There was a time in my life when Brett Favre was the epitome of a sports idol. I had read his biography three times in middle school. I bought Green Bay Packers' gear even though I was and am an avid New Orleans Saints fan. I kept up with his career, and I even gave him the benefit of the doubt when he was discussing retiring with the Pack but always choosing to come back.
I didn't like the way he handled the Jets' situation. He officially retired. He was done with football after a glorious year, but he decided to tug on the coattails of rich GMs until one of them decided to let him play again. He was still a good quarterback, and I still respected his game.
But now, it's officially reached the boiling point. The man, once revered, has trampled on every ounce of admiration I had for him.
After a few weeks of typical Brett Favre drama, he finally decided to say no to the Vikings. The Vikings gave him deadlines, but he ignored them. The NFL analysts worried about the fallout if Favre didn't sign because the good QBs would be snatched up by other teams. There were worries that the Vikings were losing the respect of their lockerroom because the coaches didn't believe in the team unless they had Brett Favre. Now that he's spurned them, there's very little time to bring together a team that could very well be a Super Bowl contender.
But it's not the Vikings that I'm worried or upset about. It's the media attention. One of the greatest defensive minds in the NFL passed away today. Jim Johnson (DC for the Eagles) lost his battle with cancer. He took a leave of absence in May and died just two months later. He's been described a man with his priorities in order. He was committed to his family, and players/staff loved working for him. It's a sad story that will affect not only the lives of the fans in Philadelphia, but also the NFL game itself as the Eagles will have to adjust to a new defensive scheme.
But what's the front page headline? Favre. Favre. Favre. What will be talked about for the majority of this week? Favre. Favre. Who will be brought up every time the Vikings play? Favre.
It's sad that even in the world of sports entertainment, our priorities are completely out of whack.
Rant over.
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