There seems to be a great deal of curiosity, intrigue and what have you about what kind of reception will greet Brett Favre upon his return to Lambeau Field on Sunday afternoon.
Green Bay Mayor Jim Schmitt even polled the electorate for “tasteful” suggestions. Some of Schmitt’s ideas were constructing a giant waffle shaped like a 4, asking all fans to wear flip-flops to the game or playing a montage of all of Favre’s interceptions on the stadium big screen.
Among the more than 1,700 e-mail suggestions the mayor received was to hold a ceremony to retire the No. 4 of former Packers quarterback Chuck Fusina — who played in seven games in 1986.
Those are all mildly humorous ideas. But from a fans perspective, there are only two choices.
Boo, or shut up.
It's difficult to explain the view of a Packers fan on this matter, which is why a lot of people around these parts don't quite understand all the green and gold anger toward Favre. Granted, he did help uplift the NFL's most storied franchise back to significance in the 1990s and brought Green Bay its first Super Bowl title in nearly 30 years. So how could we curse his name the way we do?
Football is a business, and Packers fans understand that as well as anyone else. It wasn't that Favre left Green Bay to ultimately play for our hated rivals in Minnesota. It's how he did it, and the things he's said since, that melts our cheese.
Favre coming out of retirement, again, to play for the Vikings was seen as an affront to the Packers, and thus, to Packers fans. And his recent comments that his current Vikings team is the best he's ever played on, including the 1996 Super Bowl champion Packers team, has only fanned the flames of hatred. And those flames are spreading beyond the stands to former Favre teammates.
Former Packers safety LeRoy Butler called Favre's proclamation, "preposterous." Mark Chmura, a tight end for the '96 Packers, and former defensive tackle Santana Dotson also took exception.
So it should come as no surprise that Butler, among other former Packers, is encouraging fans to boo on Sunday.
"I hope they’ll cheer Aaron (Rodgers) and boo Brett," Butler told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "'If you’re going to stand up wearing Packer clothing or a Packer uniform and cheer when Brett Favre comes out, you should bring a bag and put it over your head."
I knew there was a reason I don't get rid of my ratty old Butler jersey.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
have to agree, Packer fans should boo Favre......not to mention the fact he is one of the most OVERRATED players in the history of sports....sure,sure, he owns plenty of records but only 1 measly Super Bowl title...for all the press coverage and "ESPN Love" he gets, you would think he won 6 Super Bowls or something....sick and tired of Favre
For once Anonymous, I agree with you. I'm tired of Brett. I have to agree with Josh in that the way he left is what irritates us Packer fans.
I'll be at home booing heartily when #4 comes onto the field at Lambeau. And I hope each and every one of his former defensive team mates lays a good lick on him.
Post a Comment