NFL football is a very serious thing in my family. I grew up with my dad’s intense passion for the New York Giants and my mom’s eternal love of the Buffalo Bills. In a household where football is treated with such obsession, I needed to find a team that I could have the same feelings toward. When I first started really caring about football I was about eight. It was 1996 and Brett Favre was the NFL MVP. Every time I saw highlights of Brett Favre he was making throws that I had never seen. At eight years old, Brett Favre was like an immortal god. Naturally, I became a die hard Packers fan. Favre made me cheer for Packers because of the incredible things he did on the field, and he always looked like he was having the time of his life doing it. As I got older I cared more and more about the team and less about Brett Favre. I remember times when I would get on my hands and knees in front of the TV and beg “please Brett, whatever you do, DON’T throw and interception!”  Needless to say, he usually would. But that’s what you get with Brett Favre. You take the good with the bad. For all the times he would throw an interception, he threw a spectacular touchdown. There were so many ups and downs, eventually I knew that the ride needed to come to an end. When I first found out that Brett was going to retire I was overcome with a mixture of sadness and relief. After watching Aaron Rodgers lead the Packers back against the Cowboys, in a game that Brett had made painful to watch, I was very optimistic about the upcoming season without Brett Favre. Four months passed before Brett asked for an unconditional release from the Green Bay Packers. I supported the Packers decision to stay with Aaron Rogers and the situation ended up exactly as I hoped. Brett came back and he was going to play for an AFC east Jets team that the Packers wouldn’t have to play. The beat part was that I was able to watch my idol play without having to ride the emotional roller coaster that is Brett Favre. I didn’t even watch Brett’s second retirement speech. I don’t even know if he had one. I knew that I would always remember Brett as a Packer. Just like 49ers fans will always remember Joe Montana as a 49er, not a Kansas City Chief. Now I’m not so sure. When I read stories that suggest that Brett Favre wants to play for the Minnesota Vikings to get back at Green Bay I feel betrayed. How did this happen? What will happen when Brett steps on to Lambeau Field in Viking purple? Will the fans boo? I feel very torn because I owe my love of the Green Bay Packers to Brett Favre. However, I do know one thing. The Vikings could start 11 Brett Favres and would still hate them.

-KF