ideamark

When to retire...

I hope that I'm able to continue working as a writer as long as I'm phyiscally, mentally and emotionally able, and still find it an interesting activity and a reason for getting up in the morning. In other words, I don't want to be "forced" into retirement. So... I understand that kind of feeling in anyone else...

That said, Brett Favre announced he was going to retire. The Green Bay Packers made plans accordingly. Then... Mr Favre may have had a change of heart, and now it's a messy situation.

It reminds me of a certain film of a few years ago where Jack Nicholson is ready to retire from his job at Woodmen of the World (insurance) in Omaha... the company throws him a retirement party, a replacement is installed... then Jack just can't/won't leave. He keeps hanging out in the office. His replacement and the folks at WOW don't know what to do. In the movie it's played to subtle comic effect. But... imagine this situation in any workplace, esp a storied NFL franchise, with the Man Who Wouldn't Leave After He Promised being arguably The Franchise.

A couple more thoughts:

>> Interesting to read that the general consensus on Wisconsin sports talk radio seems to be "Brett, be gone!" There was one story about a rally at Lambeau Field that had a "crowd" of about one hundred Favre supporters.

>> A couple months ago, I read a story about a possible jam-up at the NFL Hall of Fame in five years, with a number of 2008 retirements of potential Canton inductees. Perhaps Favre decided he didn't want to be part of a crowd... or worried that he might not make it into the HOF on the first ballot? ;-)

>> It's always best to go out on top. I'm always baffled at folks who criticize wrestlers who win an Olympic medal and then retire (Cael). To my way of thinking, a good number of fans will remember your career by what you do at the end of your career. If you stay around too long and your skills deteriorate -- or you go out injured -- that's how you'll be remembered. And what a sad way to go.

Mark

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Adolf Oliverbush

What's the big shame of him being the backup? He retired, now there's a new starter. How is the team wrong for letting him come back but him being the #2 guy?

Zapp Brannigan

Brett Favre is a better quarterback then Aaron Rodgers, and a HOF QB to boot. Last season he had one of his best. Professional athletes only get to utilize their talents for so long, they dont'get to work until they're 60 or 70, or most of them even until they're 40. He thought he was ready to give it up, but he wasn't. Brett Favre has never missed a start in Packers uniform, and even came and played in the wake of his father's death. Brett Favre gave everything he had to the Packers franchise. He's earned some leeway. Not to mention he's flat out just a better QB then Aaron Rodgers.

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Adolf Oliverbush

If he's flat out better, shouldn't we expect for Favre to win the QB job back from Rodgers? And spare me the he earned anything, he was compensated very nicely for his contributions. The man retired. Green Bay moved on. Now he wants to return. What is the problem with him be the #2 guy in mid July? Is his ego so big that he can't be labled the #2 guy? Is that what this is really about, his ego? 1 Superbowl win in 16 years, while great, has been eclipsed or matched by hundreds and hundreds of guys.

Zapp Brannigan

How about: 61,655 yards. 442 TD's. 253 consecutive starts. 160 wins as QB. Those are NFL records. As in, in the history of the league, nobody has more then Brett Favre in any of those categories. Winning Super Bowls is tough business, and if you don't have the team around you, it's hard. He won one. Just ask Steve Young. Favre also won two NFL MVP's.

If Green Bay moved on, why won't they let him out of his contract? Why won't they try to trade him? He's not demanding to be a Packer again, if that's not what they want. He wants to play football, and he wants to start. He doesn't feel Green Bay wants him there, nor does he feel they will give him a fair shake at starting QB.

Bottom line is, Brett Favre could call their bluff, show up at Green Bay and not get a fair shake, and be a $12 million back up QB. He would be causing a divide in the lockerroom as players chose sides, and just ruin the team's chances. He's trying to be the bigger man. Green Bay won't let him.

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Adolf Oliverbush

Very impressive stats indeed. All of those stats will get you 1 super bowl. They had the team to win twice as many too, but they blew it against Denver. The stats are great, just ask Marino how much those stats mean to him.

I don't see what any of those stats have a thing to do with him being Green Bay's number 2 quarterback. Joe Montana could unretire right now and demand to be SF's starter too and he actually won 4 times as many Super Bowls as Favre did. But that would be ridiculous, just like it is with Favre.

They don't want to trade him becuase they don't want him beating them. You've got to be able to understand that. The guy can still play, even if he did retire and it would be silly for Green Bay to let someone else have him, when they're willing to take him.

And LoL @ trying to be the bigger man. The bigger man wouldn't come back and stir all these issues that are now going on. You're welcomed back, just earn your spot back. Better hope he doesn't go to a dome team, his ego wont fit in the building.

Zapp Brannigan

An argument that holds little water, since Brett Favre actually DOES have a Super Bowl victory as well as the stats. There are no holes in his resume.

[quote}I don't see what any of those stats have a thing to do with him being Green Bay's number 2 quarterback. Joe Montana could unretire right now and demand to be SF's starter too and he actually won 4 times as many Super Bowls as Favre did. But that would be ridiculous, just like it is with Favre.[/quote]

Another ridiculous argument, because Joe Montana retired years and years ago, while Favre was playing at an elite level just last season, and in the position that he wants right now. He retired and then unretired in less then 2 months. No games have been played. Aaron Rodgers has done nothing to TAKE his starting position. Rodgers was the PRESUMPTIVE starter because Favre was retired. Rodgers was there next best option. Now their best option has changed his mind, and wants his position back. Did the Bulls make Michael Jordan try out for them when he unretired? No.

They're not going to pay a man $12 million dollars to be a back up QB. It's a bluff to try and get Favre to stay retired. What they're doing is going to be a PR nightmare for them, and Favre has TRIED to give them aneasier way out. They prefer Aaron Rodgers as their starter next year, then fine. Let him go. He's nearing his 40's and only has so many years left. He wants to start, and it's his career. Brett Favre made the franchise relevant after decades of nobody caring. he should be treated with more respect then this.

They're not asking him to earn his spot, they've literally told him that he would be Aaron Rodgers backup.

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RYou

I smell a trade. Give it 6 weeks when the first starter elsewhere goes down.

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19-0 ? Hell No ! 18 Wins and 1 GIANT Loss !

r.payton@att.net

If I were the G.M. of the Packers and I'd gone through all the celebating and good-byes and all -I'd say -heck eith it -cut him and see if anyone else will risk paying his salary .
Green Bay doesn't deserve to be treated this way -Favre .IMO, is being disrespectful to the organisation by flip-flopping this way-
He is old and slow for an NFL QB-let him go through waivers and play in the CFL next year - He is definitely NOT going out with any class .

Gantry

As a lifelong Chicago native, let me say that I am loving every minute of this soap opera. Couldn't happen to a finer organization than the Packers, keep dragging this out all season. Please!