Raleigh, N.C. – Now that he is in retirement, this time presumably for good, Wisconsinites seem to be forgiving Brett Favre for his decision to come out of his previous retirement first for the New York Jets and then for the Green Bay Packers’ rival Minnesota Vikings. In August, only a third of the state’s voters viewed Favre favorably, and 54% unfavorably, terrible numbers for a sports icon. That has now recovered significantly, but he is still under water, at 41-45. Men actually now view him favorably (47-41), but women still negatively (35-48) after the sexting scandal.
Favre has regained some favor with those who once worshiped the ground he walked on, but he has already been replaced in the pantheon of great Green Bay Packers quarterbacks. It is a close race, however. Current hero Aaron Rodgers is Wisconsinites’ all-time favorite Packers QB, with 36% to Favre’s 29%, Bart Starr’s 23%, and Arnie Herber’s 2%. 10% are not sure.
Rodgers has almost unanimous esteem with these voters, at 89%, with only 4% seeing him negatively. Rodgers has now replaced former Nebraska Cornhuskers football coach Tom Osborne as the most popular person on which PPP has ever polled.
Packers fans are much more united on the subject of coaches than quarterbacks. 56% think Vince Lombardi was the team’s best leader, followed distantly by current coach Mike McCarthy (13%), Favre’s former coach Mike Holmgren (9%), and their founder and the namesake of the team’s stadium, Curly Lambeau (7%).
Despite their mascot being the same as the state’s nickname, there is no question the Wisconsin Badgers play second fiddle to the Packers. Between Badgers and Packers football, 61% of Wisconsinites care more about the latter than the former (18%). The Packers also dominate the pro sports crowd. 70% prefer them to MLB’s Milwaukee Brewers (13%) or NBA’s Milwaukee Bucks (only 3%).
PPP surveyed 1,170 Wisconsin voters from October 20th to 23rd. The margin of error for the survey is +/-2.9%. This poll was not paid for or authorized by any campaign or political organization. PPP surveys are conducted through automated telephone interviews. PPP is a Democratic polling company, but polling expert Nate Silver of the New York Times found that its surveys in 2010 actually exhibited a slight bias toward Republican candidates.
Topline results are below. Full results, including crosstabs, can be found here.
Q1 Is your favorite Wisconsin pro sports team the
Packers, the Brewers, or the Bucks?
Packers………………………………………………….. 70%
Brewers …………………………………………………. 13%
Bucks…………………………………………………….. 3%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 14%
Q2 Do you care more about Green Bay Packers
football or Wisconsin Badgers football?
Packers………………………………………………….. 61%
Badgers …………………………………………………. 18%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 21%
Q3 Do you think the greatest coach in Packers
history is Curly Lambeau, Vince Lombardi,
Mike Holmgren, or Mike McCarthy?
Curly Lambeau ……………………………………….. 7%
Vince Lombardi ……………………………………….. 56%
Mike Holmgren………………………………………… 9%
Mike McCarthy………………………………………… 13%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 15%
Q4 Do you think the greatest quarterback in
Packers history is Arnie Herber, Bart Starr,
Brett Favre, or Aaron Rodgers?
Arnie Herber …………………………………………… 2%
Bart Starr ……………………………………………….. 23%
Brett Favre……………………………………………… 29%
Aaron Rodgers………………………………………… 36%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 10%
Q5 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Brett Favre?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 41%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 45%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 15%
Q6 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Aaron Rodgers?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 89%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 4%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 7%
Q7 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Mike McCarthy?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 77%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 7%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 16%
Q8 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Bret Bielema?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 48%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 8%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 44%
Q9 Would you describe yourself as very liberal,
somewhat liberal, moderate, somewhat
conservative, or very conservative?
Very liberal ……………………………………………… 10%
Somewhat liberal …………………………………….. 19%
Moderate………………………………………………… 30%
Somewhat conservative……………………………. 25%
Very conservative ……………………………………. 17%
Q10 If you are a woman, press 1. If a man, press 2.
Woman ………………………………………………….. 52%
Man……………………………………………………….. 48%
Q11 If you are a Democrat, press 1. If a Republican,
press 2. If you are an independent or identify
with another party, press 3.
Democrat ……………………………………………….. 37%
Republican……………………………………………… 31%
Independent/Other…………………………………… 32%
Q12 If you are white, press 1. If other, press 2.
White …………………………………………………….. 89%
Other……………………………………………………… 11%
Q13 If you are 18 to 29 years old, press 1. If 30 to
45, press 2. If 46 to 65, press 3. If you are
older than 65, press 4.
18 to 29………………………………………………….. 12%
30 to 45………………………………………………….. 26%
46 to 65………………………………………………….. 39%
Older than 65………………………………………….. 23%
