Favre Defenders in Green Bay: You're Okay With Me

Brace yourselves, for I am about to utter some borderline not-hateful things about people who pull for Brett Favre. At least some of them. Worry not; I'll still probably vomit afterward.

Okay. Breathe with me.

For the most part, Favre was booed lustily by the Lambeau faithful throughout yesterday's Vikings win in Green Bay. This makes sense. The guy very famously made a big production about the Packers GM not signing Randy Moss when he was available in the spring of 2007, then retired the next year, only to unretire months later, putting all the team's fans through a huge emotionally wrought episode. After a throwaway season with the Jets, he played the retire-unretire game again and this time wound up in Minnesota, which is pretty much where he wanted to be all along after he left Green Bay. For a lot of Cheeseheads, joining the Packers archrival, even in the twilight of his career, is unforgivable sin.

But, wait. There were more than a few Packers fans still cheering for Favre. They were in the minority, sure, but they were there. I know because FOX made a point to show them time and again. This also makes sense. Obnoxious drama aside, Favre was the team's starting quarterback for 16 seasons. That's an eternity in modern NFL terms. Even though the way analysts talk about him, you'd think Favre had 18 Super Bowl rings, he did get the Packers the only title they've had since Bart Starr was under center. He was the face of the franchise for a generation. That's a hard thing to dismiss out of hand even if the guy plays for the Vikings for a year or two.

Now, people who show up to an Eagles-Giants game in Philadelphia wearing a Favre jersey? That's another matter altogether. Same goes with Vikings fans who aren't still uneasy with the idea for rooting for your lifelong nemesis. That's just weird.

This post originally appeared on the Sporting Blog. For more, see The Sporting Blog Archives.