I know I wrote a little bit about Favre when the Vikings were allegedly discussing things with him. The NFL deemed that no tampering was involved and so on the saga goes.
Favre went to Green Bay and was reinstated into the league. This was a big deal. A really big deal. Then after a day and a half, he left without even stepping foot onto the practice field. I have a few friends that are Packers fans, and they seem torn. One, who I admit may not be the most knowledgable on football of the three, is the most knowledgeable and level headed of the group, but he thinks that Favre should just stay retired. Which really isn’t a bad place for him to be, on his ranch in Mississippi. Another one thinks that Favre should go back to Mississippi, but he doesn’t care where he plays, it is all about the Packers anyways and he is still pissed at Brett. The other might as well be on Favre’s jock, permanently. Seriously.
As a person who is not a fan of the Packers, I love this mess. Personally, I would hate to see Brett in any other uniform but a Green Bay Packer uniform, however, part of me would want to see the dilemma that is posed if indeed Brett plays football in another city other than Green Bay Wisconsin.
I think that there are such diehard fans of Brett favre, that the Packers fan base would shrink instantly. The Favre faithful would be faithful to him, and not the team, and if say he was traded to Tampa Bay, if Tampa ended up playing Green Bay in Green Bay (which sadly the Packers play at Tampa week 4) the crowd would probably cheer Brett more than they would cheer Aaron Rodgers.
I just feel that Packers fans feel that they have to pick either Favre or the Packers in this mess. He revived the Packers, he made Green Bay relevant again, he has been the face of the Packers for 16 seasons. He basically has been the Packers. Everytime you think of the Packers, who do you think of, Brett Favre.
Of course, fans could just stay with their team, and the people of Wisconsin could continue to root for the Packers, even though they have kinda kicked the biggest superstar the state has seen out. I can see some anger amonst fans toward the franchise, especially if Rodgers struggles, which he will.
So who do you pick, the hero of the franchise, Brett Favre, or the franchise that kicked the hero to the curb, the Green Bay Packers.
Case for Favre: If you are a fan of the Packers only because of Favre, obviously you take his side. He made football in Green Bay relevant again. He is one of the top quarterbacks of all time. He carried the franchise on his back. He is the franchise. Wherever he goes, he will always be synanomous with the Green Bay green and gold. He felt forced out, he wants to be a Packer, they don’t want him. He doesn’t want to play anywhere else, Green Bay is his first option, that is where he wants to be. They don’t want him, but he wants to play, he will play, well, somewhere else. If you like him, follow him to where he goes.
Case for the Packers: They have been grooming a quarterback for three seasons now, and they want him to play. Brett had been lingering on the edge of retirement for years, and finally now he does, so the team moves on. The team was there before Brett, and very succesful through the 60′s, but in the 1970s-early 90′s they weren’t so much. The team will be there after Brett, it is the team, your team, other greats played there, don’t forget about Bart Starr or Vince Lombardi.
Best case scenario: Favre stays retired, and always stays a Packer.
Worst case scenario: Favre goes to Minnesota and they win the Super Bowl
Best case scenario for me: Favre goes to Chicago and wins a Super Bowl
Most likely scenario: Favre plays on another team for two seasons
Most likely scenario #2: Favre goes back to Mississippi and continues making wrangler commercials
2008 NFL predictions coming soon
