Sunday, November 1, 2009

Favre vs Packers: Overhyped


I know that I'm not breaking any ground here by saying that Brett Favre's return to Green Bay was quite a bit overhyped. It was so overhyped that ESPN talking heads would even joke about it being overhyped ... while they were busy hyping it.

I get why Fox did it. I get why Packers fans did it. Fox wants the faces watching the game on their channel and please advertisers. Packers fans have idolized Favre for so long but not feel betrayed by his move to Minnesota. But why do the rest of us really care?

Despite what fans think, there is no loyalty in sports. Also remember that (a) Favre retired, (b) the Packers didn't want Favre as their QB anymore once he decided to come back and that (c) Favre still wanted to play. You can't fault the Packers for their decision (Aaron Rodgers is pretty good) or the fact that Favre signed with the Vikings (great defense, great back, needing a QB).

The hook here is the fact that this is pretty rare. The closest things I can think of was when the Niners pushed Joe Montana out for Steve Young and Montana signed with the Chiefs. The difference there is that the Niners and Chiefs are not rivals and Montana wasn't lobbing grenades on the way out.

Shaq did. Shaquille O'Neal demanded out of Los Angeles in 2004. Like Favre, Shaq had a few zingers as he walked out the door. Like Favre, Shaq had a deliberate rival. However, Shaq's rival actually played which made the hatred a bit more tangible. Favre's rival, Packers GM Ted Thompson, was sitting up in the luxury suites. Plus, Shaq went across the country to the Miami Heat ... which is far from a rival of the Lakers.

The actual closest thing I can think of was Marcus Allen. Raiders owner Al Davis felt that Allen was done and made him a backup during his last few years in Los Angeles. Allen told a national audience that Davis was "going to get me" and there was a lot of bad blood. Allen would leave the Raiders and go to the rival Kansas City Chiefs (coincidentally, with Montana). In Allen's first season with the Chiefs, he would lead the AFC with 12 touchdowns and would win the Comeback Player of the Year award. He would lead the Chiefs in rushing over the next two seasons.

Obviously since they were division rivals, Allen got to play four times at the Raiders den. In his first game against the Raiders in LA, Allen rushed for 85 yards and a sweet-feeling touchdown. Earlier that season when the two teams met at Arrowhead Stadium, Allen rushed for his 100th career TD. Revenge was sweet.

Even back in the olden days of 1993, there wasn't anywhere near the hype as what we've had over Brett Favre today. Allen, like Favre, is a Hall of Fame player. Allen, like Favre, went to a division rival (but Allen went directly to the rival, whereas Favre had a year with the Jets to buffer things). Allen, like Favre, won a Super Bowl with his former team. And Allen, like apparently Favre will, helped lead his new team to some nice success (the Chiefs would go on to lose the AFC title game).

Like Allen, Favre will be forever linked with the franchise he gained his most successes with. Allen's magical run in Super Bowl XVIII is replayed countless times during Super Bowl week. Just like Favre running around with his helmet off is.

Hopefully after tonight, we can all lay this to bed.

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