This was the most predictable blog topic in the history of the world. As soon as the Packers took Love in the 1st Round last Thursday, the clock was ticking on the Brett Favre take.
Now this became a trending topic yesterday for a few reasons:
1) Favre Factor. The guy could talk about literally nothing for 3 hours (and did at his Packer HOF induction) and we (Packer fans) would be fascinated. It has always been that way, and will always be that way. If you tell me on a radio/TV show/podcast that you have 'Brett Favre coming up..' I'm in.
2) The similarities between the Packers drafting a quarterback in the 1st round in 2005, and drafting a quarterback in the first round last week. Don't get me wrong, the way the pick came to be is dramatically different. In 2005, a potential #1 overall draft pick fell to #24. Last week the Packers traded up in the first round for a quarterback that most people had going in the last first round, early second. But the similarities between Favre's career situation and Rodgers' mirror each other almost exactly. Both were 36 years old, with maybe 3-4 years left in their HOF playing careers. Both were/are desperately trying to win a second Lombardi trophy, and both teams had needs elsewhere when they drafted a quarterback.
3) There is literally nothing else happening in the sports world.
Now how you perceive this interview means a lot. Basically Favre said that he talked to Rodgers after the pick/draft, and that Rodgers was 'surprised.' In a different interview, Favre said that Rodgers was a, 'little disappointed.' AFTER he said that, Favre talked about the Packers 'burning a bridge,' and that he thought Rodgers was likely to play somewhere else at the end of his career. Now were those Rodgers thoughts that Favre was relaying, or was that Favre's take? I feel like everything outside of the 'surprised' information was a Favre opinion.
Granted, Aaron Rodgers is METICULOUS about what he says to the media. If you told me that he gave Favre the go-ahead to get a little bit of this out to the national media, it wouldn't shock me. But it also wouldn't shock me if they had a two minute conversation and Favre ran with it.
Either way, nothing Brett said yesterday is earth shattering. Aaron wasn't the only one surprised, we all were! I thought the Packers might draft a quarterback with more intent either this year or next, but I didn't guess they would trade up in the first round. So yeah, everyone was stunned, Aaron included.
And as far as Rodgers finishing his career somewhere else, yes, that seems likely. But that was likely before last week. Look no further than the Tom Brady/Patriots storyline this year. Or Peyton Manning going to Denver, or Favre to the Jets then Vikings, Montana to the Chiefs, Namath to the Rams, Johnny Unitas to the Chargers. Almost every great quarterback in the history of ever, has played on another team for a year or two. It would be awesome if Rodgers played his whole career in Green Bay. He wins one more MVP, two more Lombardi trophies, and calls it a career 4 years from now. But even before last week's developments, that wasn't probable.
So, to me, this was much to do (ado?) about nothing. Nothing Favre said should be stunning to anyone. Take Heat Rating: 3.5/10.
PS: This Packer draft has been mana from the heavens for some of the guys that I know who work in sports radio. It has been a WASTELAND for almost two months. Then Gutey trades up for a Rodgers' successor at quarterback, Favre is spitting takes, it's a beautiful thing for people working in that part of the radio world.
Double PS: Rodgers first locker room interview in July is going to be appointment viewing. What beat reporter has the balls to bring this whole fiasco up.
