Brats & Beer

As The Cheese Turns

Friday we got Brett Favre’s letter to the Packers requesting his release and the team’s official statement saying in so many words, “No way, José.” Yesterday was dominated by Ted Thompson and Mike McCarthy giving lengthy interviews to newspapers and TV stations. Today, though, without any official news from the Packers and still no comment from No. 4 himself, the attention turned to the fans.

The Journal Sentinel sent reporters Meg Jones and Meg Kissinger out to gauge the reaction of fans at Miller Park and elsewhere in Milwaukee. Sentiments seemed to be mixed, but I found it rather disturbing the number of people they found who put Favre ahead of the team. “If he goes, we go. We will follow him wherever he goes,” one person was quoted as saying. And one misguided youth from Peawaukee even said, “If he goes to Chicago, I’ll become a Bears fan.”

Someone needs to slap that kid’s parents.

There was also the “rally” of 100 people in Green Bay who stood around the Lambeau Field parking lot with signs demanding the Packers reinstate Favre. Apparently they didn’t get the memo that Ted Thompson can’t reinstate anyone — Favre must ask for reinstatement. They also seem to have missed the part of TT’s statement that the Packers will not release No. 4 and so if Favre does ask for reinstatement he’ll be on the active roster.

The best reaction I’ve seen so far to this act of civil disobedience comes from Chris, the head bartender at The Wisconsin Sports Bar, who points out that he could find 100 people in Wisconsin “who still believe the Earth is flat.” He also opines that “if Robin Yount said he wanted to come out of retirement and start patrolling Centerfield [sic] for the Crew people would rally and say he should be given the job.”

Please tell me this week will be better that the last one.