Brett Favre and the Sports Media World

[Chocolate Lab]

People don't say to themselves, "Hmm, I heard on the radio that Brett Favre is an attention-whoring phony. I guess it must be true."

No, they see it very plainly for themselves. It's almost impossible to miss.

 

[Hoofbite]

I keep reading that Favre told teammates he is retiring. Yet I have not heard one single teammate say that he told them this. How can that be?

I get a kick out of people who call him an attention *****. So what? Every singer who gets on stage to screaming fans is an attention *****. Every actor or actress who spends thousands of dollars on an outfit to wear to the Oscars and to parties is an attention *****.

People who are in the public eye are quite often there because they love the attention. Duh. I hate to tell you folks, but we have a team full of attention ******. There are very few Marion Barber's in this world who don't want their faces and words all over the world for scrutiny.

I kind of understand that people are sick of the flip flopping. Will he or won't he retire? Yeah, it's getting old. It's a broken record. Find whatever cliche' you like and use it. But the bottom line to me is the majority of the people who are upset about it are not Vikings fans. Let's face it if Favre was a Dallas Cowboy and our backup QB was Tavaris Jackson, we would all be on the edge of our seats praying he was coming back.

Why? Because that old attention ***** is one hell of a good QB. Anyone who denies that is deluded.

Not exactly the best analogy.

People in the entertainment business have a very big interest in being in the spotlight. They are all fighting for the spotlight because that's what makes them money.

Favre's paycheck isn't dependent on how many ESPN bottom-line's he generates or how many front pages of SI he's plastered on.

It isn't what Brett is doing that makes him an attention *****, it's what everyone else isn't doing that makes him an attention *****.

Not really sure but I don't think there have been many other QBs who have retired, un-retired, retired, un-retired. No other QB gets a free pass through training camp.

Is he a good QB? Yes, he is but he isn't the best in the league. Quite frankly, Peyton Manning pisses on Favre but Manning isn't "free passing" his way through all of the offseason work year-in and year-out.

I'd say there are a few QBs who are better than Favre. And that is only if you base the rankings off of last year alone. If you base it off of the last 3-4 years, you will have a good number of QBs who are better.

I don't think Brett Favre does what he does specifically for attention. I think he does it because he thinks he has paid his dues and doesn't need to go through the BS that is the offseason.

I also don't think he really even cares about the game like he claims. Since leaving Green Bay, I think his primary motive has been to prove the Packers wrong and further his "legacy".

IMO, he thinks he is above the game. He has bought into all the "John Madden stroke off" praising that has come his way.

Brett Favre is a joke of a player anymore. IMO, he's playing only for himself. To satisfy his need to prove GB wrong and to further his stats. He's clearly self-centered and is ego-stroking.

IMO, he won't be missed when he is finally retires for good.

 

[Reality]

Reality is conveniently forgetting that Favre basically called his teammates liars when he said he never texted them.

That will do wonders for dressing room morale but I guess that is the media's fault too.

Which teammates said they got a text from him saying he was retiring? All I have heard are Vikings players that say they didn't get one but heard it from others though they have no idea who got them.

By late today, sports radio was starting to discuss the possibility that the media may have created this whole thing out of nothing.

Sheep though follow and form the opinions they are told to form.

-Reality

 

[Reality]

People don't say to themselves, "Hmm, I heard on the radio that Brett Favre is an attention-whoring phony. I guess it must be true."

No, they see it very plainly for themselves. It's almost impossible to miss.

And how do they see it themselves? They see it on TV and news sites and hear it on the radio. In other words .. the media.

30 years ago, this would be a non-story .. the media of today forms opinions for their readers and listeners who are no longer capable of forming their own independent thoughts.

-Reality

 

[hammer1]

I'm no fan of Favre. I still can't believe we let that 40 year old ******* beat us last year.

 

[Reality]

I don't think Brett Favre does what he does specifically for attention. I think he does it because he thinks he has paid his dues and doesn't need to go through the BS that is the offseason.

Do a survey and ask all veterans age 30 or above if they would skip training camp if they could and you'll find most would do it.

I also don't think he really even cares about the game like he claims.

You are really off base here. Favre loves playing the game and always has. I guarantee you that once he finally does end his NFL career, he'll stay involved with the game on a local level for many more years simply because he loves football.

Since leaving Green Bay, I think his primary motive has been to prove the Packers wrong and further his "legacy".

This is quite likely true and I don't blame him. Any time a team pushes a former hero off the team, they feel betrayed. It's quite obvious that Green Bay made a good decision in going with Rodgers when they did. History already proves that, but it doesn't change the feeling of betrayal I'm sure Favre like most veterans feel. It's one thing to leave over money, it's another to be told you no longer "have it" when you feel you still do.

Last year proved two things .. Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers were both right. Favre had one of his best seasons ever and the Rodgers had a great season as well and he has many more years ahead of him for the Packers.

IMO, he thinks he is above the game. He has bought into all the "John Madden stroke off" praising that has come his way.

I think you can say that about most former super stars toward the end of their careers. Jerry Rice, Emmitt Smith, T.O., Chris Carter, ... the list is endless.

Brett Favre is a joke of a player anymore.

Well, I hope Romo follows his childhood idol then because that "joke of a player" had one heck of a season last year and and one Peterson fumble away from going to the Super Bowl.

IMO, he won't be missed when he is finally retires for good.

I have a feeling there are a lot of Vikings fans who would disagree with you vigorously.

-Reality

 

[RoyTheHammer]

I see people here using the words "attention *****" when they begin discussing Favre. Realize, the problem that most people have with Brett isn't that he is an attention *****, which he is. If that was it though there would be no problem. There's been alot of attention ****** in the NFL year in and year out. That's really not the issue though.. so i don't understand why some of you defend him on here like that is his only folly.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

And how do they see it themselves? They see it on TV and news sites and hear it on the radio. In other words .. the media.

30 years ago, this would be a non-story .. the media of today forms opinions for their readers and listeners who are no longer capable of forming their own independent thoughts.

-Reality

LOL... What?

You'd be better off to just admit, "I love Favre and I hate seeing people talk bad about him" than to make a silly and insulting post like that.

The funniest thing is, the sports media doesn't trash Brett Favre. All they've done forever is polish his apple. So the idea that people don't like his antics because they're just parroting what the media tell them is absurd.

 

[Reality]

If Brett Favre was a member of the Cowboyszone he wouldn't make the top 20 of drama queens around here.

This actually made me laugh and after the day I've had, I really needed it

-Reality

 

[Reality]

LOL... What?

You'd be better off to just admit, "I love Favre and I hate seeing people talk bad about him" than to make a silly and insulting post like that.

I was simply stating the facts. If this was 30 years ago, the "Favre saga" would barely be a story outside of Minnesota or Green Bay.

That being said, my post was more than about Favre .. it's about how the media forms the opinions of those who are most "opinionated."

The ironic part of this is that people who let the media shape their opinions on Favre are the same ones who chastise the media when they key in on the Cowboys. Apparently the media is only right when it's a non-current Cowboys player.

-Reality

 

[RoyTheHammer]

Do a survey and ask all veterans age 30 or above if they would skip training camp if they could and you'll find most would do it.


You are really off base here. Favre loves playing the game and always has. I guarantee you that once he finally does end his NFL career, he'll stay involved with the game on a local level for many more years simply because he loves football.


This is quite likely true and I don't blame him. Any time a team pushes a former hero off the team, they feel betrayed. It's quite obvious that Green Bay made a good decision in going with Rodgers when they did. History already proves that, but it doesn't change the feeling of betrayal I'm sure Favre like most veterans feel. It's one thing to leave over money, it's another to be told you no longer "have it" when you feel you still do.

Last year proved two things .. Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers were both right. Favre had one of his best seasons ever and the Rodgers had a great season as well and he has many more years ahead of him for the Packers.


I think you can say that about most former super stars toward the end of their careers. Jerry Rice, Emmitt Smith, T.O., Chris Carter, ... the list is endless.


Well, I hope Romo follows his childhood idol then because that "joke of a player" had one heck of a season last year and and one Peterson fumble away from going to the Super Bowl.

I have a feeling there are a lot of Vikings fans who would disagree with you vigrously.

-Reality

Reality, i love the site here bro, and i've been an avid reader here for a good couple years, and just recently started posting, and i have to say this is a great place that you have here and i appriciate you providing this kind of forum for so many to come and enjoy discussing football and our Cowboys. Its honestly an amazing thing here.

That being said, i dont' believe you make any sense in anything you've been trying to prove about Favre in this entire thread. Your logic is just unreasonable.

I understand what you're trying to say about older players, and how im sure most of them when they hit a certain age wish they didn't have to go through all of that because its just a pain. But the fact is, if you respect the game, if you respect your teammates, it doesn't matter how you feel, you go through the same things that your teammates go through because they are your family, they're your brothers.. and if you want respect from them its a neccessary evil. In my entire existence no player, old, young, quarterback, punter.. has ever tried to act in such an arrogent and disrespectful way toward their own team, their own organization, or even the game itself.

I don't know if you've ever played any organized sports, but one thing you need to understand is if you want your team to respect you, and you want them out there bleeding and sweating for you every game.. then you damn sure better be there with them everyday putting in the work, same as anyone. No one in the history of the NFL has ever tried to act like they were above this fact. Its a slap in the fact to his teammates, the organization that has to wait until the week before gameday to know who their starting QB will be. That's utterly ridiculous.

No one has ever asked or tried to take a free pass from skipping working out with their teammates, or skipping the entire offseason with them. No one!

What makes Brett think he is above anyone else who has ever played this game, that he can just come in and skip all this, disrespect the game, the culture of the way things are done, disrespect his teammates by not going through everything that they have to go through, and disrespect the entire franchise by making them practice this whole time not even knowing who their QB, their leader, is going to be?

Brett Favre is... and will always be remembered as a POS. His legacy is tarnished through his actions these past couple years. There's nothing else to even say. He's a joke.. and like hoof said, he's not even that good anymore. The vikes got to the playoffs before him, and they got to the playoffs with him.. and after all the drama, all the bull****, all the making the organization wait and not know who they were going to have at QB all offseason.. and he ends up costing them a chance at a super bowl. Just like he did with the Jets the year before, and then lied to the entire organization to manipulate things to go the way he wanted them to.

So if you want to sit here and defend a man like this go right ahead. But he is exactly what hoof said earlier. A joke. His wife is more of a man than he is.

 

[Reality]

I see people here using the words "attention *****" when they begin discussing Favre. Realize, the problem that most people have with Brett isn't that he is an attention *****, which he is. If that was it though there would be no problem. There's been alot of attention ****** in the NFL year in and year out. That's really not the issue though.. so i don't understand why some of you defend him on here like that is his only folly.

So if a pack of reporters camps out at your house, follows you around town, and calls you non-stop every day for weeks asking the same question over and over that means YOU are a media *****, eh?

Thanks for proving my point though ..

-Reality

 

[Chocolate Lab]

I was simply stating the facts. If this was 30 years ago, the "Favre saga" would barely be a story outside of Minnesota or Green Bay.

That's a preposterous statement.

You'd think people were communicating by smoke signals in 1980.

 

[Reality]

No one has ever asked or tried to take a free pass from skipping working out with their teammates, or skipping the entire offseason with them. No one!

I cannot believe you actually posted this .. have you ever listened to any interviews with veteran players? They want training camp eliminated all together, not just preseason games. Not a single one of them wants to go to training camp at all. The only issue here is that the Vikings need Favre more than he needs them.

I listened to three interviews today at different times with Vikings players and all three were asked, "Would you want Favre back if he came back after training camp?" and all three said yes they would. In fact, one said he'd be okay even a few games into the season.

So time to put away that moral high horse because the NFL does not work that way. Maybe high school or college football but in the NFL, players want to be paid and if your quarterback sucks, your team is going to suck which means you are going to suck.

What makes Brett think he is above anyone else who has ever played this game, that he can just come in and skip all this, disrespect the game, the culture of the way things are done, disrespect his teammates by not going through everything that they have to go through, and disrespect the entire franchise by making them practice this whole time not even knowing who their QB, their leader, is going to be.

Disrespect the game? Why don't you get on your moral high horse and go after the HGH users, the roiders and players who keep getting arrested? Instead, you choose to follow the media's instructions and hate a player who almost led his team to the Super Bowl last year and would have had Peterson been able to hold on to the ball.

Brett Favre is... and will always be remembered as a POS. His legacy is tarnished through his actions these past couple years. There's nothing else to even say. He's a joke.. and like hoof said, he's not even that good anymore. The vikes got to the playoffs before him, and they got to the playoffs with him.. and after all the drama, all the bull****, all the making the organization wait and not know who they were going to have at QB all offseason.. and he ends up costing them a chance at a super bowl. Just like he did with the Jets the year before, and then lied to the entire organization to manipulate things to go the way he wanted them to.

Whatever .. a hater's a hater .. the only missing requirement is a random insult mixed in with an "everyone thinks/knows/believes" statement.

So if you want to sit here and defend a man like this go right ahead. But he is exactly what hoof said earlier. A joke. His wife is more of a man than he is.

This debate is more about how the media forms opinions for most people and you have a done an outstanding job of proving my point.

Take T.O. for example .. While I am very glad the Cowboys released him, he really only made one mistake in his whole career and that was how is handled his new contract demands in Philly after their Super Bowl appearance. Beyond that, what did he do? He wanted the ball. What receiver or running back doesn't want the ball?

Of course this is where the media sheep will chime in, "Oh, but T.O. complained to the media about it." You know why? Because just like Favre, the media knows their media born haters need their fix so they swarm on T.O. every chance they get asking loaded question after loaded question. Just go back and listen to some of the post game interviews he had last year in Buffalo. He did a great job of avoiding falling into the reporters traps but they tried hard constantly baiting him with, "Do you feel you should be getting the ball more?" Of course what receiver or running back would say "No!" after a loss? Not a single one. Yet, the media hopes T.O. says it so the next day they can spend all day talking about how, "T.O. demands the ball more" so their readers, viewers and listeners can all jump on their "T.O.'s a selfish jerk (or POS as you say)" bandwagon of hate. The media's your chauffeur, all you need to do is jump on for the ride.

It's preseason so today's Target of interest (TOI) is Favre. All aboard!!!

-Reality

 

[motivateme4848]

When your agent calls you a drama queen somethings wrong. No one was talking about Favre until he went to Ed and started talking about his foot needing to be worked on if he wanted to play. As soon as that happened people had questions and that started all of this. If he didn't want the attention he wouldn't talk.

 

[Hostile]

Not exactly the best analogy.

People in the entertainment business have a very big interest in being in the spotlight. They are all fighting for the spotlight because that's what makes them money.

Favre's paycheck isn't dependent on how many ESPN bottom-line's he generates or how many front pages of SI he's plastered on.

It isn't what Brett is doing that makes him an attention *****, it's what everyone else isn't doing that makes him an attention *****.

Not really sure but I don't think there have been many other QBs who have retired, un-retired, retired, un-retired. No other QB gets a free pass through training camp.

Is he a good QB? Yes, he is but he isn't the best in the league. Quite frankly, Peyton Manning pisses on Favre but Manning isn't "free passing" his way through all of the offseason work year-in and year-out.

I'd say there are a few QBs who are better than Favre. And that is only if you base the rankings off of last year alone. If you base it off of the last 3-4 years, you will have a good number of QBs who are better.

I don't think Brett Favre does what he does specifically for attention. I think he does it because he thinks he has paid his dues and doesn't need to go through the BS that is the offseason.

I also don't think he really even cares about the game like he claims. Since leaving Green Bay, I think his primary motive has been to prove the Packers wrong and further his "legacy".

IMO, he thinks he is above the game. He has bought into all the "John Madden stroke off" praising that has come his way.

Brett Favre is a joke of a player anymore. IMO, he's playing only for himself. To satisfy his need to prove GB wrong and to further his stats. He's clearly self-centered and is ego-stroking.

IMO, he won't be missed when he is finally retires for good.

First of all I didn't say he was the best QB. I said he was a damned good one. There is a huge difference. You're so defensive of your anti-Favre feelings that you immediately associate me as saying he is the best.

In other words, you prove my point about delusions.

Now as to your claim that the analogy isn't good. Of course it isn't because it makes a point that you don't like. So much so that per you somehow now sports is not entertainment.

Regardless of how they get paid, actors, performers, and athletes are all entertainers. You buy a ticket to go see them. You buy jerseys, t-shirts, posters, and for sports trading cards. It is an entertainment field. The E in the ESPN acronym is "Entertainment."

The Vikings want Favre to return for 2 reasons. He puts butts in the seats and he gives them the best chance to win. That, above all the other nonsense, is why he is a story.

I honestly do not care that he flip flops. Why? Because I love the game. The motions, plays, and actual unravelling of the story that is the game. I love to watch the game played well. That to me is the real story. Not the sidebars about what these guys do on their own time.

That is why I have never cared two hoots in hell about who Tony Romo is knocking boots with. It's why I don't care what direction the bill of his hat is pointed. I watch the game. I love the game. He plays the game beautifully.

So does Favre.

I actually pity anyone who simply can't enjoy the way the guy plays the game. I really do. It is a marvelous spectacle. Forget his age. Forget his past accomplishments. Focus on the now.

As he stands right now, Geritol and Depends fighting for the right to be his first post playing career endorsement, that unshaven old geezer is still a damned entertaining football player.

I am going to enjoy it for as long as I can. if it is over, I will have enjoyed it. If you prefer the bile, enjoy the bile. Me, I can't do that. There are players I do not care for. This guy is not one of them He plays the game the way it ought to be played.

The rest is just window dressing.

 

[Reality]

That's a preposterous statement.

You'd think people were communicating by smoke signals in 1980.

No, back then, people formed their own opinions .. these days, people let the media shape it for them.

Seriously do me a favor and think about this ...

Why are you so bothered by whether or not Favre retires? Why are you bothered by anything Favre does or does not do?

Simple .. you are bothered because it's all sports media talks about at the moment. So the media incites you to be mad because it's all they talk about all day. Of course it was their decision, but they know what their readers/viewers/listeners want to hear.

I don't care if people hate Favre or not. That was not my point. The purpose of this thread was to try to get people to actually form original thoughts and break their reliance on sports media to form their opinions. I used the Brett Favre story simply because it's the current hot topic. I'm sure next week, the media will have moved on to a Terrell "the cancer" Owens story and many people will be waiting to jump on that bandwagon of hate.

Just do me a favor .. when the train of hate arrives back in Dallas at some point (and it will unfortunately) for some Romo, Bryant, Bennett, etc. rants and monologues, remember to leave your rose colored glasses at the door before posting since you don't want to come across being hypocritical ..

-Reality

 

[Reality]

That is why I have never cared two hoots in hell about who Tony Romo is knocking boots with. It's why I don't care what direction the bill of his hat is pointed. I watch the game. I love the game. He plays the game beautifully.

Very well stated and true!

So does Favre.

I actually pity anyone who simply can't enjoy the way the guy plays the game. I really do. It is a marvelous spectacle. Forget his age. Forget his past accomplishments. Focus on the now.

Exactly! However, that goes against the media's instructions.

I am going to enjoy it for as long as I can. if it is over, I will have enjoyed it. If you prefer the bile, enjoy the bile. Me, I can't do that. There are players I do not care for. This guy is not one of them He plays the game the way it ought to be played.

I agree completely..

-Reality

 

[CanadianCowboysFan]

Which teammates said they got a text from him saying he was retiring? All I have heard are Vikings players that say they didn't get one but heard it from others though they have no idea who got them.

By late today, sports radio was starting to discuss the possibility that the media may have created this whole thing out of nothing.

Sheep though follow and form the opinions they are told to form.

-Reality

so do you sleep with a fathead of Favre?

So what you are saying is Shancoe made it all up. Media reported that so must be wrong.

What other NFL player used his dad's death to get face time, his wife's cancer? Plays up that he is dumb while laughing all the way to the bank, what other QB can throw 6 INTs in a playoff game and not get blamed?

 

[CanadianCowboysFan]

As for people in 1980 and earlier making up their own minds, yeah right, no one took what Walter Cronkite said and decided for him/herself. Vietnam protests had NOTHING to do with tv scenes of body bags etc

There were just fewer outlets then so the message was kept more tightly wrapped.

Calling people sheep really is a weak argument.