It looks like Brett Favre is retiring once again. When I read this, relief washed over me in an awesome wave. Last summer, the news of Favre's "return" seemed like a horrible nightmare, for so many reasons; mostly because he wanted to play for the Vikings. But, in a wider sense, it was a lose-lose situation for everybody involved.
Favre showed over his last few seasons in Green Bay that while he was huge in helping the team win regular season games, he was no longer a difference make in playoff games, and that the long-held home-field advantage of playing in the cold at Lambeau was gone. The 2008 NFC Championship was a perfect summary of Favre's last 10 seasons in Green Bay following the Packers loss in Super Bowl XXXII to Denver. He looked cold and inpatient, and threw two interceptions, one coming in overtime, setting up the Giants game-winning field goal.
For the Packers, bring Favre back would have been a disaster. He would not have improved much on their 6-10 record, and they would have still been one year behind on developing Aaron Rodgers. No, they didn't want to see him in another uniform, but a change at quarterback was long over due. The two team most talked about in Favre-trade rumors were the Vikings and Jets, two team in almost the exact same position as the Packers at the time. They were "a quarterback away" from being contenders, but also had young quarterbacks that will likely be the future of the team.
It was clear right away that the Vikings were not in the running; why would the Packers let a division competitor have their best player? So, it was off to New Jersey with Brett. Big mistake. And it played out the same way for the Jets as it had been for the Packers. Favre started out hot, the team jumped out to a nice record, then Favre got cold, showed his age, and the season fell apart. They missed the playoffs and fired Eric Mangini. Now they are on year one with a new coach, Favre is retiring, and Kellen Clemens is no better off than he was going into last season. And, the Jets don't even have a playoff game to show for it. Gross.
Maybe I am just celebrating out of Favre-hatred. Yeah, I am. But this is what happens when you lean on aging super stars, and ignore years and years of interceptions and poor decision making. The team that really won out of all of this? Green Bay. Aaron Rodgers looks like he will at least be a solid starter, and they will go into 2009 knowing they have a quarterback. Here's hoping we don't hear about Favre again until he is up for the Hall of Fame or crashing his ATV in the backwoods of Mississippi.
