The Green Bay Packers will open training camp in two-and-half weeks but that doesn’t mean there isn’t anything going on between now and then. The Packers annual shareholders is meeting is slated for July 28, an event that brings in about 20,000 owners to hear the team run down it’s finances and also a team report from general manager Ted Thompson.
That event, however, will certainly be overshadowed by the return of Brett Favre to Lambeau Field for his induction into the Packers’ Hall of Fame on July 18. 60,000 plus fans will be in attendance to watch the event live on the stadium video boards. The actual induction takes place in the Lambeau Field Atrium.
Favre is arguably the greatest quarterback in franchise history. He started all but the first three games of his Packers’ 16-year career and led them to two Super Bowls, winning it all following the 1996 season. Favre ended his playing career after the 2010 season as the all-time leader in passing yards and touchdowns.
Favre’s departure from the Packers was not exactly the way either side would have wanted it, but neither side is to blame either. Favre wanted to come back and play but the Packers had already handed the job to Aaron Rodgers. Youth will always win in the NFL and the Packers made the right choice, which was proven when they won the Super Bowl in 2010 with Rodgers garnering MVP honors.
Favre was able to finagle his way to Minnesota where he was able to beat the Packers twice in 2009, but the Packers returned the favor by sweeping the Vikings in 2010 enroute to a title. Favre then retired for good.
In the last fours years much of the animosity has subsided, as evidenced by the selling out of Lambeau Field in just two hours. The ceremony will be televised on local TV as well as NFL Network but fans still wanted to be part of it at the stadium. Favre will speak to the crowd but not even he himself doesn’t know how long he will talk.
Having Favre back in the fold puts an end to seven years of nonsense that had fans fighting amongst themselves. There was no fine line here, the Favre haters were abundant, believing him to be a traitor for playing for the Vikings, which makes no sense. Who wouldn’t want to play against the team that didn’t want you any longer?
I supported the Packers decision and even though I was one of the 70,000 fans booing Favre’s return to Lambeau in purple and gold, I wasn’t a hater. But I will say I was a happy man when Favre made that fateful throw late in that NFC Championship game against the Saints.
Now Favre is back in Green & Gold and hopefully will be returning annually for the Packers’ alumni game. Bart Starr would always get the loudest ovation of all but with his ailing health he probably won’t be returning anytime soon. I fully expect Favre’s introduction to now become the loudest of them all.
I can hear it now “at quarterback, from Mississippi State, Brett Favre!” Of course nobody will ever actually hear his name over the ovation. Welcome back Brett.