John Madden and Brett Favre are forever linked, thanks to smart-alecks who believe Madden has a sexual attraction to Favre, and may even have secretly married him at some point.
Because of this eternal connection, whenever Madden does an interview, he is going to get questions about Favre. Like when he sat down for his first post retirement chat with Fox Sports Radio. The big guy was asked if he thought the luster had worn off Brett, who, in case you didn’t know, recently came out of retirement and signed a contract with the Vikings. Madden’s response:
"No, not at all. I think that for some reason people think they can take ownership of someone’s life just because they’re a player or a public person, and they can make decisions for them. “He shouldn’t do this, he shouldn’t do that. He shouldn’t go back, or say that he’s going to.” You know, it’s his life. This isn’t a game. This is what he does and it’s a tough decision. The big part of it, to be honest with you, is that he’s worried about not how he’s going to be in August and in training camp or in September, but can he get through the whole season. Can he get through the sixteen games and play at the end of the season at a very high level. The Minnesota Vikings were in the playoffs last year, so they’re not bringing Brett Favre into the Vikings to win six, seven, eight games. They’re brining him in to get into the playoffs, win some playoffs and maybe get to the Super Bowl. If that’s what he wants to do, I say “hey, more power to you.”"
Well, what did you expect him to say? “I’ve always thought Brett Favre was over-rated. Frankly, I wish he’d stayed away from football. The league is better off without him.”
No. This is John Madden. Any Favre remark he makes is going to be a pro-Favre remark. Actually, I’m shocked Madden wasn’t more effusive. I’m amazed he didn’t drop a “Brett Favre is the greatest athlete in the history of the universe” on us. I’m stupefied he didn’t go with the old “If I had a vagina, Brett Favre’s penis is the only penis I would allow anywhere near it” bit.
He must be slipping.