Retiring Favre's #4

I'm with ya here! Put him in the Packer HOF, NFL HOF but NEVER retire his number or put his name on the ring of HONOR!

If anyone frequents cheeseheadtv, I'm sorry for being repetitive, but I'll copy almost exactly what I said there in here, and I'm not gonna talk again about this subject, because it has been said too many times.

I think they should retire his jersey in the near future. Let that be clear.

Regarding the myth that Favre gave us a shot at winning the game every time he took the field, and that's why he should have his jersey retired:

The contrary also applies here. Every time he took the field, specially in a playoff game, he gave the other team a legitimate shot at winning. And more often than not he delivered.

That’s no reason to retire someone’s jersey.

Regardless if he gave them some hypotetical shot at winning, fact is he only brought one Lombardi in 16 seasons.

And the myth that really grinds my gears, that his jersey should be retired because Favre brought the Packers back to winning after a dark period:

This is so insanely meaningless, and wrong quite frankly. It wasn’t Favre that build the new team. It wasn’t him that adquired the players, assembled the coaching staff. It wasn’t him that rebuilt Lambeau. It was Bob Harlan, Ron Wolf and Mike Holmgren.

And even regarding wins and losses, I can make a much better case to where the Packers were before Reggie White came on board. Because it wasn’t until he was signed that we reached the playoffs, and it wasn’t until after he retired that we stopped being a dominant team, even with Favre at the helm.

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Favre should have his number retired, but not because of the state of the franchise prior to him, or that he could win any game at any time.

It’s because of what he did and represented to the Packers while he was with the team. He was THE franchise for almost 2 decades. Not many people can say that for any other franchise in sports, and, coupled with all his achievements, merits his jersey to be retired.

The only people that represented more to the Packers than Favre were Lombardi and Lambeau, and even that's debatable.

For so long, longer than anyone in almost any other sport, Favre was the Packers and the Packers were Favre.

And IMHO that's what matters most when having a number retired. Not quality of play, because Favre was nowhere near the best QB to play for the Packers. Not achievements, because, again, he only won 1 SB. But what he meant to the franchise. And it's undeniable that he ment a lot.

As much as I hate to say it RS, I agree with you. Before he UN-retired for the first time, he was still worshiped and loved in the Packer community because of his many contributions. By the time he alienated everyone in Green Bay, he was no longer part of the team. Should he be judged on his accomplishments WITH the team or AFTER he was gone? I feel equally pissed about how he treated his Packer family. That's why I too think his number should be retired however, after a LONG LONG healing time which I think we deserve.

I would rather hear about Murphys plan to retire #12 and #80.

Lets just skip the whole #4 thing, does Brett even care?

But everyone will remember what's his name?, was a traitor playing for the Viqueens

I am sure "Brent" cares...

I would issue #4 to the first rookie undrafted free agent punter to sign a contract...

The most exclusive honor the Packers can bestow is to retire the number of a player. As you all no doubt know, that honor has only been afforded to five players: Don Hutson, Tony Canadeo, Bart Starr, Ray Nitschke, and Reggie White. The next most exclusive club is having one’s name placed on the ring of honor and 20 people have been afforded that honor. Next is being named to the Packers HOF.

If it were up to me, Favre would not receive the most exclusive honor since he dishonored himself and the franchise by 1) saying he wanted to “stick it to” Ted Thompson and therefore the Packers and Packers fans, which resulted in his manipulating his way to the rival Vikings, 2) attempting to help Packers opponents beat the Packers, and 3) by telling arch rival Chicago Bears players to “Go beat the Packers” as recently as last season. Instead I would afford Favre the same status of Paul Hornung’s number 5: Not officially retired, but not issued to another player.
I don’t think he deserves to be in the Ring of Honor either because in spite of his on-field achievements he became a traitor to the franchise in my eyes. While Curly Lambeau had a messy “divorce” from the Packers, Vince Lombardi left for an ownership interest and the HC job with the Redskins and yes, Jim Taylor finished his career in New Orleans, none of them displayed the lack of class Favre did or conspired against the franchise that made them famous. Favre will certainly be inducted into the Pro Football HOF and the Packers HOF as he deserves to be. But I don’t think he deserves more than that. I certainly understand many disagree with me on this and Favre will probably be afforded all those honors.

I agree with PackersRS post except that IMO no player was or will ever “be” the franchise. The closest individual that can be attributed to – again just my opinion – is Lambeau and obviously the franchise survived his messy exit. IMO Favre deserves almost all the blame for his behavior but a contributing factor was the excessive adulation heaped upon him by Packers fans. IMO he got to the point where he thought he was the franchise and could force his way back onto the team in 2008.

Might be a long time but it'll get done. He's done so much for us....good or bad. It's all memories but it's all worth remembering.

My thoughts on the Retirement of Favre's jersey

The Retirement of Brett Favre(s) – Jersey | Lombardi Ave

I don't have the blind hatred that many here in NE Wisconsin do for the guy. Still and the same, I believe that when he's put into the NFL Hall of Fame, his name should be put on the Ring. Do I think his number should join the 5 already there? No. I don't.

All recent history aside ... the man WANTED to join the Vikings ostensibly to 'stick it to Ted' and vicariously, stick it to the fans of the Packers as well.

The guy will one day be back in the proverbial fold, but, he burned a lot of bridges on the way out.

So be it. One day, the Packers will retire his jersey/number and he'll join some pretty exemplary Green Bay Packers in the North end zone....unfortunately.

Incidentally, Aaron Rodgers won the Super Bowl for the Green Bay Packers. He and #4 are now tied in that regard. Let's retire his number too.

Brett may have worn #4 ... but when all is said and done, he's #2 in my heart.

I love what the packers are doing. I am sure Favre still has an attachment to Green Bay. Look at all the great years he had and just because he wanted to keep playing the game that he loved, people turned their back on him? Favre is one of the top 5 Packers of all time(I think they ranked him at 3, but not sure)

How long can a team wait on a QB to make a decision if he's playing or not til halfway through training camp? #1 Position on your football team and the guy is not accountable during important prep time...that is Favre's decision to do so...but I really think that attitude didn't sit well w/ Coaching Staff and Management...hey he had his chance to continue to play 3 more years following GB...he gave it his all, he is a historic player...but eventually all things must come to an end...even great things...it's a new Chapter now for GB and Favre is no longer the focal point in GB, it is the GB TEAM that is now the focal point as they enter a year as the 2nd youngest team in the NFL w/ a chance to make another run...all of that is possible thanks to the current Management, Coaching Staff, & present Roster.

We all know we loved Farve when he was here. We all stuck up for him when other fans made fun of him for making risky decisions or for some of his real bad games. I was a huge Farve fan. Then he betrayed us for the enemy. But time does heal wounds. He's like that son or daughter that just doesn't get it. They make mistakes and blame others for what happen. But in the end you still love them and welcome them home. That's what a majority of us will do when they retire his number. Not now but in a few years when everybody is healed.

Once this fiasco is over and dies down considerably, his number will be retired. I'd say within 10 years of his real retirement.

I agree with the sentiments that we should live in the present and focus on our current championship team. Why are we exhausting ourselves on Favre issues when we have so much to celebrate NOW. It's starting to irritate me when I think about how much energy we are wasting on BF and his selfish antics. Sure, he deserves some sort of recognition in the future but make him wait like other players. He's been out of our family for years now yet still is able to creep back into the spotlight. Yes, he was part of our family but I think of him more as an unfaithful X-husband than a wayward child. Don't let the door hit you in the *ss on your way out. You'll get your half of the property but when we're good and ready to give it to you. In the mean time, leave us alone.

Too bad we can get a restraining order on this guy...stay at least 500 ft away, away from the spotlight for at least 10 yrs. ect.

Excellent article Melinda! My sentiments exactly!

The Packers even mentioning retiring his #4 means they will protect the number from future wanna-be's that try to get it, before they officially retire it.

vandalism? you mean the tape residue they left on the marble in the capital? Yeah that should have been a felony right there.

And Hatred in the minority? I would think if that was the case you wouldnt have heard boos everytime favre took a snap at lambeau.

Favre is a traitor. He is Fredo.

Dont forget Brett thinks his best years were in MN.

Top 4 Packers of all time?

Don Hutson
Bart Starr
Reggie White
Curly Lambeau

Favre might come in 5th in my book.

It's over. People can spill out propaganda all they want, about how the "majority" always suported Favre, but it's over.

Nobody is fooling anybody anymore.

Favre's number will be retired, but he'll never be the hero he was. He will always be the one who defected to the enemy, no matter what happens. The hatred will diminish, but Packers fans will always be aware of his true feelings.

His number will be retired for what he did on the field, but he'll never be the symbol Starr and the others are. He will always be the man who chose revenge over loyalty.

There'll always be an asterisk besides his jersey.