The NBA Finals are going on as we speak. The Stanley Cup Finals are as well (if you can find them on television). The Yankees and Red Sox are going toe to toe. Roger Federer just tied Pete Sampras. Tiger Woods won The Memorial and played eighteen at Bethpage Black on Monday. These are all great stories. These are all things that people are talking about at the bar or water cooler.
Yet Brett Favre seems to trump them all.
In case you haven't been paying attention - something that's impossible to do when it comes to this story - Brett retired (again) following a disastrous December with the New York Jets. Soon after the draft, the rumors started that Favre was getting the itch to play, and that if he did un-retire again, it would be to sign as the quarterback of the Minnesota Vikings.
Ever since then, sports fans have been treated to an almost daily update on the Favre situation, whether it's on ESPN or somewhere else (yes, there are others besides The Worldwide Leader reporting on Favre).
The reporting has been at a fever pitch this week. First there was the report on Sunday that Favre had surgery but won't commit to the Vikes just yet because he's not throwing at one-hundred percent. Then came the report that the Vikings told Favre they wanted an answer from him this week (not the first time we have heard of a deadline).
Up next was this. The Green Bay Press Gazette has reported that someone close to Favre has reserved a block of hotel rooms for the week of the Packers-Vikings game in Green Bay. Let that sink in for a second. A newspaper is reporting that someone close to someone might have called some hotel and made a reservation. Are we sure that this someone really was a Favre family member? Could it be that this person - whoever he is - was just playing a joke on this hotel (which is possible). Could it be that the hotel manager quoted in the story is making the whole thing up in an attempt to get some publicity (or business) for his establishment? Or, could it be that the report is accurate?
The only thing I know is that the guy reporting this - Pete Dougherty - is as fine of a reporter as there is. That being said, even good reporters get a hold of bad information.
And late yesterday a report from ESPN saying the Vikings were temporarily putting their pursuit of Favre on hold because he failed to show for Organized Team Activities yesterday. However, the team wants Favre to continue rehabbing from shoulder surgery, and he could still wind up wearing purple after all is said and done.
Here's the bottom line We don't know ANYTHING as far as what Favre's mindset is. We don't know if he wants to play. We don't know because the man himself hasn't said anything (and he doesn't have to right now either, though it would be nice if he let everyone know what was going on).
The only other thing I know about this situation is that we have reporters trying to scoop each other on a story. As a result, there are a lot of things that are out there that are being blown out of proportion. It's happening at ESPN, other national outlets, and in the Wisconsin media as well.
A lot of people have a problem with this. Some say this whole thing is a non story until Favre actually makes up his mind. But, there are others who are just asking a question in response to the breathless reporting on Favre that has been going on for about six weeks now. Why is this happening? Why is there so much speculation that is being reported as fact?
It's really simple. Everyone wants to be first with this story. Everyone wants to be the guy that breaks the story. Everyone wants to be the guy that reports that Favre is either coming back or staying retired.
There is pressure being put on these reporters from their bosses to get the story (and believe me there's more pressure on the reporters not employed by ESPN).
As a result, there are a lot of bits and pieces of information being reported. No one has the story locked down. No one knows for sure what Favre is going to do. But these little bits and pieces of information that come out are being blown up because there is a demand for it.
NFL fans want to know what Favre is going to do. Packer fans want to know what Favre is going to do. Viking fans want to know.
Add all of this together and you start to understand why media outlets like the Green Bay Press Gazette are going to great lengths to either get the story or get as much of the story as they can. That's why a hotel reservation that may or may not be real is being reported and being treated as if it is a key piece to the Favre puzzle.
Since I used to do sports radio in Milwaukee, I get plenty of emails from people who want to know what I think of the media circus going on right now. I tell them all the same thing.
If it's me, I'm leaving this story alone as much as I possibly can. Other than the original report that he was considering coming back again, there has been nothing new with Favre to talk about. If I'd have been on the air I probably would have talked about it for a day and then leave it alone.
I understand that some of you reading this might not believe me. But, I ask you - what is there that's new to talk about? Nothing. He's still retired. He had surgery. Great. I'll get juiced up for this story if and when he makes a decision. And, once that decision is made, the only way I'd really talk about it on the air is if he came back. If he decides to stay retired, it's as much of a non story as it was before all of this speculation started.
I know that some of my colleagues in the media are probably shaking their heads at this and wondering why I wouldn't talk about it. Wondering why I wouldn't try and put someone on the air who could shed some light on the situation (does it make sense to bring an analyst on until he does come back?).
The answer is real simple. I'm a radio talk show host. My first job is to entertain. If I break a story or two along the way, great. But, it's not my main purpose as a radio host. In this situation, I'd rather be right than first. Let someone else have the glory, if there is any to be had.
I say this because of a couple of reasons. I once went on the air and broke a story about a trade. It turns out my information (from a fellow host who read it on a message board) was bad. It was a low point in my career.
Others have made the same mistake. Just within the last six months I heard a radio host in Kansas City report that TCU's Gary Patterson had been signed to come on board as the next coach of Kansas State. It was a message board thread - and a bad one at that. Patterson never got the KSU job (Bill Snyder actually came out of retirement at the age of 69), and the radio host was eventually replaced (it was for more than just the erroneous report).
Have I blogged about Favre over the last six weeks? Yes I have. Have I podcasted about it? Yes I have. But, before you go calling me a hypocrite, consider that before this week I had not written about Favre in about a month. I have only podcasted about Favre twice. I have not been guilty of going overboard on this situation.
Do I want him to make a decision? Sure I do. I'd like to know. We all would. But, because he's so unpredictable, and because no one knows for sure what he's going to do, I'll sit back and wait until he says something definitive before I start talking or writing about it non stop.
My colleagues should too.
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