Commentary: Favre should follow Elway’s lead

John Elway walked into the sunset at exactly the right time.

When Elway retired in 1999, he remained the swashbuckling football king of Colorado. His exit saved us from watching him stumble around as a broken-down imitation of himself.

He resisted the temptation to stay a little longer. He resisted the temptation to stay too long.

Brett Favre, 38, should examine Elway’s elegant goodbye. He retired in March in a memorable, tear-filled farewell.

He wants to return to his Green Bay Packers, but the team is already intent on crafting the post-Favre era. The Packers don’t want him.

This is excruciating because Favre defines the modern Packers. He’s a folk hero in Wisconsin, the man who returned the Super Bowl trophy to Titletown, USA.

For years, he served as undisputed leader of the Packer nation. Now, he leads fans to a place of utter confusion.

Colorado College hockey coach Scott Owens grew up in Madison, Wis., and has followed the Packers with religious fervor since he was a toddler. He finds himself in a painful position.

He’s a Packers fan. Always has been. Always will be. And he’s a Favre fan.

But his support of Favre is wavering. Owens hopes his football hero stays retired.

Owens believes the Packers should close the door on the Favre era. Any team, Owens said, must make the tough choices required to build for the future.

It’s time, he said, for the Packers to embrace a new era with 24-year-old quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who, by the way, led California to a 56-14 trashing of Air Force in 2004 at Falcon Stadium.

Favre had his day. Now it’s Rodgers’ turn.

“I wish Brett would have pride and say this is over instead of trying to hang in there,” Owens said. “I don’t get it.”

Favre doesn’t get it, either. He appears headed to that most dreaded of sports destinations. He’s going to follow the long list of athletes who didn’t know when to quit.

We’ve already suffered through the painful spectacle of Johnny Unitas in San Diego, throwing footballs far away from his beloved Baltimore. And there was Tony Dorsett with the Broncos and Emmitt Smith with the Cardinals.

All wandered away from the teams of their youth. All stayed in the game too long.

Favre never will top his exit. In the twilight of his greatness, he carried his Packers to last season’s NFC title game. He delivered one of the great seasons of a spectacular career.

Elway’s exit towers as the ultimate sports farewell, but it wasn’t always No. 1. That spot belonged to Michael Jordan, who swiped the ball from the Jazz’s Karl Malone and then dropped a shot for the ages to win the 1998 NBA title for his Bulls.

But Jordan couldn’t stay away. He returned to the Washington Wizards as a creaky shadow of himself. He looked old. He made everyone who watched him feel old. His Airness leaves behind an obvious lesson for Favre.

I know Favre has beaten a long list of opponents.

I also know he can’t defeat time.