Sometimes Guys Just Become Obsolete.

By COED Staff

When a guy like Brett Favre single-handedly brings the Green Bay Packers back to the height of the Lombardi era he probably has a little bit of respect due to him. His love of the game has always interfered with his business sense though, forcing him to think about retirement on and off for years, something Joan Rivers should have done around 1988. The fiasco in Green Bay is faulted by both sides; Favre stringing along management for years about retirement, and management disrespecting Favre when he inquires about getting his old job back. Now #4 is left blowing in the wind, trying to negotiate with the team he once dictated the shots for, left with nothing to do but wait and warm his arm doing Prilosec OTC commercials. The true issue is a business deal, one that see’s an asset is depreciating and wants to move into a more long-term oriented strategy. The ‘gun slinger’ just isn’t in that strategy.

Fans, and even media outlets, tend to forget that now more than ever the world of sports is a business. The Green Bay Packers are running a business, and instead of going with a one year strategy that might pan out year after year, they’re ready to go for long term success. It’s like feeling obligated to your Playstation 2 – yeah it used to be the best available and still works decently, and yes you have an extra memory card (Donald Driver) and a wireless controller (Charles Woodson), but sooner or later your Playstation is going to be, if not already, shitty. That mindset of trying to have the best available of anything you have is going to cave in finally and force you to think towards the future. Plus Playstation 3 is pretty cool.

It can be depressing though for die hard fans. Living and dying by teams who make stone cold decisions based on projections and growth regardless of sentiment and loyalty, when the only reason you watch that team is for the sentiment and loyalty you associate to it. Fans can feel disenfranchised; that something they loved just isn’t the same anymore, like Michael Jackson’s career or the final two seasons of The O.C. The only way to get around the fact that teams will operate according to a business plan is acceptance.

Fans have to accept that from the kickoff to the final whistle is the only time when you can truly invest in your team; the only time you can be completely hooked. It’s like Jessica Simpson; sure she’s dumber than a poo eating dog and has a public divorce and a Romo-career-tarnish to her name, but when she’s in a music video all of her baggage disappears and you are completely mesmerized. You forget the baggage and scars of your team’s offseason, and root just as hard as you always have.

Now Favre waits, another veteran tossed aside by the billion dollar industry who just doesn’t fit into their plans. John Elway did it best- the fact that you can still do it doesn’t mean it should be done- and while Favre didn’t go out on top last season, the records he broke will solidify his legacy in the NFL. There’s not much more you can ask for in a career like #4′s, and now instead of negotiating the short term comeback and the proverbial drop kick to Aaron Rogers, he should be back at home and focusing on his future; building his own long term strategy.

Jim “Big Cat” Kelly is the managing editor of JimKellyJr.com, check out his site for more witty content like The 2008 Average Bar Dream Team.