When is enough finally enough? Not anymore. Enough is definitely not enough when it comes to making fun of Brett Favre, who had been taking such a thorough public beating that the meanest man in the business -- me -- came to his defense last week by begging all the haters to call it off. Enough!
And how did Butthead Brett repay my heartfelt defense?
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| Brett's not making any new friends with his recent behavior, that's for sure. (AP) |
Favre has never been a smart guy. As wonderfully gifted as he is in the arm, he has always struck me as fairly mediocre inside the cranium. But after watching the events of the past week -- watching in horror, considering they came after my passionate plea on Favre's behalf -- I'm starting to think Brett is downright dumb.
And considering what I wrote one week ago, his stupidity has seeped into me -- something I cannot abide. So if you hated what I wrote last week, you're going to love this. And if you agreed with me a week ago, I'm curious to know if you still agree with that column now.
Remember, whether we're talking weapons of mass destruction or bumbling Brett Favre, it's not flip-flopping to rethink your position when the facts change. And the facts, in the past week, have changed.
Let us recap what has happened since our hero (me, not Favre) wrote in support of our villain (him, not me):
- Favre has gone on the attack, using a gullible friend at Fox News to spread his message that the Packers are to blame for his bogus retirement and eventual flip-flop. Favre told the sucker at Fox, Greta Van Susteren -- a Favre family friend who is a Wisconsin native and Packers shareholder -- that he was "never fully committed" to retiring, even six weeks after the season ended, even as the NFL Draft was approaching and the Packers were waiting for their most expensive, most important player to kindly make a decision for the good of the franchise.
- Favre, who retired in March and then almost un-retired a few weeks later and then told the Packers he was serious about retiring before finally starting to un-retire again last week, says the Packers are liars. The Packers! Referring to the Packers, and giving no supporting details, he told Greta Van Sucker, "Don't make up a lot of stuff or give half of the truth."
- Favre asked for his release a second time, this time publicly, after being rebuffed in his first efforts. I've got no problem with his first effort. He retired, changed his mind, knew the Packers were moving on with Aaron Rodgers, and asked to be released so he could pursue a starting job elsewhere. That was his right. The Packers, who own his contract, said no. That was their right. And now Favre is asking to be released a second time? Publicly? Hoping the attention will put pressure on the team? Not right. Not right at all.
- Favre threw a former teammate and current Packers assistant, longtime friend James Campen, under the bus. In the past week it has come out that Campen recently visited Favre in Mississippi. Favre told Greta Van Gullible that Campen undercut his own franchise by telling Favre: "I'm telling you, if you ... force their hand, back them in a corner, they feel like they have no other option, they're going to accept you back." Packers head coach Mike McCarthy was shocked by Favre's Machiavellian methodology and expressed no anger with Campen, only disappointment in Favre for using a friend so clumsily.
- And for dessert, Favre has become the central figure of a reported tampering charge involving the Minnesota Vikings. The Packers have complained to the NFL that Vikings offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell has had discussions with Favre that would violate the league's tampering policy. Apparently this is no wild accusation, either. The Packers have shown the league phone records to support their position.
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| Ditkaby135: Wow, a sports writer writing a story about something they talked about the week before. Please, I hope we get another weekly update next week about this. Someone needs to take your MacBook away from you for a while. This story wouldn't be such a big deal if you damn writers would just find something better to do. The guy wants to play football and you people are going to turn this into a long, long running episode of Days of Our Lives. I don't see the problem here Greg Drool. |
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| Gregg Doyel: You're right, Dorkaby. This whole Brett Favre story is played out. I also am tired of hearing about the presidential election, the war overseas and the price of gas. Or I have a better idea, Mr. Ostrich. Get your head out of your, er, grass and give an evolving story the respect it's due. |
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If that last factoid is true -- and where the arrogant stupidity of Favre is concerned, I am now willing to believe anything -- connect the dots.
1. Favre officially retired, teased the Packers into thinking he would change his mind, then stayed retired. The Packers moved on, drafting two quarterbacks in April.
2. Behind the scenes, Favre made it known after the draft that he was un-retiring. He sought a trade or his release from the Packers. The Packers said no.
3. Undeterred, Favre allowed illegal contact with another team -- an NFC North rival -- anyway.
So where are we now? We're in chaos. We're in Brett Favre hell.
The Vikings have a brand new controversy on their hands, with the team -- not to mention incumbent quarterback Tarvaris Jackson -- dealing with questions about the franchise's commitment to Jackson.
The Packers have an even bigger controversy on their hands. The most famous player in team history is sticking knives in anyone and everyone's back, hoping one of those daggers will un-tether his ties to Green Bay.
And I'm in a position of having to renounce something I wrote a week ago. Understand, I'm not merely hedging or shifting or reshaping. I'm renouncing. That column from exactly one week ago? That's no column of mine. That column is dead to me.
So is Brett Favre.
Dead. To. Me.
