On Monday, Brett Favre boarded his private plane at Austin Straubel Airport in Green Bay and flew back to Hattiesburg, Mississippi. There was no cameo game-time appearance in a luxury box.
This demonstrates several things. While it seems that a majority of Green Bay Packers fans are willing to forgive this man, despite his betrayal, there are still enough Packers fans not so willing to turn the other cheek.
He knows this and it not only gives him pause, it renders him wholly unwilling and unable to return without an aging, ailing Bart Starr to act as his human shield. Beyond that though, Favre once again turned his back on a seeming majority of Packers fan who are so incredibly eager to reconcile. Inexplicably, a few thousand tickets were left on the secondary market. Moments after word arrived that Favre was flying to Green Bay, they were gone, with some folks driving six hours or more to attend the game.
This is just the latest example in a very long line proving that Brett Favre does not care about you, Packers fans. You beg and plead, you pander shamelessly, with no semblance of dignity or self-respect.
“Please come back,” you beg, “we want nothing more than to forgive you.”
And this is what you receive in return.
This is yet another shameful display, not just as it reflects on Favre, but how it reflects on Packers fans. Such shameless pandering contributes to an unsavory reputation Packers fans have here on the east coast. That we are too friendly, to a fault, not just to opposing fans, but to fans supporting hated rivals — namely Vikings fans. We have a reputation for meandering about with a half-ass smile on our face, overly friendly not just to strangers, but people who want our team to lose. Some of us seem to resemble a certain muppet named Guy Smiley or even the slang term, which is used to refer to a loser who is overly friendly or excitable.
Perhaps it is a Midwest thing, a lack of cynicism and jadedness that stems from a lack of hardship and worldliness, and being only around other decent people all the time. Perhaps that is why in late 2009 and after, more than one other New Yorker, upon learning of my ardent, fanatical support for this Packers team, has questioned me, wondering “what is wrong with Packers fans” and “how in the world can people cheer for a guy who is trying to beat them, for their most hated rival no less.”
I always replied that it seemed to me most were booing. Alas, my perception and understanding of the problem was far from perfect.
Just consider how truly weird and bizarre it is for one of the all-time greats of a team to visit that town — on a day when Monday Night Football is being played, no less — and not attend the game. Even though bad blood may well exist between him and coach Mike McCarthy and GM Ted Thompson, this latest development also clearly and convincingly demonstrates his disconnection and lack of feeling for those fans who still adore him.
Ultimately, each and every one of us who are truly loyal to the Green Bay Packers were betrayed by this man. Some, like those driving six hours on a dime to see him Monday, continue to be fucked over by the guy. How much longer must this carousel go round and round before people open their eyes and recognize and understand the obvious: Brett Favre does not care about you, Packers fans.
And to think, here the Packers are marching forward once again, in a bid to get to and win another Super Bowl. And everyone was distracted by the traitor once again. Lifetime banishment, replete with only a posthumous number retirement ceremony, would offer a nice tidy solution to that problem.
But sadly, that will never happen.