First there was the bombshell news announcement, followed by around-the-clock reaction and reflection, followed by Thursday's emotional news conference in Green Bay, Wis.
Brett Favre this week has carried the national sports media as far as he can possibly take them . . . or has he?
Today, the Green Bay Packers are facing a hard fall and a colder-than-usual winter -- a.k.a.: Season One of the Aaron Rodgers era. As for spring and summer, well, the media clearly have some tough days ahead.
In recent years, Favre meant as much to the media during the off-season as he meant to Green Bay during the regular season. The is-he-or-isn't he? retirement speculation served as a bottomless stockpile of kindling for talk-show and Internet fires desperate for conversation topics once the NFL draft had been driven into the ground.
This time last year, a popular theme -- one echoed by many within Packer Nation -- was that it was time for Favre to step aside and make way for Rodgers. Twelve months later, that sentiment has been stashed into the cautionary file labeled "Be Careful What You Wish For." This week, the media have staged a massive Favre Talk extravaganza, bringing together all the traditional themes, and mixing in some new ones.
Is Favre the greatest quarterback of all time? Is he the greatest Packer of all time? Should he have won more championships? Did he throw too many interceptions? Is he really retiring, for good, case closed? Or did anything about his body language Thursday leave the door cracked open? Does he really want to end his career with that lousy interception in the NFC title game against the New York Giants?
And if this is really the end of his playing career, what's next for Favre? How about a move to the broadcast booth?
What network would turn down a free-agent signing like that?
Actually, Favre as a television commentator is a concept far too limited in scope.
How about Favre as a television network?
This week, the NFL Network schedule has read like a game plan for Favre TV. The network will air 30 hours of Favre-related content this week, including these features on Saturday: 10 a.m. -- "In Their Own Words: Brett Favre." 11 a.m. -- "Brett Favre 4-Ever." A one-hour documentary about the Packers great narrated by Billy Bob Thornton, not the name of any proposed 24-hour Favre channel. Though it has potential.
