Dear Mr. Favre,
As a fan of the Washington Redskins, I’ve never had much animosity towards you, if any. My beloved team only played your Green Bay Packers a handful of times over the years, and aside from those few contests, it was a joy watching you take the field each week with childlike enthusiasm.
Your consecutive starting streak is to be commended, your Super Bowl ring envied, your cameo in “There’s Something About Mary” applauded. You gave the people of Green Bay some wonderful memories over your 16-year career there, and it wasn’t surprising to see many of them saddened by your recent retirement.
I remember watching you play in the Monday Night Football game the day after your father died, in awe as you lit up the Oakland Raiders in a performance for the ages. Four touchdowns in one game is amazing -- unless you’re Tom Brady, of course, then it’s rather standard -- but beyond that, you showed the sporting world that night that you are as tough as they come.
Built Ford tough. A true Wrangler man. The epitome of American-born testosterone.
The f—ing Gunslinger.
So it was a bit hard to swallow, after coming off one of your greatest -- or at the very least, most unexpected -- seasons, you finally decided to hang it up. You gave the sporting world a heartfelt goodbye complete with tears shed, not ones of pain, but of pure, unadulterated passion. You may not have wanted to go, but you knew it was time.
That is, until you started acting like a 12 year-old girl.
Text messages to the owner? Talking behind people’s backs? Voicing your displeasure publicly -- on a news station, nonetheless! -- rather than settling your differences behind closed doors?
Weak, Brett. Very weak.
Yes, I do realize you aren’t the only player in this internationally-televised game of chess, and that the Packers organization is being a bit childish as well. You have to remember, however, that you are the one under contract for two more years, and that the team has your future in its frozen little mitts. Unfortunate, but indeed true.
So at the risk of crying over spilt milk, here’s what I think should’ve happened:
If you were upset with the organization after some poor decision-making -- i.e. not landing Randy Moss or re-signing some key linemen -- and had thoughts of playing somewhere else, maybe you should’ve shared those thoughts before you “retired.” Sure, the greater Green Bay area would’ve imploded had the team traded you for some draft picks, but it would’ve all been done under rather normal circumstances.
It’s not easy leaving behind a city that essentially raised and nurtured you and provided you with some great times -- just ask Wayne Gretzky about Edmonton or Kevin Garnett about Minneapolis. (Actually, nevermind asking KG. He may have a different opinion now.)
Regardless, I think you know what I’m getting at. Requesting a trade in March would’ve caused a lot of discomfort, but if it was done behind closed doors, it may have worked. Now that this episode is more fitting for the Oxygen Network than ESPN, however, your reputation as the macho-est of men is going down the tubes.
You sat down with Greta Van Susteren, for shit’s sake! Did you not realize that she has boobs? Not John Madden boobs, but real, live, lactating boobs? I know she’s a Packers shareholder, but come on, man, show some dignity. I’m sure Peter King would’ve given the right of prima nocte with his beloved daughter to land that interview.
The moral of the story here is that no matter how this situation ends, you are the bad guy. I hate to break it to you, Brett, but it’s true.
You’re the one that made the call to close that locker one final time, you’re the one that put your emotions on your sleeve in front of millions of people, and you’re the one that has treated Green Bay like your own personal diary for the past few offseasons. He loves me, he loves me not... I’ll retire, I’ll come back for one more year.
You made the ultimate decision, now you have to live with it. The team moved on, and it’s time for you to do the same.
Would it be a trip to see you play in another city for a year or two? Heck yeah it would, especially if it were in a place like Miami, the polar opposite of the Frozen Tundra. But the Green Bay personnel are doing exactly what they should be doing, and that is holding you to your word.
If I were Ted Thompson and could throw you out there as some serious trade bait, believe me, I would. There’s not a heatball’s chance in Lambeau I’d release you, though, as that would be bad business. This is the NFL, Brett, and them’s the breaks.
Good luck with your future endeavors, wherever they may take you. If you are able to finagle your way out of your contract and play for someone else this year, great. Just do us a favor and figure this shit out quietly. Training camps start this week around the league, and I’d rather the media focus on those guys that are putting in the time and the energy to make it on the gridiron, not those that can’t work up enough power to let it all go.
Sincerely,
MWP
As a fan of the Washington Redskins, I’ve never had much animosity towards you, if any. My beloved team only played your Green Bay Packers a handful of times over the years, and aside from those few contests, it was a joy watching you take the field each week with childlike enthusiasm.
Your consecutive starting streak is to be commended, your Super Bowl ring envied, your cameo in “There’s Something About Mary” applauded. You gave the people of Green Bay some wonderful memories over your 16-year career there, and it wasn’t surprising to see many of them saddened by your recent retirement.
I remember watching you play in the Monday Night Football game the day after your father died, in awe as you lit up the Oakland Raiders in a performance for the ages. Four touchdowns in one game is amazing -- unless you’re Tom Brady, of course, then it’s rather standard -- but beyond that, you showed the sporting world that night that you are as tough as they come.
Built Ford tough. A true Wrangler man. The epitome of American-born testosterone.
The f—ing Gunslinger.
So it was a bit hard to swallow, after coming off one of your greatest -- or at the very least, most unexpected -- seasons, you finally decided to hang it up. You gave the sporting world a heartfelt goodbye complete with tears shed, not ones of pain, but of pure, unadulterated passion. You may not have wanted to go, but you knew it was time.
That is, until you started acting like a 12 year-old girl.
Text messages to the owner? Talking behind people’s backs? Voicing your displeasure publicly -- on a news station, nonetheless! -- rather than settling your differences behind closed doors?
Weak, Brett. Very weak.
Yes, I do realize you aren’t the only player in this internationally-televised game of chess, and that the Packers organization is being a bit childish as well. You have to remember, however, that you are the one under contract for two more years, and that the team has your future in its frozen little mitts. Unfortunate, but indeed true.
So at the risk of crying over spilt milk, here’s what I think should’ve happened:
If you were upset with the organization after some poor decision-making -- i.e. not landing Randy Moss or re-signing some key linemen -- and had thoughts of playing somewhere else, maybe you should’ve shared those thoughts before you “retired.” Sure, the greater Green Bay area would’ve imploded had the team traded you for some draft picks, but it would’ve all been done under rather normal circumstances.
It’s not easy leaving behind a city that essentially raised and nurtured you and provided you with some great times -- just ask Wayne Gretzky about Edmonton or Kevin Garnett about Minneapolis. (Actually, nevermind asking KG. He may have a different opinion now.)
Regardless, I think you know what I’m getting at. Requesting a trade in March would’ve caused a lot of discomfort, but if it was done behind closed doors, it may have worked. Now that this episode is more fitting for the Oxygen Network than ESPN, however, your reputation as the macho-est of men is going down the tubes.
You sat down with Greta Van Susteren, for shit’s sake! Did you not realize that she has boobs? Not John Madden boobs, but real, live, lactating boobs? I know she’s a Packers shareholder, but come on, man, show some dignity. I’m sure Peter King would’ve given the right of prima nocte with his beloved daughter to land that interview.
The moral of the story here is that no matter how this situation ends, you are the bad guy. I hate to break it to you, Brett, but it’s true.
You’re the one that made the call to close that locker one final time, you’re the one that put your emotions on your sleeve in front of millions of people, and you’re the one that has treated Green Bay like your own personal diary for the past few offseasons. He loves me, he loves me not... I’ll retire, I’ll come back for one more year.
You made the ultimate decision, now you have to live with it. The team moved on, and it’s time for you to do the same.
Would it be a trip to see you play in another city for a year or two? Heck yeah it would, especially if it were in a place like Miami, the polar opposite of the Frozen Tundra. But the Green Bay personnel are doing exactly what they should be doing, and that is holding you to your word.
If I were Ted Thompson and could throw you out there as some serious trade bait, believe me, I would. There’s not a heatball’s chance in Lambeau I’d release you, though, as that would be bad business. This is the NFL, Brett, and them’s the breaks.
Good luck with your future endeavors, wherever they may take you. If you are able to finagle your way out of your contract and play for someone else this year, great. Just do us a favor and figure this shit out quietly. Training camps start this week around the league, and I’d rather the media focus on those guys that are putting in the time and the energy to make it on the gridiron, not those that can’t work up enough power to let it all go.
Sincerely,
MWP
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