I think we all watched Brett Favre's crazy antics last night (except for me), so allow me to play Tuesday morning quarterback with Favre and my New York Jets.
The problem with writing about Brett and the Jets is that the most interesting story left is the news media's coverage of the story. Nevertheless, I would like to explore a fresh insight into the saga: the money angle.
Originally, the Green Bay Packers were willing to pay Favre $20 million to stay retired. Instead, they received a conditional draft pick, likely in the second or third round, which has a potential value of approximately $700,000. The Packers made out like thieves by avoiding paying Favre a cent and by receiving compensation when it looked as if the return of The Gunslinger would cause the Pack to either renege on their plans to start Aaron Rodgers or pay Favre $12 million to sit on the bench, a move that would turn the fan base against management. Three games into the season, however, Rodgers has led the team to a 2-1 record, and the Pack are well on their way to another division title.
With regard to Favre, I don't understand how a player is allowed to retire, do his own thing for however many months, and then simply return to his enormous old contract whenever he so chooses. Why doesn't every player simply come and go as he pleases? This isn't boxing.
As for the Jets, to make room for their new starting quarterback, Chad Pennington became collateral damage. He of the Weak Arm was cut to avoid paying his $7.8 million salary-cap figure.
With Pennington, the Jets were fundamentally a seven- or eight-win team. Four out of the last five years, it has taken double-digit wins in the AFC to reach the postseason. I leave it up to you to decide whether or not Favre is worth a couple wins over Pennington, but I'll give you a hint: He's not. The Jets' payroll increased approximately $5 million, money that could have been spent more appropriately in other areas, like the secondary that got picked apart by Matt Cassel.
The Jets will play in a new stadium next year, so some have justified the acquisition as a way to market personal seat licenses and raise fan interest in general. This is straight-up poppycock. The Jets have sold out over 250 consecutive games and have a season-ticket waiting list of 9,000. They would sell tickets with Brett Favre, Brett Ratliff or Bret Michaels behind center.
The marketing of Favre is a cash cow in other ways, however. The day he was traded, jersey sales records were shattered. No. 4's jersey, albeit in a different shade of green, was bought more times on NFL.com in 24 hours than any other single player's jersey in history.
So as a Jets fan, am I happy they traded for Favre? No, because I only care about my team winning games. If Herm Edwards were still coach, he wouldn't have made the trade because "you play to win the game." I understand that Favre does have some intangibles and certain skills that one really can't quantify, but from an analytical standpoint, it's hard to defend acquiring Favre. In my opinion, the most important job for a quarterback is not to turn the ball over. Brett Favre is terrible at this. Chad Pennington is awesome at it.
But from a business standpoint, Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum knew what he was doing. The Jets sell some merchandise, they grab a share of the media market from the defending Super Bowl champion Giants, and even though it might not matter, they appease some fans who have not seen a bona fide icon on their team since Joe Namath.
As for myself, I am not mollified. I am, in fact, unmollified. But at least I understand the move and can fall back on the words of my old friend The Greek: "Business. Always business."
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Jeremy Greenhouse is a sophomore who has not declared a major. He can be reached at Jeremy.Greenhouse@tufts.edu.
