Favre v. Packer Nation

A game hasn't been played, and it already feels like we’re losing.

Let me preface this by making it very clear that I sincerely love Green Bay Packers football. Nothing makes me want to get drunk and jump in the way of Donte Stallworth’s wayward automobile more than when they (inevitably) blow game after game.

Mainstream media’s infatuation with Favre, intentional or not, deservedly or not, has tarnished his image, forever. Isn’t that enough? Are we, as Packer fans, going to let his comeback continue to torment us?

I’ve never seen a story more closely covered than the 3-plus weeks ESPN spent in the late summer of 2008 setting Wendi Nix up in Kiln, waiting for 4 to make his final decision. They built him up (Oakland MNF, Seahawks comeback, near-Super Bowl berth), only to break him down (painkiller addiction, interception-fest, playoff losses, indecisive decision maker). Non-stop Favre coverage for the past year has been like poison to football fans. Still, like alcoholics in the face of a bottle of tequila, we took shots of it, cringed, then drank some more.

Don’t you realize, Packer fan/Favre haters, what it is you’re doing? They want the “Can you believe how much lil’ God-lovin’, Cow-milkin’ Wisconsin hates the good ol’ boy?” story. You didn’t mean to, but you bought in, Packer fan/Favre haters. Think about it from another perspective…

My dad is 55 years old. He loves his family, and, while he truly enjoys the work he does, he’s not sure if he can endure the pressure of coming in and making such influential decisions anymore. The last few years, he’s considered leaving the company for other pursuits- retirement, teaching, travel- whatever it is that he wants to do. I imagine the following, fairly realistic, situation, and how I would react:

My dad finally chooses to quit his job at a medical research company, and informs the company of his decision. Being away for a while left my dad restless and missing his job. After mulling it over, he decided he could absorb the stresses of at least one more year, and changed his mind. Nevertheless, his company left him no choice but to leave, as they had a 30 year old they had already promoted to be groomed for the position.

I wouldn't blame the company, or my dad, for that situation. (Note: this was an important realization, because last year at this time, I blamed the company) And I don't think anyone (stockholders, front office people, fellow workers in the industry) would really have the right to be mad if he chose to go work for a rival company. It’s really unfortunate, because I'm sure people felt a certain bond having him running the first company's lab for so long, but that company put him in that position. Both move on. No love should be lost.

Like a worker at the first company with my dad, I want to hate Favre, because it’s easy; but, ultimately, it's his decision to make. It's his life; as he says, "the legacy (...) it's mine." I feel betrayed as a fan that he chose to go to our biggest rival, but I can't/don't blame him as a man for choosing to continue at the profession he excels at.

I realize this is football, not pharmaceutical research. But it still has parallels. Take the media out of it, and what do you have? If this situation came about 40 years ago, what would we be left with? Yes, Favre held a tearful press conference, he told Peter King and Joe Buck and Chris Mortenson and that dude from the Biloxi Sun everything that was going on in his mind. But is that really a reason to hate the guy?

Packer fan 1: “so much for watching TV for another 2 weeks… FML…what a douche…cutler v. favre, i don't even know who i'd root for in that matchup…my favre hatred is spiraling out of control (excuse the pun)”

Packer fan 2: “…he’s a traitor he’s a traitor he’s a traitor he’s a traitor…”

Disappointed? Sure. Every time I see that purple #4, I know I’ll shudder. If he just had to leave, couldn’t he have gone somewhere else than Minnesota? Couldn’t he have made a decision quicker? Did he really have to draw out the whole process? Does he realize what he’s doing – is this whole comeback/un-retirement a ploy to get his name in the public? The point is, no matter what the answers to these questions are, it really doesn’t matter. Call me a Favre apologist if you will, but if you’re letting it get to you, that’s really too bad.

As hard as it’ll be playing him twice a year, and trying to take down the division over a team he will be leading, I think we’ll all be okay (especially if the Packers are winning). If you get caught up in the Vikings, it’s your loss for focusing on the QB across the western state line, while ESPN, amongst others, takes advantage of your frustration.

So take a deep breath. Let’s all enjoy the fact that our favorite team is an exciting bunch, full of youth, talent, depth, and Kuhn, led by a top-5 player at the same position as Favre. In fact, maybe we should take a page out of that QB’s book-

"I don't have a reaction. It doesn't pertain to me. It has absolutely nothing to do with me. It doesn't change anything. It has nothing to do with the Green Bay Packers."

No matter what happens in the standings, the season will be a lot more enjoyable if the ol’ Wisconsinites just handle “Brent” with the indifference he deserves.