Brett, Please Make it Stop

I had to weigh in...

Anyone living in Wisconsin or anyone who follows the Packers even casually knows about the ongoing Brett Favre saga. He tearfully retires in March. Packers commit to new QB, Aaron Rodgers. Rumors soon start to spread that Brett's contemplating a return to the Pack. He asks to be reinstated. Brett's in talks to be traded to the Vikings (oh the horror!). Brett threatens to report to training camp. Brett reports to camp, but doesn't practice. Pack decides to let Brett compete with Aaron Rodgers for the starting QB spot. Brett doesn't want to compete. It's been a circus.

Well, after coach Mike McCarthy's press conference today, it appears that Brett has a future in the NFL, but not with the Packers, an idea which is both sad and scary. If Brett is playing in the NFL, I would think it would be best for the Packers if he was playing for the Packers, because even though he's an older QB, he's still arguably one of the best and I certainly don't think the Pack would fare well playing against a team that he would be leading. That's the scary thing.

The sad thing is that this whole debacle has tarnished Brett's image. At the end of last season, he was riding high--the Pack had a great year, Brett performed very well, and he was a highly respected player. When he retired, it was sad, but at least he could walk away with his head held high, knowing that he went out on top. Now, after all of this, there is all of this bad blood and all of these nasty feelings swirling around. Things have gotten bad enough that the first thing people might think of when they think of Brett Favre from now on is this whole ugly scenario instead of his years and years of success in the NFL.

Part of me is mad at the Packers. I mean, you have one of the all-time best QB's at your doorstep, wanting to play, and you're not letting him in. You're choosing instead a mediocre QB who is prone to injury. But, at the same time, I respect the Pack because they committed to Aaron Rodgers, and they are following through on that commitment. That's admirable. They're damned if they do let Brett play and they're damned if they don't.

The other part of me is mad at Brett. Dude, you should have stayed in retirement. Even though I truly enjoy watching him play and I'd love to see him playing for the Pack again, it's so sad that things had to end this way. It's like an ugly, painful divorce, and both Brett and the Pack are fighting for full custody of the fans. It'll be very difficult for me, and I think for many Packer fans, to watch Brett play for another team.

Brett, go back into retirement, maybe start up a career as a sports commentator beside Howie Long (yum) on Fox Sports, and keep your legacy intact. Please make it stop.