Brett Favre made his retirement speech March 6th, 2008. I listened to it on the radio while at work and my eyes watered up. Watching the Packers would never be the same again. I only remember a handful of quarterbacks to play significant time in a game for the Packers. Anthony Dilweg, Mike Tomczak, Don Majkowski and of course, Favre. It took me a few days to really 'move past it' that I wouldn't see him start again for the Packers.[img_r]http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:YHvmjvcfsIrAYM:http://graphics.jsonline.com/graphics/packer/img/news/mar08/favre2_speaks30608-308.jpg[/img_r]
Moving forward to what we know today. Around the time Brett retired he was proposed a marketing deal that would pay him $10 million over 10 years to make public appearances and maintain his role as the face of the Packers. It would also keep Brett very close to the Packers and the game he grew up with.
This Marketing deal has been in motion since the month Brett retired. It has not been agreed to in principle or by signature as of yet. Most recently we are receiving reports that it has maintained the ten year mark, however has peaked over $20 million through out the duration to keep Brett part of the Packers organization for life. I don't think many understand the marketing aspect to this deal. The fans would get to see Brett more than they probably did during his tenure as a Packer player. This type of agreement is very common, especially in the MLB where I believe Hank Aaron is still collecting money from the Braves.
Some want to believe this Marketing deal is a bribe to keep Brett off the field. One problem with that. The Packers have stated publicly and privately to Brett that the deal is NOT dependent on his playing football again. Let me make that clear. The marketing deal is on the table regardless if Brett is an active player of the NFL or if he remains retired.
I do not have any source on this being an issue, but keep in mind that Bus Cook gets the maximum of 3% of Brett's annual salary if he is to play. Which is substantively less than the upwards of 15% he could potentially receive via the marketing deal.
Another aspect that has not been properly made public is that the Packers would have buckled and took Brett back had he NOT did the Greta Van SplasticFace interview. Had he not betrayed the trust of private conversations and business dialog we could be watching Brett in training camp right now.
I love Brett Favre and I love the Green Bay Packers and if you feel the same as me, please, get the facts before you pass judgement and criticize either the player or the team. Why? Because I have it on a good accord that neither is no where near as bad as they are being made out to be by ESPN and other media outlets.
True, things could have been handled better, but no one is perfect, not our beloved Brett Favre and not our beloved Green Bay Packers.