The only thing more annoying than the lack of news at this time of year when free agency, the Draft, mini-camps and OTA’s have ended and training camp is still a few weeks away, is the need (especially on the NFL Network) to cover this absence of anything noteworthy with the annual will-he-won’t-he debate concerning Brett Favre’s future. This has been a yearly fixture in the NFL’s off-season calendar since I started following the game, and every year it gets more frustrating, boring and, dare I say it, irrelevant. Never have so many on-air minutes being dedicated to an off-the-field issue, and, apart from the feeling of irritating déjà vu, the saga is in danger of damaging the legacy of one of American football’s most legendary quarterbacks.
The latest episode of this soap opera sees Favre ponder on whether he should return or not (again!) after announcing his retirement a few months ago (again!). This time, however, the discussion concerns the Minnesota Vikings who – directly or otherwise – have expressed an interest in Favre should he decide to come out of retirement. This mirror’s last year’s chapter, where a disgruntled Favre un-retired and was traded to the New York Jets. To be fair, though, Favre has been silent on this year’s debate, the communications coming mostly from his agent Bus Cook, Minnesota’s head coach Brad Childress, and every sports reporter in the US. Even so, it is ridiculous to see that a man can warrant so much interest and speculation without even opening his mouth.
For, despite his silence, Favre is the one who is coming across worst here. His bizarre, indecisive and, at times, petulant behaviour has made him a disappointment in the eyes of many. Because of his strong arm, his leadership and his toughness, Favre was admired, not just by Packers fans, but by NFL enthusiasts in general. Here was a living legend, a man who everyone wanted on their team but who is now, sadly, outstaying his welcome. The problem is not his refusal to retire – anyone would find it hard to walk away from something they have enjoyed doing all their lives. Instead, the problem is in the procrastinating, the fact that teams, players and fans are kept in suspense for months before he makes up his mind. And this infuriates many.
Case in point: in 2005, Green Bay drafted Aaron Rodgers, their quarterback for the future and Favre’s heir apparent. Naturally, the youngster had to wait his turn. And he waited. And waited. Admittedly, Favre was playing to a high standard, so the Packers were fine with allowing their future project to learn in the sidelines. When the 2007 off-season came along, Favre took the franchise on a dance of indecision which the team patiently tolerated, allowing Favre to take his time, much to the detriment of Rodgers’ development as the team’s leader. Favre returned, and led the team to the NFC Championship game, breaking key long-term passing records in the process. Last year, he announced his retirement, allowing the Packers to close the book on his era and move on to the next chapter.
However, once the Packers had agreed to mortgage their future on Rodgers, Favre decided to return. Correctly so, especially seeing as Rodgers had been practising as the first-string quarterback, the Packers failed to guarantee Favre the starting spot. Instead of seeing this as a sensible move for a franchise that has long-term plans for the quarterback position, Favre took this as an insult. He refused to compete for the starting job, instead requesting a trade, which was granted. Favre’s legendary career at Green Bay had ended in a most immature and sulky manner.
Favre’s time with the Jets has been well-documented, how he started off strong and then faded significantly down the stretch. He picked up an injury which convinced him that retirement was best, a conviction he seems to have forgotten.
Can Favre still play? The answer is a clear yes. There are many franchises who would value his experience, and Minnesota would certainly benefit from his contribution in the development of Tavares Jackson, their quarterback of the future. Can Favre still play to his usual standard? I am afraid that the answer there is not that clear-cut. 2007 aside, Favre’s numbers have been noticeably lower over the last few seasons. He has been troubled by injury and age is taking its strain on his famous gun slinging arm-strength. And, while Kerry Collins and Kurt Warner demonstrated last season that a franchise can still be safe in the hands of a thirty-something triggerman, any bets on Favre can only bring short-term relief.
But it is the impact on his legacy that concerns me the most. Like many others, I have gone off Favre. In my eyes, he has gone from a rugged leader to a spoilt drama queen. His latest decision to keep the Vikings waiting until the self-imposed deadline of the 30th July is yet another example of an attention-seeking and ego-massaging behaviour that is ruining his credibility as one of the game’s true greats.
Friday, July 17, 2009
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