Props to Green and Bold on this one. His post, which can be found here, was the first I read about the subject. Credit goes where credit is due.
Have you experienced hearing about an incident and immediately relating it to a song? Probably not, because it's kind of lame. But, when I heard about this, my mind immediately went to track 7 from Eminem's "Encore" album.
Brett Favre, you don't know how sick you make me.
You don't know how sick you make me,
You make me ----in' sick to my stomach,
Everytime I think of you I puke.
You must just not know, uo-uo-uo-uo-uo-uoh,
You may not think you do but you do,
Everytime I think of you I [puke].
The song is obviously about the infamous Kim, just like most of Mr. Mathers' other songs. But the chorus relates my current feelings towards Brett Favre perfectly.
Jay Glazer is no hack writer. The guy cracks big stories and he's right more often than not. He's often been on top of Favre stories, and he was here too. According to Glazer, this is what happened:
Several sources have told FOX Sports that Favre earlier this year phoned the Detroit Lions prior to their battle versus Favre's old team, the Green Bay Packers, and gave them a rundown of the nuances of what Green Bay does on offense. According to the sources, Favre actually spent over an hour on the phone with Lions coaches, who were connected with Favre by then-team president Matt Millen.
Favre called the Lions? Our beloved Brett went to our opponents and conspired against the Packers? Against us? Obviously, this story is not without its detractors. According to an NBC source,
[Favre] in a text message to an NBC reporter before the Seahawks-Buccaneers primetime game, Favre strongly denied the report.
In case you forgot, Brett Favre loves his text messages. He's like a 14-year old girl. Whether it's to Ted Thompson, reporters, or his BFF Jill, Favre loves to txt.
So it looks like this story is founded on something. Even if Favre says that it's "total B.S." (or, in his native tongue, "omg liek tbs lol"), he did contact the Lions.
So Favre says he didn't do anything. So too does Peter King of NBC, who has to readjust his trousers every time Brett Favre is mentioned. Who do we believe: Glazer or Favre/King? I personally believe Jay Glazer on this one, but if he's not enough, how about Jason Wilde of the 'Wisconsin State Journal'? He confirms Glazer's initial reports here. Greg Bedard of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel is on the case as well.
So how does the rest of the team feel about this report? Most of them don't want to talk about it, but Greg Bedard managed to get two prominent Packers to open up about it. And trust me, they are not pleased. Cullen Jenkins was one...
"I don’t know if he’s done it or not. It’s one of those things, personally and I don’t know the situation, but I just think it’s kind of messed up how he left here. Hasn’t talked to Aaron [Rodgers], wished Aaron good luck or anything or like that but he’s called everybody else, called Tony Romo and stuff like that. I don’t have nothing against Brett personally. But I think in his position, he could at least show a little more class, a little more respect to Aaron in that regard. If that was the case, if he did talk to the coaches, I could see if he told his coaches if they were going to play us. That’s all right. But if you go out of your way to talk to another team, nah, I don’t think that’s right."
...and Charles Woodson was the other:
"He contacted them? I don’t respect that. If they called him and he gives them information, that’s one thing. But to seek a team out, because you know I guess you’re trying to sabotage this team, you know I don’t respect that. I know he’s been the greatest player around here for a long time but there’s no honor in that."
People who still defend Favre will say "Oh, but you won the game against Detroit so handily! It's clear that Favre didn't help them!" I know a few guys who beg to differ. Let's remember the real story of the Detroit game, shall we?
Green Bay opened up a 21-0 lead in the first half. This is because Detroit sucks. However, in the second half, here's a listing of Green Bay's offensive accomplishments: fumble, field goal, punt, fumble (for a safety), punt, field goal, touchdown, end of game. Green Bay's offense was limited to three scores in seven possessions in the second half, and the touchdown only came after Jon Kitna's going-out-of-business-bonanza of interceptions in the fourth quarter.
And remember during that one point in the fourth quarter when Detroit took the lead? I do. It was Charles Woodson's heroics that saved the day; Green Bay was actually in danger of losing that game. To the Lions. Go ahead and tell me that Detroit was talented enough to make that happen on their own. I dare you.
And it wasn't like the Minnesota game or the Seattle game were cakewalks. Yes, Green Bay won all three games. But they were much closer than they should have been, given the performance of all three opponents over the course of the whole season.
This is unforgivable. And I mean really unforgivable. This is like in 'Training Day' when Denzel set's up Ethan Hawke to get killed at Smiley's house. This is total and utter garbage. I am absolutely livid that Favre thinks that this sort of behavior is OK. Just because the organization didn't bend over backwards for him like they had for 16 years, he throws his legacy to the wayside and tries to undermine the team. This is way worse than T.O. in San Fran or Philly. This is on a whole other level.
Brett Favre is an arrogant-selfish-stuck-up-diva and should never set foot in Wisconsin ever again. He treats Aaron Rodgers like a leper while treating Tony Romo like a son. He bitches about even mentioning the thought of being a backup, even though he had officially retired. He takes potshots at the Packer organization, which was the team that gave him the chance he needed to succeed. He tries to leverage a trade to our fiercest rival and complains when he actually does get his wish.
But who's going to call him on it? Favre is a media darling. He's a national sports hero. He's the real-life Iron Man, the guy who just wants to play and have fun. ESPN loves him, Fox Sports adores him, and there's still a large contingent of Green Bay fans that give him a free pass because he's Brett Favre. He should be put into the HOF as a Jet. No way should he get into the Green Bay Hall of Fame. No way should he get his number retired at Lambeau Field. He should be reviled and detested as much as anyone who has disgraced the honor and tradition that football represents. But I'll bet you that justice goes unserved, and it makes me sick.
Now you might understand why I thought of the song at the top of the post. He toyed with us for years. Then he finally left us on good terms. He tried to come back to us, but when the door was opened, he changed his mind. He tried to come back to us again, but when we weren't buying it, he tried to get back at us. He left us again. And now, he's betrayed us. And he will never, ever, ever get what he deserves.
Brett Favre, you don't know how sick you make me.