Brett Favre is Just Another Dumb Jock.

favre fable
I thought the same thing as you did. WTF. So, retire already! But, here's an explanation the way I see it, (not an expert by any means):

1. He has a limited time in the spotlight that so rapidly fades. The success he had in the last 8 games was amazing and intoxicating. Think a sports franchise resurrection which was historically unparalleled. He literally was carrying a storied sports franchise (where football is very much king) on his back to the promised land.

2. Becoming intoxicated with his own success (nearly-best-in-his-career- passing-rating-of-95), he CANNOT and WILL NOT let go. He's no public speaker (doubtful broadcasting career), so how else can he keep the spotlight on him in the same way? In 2007/2008, he rightly could have been viewed as one of the 5 best QBs in both AFC and NFC, and well on his way to SuperBowl visit.

3. He's not that bright and (unfortunately for him), he's got warrior mentality. What is there but football to him? Legs/knees/arm still work well and he can throw looooooooong and far and still with accuracy -- why not? In the off-season, he forgets the pain having the snot pounded out of him from the line. I've only seen a few QBs that can take a licking like him and still be counted on in the clutch to deliver even in the last second.
Retired NFLer (Conrad Dobler and Donnie Green) comments about career ending injuries and Pro football disability:
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2007/11/27/sports/20071128_NFL_FEATURE.html#

4. If he somehow does get freed from his contract by GB Packers near the end of the training camps, he can make the difference in NFC North to the Bears and Vikes (?). I feel sort of bad for the Packers fans whose emotions are being toyed with.

5. Blame media for building up all this sensationalistic hoopla. With so many top NFL storied careers ending, sports media is milking this story for all it's worth. Many top veterans (Brushci, Seau, Strahan, Warren Sapp) are retirering or should retire. To media writers, NFL looks a little duller and the excitement level is uncertain. The Favre story is being milked for all its worth. they're done for now kicking Ricky Williams, TO, and Vick around. Where else can they rivet the fan's attention to some sensationalistic fountain-of-shame story?

6. What would be so bad (besides overcoming damaged ego) about being new QB Rodgers super-backup? This role could be analagous to what the Celts and Havlicek had at the end of his career - the best super weapon a sports team could ever ask for!

michael jordan taught me to never say never when it comes to retirements...

Hmmm. From what I've read, I believe that Thompson (GM) has more to do with Favre's premature retirement than any media-related narcissism. This is a guy whose entire adult life has revolved around football. He's concerned about playing the game, not glory.

I don't appreciate whatever pressure the front office put on him to retire. But now that he has, I agree with the decision to stick with Rodgers and the future of the team.

There was a "Bring Favre Back" rally in Milwaukee last night. They advertised it on radio stations, the news and a web site. They opened up the parking lot of State Fair Park. 30 people showed up...

I think it is time to move on.

Question for the sake of clarity: move on, as in retire - or move on to another football club?

If you suggest that he retire, why would he retire based on his last season's performance? He still can contribute mightily to the success of any leading contender that has a good defensive and offensive line.

Regardless of what he has said, if he could swallow his pride and allow them to put him in the role of back-up QB and/or tutor, perhaps in different way, he can help transport them BACK to the play-offs again. What about the loyalty to GB and all those fans that believe in this team, this QB and that organization? With him they stand a fair chance, but without him far less of a chance with inexperienced Rodgers. Why should GB as an organization allow any more debate and/or wrangling and paralysis from him?

The problem is he's too slow for the run and shoot offense any longer. Sure he has the arm, but the legs are gone.

Maybe a west coast offense, like SF, might fit him better now.

Either one. One thing is for sure, Green Bay does not want him. He could still be a decent QB for a team that doesn't have a good starting option, but last year is last year and has little bearing on this year. He may have finished on a high note last season, but he also finished tired and beat up. if it weren't for the emergence of Ryan Grant at RB, Favre would have been out there all on his own and gotten even more beat up. I think he could still make an average starting QB, but he is no where near where he was at his prime.

JP: what I'm asking you is what your opinion is - should he retire or go to another team? Which do you think he should do?

He proved he's certainly above average...his numbers and wins show that in that Packers current system. You don't have to have fast legs to be a successful QB for SOME teams. Particularly a team that can protect a QB well..and that have defenses that aren't coughing up the ball. In other words a contender that is more run oriented, perhaps. If it could happen with Packers interference, put him on the Bears.

What you say Packers won't allow it? But they gave up on him so why would they not let it happen?

I am for leaving at a high note. I didn't really follow Montana with the Chiefs so I can't comment much on that, but as a generalization, I see it as a way to become more hurt for the rest of the decades of your life in order to try to drag out a kind of glory, a glory already well wrought. I'm thinking these guys need at least some other hobbies, or even business interests, during the prime football years.

Elway, didn't he just stop?

Montana playing for the Chiefs was a horrible spectacle. Especially for us 49er fans. Favre should just givre it up.

yeah, he won a superbowl, then walked off into the sunset...

Sharp, that Elway. At least in that regard.

More specifically, he won two back to back Superbowls, and then walked off into the sunset.

The first one snapped a 13 game losing streak for the American Football Confence by beating Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers.

Smiles...

though I'm sorta neutral. I definitely enjoyed Elway.

As a teen girls' academy isolated person (my parents influenced by an aunt, and so on, though my father was unemployed much of the time), primarily isolated geographically by buses and then later by my working after school with more buses, I had a pathological crush on Paul Hornung - I used to pray for him, not to make fun of myself, just to explain - and though I got over that veered towards the Packers. Long ago.

Mostly I remember a tv show with Alex Katz - who was associated with Hornung in some scandal re, was it, betting - and Bert Reynolds on Carson, but never mind.
They were all very funny to me at the time. Reynolds ad lib was as funny as the others. Katz the surprise to me, maybe the funniest.


I guess I'd prefer that Favre not do a self dump.

Because the 49ers weren't there. They couldn't beat Favre. But they would have crushed the Broncos.

More evidence that yes, Brett is in fact a dumb jock.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/blog/shutdown_corner/post/Brett-Favre-might-want-to-invest-in-his-own-cell?urn=nfl,95401

from one dumb-ass jock to another --

The New NY Jet QB
Latest news was reported that he's now the NY Jets QB. Make room Pennington and Kellen Clemens.

"On August 6, 2008, Jay Glazer of FoxSports.com reported that the Jets have acquired future Hall of Fame QB Brett Favre."

On August 7, 2008 Bill Belichick will be accused of videotaping Brett Favre going to the bathroom.