OFFICIAL BRETT THE LIVING LEGEND THREAD

[RashanGary]

My big point is the Favre stuff has very little to do with how he played football. It's how people feel about him. And Favre's whole career, IMO, the way he was covered, was greatly skewed by how much he was loved and admired (he captured the hearts of fans more than any player I remember.)

Watch a man-child playing football and you can't help but fall in love with the excitement/thrill. It's like bringing your 8 year old to Disneyland, it's all about that kid's experience. But put that same man-child into interpersonal conflict, watch him stomp his feet and attempt to inflict revenge on the culprit who pushed him beyond his ability to cope and you end up going a way kind of hating the guy. Little kids are cute. We get that they can't handle everything like adults, so it's kinda funny when they throw fits. You sooth them. Adults, we don't think they need to be soothed like a child. They are, in fact, adults, just like the rest of us. They should be able to handle it. When they throw a fit and say, "I hate you" it's not the same as when a kid does it. It's coming from an adult, you don't associate them with being incapable of coping otherwise.

Favre is an emotional midget, incapable of coping with adult problems. It's not the end of the world, no reason to hate him, but it becomes very easy to hate him when you don't realize how incapable he is of moving on without being soothed. Favre can't sooth himself and needs constant admiration/attention. It's sad, but if you look at him like a little kid, I think it's a lot easier to accept him. It's the same reason we loved him on the field. We can accept him as he is off if it, right? I'm sure he doesn't want to be angry and incapable of moving on. I'm sure it sucks for him. I'm sure it sucks that most people can't understand him. I'm sure it's a lonely place when everyone else is one way, and he's another. I think you can either love him or pity him. Hate seems like a total waste.

[Carolina_Packer]

My big point is the Favre stuff has very little to do with how he played football. It's how people feel about him. And Favre's whole career, IMO, the way he was covered, was greatly skewed by how much he was loved and admired (he captured the hearts of fans more than any player I remember.)

Watch a man-child playing football and you can't help but fall in love with the excitement/thrill. It's like bringing your 8 year old to Disneyland, it's all about that kid's experience. But put that same man-child into interpersonal conflict, watch him stomp his feet and attempt to inflict revenge on the culprit who pushed him beyond his ability to cope and you end up going a way kind of hating the guy. Little kids are cute. We get that they can't handle everything like adults, so it's kinda funny when they throw fits. You sooth them. Adults, we don't think they need to be soothed like a child. They are, in fact, adults, just like the rest of us. They should be able to handle it. When they throw a fit and say, "I hate you" it's not the same as when a kid does it. It's coming from an adult, you don't associate them with being incapable of coping otherwise.

Favre is an emotional midget, incapable of coping with adult problems. It's not the end of the world, no reason to hate him, but it becomes very easy to hate him when you don't realize how incapable he is of moving on without being soothed. Favre can't sooth himself and needs constant admiration/attention. It's sad, but if you look at him like a little kid, I think it's a lot easier to accept him. It's the same reason we loved him on the field. We can accept him as he is off if it, right? I'm sure he doesn't want to be angry and incapable of moving on. I'm sure it sucks for him. I'm sure it sucks that most people can't understand him. I'm sure it's a lonely place when everyone else is one way, and he's another. I think you can either love him or pity him. Hate seems like a total waste.

I can't believe how greatly he mis-read the situation in July/August 2008 when he decided to file his reinstatement papers with the NFL. Did he really think that Green Bay was going to just let him back in, give him his old starters job back and send Aaron to the bench? At one point in the off-season of 2008 the front office might have from the sounds of it. At a certain point, they needed to make their plan and move on.

He could have just told the team, there's a chance I might retire, but I want to leave my options open. Why don't we give this an entire off-season and when training camp comes, see how I feel about playing again. Then you don't have this fake retirement, which ended up causing a show down when he asked for reinstatement. He shouldn't have been so sure that he would be welcomed back as the starter. That was a severe miscalculation on his part.

I don't think the Packers owed him the starters job back just because he decided it was time to come back and play. I won't go as far as to say that's holding the team hostage, but it's hard to depend on and make your plans. He clearly didn't see that he was putting the team in a tough spot by coming back at that point.

From Wikipedia...Favre formally filed for reinstatement with the NFL on July 29, 2008, and his petition was granted by Commissioner Goodell, effective August 4, 2008.[77] Favre then flew to Green Bay to report to Packers training camp. After a lengthy meeting with head coach Mike McCarthy and general manager Ted Thompson, however, both sides agreed it was time for Favre and the organization to part ways.[78] McCarthy sensed Favre was not in "the right mind-set" to resume playing for the Packers, while Favre felt that his relationship with Packer management had deteriorated to the point that a return to the team would be untenable.[78]

Did the deterioration have to do with him not being granted his unconditional release? Please! Which GM is going to do that? I know that Indy did that with Peyton, but he was no longer under contract and was coming off an injury season. If Favre was going to be traded, I sometimes wonder if they considered Minnesota, provided they could get a lot of compensation back, ala Carson Palmer to the Raiders.

Did the deterioration have to do with not being given his starter's job back as soon as he decided he wanted to come back for sure? I think the team had just had it with his indecision and while Favre was the more ready QB at the time of the parting, he was also the bigger risk because of his age and how unsure he was about playing.

I just don't get this whole deterioration of his relationship with management thing. He seemed OK with them when he was retiring in March. I'm sorry that it ended so ugly, but I'm glad someone had the guts to make a plan for the future and stick with it, despite one aging superstar thinking he could just waltz back in and have his starter's job back, and then getting his ego bruised.

Anyway, I really hope A-Rod's efforts to help mend the fences with Brett will lead to a reconciliation with the team and a proper ceremony in due time.

[LEWCWA]

Love him, hate him you guys sure can't get enough!

[Smidgeon]

The JSO is occasionally posting old articles about key moments in Packers history, and the following quote from today's article I found especially ironic:

"I wasn't terribly concerned about quarterback, but [acquiring Favre] gave us a chance to solidify the position," Holmgren said. "If Don is healthy, we have two guys who have won games and played well. Now I've got a young guy I can teach the offense to. Don Majkowski is the starting quarterback. I don't think a guy loses his job because of an injury."

http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packers/212249761.html

[hoosier]

The Majik Mullet didn't lose his job because of injury, he lost it because his oft-injured shoulder reduced him to a noodle arm.

[woodbuck27]

Don "Magic Man" Majkowski greeting Brett Favre before a Packers game

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Majkowski#Indianapolis_Colts

On a play on September 20, 1992 against the Cincinnati Bengals, Majkowski tore a ligament in his ankle. He was replaced after the play by Brett Favre, who completed the game. Favre went on to start in every consecutive Packers game through the 2007 season.

Indianapolis Colts (1993-1994)

Majkowski left Green Bay after the 1992 season. He signed with the Indianapolis Colts as a backup for two seasons.

Detroit Lions (1995-1996)

Don Majkowski finished his football career for the 1995 and 1996 Detroit Lions as backup quarterback to starter Scott Mitchell. In his final season Majkowski faced Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers on November 3, 1996 completing 15 of 32 passes for 153 yards, 1 TD and no interceptions in a 28-10 Lions loss. He was also sacked 5 times.

Majkowski's final start was played in Detroit in a win against the Seattle Seahawks. He completed 18 of 23 passes (78% completion percentage) for 157 yards, 1 TD and an interception for a passer rating of 91.5. The Lions won the game 17-16 and improved their record to 5 wins and 6 losses.

However, this was the last win for the Lions as they finished the 1996 season with a 5-11 won-loss record as Scott Mitchell started all five games.

GO PACK GO !

[swede]

Majkowski had real skill, but that ankle injury was killer. The guy still can't walk.

[Fritz]

He seemed to be one of those guys who had some good skills, though not great skills, but was a damn good leader and kind of inspiring to watch. I liked him, but I did recognize that he did not have a rocket arm.

Still, I watched him in the old Pontiac Silverdome beat the Lions on the last play of the game on a pass to...I'm not sure who. The Pack was down around the ten yard line, time running out. I still believe Majik was targeting an underneath receiver, maybe a tight end, but the pass was overthrown, and ended up looking like a pinpoint bullet shot to the wide receiver who caught it for the winning TD.

[Fritz]

Apropos of nothing except retired players, can I ask why are the Jets and Browns engaging in public dances with their ex stars?

Jim Brown just got a job that seems like the football equivalent to featherbedding and as he was talking about it, continued to take swipes at the previous administration for freezing him out.

And the Jets are having a back and forth with Joe Namath about Sanchez/Tebow. Mostly though, its Namath going forth to bloviate.

Now I love Jim Brown as a football player as much as anyone can, not having seen him play live at any time in his career. But what on earth do you have to gain by engaging with these guys with roles on the team?

I know why radio shows have them on, because the name alone moves the meter. But why does anyone take what they say seriously at this point?

These guys are icons, PB. You know that. You employ them with your organization to associate your current "brand" with the old, fond memories of the organization's iconic players. That's pretty straightforward, I think.

It's just that you've got to live with the baggage of Jim Brown going bitter on the old regime and Joe Namath showing up drunk. You hope people will ignore or excuse all that and just associate them with their old brilliance. Not too different than what the Pack will do with Favre. You hope, when the fans see him, they remember touchdown passes and helmet-pumps and not penis pics and sexts.

[gbgary]

majik had everything except the cannon arm. cool in the pocket, smooth moves, smart, fast, very good arm, lots of heart. injuries ruined him...rotator cuff, ankle.

[Bossman641]

majik had everything except the cannon arm. cool in the pocket, smooth moves, smart, fast, very good arm, lots of heart. injuries ruined him...rotator cuff, ankle.

A killer mullet

[pbmax]

A killer mullet

I know a lot of women who were completely in love with Don and could barely be bothered to look at Favre. That mullet was Majik.

[RashanGary]

Favre's viener would have looked at least 20% bigger if he had Majik's hands.

[RashanGary]

The first football book I read was a book about the Majik to Sharpe and Montana to Rice connections. I used to watch the Lindy Infante show. I was 8, my sister 9. I remember she had the gull to fight with me over the TV. I wanted the Packer game, she the carebears. I was Majik one year for halloween. Those Packers (Majik, Sharpe, Tony Bennett) were larger than life to me. Sharpe was my favorite player. WR was my favorite position. God, those were the days. Those pictures bring back memories.

My older son is a Giants fan. God, that urked me at first. He does have a little bit of his old man in him though. He knew almost every penalty in the game by the time he was 7 or 8 years old. There were times we'd be watching football, his mom would ask a question and he'd answer all annoyed, eyes rolling, "that's illegal contact, it was before the ball was in the air" or something like that. Good shit

It used to piss me off that he was a Giants fan, but I think he did that just so he could be his own person and not have to be like his dad. I started liking the Giants too, cuz he does, and now we're football buddies. He's helped me expand my football horizons and I support him even though he didn't follow in the family tradition.

I love football.

[woodbuck27]

The first football book I read was a book about the Majik to Sharpe and Montana to Rice connections. I used to watch the Lindy Infante show. I was 8, my sister 9. I remember she had the gull to fight with me over the TV. I wanted the Packer game, she the carebears. I was Majik one year for halloween. Those Packers (Majik, Sharpe, Tony Bennett) were larger than life to me. Sharpe was my favorite player. WR was my favorite position. God, those were the days. Those pictures bring back memories.

My older son is a Giants fan. God, that urked me at first. He does have a little bit of his old man in him though. He knew almost every penalty in the game by the time he was 7 or 8 years old. There were times we'd be watching football, his mom would ask a question and he'd answer all annoyed, eyes rolling, "that's illegal contact, it was before the ball was in the air" or something like that. Good shit

It used to piss me off that he was a Giants fan, but I think he did that just so he could be his own person and not have to be like his dad. I started liking the Giants too, cuz he does, and now we're football buddies. He's helped me expand my football horizons and I support him even though he didn't follow in the family tradition.

I love football.

I loved this post from you JH.

Sometimes I wonder what life as a father would have been had I fathered a son. It was three daughters and two of those gals were very athletic. So that pleased me all the same.

I really enjoyed this post JH. I too loved Sterling Sharpe's days as a Packer and today he's as loyal a Green Bay Packer fan as ever. Sterling Sharpe eats and breathes Packers on NFL Access during the regular season. I never miss his segments. He's a very solid and sure analyst.

I'm impressed that you followed the Packers at the age of eight. I wasn't becoming a Packer fan until about the age of twelve, or just prior to Vince Lombardi's arrival. The Packers were God Awful before he came to Green Bay. Then it became really great. All those Yankee fans could brag but Bob (a close friend)and I. Had the Green Bay Packers.

I'll die loving the Green Bay Packers.

GO PACK GO !