Let’s Retire the Favre Retirement Talk

by | Mar 10, 2008 | NFL Breaking News

Are we the only ones getting sick of the Favre coverage?

* Sports Illustrated is issuing a special edition Brett Favre issue this week.  Maybe I’m just not remembering, but did they do this when Joe Montana retired?  John Elway?  Wayne Gretzky?  Michael Jordan (for which retirement)?  Maybe they did for Jordan, maybe even Gretzky, but they were generally regarded as the best in their sport when they played–possibly all time.  I have not heard one rational person (read: someone not in Wisconsin) make an argument that Favre is the best in the game.

* In an article I’m shocked the hype creators editors at ESPN allowed to go live,  Paolantonio actually points out that Favre’s career (specifically the second half of it) is overhyped.  THANK YOU FOR SOMEONE USING SOME LOGIC.  Now, if only Paolantonio didn’t start it off with “the most durable player in NFL history.”  I don’t care what some people may say, that honor is still Jim Marshall’s, at 282 games started (Jeff Feagles can claim the record all he wants, but punters and kickers don’t count).  Some say that Favre’s streak is more impressive because he played a more vulnerable position–yeah, getting hit 10-15 times a game is way more vulnerable than colliding with a 260-270 pound (back in Marshall’s days) offensive lineman for 60-70 plays a game isn’t vulnerable at all.  Especially when you’re at the bottom of a pile and he’s trying to break your fingers or gauge an eye out.

Fortunately, it seems to be dying down some.  We can only hope that this is the week that we get back to what we should be discussing right now–only 7 weeks until the NFL Draft…

Non-Favre news … mostly

by | Mar 7, 2008 | 2008 NFL Free Agency, NFL Breaking News

I was too broken up by Brett Favre’s retirement announcement Thursday to notice much of what else went on throughout the day. I still think he’s going to come back, but after the press conference, I feel somewhat less strongly about that opinion. He did look like someone who was just plain ready to move on with life. If that is the case more power to him. He had a fantastic career, was extremely entertaining in doing so, and he deserves most of the accolades he’s getting. He goes down, in my opinion, as not the best quarterback of all time (my vote is Joe Montana), but he’s certainly in that top echelon.

Onto other NFL news: Defensive tackle Warren Sapp officially announced his retirement as well. He’s been overrated for a few years now but certainly made an impact in his prime, helping Tampa Bay go from chump to champ. Punter Sean Landeta, who last played in 2005, hung up his single-bar facemask. And Steve Christie … think about it … yeah, the kicker from Buffalo that also hasn’t played in three seasons, also decided to hang it up, signing a one-day contract with his former team. What’s with these guys that have been out of the game forever – especially kickers – pretending anyone cares whether they have officially retired or not? (more…)

No damn way!!!

by | Mar 4, 2008 | NFL Breaking News

After listening to the media coverage and thinking about it myself throughout the day I’ve decided I don’t believe Brett Favre is retiring. It’s just not going to happen.

First off, the team went 13-3 last year and, despite Favre, was the youngest team in the league. Few predicted such a run heading into the season and this team overachieved its way into the NFC Championship game. (more…)

Favre Media Circus Continues…

by | Mar 4, 2008 | NFL Breaking News

Well, the local sports radio guy who supposedly doesn’t even talk sports was all about Favre today, and I cringe to think what kind of a Favre love-fest ESPN is putting on right now (I’m guessing at least 2 of their channels are devoted to it already, and ESPN Classic is probably lining up the old tapes as we speak–the first time I’ve been glad that Comcast and DirecTV canned it), so why not have ZoneBlitz be All-Favre All Day too?

So here are my questions, some of which have been carried elsewhere, but if the world was all about original thought, Hollywood would have folded years ago:

1) Is Favre really retiring, or is this just a desperate plea for attention to whine about the Packers not getting Randy Moss (again)? And does that make sense? Seriously, Randy Moss couldn’t have caught that last pass against the Giants. As much as I don’t like Donald Driver, Greg Jennings and James Jones, I have to admit, it’s a pretty good trio.

2) What’s with Favre’s agent Bus Cook telling the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel that Favre wanted to play another year? I know it comes off as Cook speculating:

“I think he wanted to play, I think he’s still got it. He knows he’s still got it. I think he felt he could play one more year. I don’t know if they told him they really wanted him to play. That’s just the feeling I got.”

But come on, like Favre hasn’t talked to Cook about his decision? His trusted agent? Hell, his office is in Mississippi.

“Nobody pushed Brett Favre out the door, but then nobody encouraged him not to go out that door, either,” Cook said by phone.

So what, after 3-4 years of the Packers being forced into an annual waiting game with Favre, they’re supposed to roll out the red carpet to Kiln, and beg for Brett to come back? Just check their self respect at the door?

What’s with Favre/Cook trying to make the Packers look like the bad guys here? Especially when you consider…

3) The Chris Mortenson voicemail, in which Favre says he’s simply worn out. So with the voicemail saying one thing, and Favre saying another, he’s already playing both sides of the fence here. Not sure where that leads.

4) Speaking of the voicemail, I have to wonder how his (former?) teammates would even feel about playing for him if he WERE to decide to come back at this point:

“…the only way for me to be successful would be to win a Super Bowl,” Favre said in the voicemail. “To go to the Super Bowl and lose, would almost be worse than anything else. Anything less than a Super Bowl win would be unsuccessful. I know it shouldn’t feel unsuccessful, but the only way to come back and make that be the right decision would be to come back and win a Super Bowl and honestly the odds of that, they’re tough. Those are big shoes for me to fill, and I guess it was a challenge I wasn’t up for. “

I wonder how his teammates feel, knowing that Favre is admitting that the odds are that long? I know that realisitically, the odds ARE long–1 in 32, to be technical. Especially at the time of year where all the records are cleared, and no one has even had a mini-camp yet. But don’t you think, especially coming off of a 13-3 season and a NFC Championship appearance that the leader of the Pack should have a little more confidence in the team than that? I’d kind of feel like Favre just threw me under the Bus…meaning the one that the Packer fans moon as it leaves the stadium, not the one that is Favre’s agent.