End of a Legend

Today was a difficult day for any Green Bay Packer fan. Brett Favre, 16 year quarterback for my favorite team was traded to the New York Jets. It culminated a difficult month of constant speculation of whether or not he would play again after retiring from the game six months ago.

This is my take. General Manager Ted Thompson and Head Coach Mike McCarthy began to form the post-Favre team a few years ago by drafting Aaron Rodgers in the first round. Rodgers was projected as a top-ten pick, but slipped to mid to late 1st round. It was difficult for the Packers to not take him as Favre's retirement was imminent. Brett has flirted with the idea of retiring the last few years, and pulled the trigger in 2008.

When building this team, McCarthy has expectations on and off the field. He wants the same committment off the field to studying the game as he does on the field to giving 100%. While Brett has been toying with the idea of retiring the last few years, the team began to question if he was committed to what McCarthy was putting into place.

Now Brett retired. The draft came and went with Thompson taking two QBs. Mini-camps and OTAs came and went focusing on the new Green Bay Packer philosophy--all working harder to learn the game in film study. Favre said at his retirement press conference he couldn't see himself put the time into watch video as what is needed by Mike.

The new mindset was instituted in April and May. Late June, Brett wanted to come back and his terms. But his terms aren't part of the new Green Bay way. McCarthy said "the train had left the station," but Brett wanted to be on the train, but not under Mike's engineering.

So today Brett was traded to NY. Thompson said he didn't want to be the guy who signed the trade papers. Brett is a Packer. I was not happy Green Bay offered Brett $20M to stay retired, but I believe they did this so he would not tarnish his image. He is Green Bay and Green Bay became known because of what Brett did for them.

I wasn't born when Bart Starr was the Green Bay quarterback, and my earliest recolection is Lynn Dickey. I would celebrate every win as a little kid, and cry when they would lose. Finally the Packers became a winner and the quarterback who led my team is my age. He takes them to the playoffs, Super Bowl and brings back the Lombardi Trophy to a town in northeastern Wisconsin. While I don't like to idolize, there was no player that was Green Bay to me than Brett Favre. Now he is gone.

I will continue to watch and cheer every weekend for my beloved Packers, but it will take a few years to accept my guy is playing for another team. I want nothing but the best for him as he deserves to be a champion again.