Another Favre Media Frenzy

With the end of another NFL season, the question of Favre’s status in the football world has again taken the front page.

Favre’s Minnesota Vikings lost the NFC Championship to the New Orleans Saints Sunday night. The game went into overtime after Favre threw an interception into the middle of the field. He was trying to hit his key target, Percy Harvin, with 19 seconds left to win the game without extra time.

Instead the Saints won the coin toss and Brees marched his resilient Saints down the field just for second-year kicker Garrett Hartley to kick a 40 yard field goal to bring an NFC Championship to the still reeling city of New Orleans.

But while the Saints are preparing for their first Super Bowl appearance, Favre is preparing to face another offseason of contemplation. And another offseason with the vultures commonly called “the media.”

Yes, Favre does have trouble deciding what to do with the rest of his life. Should he stay? Should he retire? Staying means more fun. For Favre and for us. Fess up, you love seeing a 40-year-old football player out on that field ever Sunday….and playing well. But part of deciding when to retire is deciding if you’re going out on top. Does Favre really want to leave when he is forced out? Everyone strives to be John Elway.

But the real problem is the media frenzy surrounding it. Media outlets cover the issue everyday. Whether there is an issue that day or not. Sportscenter anchors make Favre retirement jokes at least once an hour. And the media is always speculating as to what he is going to do. One day he is staying; the next day he is retiring for good.

Even when he is retired, as he was last summer, Favre is still on ESPN every single day. Talking about throwing the football with high school guys in his hometown. Speculating as to what team he has been talking to. Can’t an extremely talented veteran of the game just talk to some teams without there being such a to do?

The media needs to back off of the story. Announce when he plans to make a press conference about it, and have a few columns about what the writer believes he should or will do. But leave it at that. The media frenzy is killing Favre’s current legacy of greatness into a legacy of indecisiveness.