It was no surprise that the Vikings signed Brett Favre when they did. Just why did it have to happen this way? Outside of the Cubs and Carlos Zambrano, it’s hard to find enabling of this magnitude. The difference is the Favre/Vikings thing is much more annoying. I mean, the Vikings gave Favre the spotlight he craves along with everything he wants (attention, multiple chances at revenge against the Packers, attention, a ton of money, attention, little time at training camp and more attention).
While Favre got all he could possibly need or ask for, it cost him. It cost him a lot. For all the coverage his comeback generated, gone was the protection of Favre’s career from the media. As opposed to his trade to the Jets, more blame was issued, both to Favre’s massive ego and the enabling Vikings.
Ever since the Jets officially released Favre, rumors swirled — Favre wanted to play for the Vikings and it was a perfect fit. When the Vikings showed interest in the star QB, they tried to get control. At least they appeared to try and get control; they weren’t just going to let him skip all offseason workouts, and they weren’t going to give him a ton of money.
Well, they signed him during the last couple days of training camp, letting him sit out all of training camp; gave him $25 million over two years; and then, oh yeah, they handed him the starting spot for the team’s second preseason game against Kansas City. Way to hold your ground, Vikes. I guess a loss of organizational control is one of the symptoms of too much Sage Rosenfels.
The Vikings saw a really good team being dragged down by the Rosenfels/Tavaris Jackson combo behind center, so this means old, hill-billy No. 4 gets to do whatever he wants. Not that this should come as a surprise. Favre has been pulling this shit for years now: he held the Packers hostage at the end of every season, waiting until the last possible moment to make a retirement decision; used his Green Bay celebrite to his advantage against a frustrated management wanting to rid themselves of him; alienated his teammates in New York, all the while doing everything possible to remain in the spotlight. And for a long time, people who bashed him — media, teammate or otherwise — were deemed the bad guys. Who were they to criticize one of the league’s all-time greats?
These actions have finally caught up to him.
This time, even with crazy, over the top coverage, the Favre comeback is accompanied by a different tone. (Everytime I say, or even think, “Favre comeback” my mind flashes forward to next February, when the season ends and we have to go through the whole retirement thing again … have I told you how much I hate the Vikings right now.) Last season, the Favre loyalist blamed Favre’s indecision on the Packers. Then, as Favre unretired/was traded to the Jets, it was covered like the return of an NFL hero; as NFL fans, we were expected just to be grateful that Favre would grace us with his presence for one more season.
On Monday, Favre’s return was met with eye rolls and “Oh, not more of this.” And, I can’t say that I saw any columns fighting for Favre’s earned ability to do whatever he wants; to change his mind three times an offseason; to seek the media or to keep his team (and their quarter backs) in limbo. (Trust me, I looked for one.) Favre had officially destroyed any remaining bits of sympathy when he put on that dirty orange hat and stepped behind a podium in front of a purple, Vikings background.
This time, Favre’s return was covered like a football transaction: nothing more, nothing less. Coverage might have been out of control at times (ESPN went a little overboard with the OJ White Bronco-like coverage of Favre’s drive from the airport), but the admiration of Favre was gone. The helicopter camera following Favre’s car, the broadcast of his first press conference, all the columns are justified because Favre is a Hall of Fame quarterback.
Hell, even Peter King thinks all of this is a big mistake. In his Tuesday edition of his weekly MMQB column King wrote:
“I think it’s wrong. I think it’s a circus.”
This is Peter King, one of Favre’s go-to-mouth pieces, and even he can’t support the mess Favre’s made. Actually, King does his best to really knock Favre from the noble steed he rode in on:
If I were Childress, I’d have waited until Sage Rosenfels struggled — if he struggled — and then made the call to Favre.
Favre’s future and the actions of the Vikings being dictated by Sage Rosenfels, that’s quite a fall for the once mighty media hero.
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