Summer, 2003. The Red Wings, fresh off a first-round playoff defeat at the hands of the Anaheim Mighty Ducks, were presented with a quandary. Their former no. 1 goalie, a certain Hall of Famer, decided that he had enough of reitrement after one season and wanted his old job back. And the Red Wings, with a very expensive replacement, himself a maybe Hall of Famer, were in a sticky situation.
Bring Dominik Hasek back, or let him sign with another team? Hasek made it clear that he wanted back into the NHL, with the Red Wings or anyone who'd have him. And the replacement, Curtis Joseph, wasn't exactly chopped liver. And he for sure wasn't the reason the Ducks beat the Wings -- that could be blamed on the super-human play of Anaheim goalie J-S Giguere.
General manager Ken Holland told me, back in early 2006 during an interview, that Red Wings brass was very afraid that Hasek was going to sign elsewhere -- specifically, Colorado. The Avs were rumored to have interest in Hasek, to replace the retired Patrick Roy. And the idea of Hasek, dressed in Avs maroon and blue, beating them in the playoffs in the spring of 2004 was simply too ghoulish to monkey with, according to Holland. So Hasek returned to the Red Wings, disharmony in the locker room ensued as the two high-priced netminders never got along. And the Wings were blasted out in the second round of the '04 playoffs, Hasek never coming close to playing in the post-season due to one of his many groin injuries. But the damage had been done.
The Green Bay Packers are in a similar situation this morning, though the replacement in their case is hardly a Hall of Famer. In fact, he's never started an NFL game.
It used to not be fashionable to diss Brett Favre -- at least not for anything off the field. While he may have been prone to the occasional ill-timed interception (what QB isn't, really?), there wasn't really anything to criticize him about as far as his work ethic, character, or his being a good teammate.
But now it is time to question Favre -- mainly his selfishness.
I have done the same in the past about Hasek -- maintaining that his damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead mentality when it came to returning to the NHL was overriding what was best for Curtis Joseph and the Detroit Red Wings. And, in essence, that made his selfishness less than admirable. "I'm coming back, so get the hell out of my way," in other words.
Kind of like what Brett Favre told the Packers, coming out of retirement with all the finesse of a bull in a china shop.
Favre has reported to the Packers, and just because he didn't do it wearing a mask and brandishing a gun doesn't mean it didn't have the same heavy-handedness.
Poor Aaron Rodgers. On the precipice of finally taking over the reins at QB in Green Bay, after three seasons of clipboard holding and baseball cap wearing. Now here comes Favre, five months after his retirement announcement, in camp and "competing" for the starter's job.
Poor Mark Murphy, the Pack's president. It would seem that he took the path of least resistance by allowing Favre to report, as opposed to trying to trade him, or fighting his return. But there was really no path of least resistance here, because with Favre in camp, the circus-like atmosphere around Packers camp is only going to get goofier.
Poor Mike McCarthy, the Packers coach. He had, for months, formulated plans that included Rodgers as his quarterback. Just as when Favre was the starter, McCarthy figured on no quarterback controversy -- Rodgers was clearly the no. 1 guy. Now the coach has to juggle -- an appropriate word because of the big top covering Packers camp right now.
Ahh, but no one is saying poor Brett Favre, and nor should they, for he is the one who has caused all the upheaval. I have said it before, and I'll say it again: is this how it will be every year? Brett Favre calls the shots, and retires/un-retires, depending on his mood? And the Packers are to hold the starting QB job open for him, even during the first week of training camp? When does it end? How can the Packers believe him, the next time Favre "retires"?
Favre clearly cares about no one other than Brett Favre, at least in this instance. There's no question that HE believes firmly that he gives the Packers the best chance to win, as opposed to Rodgers. From a purely football perspective, he might be right; it's not like Favre fell off the map in 2007. His performance was outstanding for a man of his age. But this isn't about just what goes on between the sidelines; it's about other people, other feelings, other intangibles. And all are being disrupted while Favre un-retires. Yet Favre doesn't seem to care about that. All he cares about is what's good for Brett Favre. And what's good for Favre isn't necessarily what's good for the Packers -- either now or in the long run.
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