Brett Favre Scandal After Retirement Yrs

Favre Buyout Quiet For Now

It's being reported by ESPN that Favre is leaning against signing the marketing deal that would buy his silence and continue his retirement as a former NFL player. What's interesting is this drama could potentially upstage the Hall of Fame ceremonies this weekend and likely the reason little will be heard on the Favre front for a few days.

Now, if Favre is holding out for more money, I'd be sadly disappointed by this move. If he really is interested in playing again, he should press for his release or trade to the team of his choice. I won't blame him for holding the Packers hostage for that much, because they are guilty of unceremoniously shoving a legend off center stage.

If last year's MVP in a world without Tom Brady takes the money and runs, I'll be left to wonder if he feigned interest in playing again to extort this kind of money from the Packers. Maybe, he got wind of other players who wanted to play past their prime that got buyouts, and maybe, he wanted to cash in, too. That would be a regrettable and pathetic play for someone who seems so passionate for the game to have his reputation tarnished by the almighty dollar. Or maybe, he just doesn't care about appearances.

I'm sure they'll paint all kinds of scenarios where he had no other options and wouldn't be allowed to play anywhere else, if the Favre camp needs to justify walking away with that cash-stuffed briefcase. But if reports were true at the time the $20 million dollar offer from Packer CEO Mark Murphy was leaked to the media (and just why is everything being spoon-fed to the reporters?), then GM Ted Thompson would consider a trade to the Vikings or another division rival to appease Favre. And how did that little tidbit get out there unless it was leaked by the Packers who suspect Favre doesn't really intend to play for a division rival, since he and his agent might be trying to get leverage on this marketing deal. I shake my head solemnly to think, to let this scenario soak in. No, it couldn't be.

If I hear one more report about Favre's indecisiveness on these offers, I'll go insane. Come back and play football and make them sit ya, play ya, or trade ya...OR...retire and walk away from this bribe dressed up as some marketing/business deal while the NFL commissioner sits on your reinstatement paperwork. No self-respecting person is going to want to be a party to whatever the Packers have cooked up to earn revenue off the famed name after this fiasco. All these negotiations in the media is making me wonder if I've become an unwitting audience member on a Jerry Springer-like show.

Something pushed Brett's buttons in June. Was it the SI article and Aaron Rodgers comments, because he was back and had the itch to play again right after that? Did his agent say, you know, the Broncos gave John Elway 15% interest in the team back in 1998 (to make him go away, too?). What dirty dealings are going on here and why are the rest of us privy to every waning detail? Sensational journalism. Who's winning a Pulitzer for this coverage. No one.

Who's benefitting from all of this? The Packers take a big PR hit when Brett opens his mouth, but a subsequent move will cause Favre to get taken down a notch. And this goes on and on as each new something is leaked while the teeter-totter groans for the fat kid to GET OFF!

So, watch the Hall of Fame game Sunday night and wait for some announcement, since the Favre camp will be looking for more free air time. And then on Monday, watch the Brouhaha to begin all over again.

If he takes the money, this is as bad as the Chicago White Sox scandal to me. They can claim it's all legit and get the commissioner to sign off, however they wrangle a deal. But, the league will be scrambling to patch more loop holes in their policies to prevent future embarrassments, if it goes down this way. Just say it ain't so, Brett. State your intentions to play again or enjoy the serenity of a tall glass of lemonade after a tracter run on a hot summer's day. Drink it all in and bask in the former glory, if there's nothing left to play for.