Some athletes retire. Some athletes retire again. Brett Favre has retired again.
It's tough to take Favre seriously. He thinks about retiring after almost every season. Last season he retired for good. You could tell because he cried when he said so. Then he decided to come back. But this time the Packers didn't want him. They'd been teased and taunted too many times.
So Favre played for the New York Jets. It worked for awhile. He and his team briefly looked like one of the AFC's best. Then the Jets went down and Favre went down with them. At 39, he didn't have enough left to save them.
Favre said Wednesday that he's finished with the Jets and with football.
But when summer fades and training camps open and everybody in the league feels as if this is going to be their season, Favre undoubtedly will feel it, too. He'll be tempted to play. And somebody will be tempted to offer him the opportunity.
The media and fans often make fun of athletes that can't walk away, among them Michael Jordan, Willie Mays, Muhammad Ali and Joe Montana. We want to perserve their legacy behind glass so it won't be spoiled.
But it's not our legacy. It's theirs. And if they still love a game that has always set them apart from the rest of the human race, how do they simply quit?
I don't understand how Favre could do what he did to the Packers. But I do understand why he would struggle to stay retired when next season could be the season he gets it right.
And i'll understand if, when players go back to work, he looks for a way to join them.
Favre shows just how pitful he is, too, given the sleazy way he asked for his release:
"Hey Jets, even though it would cost you significant money against your cap and I promise I'm "retiring," would you release me so I can sign with another team while I'm "retired?"
Thanks,
Brett "Diva-licious" Favre.
Posted by: Michael Procton | February 12, 2009 at 01:15 PM
The Jet's dumped a quality person and great QB in Chad Pennington...you reap what you sow...
Posted by: Jon in DC | February 12, 2009 at 06:45 PM