What the Favre? Part 21

We haven't done a "What the Favre?" segment in a long time. But now, with an interview with Ol' #4 appearing in the new issue of Men's Journal (on sale Friday for those who wish to line up), we have yet another opportunity to ask that question. Because every time Brett speaks, well..."What the Favre?".

According to excerpts released and/or picked up by other outlets, it becomes quite clear that Brett's decision to un-retire (for the first time) had nothing to do with just wanting to play football, as he had so often claimed. It was, as most realize by now, purely for the chance to get back at the Packers and GM Ted Thompson. He says so himself. According to an excerpt appearing in the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Favre says, "They (the Packers) made it pretty clear I wasn't going to play there, and I said, 'How about the Vikings or even the Lions?' I wanted to stay in the same division. They said that wasn't going to happen, but maybe Tampa. I said, 'Fine, trade me to Tampa. I'll whip your asses in week four.' Maybe that was a mistake. I'm flying back to Hattiesburg thinking I'm going to the Bucs, and I get off the plane and Bus tell me I've been traded to the Jets. I said, 'Bull,' but they were smart; they released the news so I'd look like an ass if I backed out."

How much of a rocket scientist do you have to be to understand that when he said he wanted to play for the ViQueens or the Lions -- the Lions, for the love of God! -- that it was all about revenge..."whip your asses" as Brett puts it? And isn't it interesting that Brett had always said that he never wanted to play for the ViQueens originally. No, not at all. Yet, here he is saying it was the first thing out of his mouth.

Question: what, if anything, can we believe that he says? Not that he's going to retire. That was said and then changed twice (it was just twice, wasn't it???). Not when he says he just wanted to play and it didn't matter who with. Clearly, from his comments that wasn't the case, even at the start of unretirement #1.

As has been said here many times over the last couple years, it is so sad that someone who was and is such a great quarterback and a Packers legend has basically turned himself into a running sitcom every time he speaks. About the only thing we can count on, no matter what he says one way or another, is that he will be back for another season with the 'Queens trying yet again to sweep the Pack as was accomplished last season. We'll see how that all works out this season.

You can find excerpts from the Men's Journal and Star-Tribune articles here and here respectively.