The Vikings may have just made a terrible mistake with Brett Favre

Remember a little over a year ago, March 4th, 2008? A teary eyed Brett Favre announced his retirement after 16 seasons with the Green Bay Packers. "I know I can play, but I don't think I want to" Favre said at his press conference. The future Hall of Fame Quarterback with the record for the most consecutive starts, most career pass completions, 8 Pro Bowls, and an MVP would no longer be playing.

Not until 5 months later, when Favre wanted to come out of retirement, be released from the Packers so he could sign with the Vikings.  From a recent interview, Favre said the Packers felt he wouldn't be able to help to team and would be more of a backup for Aaron Rodgers, but they wouldn't release him to play on a contender.

So in an effort of compromise, the Packers sent Brett Favre to the New York Jets on August 7th of 2008.  New York fans welcomed the gunslinger with open arms and high hopes.  The Jets now had the stabilizing piece to lead them to the playoffs and a strong leader. 

Brett Favre's 2008 Season

Favre finished the season with some very good numbers, 3472 total passing yards, 22 touchdowns, and a 65.7% completion percentage but seemed to wither in the closing weeks of the season.  He seemed to not be the same Favre as old, the QB who fans could rely on to complete that game winning drive with a minute left on the clock in the fourth quarter.  It seemed as if the game truly was starting to catch up with him.

The Jets barely missed the playoffs in 2008 as a result of Favre's poor performance towards the end of the season.  But that apparently became the least of his worries.  11 months after his initial retirement, Favre told the Jets he would be retiring again, this time for good.  He cited his age (39) and the multiple surgeries he's had over the years as a high risk to his health, as the reason for his retirement.

Shortly after his retirement from the Jets, players from the Jets, Kerry Rhodes and Jericho Cotchery in particular, stated that Favre had a horrible relationship with his teammates and was rarely with them.  They implicated that Favre didn't participate in all pre-season drills and when he was, he was doing it half-hearted.  Even Thomas Jones, Favre's Jets running back said that Brett should have been benched during the teams week 17 loss in which he had 3 interceptions in a game that could have brought them to the playoffs.

Farve has become another high maintenance athlete

It should have been a lot more obvious for the Jets when they first heard about the Packers sending Favre to the Vikings dispute but it was understandable why the Jets signed him.  Favre's signing immediately brought in millions to the Jets in ticket sales and merchandise.    His signing gave hope to the fan base as they had been yearning for a stable quarterback for years.  However, Favre's actions should have been reprimanded, and he wasn't because of his high status.

Coming out of retirement, Favre knew about the amount of demand that would come his way and truly played off that.  My suspicions are that he told the Jets that he would only sign if he could practice at his will.  Either that or he just used his high status as a reason for not participating.  Unfortunately, Favre doesn't seem to know that the only team sport that doesn't require 100% teamwork is basketball, not football.  So when players are out giving it all they got in practice, sweating and straining to better the team and they see their "star" quarterback on the sidelines not giving it his all, players begin to secretly admonish their quarterback. 

Those secrets are soon let out when they find out other players on the team have some of the same feelings about their quarterback.  This only increases when the team goes out to party or eat as a team and their quarterback declines to show.  "Wheres Brett?" One player may ask.  "He's sitting this one out, like usual." Another may reply.  Now the concept of Favre not being in it for the team comes up, and players slowly start to neglect to go out of their way to catch a pass for Favre, in hopes of making him not look so good and bringing him back down to earth.  Because of that neglect, the team begins to suffer on a whole.

Favre only hurts a team now

A few years ago, Favre would be the ultimate pick for quarterback.  Now, he has become a "me first" type of player who only hurts his team.  A few months ago, he told an ESPN reporter that he is definitely done with the game of football and will never come back.  Now, August 18th, 2009, Favre has once again come out of retirement to play for the Vikings, the team he seemed to want to play for since his first retirement.

However, it seems as if Favre has ulterior motives other than his desire to play for the Vikings.  It just seems as if the Vikings are the most suitable team to take over the Packers in the NFC's North division.  It has been widely publicized that Favre has had a strained relationship with the Packers since his initial retirement and it is believed he wants nothing more then to show the Packers up. 

I'm all for wanting to beat a particular team badly, but what happens if the Vikings open their season 0-3?  Will Favre then go back to his me first attitude; missing practices and practically giving up on the team?  Even if the Vikings open the season strong, what makes Vikings fans believe that Favre won't witter at the end of the season like he did in 2008 for the Jets?