How Can Anyone Possibly Defend This Guy Anymore?

Throughout this whole Favre saga, I used to say that even though I hate him now, someday I'll learn to forgive him. Someday I'll welcome him back to have his number retired, someday I'll make the trip to Canton to see him inducted into the Hall of Fame. But after this season and it's many twists and turns, forget it. Favre sucks, and I don't like the guy.

The reason I post this today is because of a highly-circulated interview Aaron Rodgers did on the Michael Irvin Show this week down in Tampa. In it, Rodgers says that Favre hasn't returned any of his phone calls in the past year, and that his presence at training camp was a huge distraction to the team. Part of the transcript can be found here, or you can listen to the interview yourself. I would suggest listening to it, as you'll really be able to feel the pain - if that's the appropriate word - in Aaron's voice as he wonders how his relationship with Favre went astray.

Throughout the interview, Rodgers is asked some pretty personal questions. He answers most of them honestly, but refuses to put words in Favre's mouth or talk badly about his former teammate. If you're a Packer fan, this interview might be weird to listen to at first, because of how accustomed we've become with having Favre just say whatever he wants to whoever he wants without thinking of the consequences (i.e. Greta Van Susteren). Rodgers shows the kind of professionalism and grace in his mid-20s that Favre is still looking for as he reaches 40.

It's not just because of this interview why I am once again attacking Favre, it's more or less the way everything has played out since he fake retired. This offseason is already shaping up to be like the last five offseasons in terms of the drama that follows Favre and his "Will He or Won't He?" return scenarios. I just don't understand how a quarterback who I loved watching growing up has turned into this larger-than-life egotistical drama queen.

Favre is the one that retired. Favre is the one that left. I'm so sorry, Brett, that the Packers had to move on without you. I'm so sorry they spent an entire offseason changing the playbook to better suit Rodgers' strengths, and didn't feel like you coming back would make this team any more competitive. I'm so sorry that Thompson and McCarthy thought that ten years of Aaron Rodgers and no Favre would be better than one year of Favre and no Rodgers. After all this, after all that YOU put Aaron Rodgers through this year, you are the one not returning his calls?

Real professional.

And can we stop with the argument that Favre "earned" the right to do whatever he wanted because of all the success he had in Green Bay? All the success? I guess if one Super Bowl victory followed by years of disappointment "earns" you immunity with a team, then why aren't the Buccaneers on the phone with Brad Johnson right now?

Please, please, please don't try to defend this guy anymore. You can't do it. If you want to still remember the good times he gave us, that's fine. They happened, and they are a part of Packers history. But cherishing the memories Favre gave us is not the same as sticking up for the person he has become.

So go ahead. Retire his number. Induct him into the Hall of Fame. Honor this guy with the awards he clearly deserves for his work on the field. But I'm asking you, when that day comes, I hope you don't forgive him for what he has to his former teammates. I hope you don't let bygones be bygones while accepting the person he has become. And when he is inducted, I hope you don't look at him with the same admiration you did when he wore the Green and Gold.

Clearly, he doesn't deserve it.