Brett Favre: Waffling Traitor or Comedy Genius?

We should probably know better than to toss red meat into the shark tank, but we just can't help ourselves.

Everywhere we've gone this past week, someone has stopped us to talk about Brett Favre suiting up for the Minnesota Vikings, what it means for football loyalties in the city and whether Green on Gold violence will break out in the stands during the Nov. 1 game at Lambeau like this was a Civil War-esque brother vs. brother scenario among Packers fans.

Also, judging by Facebook status messages we spied on the day NFL Jesus returned ... yeah, some folks are looking forward to passing a hardcore jug of Haterade around come Oct. 5.

At Channel Surfing, we're only interested in things we can control. Frankly, that means watching old No. 4 on the big screen for that must-see game in Minneapolis and loving every minute of the over-the-top circus that will ensue during ESPN's wall-to-wall coverage. Chris Berman's Metrodome-sized head might explode from all the excitement. Seriously. We're totally pumped.

Now, if you're so sick of the dude you feel compelled to smash your computer screen right now, Sears is here to further rub your face in Favreapalooza 2009! We noticed this weekend that the Waffle King of Mississippi began appearing in the company's much-buzzed about ads -- the ones that were "secretly" filmed in Schaumburg, Illinois back when Favre was still "retired" in July.

As you can see below, the ad pokes fun at Favre's once-sympathetic, now highly irritating penchant for indecision regarding his pro football career. Pretty cut-and-dried stuff -- or nothing that'll put Favre in the Keith Hernandez Pro Athlete Hall of Fame for Comedy.

According to wire reports, the commercial was originally scheduled to air in September, but it would appear the date was moved to capitalize on all the Favre fervor (or is that fevror?) happening right now. Anyway, the final punchline was sold in AP stories as being a "big surprise," though judging by the outtakes footage (also below) it looks like they went with the safe choice.

For instance, when asked by the Sears sales rep (Brad Morris from The Second City in Chicago) about the TV screen staying green, Favre quips, "I used to like green." Morris follows with, "Well, what if it were purple?" to which Favre responds, "tempting."

Tempting to the tune of a revenge-soaked $12 million, perhaps?

For the record, the outtakes footage was pretty hilarious to us, particularly when Morris gives him the high-pressure sales pitch (causing Favre to crack) and when Favre responds with "poor fella" when Morris tells him that someone else claiming to be No. 4 was in the store earlier. Then again, we can make such bold, heartfelt pronouncements because we don't feel as though a beloved family member just stabbed us in the back because Titletown's Chosen One is now playing for the Vikings.

So Packers fans, what was your first reaction when you watched the commercial? Did you get a hearty chuckle and call it a day? Will you now boycott Sears because they're enablers in this sordid Shakespearean drama? Or did you just curl into a fetal position on the floor and cry into your hand-stitched "Brett + Packers = 4 Life" blanket from 1996?

Let us know below ... you know, as long as you can refrain from calling someone "gay," or use curse words we'll have to delete, or basically do anything that makes you appear to have the communication skills of a second grade bully with an overactive pituitary.





-- Thomas Rozwadowski, trozwado@greenbaypressgazette.com