What Might Have Been for Brett Favre

Graceful exits are overrated. Brett Favre can’t quit. He also can’t help it. Once upon a time, the ex-Packer might have ridden peacefully into a Green and Golden sunset—which would have been a happy ending for everyone but the ender himself. Passion means doing what your heart suggests. Pathology, on the other hand, means doing what your brain demands. It’s not that I’m rooting for another comeback. There’s a fine line between a soap opera and a train wreck, and Favre’s legacy was in much better shape 16 months ago. But let’s not delude ourselves with wishful retrospection. In a league where every quarterback is limited by his playbook, it would have been silly to expect anything less than a go-for-broke audible from No. 4. Faith is hope beyond logic. Love is need beyond reason. If Favre were able to make a clean break, he wouldn’t be the idol we’ve come to believe in. Zealous champions always have trouble saying goodbye. ... (link)