Focus, Packers

Filed under:Good Grief,Sports — posted by Anwyn on August 3, 2008 @ 10:43 am

What a circus Green Bay’s management is making of Favre’s wish to unretire. Granted, the wish lends itself to spectacle. In a perfect world Favre would have made sure he was really serious about retirement before going ahead with it, but c’est la vie. NFL Commissioner Goodell has now reinstated Favre, so Green Bay’s choices remain: Play him, trade/release him, or dangle money enough that he will retire at their command.

Management is being extremely silly here. They say they want to move forward with Favre’s replacement QB, but they won’t release Favre because they’re afraid he’ll sign with the Vikings.

This is not even silly; it is downright stupid. There are only two possibilities here that should dictate management’s action: Either they believe 1) That Favre can play at something approximating his optimal levels; or 2) That Favre cannot play at these levels. If they think he can play, they should have taken him back, no questions asked, except with a little private grumbling and a sop to his potential replacement. The man should have earned a little leeway, not to mention loyalty, by now. Replacement QBs will come and go, but in Green Bay there is only one Favre, even with his star slightly tarnished by a false-start retirement. If they believe he cannot play, they should have quietly admitted him back to the rosters and quietly released/traded him. Because if they don’t believe he can play, what harm does it do anybody but Favre himself and the Vikings if he goes to the Vikings? Certainly wouldn’t hurt Green Bay; in fact they’d have a prime opportunity for their players to show the old man that he should have stayed off the field. An ignominious end, certainly, but that risk should be left up to Favre to take.

Seems like management’s letting its pissiness at Favre’s desire to do something other than what they want to dictate its actions. They need to come down off the high horse and make a decision based on football, not their bruised egos.

2 comments »

  1. Part of the problem, as I understand it, is they’ve invested a lot in Aaron Rodgers as the QB of the future, and this is (I think) the last year of his contract. I’m pretty sure everyone thinks Favre can certainly play this year (he was pretty good last year), but if he goes one more year and out, and Rodgers gets PO’ed at being shoved aside, the Packers risk starting next year with no Favre, and Rodgers signing with a division rival, where he makes it his life’s work to thwart the Packers’ dreams.

    Comment by Gib — August 4, 2008 @ 10:06 am

  2. Given that, they should be focusing on buying off Rodgers with cash, promises, or whatever it takes. He’s got his whole career left in front of him, whereas Favre is gaming for his very last chance to play and is (seemingly) less likely to be bought off.

    Comment by Anwyn — August 4, 2008 @ 10:19 am

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