Brett Favre and the Media

I don't know why there is such a range of emotion about Brett Favre among so many members of the media. It is really baffling; these are my thoughts.

I was never a big fan but I can't deny that he played for a long time, put together a remarkable string of consecutive starts by playing through the pain of minor injuries, had lots of success in terms of Super Bowls and league MVP's, stayed out of legal trouble, was a good teammate, didn't make greedy and unreasonable salary demands or pull free agent stunts to gain wealth, and was open and accessible to the fans and media.

Sounds to me like the formula for a "good guy" in this age of WR's who carry unregistered guns to NY night clubs, QB's who torture dogs across the south, and corner backs who act so bad, new laws get invented in Tennessee just to contain them. As I said, I was never a big Favre fan but couldn't really dislike anything about him either. And surely, his career has been impressive.

I guess it must have been a bit stressful for Packer fans and front office executives to live through his indecisiveness each year regarding retirement but is that really a big deal? Isn't it pretty easy to understand that an aging player, who feels drained at the end of the season and doesn't want to commit to his team for another year unless he is sure he has the will to give it his all, feels a bit torn before making a decision one way or the other?

As you know from earlier posts (I am sure you have all committed my writings to memory), I believe pro athletes should play for as long as they (1) want to, and (2) can make the roster. There is no honor in "going out on top" if you still want to play. In fact, it is cowardly to walk away just so no one will see that age has diminished your skills. If you are good enough to claim a roster spot and come off the bench, and your will is there, you should play.

So back to the media. I cannot believe the vitriol I am hearing over Brett's alleged meeting with the Vikings and his possible participation in the league for another year. Successful QB's are in high demand and there are not enough to go around. He still has skills, the Jets released him, and he may want to play another year. What's the big deal?

He is not "selfish", he is not "an attention whore", and he is not "sticking it to the Packers". He is just pursuing a career in the NFL.

Attention angry media hacks: save the vituperative diatribes for more deserving topics. If you are tired of covering Favre, don't cover him. Roll the dice and see if you can capture the nation's attention with a story you actually research and report. You know, journalism?

It's not his fault the public is curious about him and I doubt anyone is holding a gun to your head to work at your job; feel free to become plumbers.