Dear Tell All: Brett Favre makes me feel like a jilted wife. After all our wonderful years together in Green Bay, he turns into a self-absorbed flip-flopper. One day he's leaving, the next day he's staying. Then he gets a roving eye, flirting with other NFL franchises. I have to endure the humiliation of him playing for the New York Jets and, even worse, consorting with the Minnesota Vikings. The Vikings! It's as if, after years of marriage, he dumped me for someone we'd both always hated.
Now that he's supposedly retired (again), can my relationship with Brett be healed?
Can't Take It Anymore
Dear Can't Take It Anymore: You seem to think this is all about you. It's really all about Brett, and that's as it should be. This is his brilliant career, and he should be able to end it any way he wants without facing scorn from fickle Packer fans and local sportswriters.
Let's think about that scorn for a minute. For 16 years we adored Favre, one of the best quarterbacks of all time. We knew he was flawed - an impulsive risk-taker. And we knew the flaws were an essential part of his greatness. So how can the qualities we loved then be the qualities we hate now, as Favre scrambles wildly to extend his NFL career? Why can't we continue to enjoy the show, even if it briefly moves away from Wisconsin?
Many immortal athletes look strange to us mere mortals, from Babe Ruth to Muhammad Ali to Michael Jordan. If they acted like ordinary people, they probably wouldn't be such extraordinary achievers. Favre is no different, but now Packer fans want him to be something he never was: a normal dude who does the expected thing.
If you truly loved Brett Favre's quirky athletic genius, Can't Take It Anymore, you'd accept his quirky behavior. If you can't accept it, then I question the quality of your love in the first place. Your letter accuses Brett of being a self-absorbed flip-flopper. Well, what are you?
Do you have a question about life or love in Madison? Write Tell All, 101 King St., Madison, WI, 53703. Or email tellall@isthmus.com.
