Time to let Brett Favre go

Publication:Waukesha Freeman (Conley); Date:Jun 25, 2009; Section:Opinion; Page Number:10A

4give Favre for turning purple
Fans need to move on as QB does

(James Wigderson is a blogger publishing at http://wigdersonlibrarypub.blogspot.com and a Waukesha resident. His column runs Thursdays in The Freeman.)

Not since pro wrestling’s Hulk Hogan turned “heel” and disappointed all the little Hulkamaniacs has a sports-entertainment figure so disappointed his fan base. Green Bay Packers fans are just not accepting the likely event of Brett Favre becoming the quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings.

Yes, it’s increasingly likely Brett Favre will be trading in his green No. 4 from last year, which was a different shade of green than the previous year, for the color purple. Who knew he was such a fan of Alice Walker?

Brett Favre will be joining legendary Viking quarterbacks like Fran Tarkenton and ... Fran Tarkenton.

Funny I should mention Tarkenton, because he is not looking forward to Brett Favre becoming a Minnesota Viking, either. On his blog, Tarkenton explained why:

“See, it’s about TEAM in football. It’s not about Brett Favre or Fran Tarkenton or John Elway. It’s about TEAM. Teams win – individuals lose. And so I express the opinion that Brett Favre is wrong, and I believe that right now. I think it is wrong for the Vikings and I think it is wrong for Green Bay. I think it is just wrong. But I kind of want him to go because if he goes there to Minnesota I believe he will burn every bridge he has in Green Bay. The disloyalty! Can you imagine if Ray Nitschke would have retired then gone to play for the Minnesota Vikings? Don’t we feel strongly about our teams?”

The sarcastic among you might wonder if Tarkenton is worried Favre will do something with the Vikings’ Tarkenton could not accomplish: win a Super Bowl. But, ironically, I think former Viking Tarkenton sums up what many Green Bay Packers fans are feeling.

I think they need to let it go.

I know it’s easy for me to say. After all, I’m loyal to a different NFL team, the one with the big star on the helmet and the big egos. I’m used to the drama and the tantrums, and that’s just in the front office.

But Packers fans are living a fantasy if they think that the legends will always remain with one team.

When Deion Sanders became a Dallas Cowboy, one of my friends told me he could not imagine Sanders in a Cowboy uniform after the way he helped crush the Cowboys the year before as a San Francisco 49er. Today, most Cowboys fans remember Deion Sanders as one of the best things about the Barry Switzer era.

Terrell Owens with the 49ers danced on the star in the center of Texas Stadium and was decked by former Packer George Teague. The last two seasons, he’s been a drama queen as a Dallas Cowboy.

Dallas isn’t the only team to go get hired guns. When Marcus Allen left the Raiders, he joined their division rivals the Kansas City Chiefs. That rivalry is probably more intense than the Packers-Vikings rivalry.

Closer to home, Chicago Bears great Jim McMahon finished his career as a Green Bay Packer. How many Bears fans stopped singing the “Super Bowl Shuffle” as a result?

Do you remember tight end Keith Jackson, who held out half the season because he didn’t want to play in Green Bay? Yet, the fans still cheered when he scored touchdowns.

How about Don Beebe? Do you think Buffalo Bills fans were upset that he finally played for a team that won the Super Bowl?

Why were those players brought in? Because they could help the team win. Not because they were nice. Not because they always dreamed of playing in Green Bay. Because they could win.

Why did Packers fans love Brett Favre? Because he could win. He wasn’t a loyal Wisconsinite. He even had a drug problem, and we still don’t know where he got the extra prescription drugs. But Packers fans forgave him because he was a winner.

We will never know if Brett Favre had stayed with the Packers last year how well he would have played, or if the team would have done better. I thought it was a mistake for the team to let him go.

But that was last year. Favre moved on. Time for the fans to move on, too.

JAMES WIGDERSON

Never too early to talk about football

The National Football League regular schedules are out. It looks as if I'll be watching the game from a bar on November 15th.

Packers 2009 Schedule

Sept. 13: vs. Chicago Bears, 7:20 p.m.
Sept. 20: vs. Cincinnati Bengals, Noon (Gold Package)
Sept. 27: at St. Louis Rams, Noon
Oct. 5: at Minnesota Vikings, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 11: Bye week
Oct. 18: vs. Detroit Lions, Noon
Oct. 25: at Cleveland Browns, Noon
Nov. 1: vs. Minnesota Vikings, Noon
Nov. 8: at Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Noon
Nov. 15: vs. Dallas Cowboys, 3:15 p.m. (Gold Package)
Nov. 22: vs. San Francisco 49rers, Noon
Nov. 26: at Detroit Lions, 11:30 a.m.
Dec. 7: vs. Baltimore Ravens, 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 13: at Chicago Bears, Noon
Dec. 20: at Pittsburgh Steelers, Noon
Dec. 27: vs. Seattle Seahawks, Noon
Jan. 3: at Arizona Cardinals, 3:15 p.m.

America's Team The Dallas Cowboys 2009 Schedule

Sun., Sept. 13 @ Tampa Bay (FOX) Noon
Sun., Sept. 20 NEW YORK GIANTS (KXAN) 7:15 p.m.
Mon., Sept. 28 CAROLINA (ESPN) 7:30 p.m.
Sun., Oct. 4 @ Denver (FOX) 3:15 p.m.
Sun., Oct. 11 @ Kansas City (FOX) Noon
Sun., Oct. 18 BYE
Sun., Oct. 25 ATLANTA (FOX) 3:15 p.m.
Sun., Nov. 1 SEATTLE (FOX) Noon
Sun., Nov. 8 @ Philadelphia (KXAN) 7:15 p.m.
Sun., Nov. 15 @ Green Bay (FOX) 3:15 p.m.
Sun., Nov. 22 WASHINGTON (FOX) Noon
Thurs., Nov. 26 OAKLAND (CBS) 3:15 p.m.
Sun., Dec. 6 @ New York Giants (Fox) 3:15 p.m.
Sun., Dec. 13 SAN DIEGO (CBS) 3:15 p.m.*
Sat., Dec. 19 @ New Orleans (NFLN) 7:15 p.m.
Sun., Dec. 27 @ Washington (KXAN) 7:15 p.m.
Sun., Jan. 3 PHILADELPHIA (FOX) Noon

This is the year the Cowboys open the new stadium in Arlington, The Monument to Jerry Jones' Ego. It's almost life-size.

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram previews the upcoming Cowboys season. Looks like a fast start, must-win games in November, and a season finale against the Eagles.

Because everybody knows a Cowboys fan

Once again, Big D is number 1 in NFL merchandise sales. (Ht: StB) The Green Bay Packers dropped from fifth to ninth, all too predictable when Brett Favre left town.

Another house-buying rumor in Green Bay

Who starts these rumors? Realtors? In a comment regarding the possibility of Mike Holmgren coaching next year:

Holmgren and Wolf will reunite, but it should be in Green Bay. Ron’s already bought his house and moved to town. The next step would be for the board to step up, do what’s right, and fire Ted Thompson. He’s a joke of a GM, has been selling this team down river since arriving, and has yet to make any FA aquisitions. Holmgren in the luxury suite with Wolf on his hip or in his ear, and all the while watching Bill Cowher restore this franshise to it’s winning ways.

Hey, I saw it on the internet so it must be true.

A friend of mine also asked me about the possibility of the Dallas Cowboys hiring Holmgren. Not likely. The next guy in line is Jason Garrett. Besides, if Holmgren could only put up with Andre Rison for half a season, which of the malcontents in Dallas would drive Holmgren absolutely bonkers first?

I'm betting Jerry Jones makes an offer to Dr. Phil to be an assitant coach in the off-season.

Those classy Packer fans

Author Phil Hanrahan, researching a book on life after Brett Favre in Green Bay, was looking for Dallas Cowboys fans from Dallas who were in Green Bay for the game:

"So far the only Cowboys fan at Lambeau I've made contact with happened to be from Wisconsin, of all places. Poor guy got a beer thrown on him for wearing a Witten jersey. Also said a drunk Packer fan head-butted a Cowboy fan at halftime in the restroom.

Hopefully some other Cowboys fans had better experiences."

Not to rub it in, but...

Final Score:

Dallas Cowboys 27
Green Bay Packers 16

From the Dallas Morning News Dallas Cowboys blog:

I'll admit that I'm absolutely stunned to be writing a wrap-up post with more than eight minutes remaining in the game.

I expected the Packers to squeak out a win in a down-to-the-wire shootout. But the Cowboys have delivered a good, old-fashioned butt kickin' to eliminate any doubt that they're the team to beat in the NFC.

The fact that it has happened on a night that Tony Romo and T.O. looked like mere mortals makes it even more impressive.

My take: I think the Packers played too conservatively. Perhaps McCarthy was lulled by the early field goals. But the Dallas Cowboys secondary has been suspect at crucial times for the last two years, and they even showed some weakness tonight. For some reason the Packers did not take advantage.

Perhaps the Packers are not as confident in Rodgers as they claim. Perhaps he really doesn't have the big gun arm. But that secondary was begging to be tested, and nobody came.

The Packers were effective in shutting down T.O., but the Cowboys have just too many offensive weapons to be contained. You gotta beat them on the scoreboard.

Dallas finally wins at Lambeau Field, and it took a Wisconsin boy to do it.

Hometown boy makes good

Number 9 in your playbook but number one in our hearts Tony Romo returns to Wisconsin to lead his Dallas Cowboys at Lambeau Field for the first time. David Moore of the Dallas Morning News comments:

Here is what Romo won't tell you. He invited a few friends to his home eight months ago to watch the NFC Championship Game between Green Bay and the New York Giants. Ask the people in that room who Romo wanted to win.

"He still roots for the Packers when he's not playing them and they can't hurt the Cowboys in the standings," said Steve Tenhagen, part of Romo's Wisconsin entourage that day. "He's not going to feed that to you guys [media] and make a big story out of it.

"But yeah, this game is going to be a big deal for him, without a doubt."

Three out of four dentists that watch football at The Green Bay Press Gazette say it will be a triumphant homecoming for Tony Romo.

Let the trash talking begin

Week 3 match-up on Sunday night football.

Series: The Cowboys lead 11-10 in the regular season but have never won at Lambeau Field in five meetings, including playoffs. The Cowboys have won four of the six playoff games.

Let's go to the experts:

Matt Moseley, ESPN
Make no mistake. The Cowboys are going to come after Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers early and often. For the past two games, defensive end Greg Ellis has been asked to drop back in coverage a lot more than usual. That's not going to happen against Rogers. It also helps the Cowboys that Terence Newman appears to be close to full strength. The Packers' receivers are the best in the league at running after the catch.

The Cowboys will try to put pressure on the Packers' secondary from the opening snap. This might sound like NFC East bias, but I smell a blowout. On paper, this is an unbelievable matchup.

But there's no way the Packers can hang with the Cowboys in a shootout, and that's what's going to happen. The Cowboys have some tape on Rodgers now. They played against him last season, and Rodgers played well in relief of an injured Brett Favre. Cowboys roll in this one.

ESPN's Madden '09 Simulation
Prediction: Dallas 24, Green Bay 23
A preview of the NFC championship? Could be as these two teams have started hotter than just about anyone else in the league, and this game went down to the final minute before it was decided.

The Packers jumped out to a 14-0 first quarter lead thanks to two Aaron Rodgers touchdown passes, but Dallas stormed back in the second quarter as Tony Romo threw two touchdowns of his own.

After trading field goals, Dallas trailed 23-17 late in the fourth until Tony Romo hit Terrell Owens with an 11-yard touchdown for the win with only 1:20 left on the clock. Definitely the game of the week.

Could've been ugly

Packer fans can come in off the roof now. Good thing the Lions are really, really bad. Anytime you let the home team back in the game like that you are asking for trouble.

Triumph of reality over pessimism

 The Spring City Chronicle predicts the Packers will win this week.

Favre vs Rodgers

Of the two, I'll take Tony Romo. But aside from that, I found it real interesting how both teams (Jets and Packers) chose not to throw for a first down on the final drive. Apparently both coaches felt it was too risky to do with their new quarterbacks and chose to kill time on the clock with the run, resulting in punting the ball away.

Anyway, the two quarterbacks both have a win, and both were pretty even with the stats. I'm curious what the reaction is in Packerland to the two games.

Either way you look at it, it's nice to know the Packers will only have to play sixteen games this season.

Cheesehead bleg

I need to know the best place to buy a Cheesehead in Waukesha. We have relatives in from out of town, and they can't leave town without a Cheesehead.

I want the Paris Hilton video on entitlements

Time for another edition of the Idiot Politician of the Week. You know the idiots are running wild in politics when Paris Hilton proposes an energy plan. We’re told that her little spoof ad has had over 3,000,000 visitors. So has Paris. But the question is, which has had more views on the internet, her energy proposal or her sex video?

Speaking of the Over-exposed, the polls are a bad omen lately for the O-man. People are tired of hearing about Senator Barack Obama as he runs for scold-in-chief. His mother always told him, wear clean underwear and check your tires. He’ll hear about yet another nomination for Idiot Politician of the Week as he visits his grandmother in Hawaii. It’s the least he can do since he called her a bigot.

The nominations are working at correcting bad boy behavior among the politicians. Just this week former Senator John Edwards admitted to having an affair, but the kid is not his son, Billie Jean. Ma Ma, Where’s my Pa? So, um, Senator, just what were you doing in that hotel room? Enquiring minds still want to know.
Except for maybe Bob Woodruff, who asked the most fawning of questions,

Your wife, Elizabeth, is probably the most admired and beloved person in this country, she's had enormous sympathy because she's also gone through cancer, how could you have done this?

For a second I thought John Edwards was married to Oprah.

I’m still waiting for the aggrieved political wife who forgets her social-climbing ambitions and says, “Yeah, he’s a cheating bastard and I’m divorcing him. Only because the restraining order prevents me from killing him.”

But as sexy as the Edwards scandal is, I bet we can find someone even dumber. The trick is, you have to know where to look. If you’re looking for the IQ low point, a good place to start is Detroit. Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, just realeased from jail, is looking at two more felony counts after he allegedly shoved a police officer serving a subpoena at his sister’s house. To be fair to Detroit, elected officials in Milwaukee that get into altercations with the cops get hugged by suburban mayors before eventually going to jail on something completely different.

Mayor Kilpatrick spent the night in jail after not telling anyone he was leaving the country temporarily – to Windsor, ON. Probably never occurred to him why they use different currency over there. Kilpatrick once said he believed the job of mayor was an assignment from God. Too bad he doesn’t listen to God on other matters, like Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery And Send Text Messages About It And Other Prosecutable Offenses. Or, Thou Shalt Not Bear False Witness, one of my favorites.

Kilpatrick is facing a recall effort, removal by the city council, calls from the public to resign, religious leaders asking him to resign, felony prosecution on 12 points, and even a request to the governor to just remove him from office. Kilpatrick says its a conspiracy.

Meanwhile somebody who claims to be an expert on idiots recently had an idiotic episode of his own. Looking for the idiot politician of the week? Then send in the Fool. But somebody forgot to get an audience first, and the rapidly more foolish looking Al Franken and his senate campaign is looking a little more hopeless. His campaign scheduled an event to discuss veterans’ benefits and only one person (other than the press) showed up. Perhaps everyone was afraid Franken was going to do his stand-up routine. Then he lied about his opponent’s record and admitted he had no idea if his own plan would work or how much it would cost. When I’m looking for a Big Fat Idiot, I’m looking at you Al Franken.

But let’s jump back across the border to Wisconsin where Congressman Steve Kagen was asked by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel what he would do about out-of-control federal entitlement spending.

The Journal Sentinel Editorial Board asked members of Wisconsin's congressional delegation to write brief essays explaining what needs to be done about the coming fiscal problems posed by entitlement spending - and what they are prepared to do to lead in this effort.

Kagen responded that he would expand federal involvement in health-care and drill for oil.

Everywhere in Wisconsin, people are asking for help to reduce prices for gasoline and health care, and rural areas, which make up much of the 8th District that I have the honor of representing, are affected most. I'm working hard on solutions to these challenges, which are more inter-related than many might first guess.

Now why didn’t Al Gore think of that instead of proposing his lock box in 2000? Has someone told Congressman Paul Ryan we don’t have to worry about Medicare and Social Security? Congressman Kagen is going to make sure every oilman is covered under universal health care.

Yep, there is someone dumber than Ted Thompson in Green Bay. As Brian Reidl in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel put it,

Rep. Steve Kagen (D-Appleton) gave the most bizarre response of all. Asked how to solve Social Security and Medicare’s deficits, he ignored the question and instead recited unrelated talking points on energy independence, oil drilling and health care accessibility. Kagen’s response failed to display even an elementary understanding of Social Security and Medicare reform. Grade: F

I thought the DNCC sent babysitters out to Kagen’s district to prevent gaffes like this? Is he such an idiot that even they can’t keep track of everything he’s doing? If that’s the case, congratulations Congressman Kagen. You are our Idiot Politician of the Week.

What channel is showing the New York Bretts?

WFRV, of course. Just as Packerama predicted (at the new website), the Green Bay CBS affiliate wants to show as many of the New York Jets' games as possible.

I predict the novelty will wear off and they'll revert to their normal game by the third week.

Favre's leavin' on a Jets plane

I had to use that title before Chris Berman stole it. But it is true, sports fans. Number 4 in your playbook, number $12,000,000 in your salary cap, Brett Favre has been traded to the New York J-E-T-S. He follows in the great quarterbacking tradition of Joe Namath and... Joe Namath.

Meanwhile, the Green Bay Packers are stuck with Aaron Rodgers. I wonder if Joe Namath is still available?

Even Eugene Kane is writing about Brett Favre

No, seriously. And there's nothing in Kane's blog post about racism. Instead, give him credit for the quote of the week:

When did Deanna Favre become Yoko Ono?

Peace in our time

Reuters photo

Irresistable force travels to immovable object

Brett Favre is on his way to Green Bay:

ESPN's Ed Werder reported Sunday morning that NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has reinstated Favre.

Werder reports that Favre and his wife, Deanna, are headed to Green Bay, where Favre will show up to training camp Monday morning. He is expected to land in Green Bay by 5:30 p.m. and expected to report to training camp by 1 p.m. Monday.

It seems that destiny has taken a hand.

Running the nice team

Dr. Bear points out the folly of building and running a football team by making all the right P.R. moves.

And I don't think it's a good idea for a football team to make moves based on what the fans will think. That way lies madness, elderly quarterbacks and the Green Bay Packers from 1968-1992. Cliff, you covered most of those teams, back when Bart Starr was drafting for character, not talent, and the Packers hung onto Starr for PR, rather than football success. (Do you think Dan Devine would have been given as many years as Starr was?) Follow that with another "alumni" coach in Forrest Gregg, and you can see how "PR" worked as a system for putting together a team.

I think the Favre situation could get uglier just because it's in Favre's $12 million interest to get uglier. And while I think Green Bay is nuts to trade Favre, it's in the in the best interests of the Packer organization to actually get something for him. That means it's in the interests of the team, too, for the situation to get uglier before it gets better.

This will solve everything

Ted Thompson finds a team to take Brett Favre.

It must be true. I read it on the internet.