NFL Insider – Favre Stays Retired while Vick Returns

Lord knows that my editor’s inbox has been inundated with articles from me titled “Retire Already, Favre!” and “We Don’t Want You Back, Dog Slayer!”. Well now, to end the discussion I’ve combined the two. The league announced this week that Michael Vick will be conditionally reinstated in to the NFL by Roger Goddell, while news came down today that Brett Favre will remain retired and jilt the Minnesota Vikings.

The latter news is big news to the NFL, as Favre will retire after 18 glorious seasons in the NFL. Now, like any football fan, it would’ve been fun to watch Brett Favre play football again. What I never liked about the whole situation was the waffling. I know it’s hard to consider retiring in your mid-to-late-thirties after accomplishing 10 Pro Bowls, an NFL Super Bowl win, three MVP’s and throwing for 464 touchdowns in a career that has made Favre one of the most beloved figures in NFL history.

Madden would always remind us that Favre was, “out there, just having fun,” that was always certainly the case. You could tell, just be watching him, how much Favre loved the game that we all love watching. He was a class-act through and through, and though he struggled with the thought of retiring, it certainly does not dismiss his vast accomplishments.

It’s just sad that in the wake of Favre’s retirement (the real one…hopefully), comes the return of a man who disgraced the integrity of the game of football. Roger Goddell gave Michael Vick a conditional reinstatement, and though Vick’s return will be difficult, he’s still being given a foot in the door. The sad truth is that while I chastised both men this summer incessantly, Favre at least earned the right to flip-flop on his retirement, letting the Vikings twist in the wind of his uncertainty.

You don’t earn anything by becoming a criminal.

Vick has undoubtedly been the biggest story this week. After two, long years, Vick will make his return to the world of professional football and climb his way out of a mountain of bankruptcy thanks to the league’s minimum salary, which increases depending on how many years a player has been in the league. The thing is that Vick is already asking for a contract worth $1 million. And yes, that makes me sick.

The former King of the dog fighting underworld has amassed over $36.5 million in debt due to his bankruptcy and loss of income after he was convicted. While most sponsors will likely stay the hell away from Vick in terms of endorsement, the man who has made a torrential amount of painful mistakes in his life is now getting a “second chance” to relive his glory days in the NFL.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m not a dick. I’m all for second chances. Lord knows that I’ve almost used up all of mine. So why am I so against Vick’s reinstatement? Simple. I view it as a privilege to play in the NFL. Playing professional sports is a dream of millions of people across the world. I make a living off of sports in a way, and I’m grateful for it.

Favre was the face of a league entrenched in a rich and honorable history. He played the game because he loves to, and honored the game by wearing a smile on his face the entire time, and struggled to retire because it’s what he was born to do. This summer will be remembered for many things, but nothing will stand out more to me than Favre leaving the game he loved, while one of the most despicable people to ever wear the uniform makes his return.

One played for the love of the game. The other is playing to climb out bankruptcy. I just hope that this isn’t telling of us in any way. We all wish we could do what we loved, whether its practicing law, writing books, acting in movies or enjoying parenthood. The sad truth is that so many of us do things just so we can pay the mortgage. The difference is that so many of us slave away in cubicles for minimum wage, or low-end salaries. Not too many of us get to make such a grave mistake, only to be paid millions of dollars and cheered by thousands of fans.

The game will say goodbye to one of its greats this week. But as one career ends, another one is reignited. Whether this is a trade that will payoff for football fans is yet to be seen…but I don’t like the betting odds.