Anyone who knows me, knows I am huge Brett Favre fan. Huge enough to get teary eyed at work when I heard word of his first retirement, and huge enough to stomach watching that dreck they called football when he played for the Jets. And huge enough to now consider getting a purple #4 jersey if he decides to come back and play for the Vikes this year. There is a very small handful of people who are allowed to dictate what they will and won't do within the confines of the "rules" of their sports. Favre is one of those people. If he comes back, it's with the full understanding he won't participate in minicamps and most likely training camp. Bruce Smith would do the same thing and he's in the hall of fame. A lot of people don't agree with what Bruce did, but no one can question his play making ability. While it seems unfair to those guys who are at OTA's in May and June, and minicamps, and then training camp, it's also a sign of just how talented these people are. (Yes, I know Peyton Manning goes to training camp. I'm not saying Peyton is any less talented than Brett is. In fact, if anyone could hit Brett's accolades, it'll be Peyton Manning. BUT, Peyton is also years younger than Brett.) In essence, Brett can toss the ball up to whichever receiver is running the routes. It's really the receiver who needs to learn the cadence, the way he throws, and the way the QB directs the game which is something that can come through regular practices and in the preseason. Brett's been around for 20 years, he knows how to read the defenses, and no minicamp or training camp is going to be able to teach him anything he hasn't seen before. Like a true gunslinger, he's going to go out there and do what he does best, and that's make plays. Both good and bad. That's what makes him the best quarterback who's played the game. That's why he's the ironman. It's his utter love of the game that keeps him coming back, and if he doesn't have to put himself through the drudge work, (for lack of a better way of saying it) he'll be the guy that brings you to the post season. Personally, I can't wait for opening night.
***Yes, my opinion on Brett is very definitely colored by the fact that he's my favorite player and my hero. Yes, I said hero. EVERYONE should be so lucky to be able to go to work each and every day with such a love for what they do, that even through the crappy times, they still come back the next day, the next week, the next month, and the next year and go at it again with the same intensity. We can all wish to have that in our lives. I know I do. The game will be missing something when Brett's not playing anymore.***
I don't doubt Favre's talents at all, and obviously he's on a team that is talented enough to contend for the Super Bowl, but ask any of his teammates and I'm sure they'd say they want him at mini-camp. Not to waste his time, but to fine tune the well-oiled machine. I know, I know...after 4 preseason games and 16 regular season games, if the well-oiled machine isn't in full-swing, a few weeks at mini-camp isn't going to make the difference. The problem Favre makes (yes, this is a problem that HE makes) by not showing up to mini-camp is he puts himself on a level higher than his team. Yes, he's Brett Favre and will go down in history as one of the greatest QBs ever to play the game; that alone puts him on that level without his absence from mini-camp. But if he truly wants everyone on the same page and wants to curb the other rockstars on his team who also have other things they would rather be doing in late June, then you should show up to mini-camp with the rest of your team. There's a reason why people talk about Favre not showing up to mini-camp: because it just doesn't look good. If it was a non-issue, it wouldn't be talked about.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you completely. I truly do. BUT, there is no way he would make it through an entire season if he started playing in May/June. . . honestly, the Vikes have the best chance to win with him if he's not put through all of that. And I honestly think his teammates are more apt to deal with him not showing up if he takes them as far or further than they went last year. . .
ReplyDeleteEven just taking it easy during mini-camp and hanging out around the other guys would be enough for me. The whole "chillin' out in Mississippi until a week before the first pre-season game" thing is just ridiculous.
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