Blogging From the Buckeye State

By Bryan Rost: SPM OH Writer
Posted Saturday, July 5, 2008

July 5, 2008 - Was this #4's Decision?

I am not a Green Bay Fan, and not even really a Brett Favre fan. My NFL allegiances lie with the Colts, and everything Barry Sanders. For instance, if you want to argue for Favre over Sanders in a 1997 NFL MVP debate, I will OWN you.

I really hate to ever blame the media and the fans...OKAY, SO I DO! Whatever, disregard that. Do you think the invasiveness into "The Riverboat Gambler" Brett Favre's decision-making and utter negligence we showed for his family's privacy these last three Januarys may have contributed to a "forced" early retirement? "WILL HE? WON'T HE?" I mean, did Sal Paolantonio have "The Network's" 28-foot Class C Windstar parked in front of his house interviewing the pizza delivery guy? Probably! What if Brett didn't want to make a decision on retirement until May or June? We would've turned him inside out!

He heard after a career worst 70.9 passer rating in 2005, that he HAD to retire. Then after "getting his interceptions down to 'under 20'" in 2006 he heard, "Yeah, he can probably play a couple another years, but he should retire if he doesn't want to end up like Johnny Unitas, on the brink of bankruptcy, in a San Diego Chargers uniform"...

Then came the spectacular 2007 "great year to go out on top" season. (His 4,155 yards and 95.7 quarterback rating were both the 3rd highest in his career.) But what if it wasn't? What if he has more in the tank and the Packers advanced to the Super Bowl this year? We have effectively taken this entire process out of Favre's hands and made his decision for ourselves. Congratulations to US! Damn, can we please stop? The next guy in our line of fire is Tony Dungy...all apologies to Joe Paterno, but we've already killed the end of your career.