Paul Hirsch
Ron, it happens to the best of them.
Who can forget Willie Mays stumbling around centerfield during the 1973 World Series?
Who wants to remember Johnny Unitas lurching around in a Charger uniform or Joe Namath doing the same for the Rams?
The list goes on, Johnny Bench playing third base, Michael Jordan as a Wizard, Guy Lafluer as a Nordique, and Joe Morgan waving at grounders in a last year with the Oakland A's. Examples of superstars hanging on for that one final payday or that one last shot at glory are endless, and the happy endings are rare. That is why Brett Favre should walk away from the Packers, spare us his continuing decline and let the team move forward with Aaron Rogers or, if he proves lacking, some other hungry young gun.
Favre's passer rating after 15 games is a very pedestrian 70.5. We're talking Elvis Grbac levels here. In five games he hasn't been able to achieve a passer rating above 57. He has thrown just 19 touchdown passes and has suffered 28 interceptions. He is only going to get older, slower and more susceptible to injury. Favre has had a great run. He's been in Pro Bowls, won a Super Bowl, he's a very likely Hall of Famer, and he has been the focal point of one of American Sports' marquee franchises, the Green Bay Packers. There is nothing left for him to accomplish and a lot for him to lose, most importantly his health.
No one should feel sorry for Brett Favre. He has earned more money and experienced more glory in the past 15 years then most people could expect in 10 lifetimes. If there is any sympathy here, it should be for the Packer organization, which is in a very ticklish spot.
One of the toughest jobs for any pro sports organizations is orchestrating a graceful exit for an aging superstar. Jerry West retired when he was still very much wanted by the Lakers, Jim Brown quit when he clearly had plenty left, and arthritis felled Sandy Koufax at the very apex of his career. Beyond that, it gets ugly for most teams. The Yankees had to trade Babe Ruth and endure very mediocre final seasons from Mickey Mantle and Joe DiMaggio, the New York Giants had to completely fall apart in the mid-sixties before the Y. A. Tittle/Frank Gifford group would leave, and the Lombardi Packers got old all at once when the old master couldn't bear to part with the men who had brought him to the level of national icon. Even you could come up with more examples.
Yes, Ron, it's time for Brett Favre to exit stage left. He should give the Wisconsin faithful a chance to say goodbye in a ceremony this spring, and he should let the organization that has rewarded him so lavishly move on. It's the classy thing, it's the healthy thing, and it's the right thing.