http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2869070 By Len Pasquarelli ESPN.com

Favre disappointed Packers didn't get Moss

The man who quietly but persistently lobbied hard for Green Bay officials to acquire Randy Moss during the offseason is apparently unhappy that the Packers' efforts to land the veteran wide receiver via a trade with the Oakland Raiders fell short on draft weekend. In interviews during his annual charity golf tournament in Tunica, Miss., quarterback Brett Favre acknowledged that he felt the Packers missed an opportunity to add a significant piece to their offense. Preparing for his 17th season in the league, his 16th in a Packers' uniform, Favre never publicly articulated his support for a Moss trade this spring, but the consensus was that he wanted an opportunity to play with the wide receiver.
"It is disappointing," Favre said on Saturday. "We could have gotten him for less money than New England did. He wanted to play in Green Bay for the amount of money we would have paid him. It [was] well worth the risk." But was the three-time MVP angry enough to ask his way out of Green Bay? Amid public grousing from Favre about the state of his team over the weekend, a report on the Fox Sports Web site, citing anonymous sources, said Favre's agent called Packers general manager Ted Thompson to request a trade a few days after last month's draft. According to the report, Packers coach Mike McCarthy later called the quarterback and was able to calm his anger, getting Favre to admit that he didn't really want to play elsewhere. In a statement posted on the Packers' Web site, general manager Ted Thompson said he would not address the specifics of the report but understood the frustration Favre vented in interviews over the weekend.
"I think it's natural for a player to be frustrated from time to time -- that's simply being human," Thompson said. "Everyone knows that Brett Favre is all about winning. As an organization, we share that commitment. And we want to win now." Other Packers officials and Favre's agent, James "Bus" Cook, did not return telephone messages from The Associated Press on Sunday. Green Bay officials did negotiate with the Raiders during the draft, but Oakland instead sent Moss to New England on the second day of the lottery, receiving a fourth-round draft pick in return. As part of the trade, Moss agreed to reduce his compensation for the 2007 season from $9.75 million to $3 million and to void the 2008 season that was part of the deal. Thompson has not addressed the team's efforts. It has been speculated that the Packers declined to surrender a fourth-round choice in trade talks, and offered only a fifth-round selection. That has not, however, been substantiated.
Favre apparently spoke with Moss on several occasions before the draft. Favre's agent, Cook, was once Moss' agent as well, and still retains a lesser role representing the wide receiver in contract negotiations. That connection, though, is believed to have played no part in Favre's desire to add Moss to the Packers' passing game. Instead, the Green Bay quarterback merely felt Moss could still add an explosive dimension to the Packers' offense.
"The last thing I want to do is start any [controversy]," Favre said. "But I think he would have been a great addition. You throw Randy Moss, you throw [current starters] Donald Driver and Greg Jennings on the field at the same time, and go three-wide receiver set ... and I think it's pretty intimidating. And we lost out on that, and I think that it's a shame, because I know we could have had him." Favre, 37, acknowledged the obvious, that he is nearing the end of his celebrated career, one that will someday earn him a spot in the Hall of Fame. But he emphasized that he can still perform at a high level and that he wants to finish his career a winner.
"I'm not getting any younger and I think everybody knows that," Favre said. "I don't have five years to rebuild. ... I don't know if I've lost faith, and I think everyone in the organization wants to win. I just don't know if it includes me. If it's going to be five years from now, I'm not going to be here. This is 17 years for me and I want to win [now]." Favre is rehabilitating from February surgery on his left ankle. There are some questions about his plans for the team's minicamp next weekend, but it is believed that Favre will attend, although he will not be able to participate in any on-field activities.

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Did Brett Ask to be Traded?

Here's something you don't hear every day. Or ever, for that matter. Brett Favre asking for a trade. That's what a report on the Fox Sports website says. Citing anonymous sources, the report says that Favre's agent, Bus Cook, called Packers' GM Ted Thompson to request a trade a few days after last month's draft. Why? Because, supposedly, Brett was upset that the Pack let Randy Moss slip through their fingers and land in New England. Actually, the word used in this report by Jay Glazer is that Brett was "incensed." In looking at the report on Fox Sports, it appears that the same kind of hyperbole is used in relaying this story as in most of its televised news shows. For example, Cook just didn't merely request the trade with Thompson, he "railed off on how his client was fed up with the organization and wanted out." OK. Maybe it was heated or maybe it wasn't. But unless it was a party line phone call (am I dating myself with that reference?), the only two people that know the context of that call -- if there was one -- are Cook and Thompson. Cook may be more likely to talk...that is his job in way. It's Thompson's too, just doesn't do much of it and, when he does, doesn't say much. So, who knows how upset Brett was?
Brett, of course. And here's what he said Saturday in an interview with reporters during his charity golf outing in Mississippi: "I just want to win; maybe I see things the wrong way. I don't want to ruffle any feathers and I want people to respect me. Sometimes I think it's hard for them to let Brett go. They might think that we pay him a lot of money, but he still gives us the best chance to win. I've never been told that, but there are times when I wonder if I'm the odd man out here and they just don't know how to tell me. Our offense struggled last season. If it were not for our defense, we would not have won eight games. Right now, it's hard to be optimistic. I'm not getting any younger and I think everyone knows that. I don't have five years to rebuild. No one in Green Bay is saying rebuild but it's hard to look at where we are going and say, 'How can they not be rebuilding?' I don't know if I've lost faith, and I think everyone in the organization wants to win. I just don't know if it includes me. If it's going to be five years from now, I'm not going to be here. This is 17 years for me and I want to win." Brett is not a happy camper.
According to a report on ESPN.com, "In a statement posted on the Packers' Web site, general manager Ted Thompson said he would not address the specifics of the report but understood the frustration Favre vented in interviews over the weekend. 'I think it's natural for a player to be frustrated from time to time -- that's simply being human,' Thompson said. 'Everyone knows that Brett Favre is all about winning. As an organization, we share that commitment. And we want to win now.'" Fans have already expressed their disappointment with this year's draft. Today, after this latest story broke, sport talk radio -- at least in some part of the Packers' home state -- were abuzz with fans calling in to rip Ted Thompson a new one. While fans were apparently evenly split beforehand about the possible trade for Moss, now hearing that Brett may have asked for a trade after that didn't happen is enough for some to jump on the dump Thompson bandwagon. That, of course, won't happen. At least, not yet. If, however, the Packers languish on offense this year as a result of missing the Moss trade and failing to acquire a new quality starting running back to replace Ahman Green, and -- Brett decides to hang up his cleats because he doesn't like what he sees -- Thompson just might find himself with no more room to maneuver. Time will answer many of these questions (at least that's what the Magic 8 Ball advisor says!).