At worst, he looks like a liar who played a part in diverting millions of dollars away from the poorest Mississippians so that a volleyball stadium could be built. The problem? Texts have surfaced from Bryant that reference an alleged meeting with Favre about the project, as well as other texts featuring the former NFL quarterback allegedly asking an executive involved in the fraud scheme whether the media would ever be able to determine where the stadium project money came from or how much money was contributed.Īt best, it makes Favre look like he’s got some significant explaining to do. Phil Bryant about the stadium, denied knowing where the money for the project came from, and generally denied any knowable wrongdoing whatsoever. According to the reporting, Favre denied ever speaking to former Mississippi Gov. The general outline of Favre’s alleged involvement surrounds millions of dollars in welfare funds that were improperly diverted to build a volleyball stadium at Favre’s alma mater, Southern Miss (where Favre’s daughter was also a volleyball player). If you haven’t followed the work by Mississippi Today, you should. The world has changed a lot since Brett Favre retired, and it's getting harder and harder to buy into the noble, working-class image that's been tailored for him. And never more so than this week, when expansive reporting on a welfare fraud scheme in Mississippi is making Favre look either incomprehensibly incompetent or nefariously dishonest. The disappointing reality for many is simple: As we’ve moved on from Favre’s career, it has been challenging to keep up with the character questions surrounding him. And with it, perhaps a small part of our perspective on the type of hero worship that often conceals something unsavory behind it. Since then, a lot has changed in the world. All while fitting into the mold of the league’s favorite historic commodity: an easily sellable white quarterback during a cable television era that would drive NFL popularity into space.įor most of his career, this was a defining part of the Brett Favre story. He was an exciting talent at the center of an iconic Green Bay franchise, the kind of player who basked in the national media attention and made fast friends with some important journalists. He also said his charity had provided millions of dollars to poor children in Mississippi and Wisconsin.All of this would be part of Favre's tapestry as he carved out his illustrious two-decade NFL career, which included a Super Bowl win, three straight league MVPs, countless passing records at his retirement, an iron man streak for consecutive starts that is unlikely to ever be broken, and a ceaseless high tide of “gunslinger” compliments from John Madden and seemingly every other football analyst who ever laid eyes on him. In a Facebook post when he repaid the first $500,000, Favre said he didn’t know the money he received came from welfare funds. Favre has repaid the money, but White said in October that Favre still owed $228,000 in interest. Mississippi auditor Shad White said Favre was paid for speeches but did not show up. The lawsuit said the defendants “squandered” more than $20m from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families anti-poverty program.įavre has not been charged with any criminal wrongdoing. In May, the Mississippi Department of Human Services filed a civil lawsuit against Favre, three former pro wrestlers and several other people and businesses to try to recover millions of misspent welfare dollars. “Those particular I don’t know, but I know he has always given back, something most athletes don’t do.” “He has been very generous to Southern Miss since he played ball there,” Holmes said. Celebrity athletes don’t get a free pass, and if anything, should feel more of a personal obligation to set a good example by operating not only legally within the rules, but ethically so.”įavre’s lawyer, Bud Holmes, told ESPN that his client was keen to give back to the university that had launched his career. “Charities are not personal piggy banks for their founders to tap into for pet projects.
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