It's Time For Brett Favre To Come Home

I found myself defending Brett Favre more this year than I ever imagined. It was a move I wasn’t sure I could make 2 years ago when Favre decided to sign with a franchise that I hate as much as Tim Tebow. (If there is anybody rooting for Tim Tebow to fail more than I am, please, introduce yourself to me.) Favre signing with the Jets was one thing, signing with Minnesota was something entirely different.

It was an inconceivable to me as a Packers fan that the heart and soul of a team (Favre to Green Bay) could sign with such a hated enemy. It wasn’t just “free agency,” it was personal. It was a vicious and narcissistic move on Favre’s part. He turned his back on thousands, if not millions of fans in the worst sports backstab since Hulk Hogan joined the NWO.

I wrote last year, when Minnesota visited Green Bay, part of me wanted to see a drunken fan punch Brett Favre right in the face on behalf of the entire Packer Nation. So for me to shift from such profound feelings of hatred to defending Favre is simply amazing. I guess you could say I’ve grown over year.

Or I was overcome by joy with the Vikings limping their way to a 6-10 season.

Regardless of the reason my sympathy for Brett Favre grew each week. And if I can be perfectly honest, the majority of the time I was defending Favre to fans of the Vikings. How ridiculous is that? Minnesota knew exactly what they were getting when they coerced Favre into returning this season – And they were perfectly fine with it…In August.

Many, if not most, Vikings fans’ believed that this season would be reminiscent to last season. Last season’s success was an anomaly and the sheer chances of it being replicated again this season were slim to none.

Entering the season Favre was a shell of himself, without being fully recovered from the NFC title game. Injuries mounted heading into the season with an odor of failure to strong to ignore. Any realistic person knew Favre would far exceed his interception total from last season, 7. None of that mattered to Minnesota fans as they believed Favre was the only chance for a postseason, and possibly, Super Bowl berth for the season.

I found it amusing that as Favre began struggling and Minnesota began losing the Vikings faithful following were quick to throw Favre under the bus. I always wondered why they (the fans) never threw their management under the bus for failing to draft/acquire a quality quarterback in his prime rather than rely on aging veterans. That’s an entirely different topic.

The fair-weather Vikings fans weren’t what swayed my sympathy for Brett Favre. It happened after each week when you could slowly see him deteriorate before your eyes, his ankle with the constant hobbling and the tendonitis in his arm. It was more evident than ever that his ability could no longer match his passion, which made him great, and this was indeed the end of the line for #4.

With each passing week Brett Favre would continue to be driven into the ground by opposing linebackers and by the fans of Minnesota. The Vikings fan base didn’t have a sense of attachment to Brett Favre. Their [good] memories were one year with Brett Favre, and when this season went kaput, so did their allegiance to their quarterback who was their best chance at winning.

This bothered me because I knew I was watching the end of an era and I couldn’t help but think about Brett Favre’s glory years, his MVP years, with Green Bay. Brett Favre played football for about as far back as my football memory goes. He was a transcendent figure for the game and for the Packer’s organization. It perturbed me knowing that one of the all-time greats was near the end of his illustrious career but that a majority of Minnesota fans could only say that he “sucks.”

How ignorant! Between his shaky offensive line, lack of quality receivers for the majority of the season, and a body that was beaten worse than a Tyson victim; what do you expect? The man’s not Jesus, he can’t walk on water.

As this season progressed I thought Favre deserved better than the ending that was. Not Brett missing his final game due to a concussion, not with his consecutive start streak coming to an end, not with the Vikings losing record, not his poor passer rating, and not the interceptions. Brett Favre deserved better from his fan base over his final 16-game season.

It was halfway through the season when I decided that I was done being mad at Brett Favre. Whether it was the off field allegations, the constant physical beating, or the fact this seasons Minnesota Vikings should have been on VH1, I decided that Brett Favre had suffered enough. It was then I decided it was time for Brett Favre to “come on home.”

Much like ending a long term relationship, there is usually a period of time in which bitterness and resentment follows, that was how I felt with Brett Favre. As I said earlier, I, along with many other Green Bay fans took it personally when Favre signed with Minnesota. I now feel that enough time has passed that I no longer resent or wish harm upon Brett Favre. How could I after all of the great football memories he provided me over the years?

If you are a Green Bay fan and disagree with me, I want you to think about one thing. Super Bowl 31 - January 26, 1997 – Packers: 35 Patriots: 21

Enough time has passed Brett, do the right thing. Sign a one-day contract with Green Bay and retire as a Packer and we can try to forget this whole Minnesota thing ever happened. Do right to those who watched and appreciated you for years, come on home!

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