player like Favre get going back to Lambeau Field. He got booed and had to watch as fans held up fake dummies of him in a casket. He finds out that the mayor of Green Bay declared it flip flop day because of Favre’s inability to make a decision. Worst of all, Favre also received a death threat called into a Wisconsin radio station.
National columnist Jay Mariotti summed it up best when he wrote, “The hostility toward Brett Favre was an embarrassment to a community that never looked smaller.”
Favre still went into Lambeau, he played through all the boos each time he was on the field, and he silenced the crowd each time he scored. And yes, Favre got his revenge once again as he jumped off that field in a 38-26 victory, throwing four touchdowns along the way.
He had shown his old boss that he still had what it took to play. That it was their loss for letting him go. I can’t even begin to imagine what Thompson and McCarthy thought of when they each went to bed that night.
All we know is that Favre is happy and the Packers’ management definitely got what it deserved. Congratulations Brett, way to stick it to the man.
Luke • Oct 24, 2013 at 8:55 am
I really enjoyed reading this in 2013. Brings back memories.