Favre to retire

[ne1410s]

Brett Favre is retiring after 17 years in the NFL. He played for the hated Green Bay Packers, but I have never respected any athlete as much as I do him. Way over 200 consecutive starts as a quarterback in the NFL!!! Gimme a break this is incredible.

I hope you enjoy your retirement, Brett. Will see you in Canton on the first ballot.

[earendel]

Brett Favre is retiring after 17 years in the NFL. He played for the hated Green Bay Packers, but I have never respected any athlete as much as I do him. Way over 200 consecutive starts as a quarterback in the NFL!!! Gimme a break this is incredible.

I hope you enjoy your retirement, Brett. Will see you in Canton on the first ballot.

I'm a wee bit surprised by this - he had said earlier in the year that he would be coming back, largely because of the success of the team this year. I wonder what prompted him to change his mind.

[Bob Juch]

He still has his acting career to fall back on.

[andrewjackson]

Good bye and good riddance.

I've got nothing against Bret Favre (except beating my Lions way too often) but the slobbering that the media did over him was ridiculous. I'm glad that will be ending.

[fantine33]

I'm a wee bit surprised by this - he had said earlier in the year that he would be coming back, largely because of the success of the team this year. I wonder what prompted him to change his mind.

1. Because the owner of the team didn't call him up and beg him to stay, like he did every other year. (Seriously, that's what his agent said!)

2. Because his team is too crappy to win the Superbowl and he won't play if he's not guaranteed a Super Bowl win (Seriously, that's what he said!)

3. Because the team didn't get Randy Moss for him, as he demanded. (Because obviously his receivers are crap, it has nothing to do with all of his ill-advised, wildly inaccurate passes. Then again, Randy managed to make Culpepper look good...)

I'm only surprised that he's willing to let his last play be an idiotic interception in OT of a playoff game. Although, it's rather fitting. Ha!

I'd still lay better than even money that after everybody begs and pleads and slobbers over him that he'll relent and come back. Because then no matter how sucky he is, he did it "for the fans".

[Appa23]

Brett Favre is retiring after 17 years in the NFL. He played for the hated Green Bay Packers, but I have never respected any athlete as much as I do him. Way over 200 consecutive starts as a quarterback in the NFL!!! Gimme a break this is incredible.

I hope you enjoy your retirement, Brett. Will see you in Canton on the first ballot.

I'm a wee bit surprised by this - he had said earlier in the year that he would be coming back, largely because of the success of the team this year. I wonder what prompted him to change his mind.

Both during last offseason and then during this offseason, Favre asked ("demanded") that the Pacvkers pursue Randy Moss, as Favre thought that it would make the team better. Packers declined to even pursue Moss both times, so Favre decided that the Packers were not serious enough about going all of the way, in his mind.

Favre isn't the greatest QB ever, but he is easily Top 5 (off the top of my head).

[earendel]

Brett Favre is retiring after 17 years in the NFL. He played for the hated Green Bay Packers, but I have never respected any athlete as much as I do him. Way over 200 consecutive starts as a quarterback in the NFL!!! Gimme a break this is incredible.

I hope you enjoy your retirement, Brett. Will see you in Canton on the first ballot.

I'm a wee bit surprised by this - he had said earlier in the year that he would be coming back, largely because of the success of the team this year. I wonder what prompted him to change his mind.

Both during last offseason and then during this offseason, Favre asked ("demanded") that the Pacvkers pursue Randy Moss, as Favre thought that it would make the team better. Packers declined to even pursue Moss both times, so Favre decided that the Packers were not serious enough about going all of the way, in his mind.

Favre isn't the greatest QB ever, but he is easily Top 5 (off the top of my head).

Given what the Patriots will be paying Moss for the next few years, I can understand why the Packers organization might have been reluctant to pursue him.

[moonie]

Favre was great.. but top 5 ever? Hardly.

Even in the past 20 years, I can think of Brady, Marino, Elway, Peyton and Young (maybe Young is a stretch). Im not putting in guys like Montana, Unitas, Bradshaw or Aikman.


John Madden is gonna miss him.

[lilclyde54]

My enjoyment of the game of football will be diminished without Brett Favre. I loved his competitive spirit and his unabashed enjoyment of playing a game that so many athletes seem to feel is a chore.

[SportsFan68]

Sports Trivia 2Nite was who drafted Favre. I coulda won an order of the best hotwings in town if I coulda got in.

[peacock2121]

I thought it was cute that he said "I'm tired."

[AlphaDummy]

As a Packer fan I am going to miss the guy - there is no doubt about that.

However.

You have to understand the culture up in this neck of the woods. Unfortunately, a number of the population up here take fandom to ridiculous/unhealthy levels. Many of you know that I work for a satellite TV provider. I will tell you that, as much as I wanted to see the home team do well this year, deep in my heart I was relieved to see them lose to the Giants in the playoffs. People were calling in left and right to order service and upgrades, not to mention service calls coming in when something might go wrong on an existing system. And the level of hostility that was heaped on us when people found out that we could not work them in before the game was unbelievable. Cursing over the phone was not uncommon, and one person threatened to come down and break the neck of our admin when she told him we could not pull his job ahead. I do not even want to think of what a Packer appearance in the Super Bowl might have brought.

The media? Well...we live about 90 miles from Lambeau. Our local paper ran an extra yesterday afternoon when the story broke. This morning's regular edition had an eight-page front section dedicated to you-know-what. The normal front section became the B section for a day...and half of the front page on that section was dedicated to the story. As well as stories in (God help us) the sports section. I guess I am not surprised at the overkill in our local news rag, though; their coverage of the Packers borders on the obsessive throughout the year even when there is nothing to report.

And, in fairness to the good people of northern Wisconsin, not everybody is as insanely obsessed as the last two paragraphs might have implied. Still, there is a share of the local populace for whom the Packers are more than just a beloved team...and I will leave you to create your own mental picture here. Hint: Think of the obsession in the air on the Bored back when BAM was in its heyday. Only far, far worse for a lot of people.

Yeah, I am gonna miss Brett. Just like I miss Robin Yount. But that is all.

[fantine33]

The media? Well...we live about 90 miles from Lambeau. Our local paper ran an extra yesterday afternoon when the story broke. This morning's regular edition had an eight-page front section dedicated to you-know-what. The normal front section became the B section for a day...and half of the front page on that section was dedicated to the story. As well as stories in (God help us) the sports section. I guess I am not surprised at the overkill in our local news rag, though; their coverage of the Packers borders on the obsessive throughout the year even when there is nothing to report.

Wow. It didn't get that bad here even when Biff hung it up. Who knew that the Church of Favre would trump the Worshipers of Elway?

[Here's Fanny!]

I'm a wee bit surprised by this - he had said earlier in the year that he would be coming back, largely because of the success of the team this year. I wonder what prompted him to change his mind.

1. Because the owner of the team didn't call him up and beg him to stay, like he did every other year. (Seriously, that's what his agent said!)

2. Because his team is too crappy to win the Superbowl and he won't play if he's not guaranteed a Super Bowl win (Seriously, that's what he said!)

3. Because the team didn't get Randy Moss for him, as he demanded. (Because obviously his receivers are crap, it has nothing to do with all of his ill-advised, wildly inaccurate passes. Then again, Randy managed to make Culpepper look good...)

I'm only surprised that he's willing to let his last play be an idiotic interception in OT of a playoff game. Although, it's rather fitting. Ha!

I'd still lay better than even money that after everybody begs and pleads and slobbers over him that he'll relent and come back. Because then no matter how sucky he is, he did it "for the fans".

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3483521

Not that I had to be Carnac the Magnificent to see that coming. Ha!

The funny part of it is that I don't think anybody begged and pleaded and slobbered. The Packers were basically "Thank God that old has been that we had to let throw the football whenever and to whoever (no matter the colour of the jersey) is finally leaving so we can get on with the business of becoming a better team". And the general public were basically "Thank God we don't have to go through that yearly 'will he won't he' nonsense that he loves so much."

I've never been a real Elway fan, but I have to give him credit. He went out on top of his game, on top of the league (MVP of the Super Bowl champs is about as top as it gets) and, when he decided to hang it up, that was that. No yearly drama nonsense and no desperately trying to hang on to something that he no longer had, i.e. Earvin Johnson. He retired, he did it gracefully, at the perfect time and then got on with his life.

[Buffacuse]

Packers are playing hardball-saying they will not release him and he is welcome to come back as the back-up qb...

...I'm thinking they are feeling a tad deceived at this point--not to mention po'd about the bad press.

[Here's Fanny!]

Packers are playing hardball-saying they will not release him and he is welcome to come back as the back-up qb...

...I'm thinking they are feeling a tad deceived at this point--not to mention po'd about the bad press.

I think it's funny and I, like probably a lot of people, are hoping the Packers stand their ground. Which is a bigger blow to the Ego, staying home like he said he would (do they get Sunday Ticket in Kiln?) or coming back and parking his ass in the spot where they've scratched out A. Rodgers and written B. Favre in magic marker underneath it and hope for a Pops Warner type situation?

I'm not sure if it was in the article I linked or elsewhere but there is a possiblity of a trade with Miami for Jason Taylor, since Tuna wants no part of his clumsily dancing ass. I want him to go somewhere that has the number 4 retired and whoever had it isn't currently involved with the organization so they don't have to give it up (a la Steve Largent).

[dodgersteve182]

I think did about 4 yrs ago but someone with the same uniform number still played QB for the Packs! Anyway he almost made us believe it was all worthwhile last year until he got into the playoffs and showed us his "post retirement" form.

[littlebeast13]

What absolutely kills me is how many of my ATH boys actually think the Packers not only should bring Favre back if he wants to come back, but continue to allow him to start while Rodgers wilts some more on the bench. Bill Plaschke, shame on you!

Let Favre go sign with Minnesota or Chicago, and let him come back to Green Bay and get all the love he can handle from the fans while he gets his decrepit ass kicked from one end of the frozen tundra to the other.....

I always hated Favre anyway because he was one of Sister #3's favorite players, but now he's just fingernails on the chalkboard irritating because unlike with baseball, I don't want to hear about football during the offseason.....

lb13

[cindy.wellman]

Let Favre go sign with Minnesota or Chicago, and let him come back to Green Bay and get all the love he can handle from the fans while he gets his decrepit ass kicked from one end of the frozen tundra to the other.....

lb13

Eric usually says, "pasty white" ass.

[Ritterskoop]

We don't really want him in Carolina.

We have Jake and two excellent backups.

We sell out every game anyway.

He is cute and all, but we have our own gunslinger already, who is even cuter.

[AlphaDummy]

I've never been a real Elway fan, but I have to give him credit. He went out on top of his game, on top of the league (MVP of the Super Bowl champs is about as top as it gets) and, when he decided to hang it up, that was that. No yearly drama nonsense and no desperately trying to hang on to something that he no longer had, i.e. Earvin Johnson. He retired, he did it gracefully, at the perfect time and then got on with his life.

I was never an Elway fan, and it had nothing to do with a certain Super Bowl. I have had no use for him since he whined his way off the Colts. I respected his talent in spite of it all, though. And yes, I agree. He handled his retirement the way it should be handled.

Packers are playing hardball-saying they will not release him and he is welcome to come back as the back-up qb...

...I'm thinking they are feeling a tad deceived at this point--not to mention po'd about the bad press.

There is not as much sentiment among the fans or the press to bring Favre back as one may believe. There are an awful lot of people who have grown sick and tired of the circus. We have been hearing rumblings of retirement for at least three years now; two years ago there was serious speculation, and then there was last year's hoopla. IMO, the Packers are doing it right. They have planned on not having him back; it is time to move on. And I feel bringing him back as a backup to be a horrible idea.

I guess I understand how he might realize now that he really will miss life as a QB. He needs to understand, though, that there are a whole lot of people out there who feel as though he has been jacking us around for several years now, and that it really is time to say goodbye.

[SportsFan68]

I was never an Elway fan, and it had nothing to do with a certain Super Bowl. I have had no use for him since he whined his way off the Colts. I respected his talent in spite of it all, though. And yes, I agree. He handled his retirement the way it should be handled.

No whining! I remember Elway saying months ahead of time that he would never play one day for Frank Kush and when crunch time came with the draft pick, prepared to go pitch for the Yankees instead. I know of at least one Baltimore sporting goods shop owner who sees it differently, along with AD, and doesn't have a scrap of Broncos gear in his store. Well, maybe he does now that Elway's retired. I'm not sure I could find the same shop to check it after this long a time.

Disclaimer: I'm an Elway fan from the day he showed up in Denver for training camp.

Sometimes I wonder what things would have been like if Elway had played for the Yankees. I assume that he would have been as good at pitching as pass throwing, but maybe not. Those scrambles wouldn't have been worth 2 cents on a pitcher's mound...

[kayrharris]

Michael Jordan "retired" and came back to play again. Let him play.

If he sits on the bench as a backup and the new quarterback isn't under enough pressure as it is being new and all...following Favre and all....knowing one interception and Favre is probably in the game.....

It's just not going to work.

JMHO - from an outsider's point of view - I really don't care one way or the other if he plays or not.

[Here's Fanny!]

Michael Jordan "retired" and came back to play again. Let him play.

If he sits on the bench as a backup and the new quarterback isn't under enough pressure as it is being new and all...following Favre and all....knowing one interception and Favre is probably in the game.....

It's just not going to work.

JMHO - from an outsider's point of view - I really don't care one way or the other if he plays or not.

I think Jordan is an entirely different situation. And this opinion is coming from someone who had an active dislike for him (despite him going to North Carolina). When he retired the first time, he wasn't old and washed up, he was at the height of his abilities. He's the same age as me and I think it was the season after Barcelona, so he was just 30. I think it was mostly from his dad being murdered combined with the fallout from the gambling thing.

The Bulls fell apart without him and, when he came back he definitely wasn't doing it for selfish reasons at the expense of another player or the team, because they ended up with another threepeat. So that was more of a sabbatical.

The second comeback seems a little ridiculous on the face of it, because his second retirement was at the appropriate time. But really he did it that time for business purposes. He was a minority owner and an executive for the Bullets, who by that time had no talent, few wins and even fewer fans. He came back as a player to put butts in the seats, points on the board and dollars in the coffers. Jordan said as much after the Bullets totally screwed him over when they fired him after he finished playing.

Wow, I'm really sticking up for a player I don't like, aren't I?

That's why I compared Favre to Johnson. The will/won't he, I'm retired, no I'm not, yes I am, no I'm not, I obviously can't do it anymore type thing.