Hey, Brett, You Had Better Not Stink - Monday, August 04, 2008
183 Views :: 0 Comments :: :: Michael Bradley

   The plane landed in Green Bay Sunday night, and predictably 2,000 or so Cheeseheads greeted it, as if the Second Coming was nigh. Actually, it was the 18th coming of Brett Favre, who completed his most recent will-he/won't-he flirtation with retirement and has decided he wants to play football again. We know this because Cowboy Quarterback's many media partners and propaganda ministers kept us informed of his every gut-wrenching, agonizing move lo these past several weeks.

   The question now is whether Favre will be playing for the Packers, sitting for the Packers and heading to Minnesota to lead the Vikes to the Super Bowl and a chance to lose the Big Game for a record fifth time. No matter where Favre parks his stubbled self, he had better be ready to play, because after the shenanigans he has pulled, he owes us all a damn good performance.

   There's no question the guy is destined for the Hall of Fame. He has earned that. This year, however, he has earned skepticism and derision because of his behavior. The guy messed with Green Bay's plans, showed no concern for Aaron Rodgers and exposed himself as a me-first guy for whom the team is secondary. You want to know how he ruins his legacy? It's not by playing for another team. It's by shattering the illusion that his football career was one selfless, team-oriented step after another. Brett Favre is out for Brett Favre, and this year has proven that.

   Now we'll see if he can play football. Favre turns 39 this season, and though he was great in '07, he wasn't so great the previous two years. You might remember than mediocre, 18-TD, 18-interception performance in 2006. Even John Madden couldn't apologize for that one, although he did try. Repeatedly. If Favre goes to the Vikings, he'll have a month to acclimate to a new system, new receivers and a new team ethos. As a veteran, the transition may not be that hard, but he will have some hiccups. And since he spent the off-season tending to his farm down in Mississippi, it will be interesting to see if his conditioning level is where it should be. Yeah, he plays quarterback, but that doesn't mean preparation isn't important. Throwing to a bunch of high schoolers in Mississippi doesn't exactly constitute a rigorous training regimen.

   Favre is back and ready to go. He may be a Packer. Or a Viking. Or a Bear. But he had better be good, because a poor performance will convince all of us who felt he was better off retired that we were right. Favre had the magic last year. We'll see if he can still pull off some tricks in '08.