Brett Faux
His name, of course, isn’t Brett Faux. But Brett Favre has recently proved that he is a faux. He’s like almost every other large talent athlete, coach, CEO, or employee. It’s not about the organization, the company, the team; it’s about him. Green Bay didn’t make him. He made Green Bay.
Favre began showing his true colors three years ago when he toyed with the organization and its fans by suggesting retirement might be imminent. Don’t go, Brett. You’re our leader, our glue. He sucked it up and stayed.
When Brett seemed tortured over whether to retire a year later, it now appears he was only torturing the fans who again pleaded with him to stay. When he did, had a season one game shy of the Super Bowl, and then announced through crocodile tears that it was time to quit, the fans were sad but understanding. After all, Brett Favre was Bart Star. He would always be a Packer–eventually in the Hall of Fame.
After Favre made his stunning request a few days ago for release from the Packers to play for another team, there was more astonishment than anger. When the fans then witnessed the audacity of an egomaniac who blamed Packer management of mistreatment by balking at his request, Cheeseheads were dealt a blow to the head by the quarterback they had always sought to protect from such a cheap shot. As it turns out, three months ago, Packer management talked with Favre about continuing to play for the Pack when rumors began circulating that Favre might be having a Roger Clemens moment. He denied the rumors.
If the Packer brass has the leadership mettle Favre doesn’t, Favre will be unceremoniously welcomed back, told to be the holder on extra points and field goals, and made to live in misery with the team and fans he’s mocked.
It’s said there’s no loyalty between employers and employees today. In this little soap opera, however, it’s fair to say that while there’s no loyalty on Favre’s part, there’s been plenty on the part of the Packers, who (unlike every other NFL team) aren’t owned by a person or a family or a corporation–but by the loyal and, when necessary, long-suffering public in Green Bay.
When employers treat employees like chopped liver, they should be called out for what they are. So should backbiting employees.
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Monday, July 21st, 2008 at 8:26 am under
Although a native of northeastern Wisconsin, an unwavering Packers fan, and someone who has marveled at the talent and accomplishments–none greater than his record of consecutive starts, which makes him unimpeachable in the world of sports–of Brett Favre, I certainly see the need for assessing recent envents related to #4 with a healthy degree of skepticism and disdain.
That said, the premise of this blog post is flawed from the get go.
“Faux” is an adjective. Thus the sentence, “But Brett Favre has recently proved that he is a faux,” is both an underdeveoped argument, a gross oversimplification, and above all, a sad commentary on the blogosphere and writers who can’t even rise to a basic command of English. Or French-made English.
In any event, please: learn how to write.
August 7th, 2008 at 1:09 pmI stand corrected. I knew I was using faux incorrectly, and I try to avoid that. I was trying to be too cute I suppose. You can think what you want about my writing (by the way, you misspelled “events” or perhaps I’m unfamiliar with a high brow word), but my argument and my commentary on Favre were solid as a rock. Favre is a great athlete, and, as a person, he’s a great fake. (Is that better?) Go Jets.
August 7th, 2008 at 1:53 pm