4// October 1, 2009
COMMUNITY
Second Supper
A Favre house divided
They share a name, but this La Crosse family isn't all about Brett
©2009 Treasure Island Resort & Casino
Meet the Favres. They’re just like any other family in La Crosse — bigger than most perhaps, but divided when it comes to the NFL quarterback who shares their last name. Just three years ago, they were all Green Bay Packer fans. That was easy when Brett Favre was under center, leading the team to its best record since the Vince Lombardi era. But once he left Titletown USA and ventured first to New York and then to rival Minnesota, Brett Favre left this house divided. “It was devastating to me,” said Bill Favre, one of five sons (including Scott, CJ, Tony and Michael) in the family who still bleed green and gold. “I was a little hurt by the whole thing, but him becoming a Viking stings even more. I’d actually consider changing [my name] to Rogers now.” But Jean Favre, mother of the bunch, couldn’t drop her allegiance to Brett so quickly. Besides marveling at his prowess on the gridiron, she admires his charity work and also respects his self-deprecating personality. When Favre moved to the Jets, Jean bought a green and grey jersey. When he signed with Minnesota, she bought a purple one and became giddy with the border rivalry. “I couldn’t think of a prettier set up,” she said. “I’m not a Ted Thompson or Mike McCarthy fan at all,” Jean explained, citing the Packers’ general manager and coach. “It’s pretty much me against the family. They’re still all Packer fans. I’m not.”
Even before Brett split a fan base with his voyages around the league, the Favre surname spurred plenty of interest in Wisconsin. Bill recalled one incident where his brother Scott pretended to be the quarterback’s nephew and got the entire staff of a Madison pizzeria to shake his hand. Still, the Favre family has a set response for when people ask if they are related to the threetime NFL MVP: “Distant cousins, not close enough for tickets.” This interleague and interfamily rivalry will come to a head Monday night when the Packers travel to Minnesota for a 7:30 p.m. game that airs on ESPN. “It’s going to be a good one,” Bill said. “I’ve cheered for [Favre] for many years, but I don’t think I’m going to be cheering him on come Monday. I hope he spends more time on the turf.” But Jean is standing by her quarterback. If it was amusing during the 2008 season (she had a GO JETS sticker on her Mercedes and wore a Jets jersey for the family Christmas card), it’s come closer to home now that Favre moved to Minnesota. “Brett’s still got it. Just look at last week’s game. That was amazing; classic Favre,” said Jean, referencing Brett’s gamewinning touchdown pass with two seconds remaining. “I’m not too taken with [Aaron] Rogers anyways. So, yeah, I think the Vikings will take 'em down, and I’m looking forward to watching it.”
— Adam Bissen
If you could ask Brett Favre one question, what would you ask him?
Is it worth 12 million to get beat up so bad? — Lou Docken
Why doesn't he just retire?
Why the Vikings? Why couldn't you go to any other teams? — Jaysen Foster
I don't know? In my opinion, he's not that significant. — Carlos Maida
— Lindsey Purl