Media Fascination with Favre

As the calender page turns to August we are faced with annual absolutes about our existence: school is around the corner, the Chicago Cubs are playing out the string and Brett Favre is wishy-washy about playing football.

Riveting drama.

This is what the ticker tapes at ESPN would have you believe. Here is a snapshot of what was reported Tuesday and Wednesday on Favre's latest retire-back:

*He sent text messages to teammates saying he would not be playing this year

*No teammate actually confirmed the text messages were sent

*Minnesota Vikings head coach Brad Childress says he hasn't heard from Favre. Now, if he were retiring, don't you think Childress would be the most reliable source?

Yet ESPN's 24-hour ticker rolled on, reporting other reports saying Favre had decided to retire. Still, no one could confirm whom was saying this. What we do know is Favre himself hadn't said a word. But did that stop reporters from asking teammates what they thought of Favre retiring? Of course not. Finally, Wednesday afternoon, ESPN reporter Ed Werder reported he'd had actual contact with Favre. Shockingly, Favre told him he hadn't made up his mind yet.

So where does this leave us?

In the same place we were 48 hours ago, the same place were were last year or even two years ago with the Lady GaGa of sports. We know nothing. Yet we can't get enough of the story.

I could bash ESPN for spoon-feeding us this nonsense. You could argue they create the melodrama year after year by running with it like TMZ runs with anything Lindsey Lohan. But that would be too easy. After all, ESPN is a content provider, so aren't they just doing their job?

No, I think the media fascination with Favre mirrors that of the general public; This is a man unlike any we have seen in sports. We throw around platitudes in sports, referring to athletes' humanity because 'they wear their hearts on their sleeves.'

This guy not only wears it on his sleeve, he sweats it, breathes it and rolls around in it.

Favre's annual tap dance with football is an agonizing adventure, one of painful soul-searching both physically and mentally. These sentences must race through his subconscious minute-by-minute:

I want to play.
No I don't.
I don't want to put my body through another season.
I have to play. What else will I do with my life

How can we not be transfixed by this man's anguish?

His out-in-the open, wildly public indecisiveness is exactly why he is a cross-over celebrity. Love him or hate him, we dig his humanity. We secretly wish we could reveal our emotions so candidly.

Like every August for the past three years, no one knows whether Favre will play this season or not. But until he makes up his mind, ESPN will be reporting every thread of minutia.

And we will be watching.

 

Follow Jon Kerr on Twitter: www.twitter.com/@jkerrsports

Comments

[letsgetreal]

06:19 PM on 08/11/2010

Puller58 - check your facts man or are you drinking the same kool-aid? The current Packer Administration decided they didn't want Favre anymore - he didn't get mad and leave. I think its great Brett still shows up - he's done much better than the Pack has. The media starts this BS every year after the last game, around Super Bowl time, and then during off-season surgery and coaching the local high school team. It's been comical watching it all start up again - much easier to overreact to this stuff rather than live our own lives, ay? I hope he comes back - Jon is right - he's a unique human being and the NFL will be a little less colorful when he finally does hang up his cleats.

[weedhighnightmare]

03:33 AM on 08/07/2010

I'd be shocked if a 40 year old quarterback didn't strongly consider retiring each off season for the past few years. ESPN was totally off base with it's reporting of the latest drama. They spent that entire day looking back on Favre's career, even as they had no confirmation of his "decision." With that, and the LeBron James hype, they're starting to remind me of Fox News. There was no news to report on Favre, so they created their own. It must have been great for ratings, I know I tuned in until I realized they had nothing.

[Puller58]

11:00 PM on 08/04/2010

Favre isn't that complicated. He is a diva, and does not like training camp. He has openly clashed with Brad Childress as he did with the Packer's front office and coaching staff. He wants things his way, and if does not get them, he leaves. As with the Packers, Jets, and soon the Vikings.

[Jon Kerr]

03:00 PM on 08/05/2010

Great points. No question him and Childress have a chilly relationship. Favre is smarter than we think. He pulls this "awe shucks" country boy act when in reality, he's the one pulling the strings. He'll get a few extra million from the Vikings and a whole lot of laughs in the process.

[Craig Kanalley]

07:40 PM on 08/04/2010

Nice piece, Jon. Well written.

I think you're right that the general public fuels the Brett Favre fire, and for the reasons you mentioned. He is a special player and there's no one quite like him. For that, I hope he plays one more year.

That said, the media frenzy and false reports are a BIT much. Hope we won't have to endure another "Decision" on ESPN to end this drama.

[Jon Kerr]

02:58 PM on 08/05/2010

No I don't suspect there will be another "Decision". I know for a fact ESPN and LeBron regret ever pulling that stunt. The media has a mob mentality when it comes to Favre. They know it's not right, but they can't stop. Competition to be first is to fierce.