Favre Situation Scarcely Close To Marino's
By Brian Miller
Many fans are tired of hearing the name Brett Favre, but you know what, I’m not. The truth is that we are not talking about Michael Vick or some other classless jerk. We are talking about a QB who owns a ton of NFL records and has exuded class at every turn. Now, his situation in Green Bay is growing not only ugly, but is beginning to resemble the retirement of Dan Marino.
Because many don’t want to hear about this man, I will do them a favor and ask that if you don’t want to read what I have to say on this latest volley, then stop here. The rest of you should click continue.
So now the ball is back in the court of Brett Favre after the Packers informed the media that Favre will not be released and is welcome back on the team…as a back-up. So much class from a publicly owned vehicle…I’m sure the fans will have their say in this one.
It was way back when that Dan Marino faced a similar situation in Miami with new Dolphins HC Dave Wannstedt. DW brought in his own QB in Jay Fiedler. Marino who was contemplating retirement was told he could come back to Miami but only as a back-up. Unlike Favre however, the Dolphins seemed poised to allow Marino to hit the streets. Marino of course walked off into the sunset and fans were taken aback by the way the icon was treated.
Favre has played the “I may, I may not” game for the last two off-seasons and when his announcement finally came to call it quits, it seemed more of a forced announcement than Favre decision. No one, media or fans alike, thought that Brett was finished. Within days rumors began to circulate that he really didn’t want to be retired.
While I too grew tired of the circus that surrounded his yearly announcements, I still have to wonder looking back on how many of those comments were Favre’s alone and how many belonged to the media?
It doesn’t matter if you think that Brett has more left in the tank or whether he just needs to go. The reality of the issue is simple. The Green Bay Packers owe more in their modern history of the last 25 years to Brett Favre than any other player. In Green Bay, he as immortal as Bart Starr and the early Packers. Yet he is being treated as a second rate practice squad player.
Perhaps Favre should retire, but it is not a decision that any one of us can make, only opinionate on. Favre will leave the game when he is ready, unfortunately the Packers stand poised to make the decision to return harder if not impossible. Without so much as a competition to start.
Favre deserves more. The fans of Green Bay deserve more. If the Packers don’t want Favre than agree that a release by the team benefits both with the caveat that Favre must sign outside of the division…something Favre would unlikely do as it is. The other option would be to trade the QB, but the value of Brett Favre to the Packers in terms of compensation may be a sticking point with other franchises, the years of service they may get out of him another. Much the same way the Dolphins are facing the Jason Taylor situation.
I suppose that it is only appropriate to watch Favre be treated in such a fashion. Marino knows how that feels and so do Miami fans. Whether you believed it was time or not, you knew the way it was handled was wrong. The Packers have an opportunity to make good to a player who poured out his heart and soul to the franchise, playing after personal tragedy and heartbreak. Yet the Green Bay Packers can only find a classless way to say good-bye.