My three year old joke now funnier
In 2005, I pranked some Packers fans in my office by putting up a fake article that Brett Favre had retired, mocked up to look like an ESPN page. It started out serious, but by the end, it became obvious it was a joke. Of course, the guy just looked at the first paragraph and started calling back home to Wisconsin and to the other Packers fans in the office (one girl actually broke down in tears). Anyway, here is what the page looked like, and here is the text below. Note my obsession with bad Redskins quarterbacks making an appearance...
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Favre to Retire
GREEN BAY, Wisc. -- Quarterback Brett Favre, a enduring part of the Packers franchise since 1992, will retire immediately, sources told ESPN. Favre, 35, played 13 seasons for the Packers, helping them go to two Super Bowls, winning one.
Just days before the start of the July minicamp, sources in the Favre camp say that Favre had an “situation” that “he has to deal with.”
Speculation on that “situation” leads towards the emotional wear and tear Favre has been under the previous 18 months, when he lost his father to a heart attack, his brother-in-law to an ATV accident and friend Reggie White to a respiratory ailment. His wife, Deanna, underwent treatment for breast cancer.
The retirement leaves the Packers scrambling for a quarterback to lead them this season. First-round pick, Aaron Rodgers, is considered a long-term project, and Packers officials feel he will not be ready to start this year.
The primary option appears to be Jeff George, who last played for the Chicago Bears. The first overall pick in the 1990 draft, George has played previously for Indianapolis (1990-93), Atlanta (1994-96), Oakland (1997-98), Minnesota (1999) and Washington (2000-2001). In 131 appearances (124 starts), he was 2,298 of 3,967 for 27,602 yards, with 154 touchdown passes, 113 interceptions, and a passer rating of 80.4.
Reached by the Green Bay Press-Gazette on Tuesday, George confirmed that he had been talking to the Packers.
"I am looking forward to picking up where Favre left off." he was quoted as saying. “I think that, while Brett is a great player, there are some ways that I can improve on his performance.”
If George does not work out, the Packers are reportedly also looking at Akili Smith, Ryan Leaf, and Randall Cunningham.
The St. Paul (Minnesota) Pioneer Press speculated that Favre could join the Minnesota Vikings as coach if Mike Tice’s Super Bowl ticket scalping problem forces him to resign. Favre’s agent would not comment on that possibility specifically, only saying, “Brett has long respected and admired the Vikings franchise, and would be honored to be a part of it. However, it is obviously too early to speculate on such matters.”
Asked about Favre possibly retiring, former teammate Mark Chmura said:
"Brett's had a terrific career, but I think he is looking for a new chapter in his life. Brett has always said he wants to help me start up a high school cheerleading camp, so I look at this as a positive. I have wanted to do this for a very, very, long time."
