** Since 2006 3 X Pro Pickem' Champion; 4 X Runner-Up and 3 X 3rd place.
** To download Jesus Loves Me ring tones, you'll need a cell phone mame
** If God doesn't fish, play poker or pull for " the Packers ", exactly what does HE do with his buds?
** Rather than love, money or fame - give me TRUTH: Henry D. Thoreau
Just another reason to like Aaron Rodgers
http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcnorth/pos...-packers-favre
Five years have passed since the Green Bay Packers divorced Brett Favre. During that time, we've waited for someone to step toward reconciliation. As it turns out, the most qualified candidate was a third party with a vested interest in making amends for both sides.
Speaking Tuesday on his ESPN 540 radio show, Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers confirmed his role in arranging a joint appearance with Favre at the NFL Honors show Saturday night in New Orleans. Rodgers made clear that he wants to see Favre re-enter the Packers family and hopes the reunion is part of his own legacy in Green Bay.
"As the face of the franchise now," Rodgers said, "[it's] a role that I take very seriously. I have the responsibility and enjoy having the opportunity to represent my team. I think it's important to realize that it is probably time to move forward."
It was hard to envision this day coming during the summer of 2008, when Favre attempted to force his way back onto the team -- and reclaim the job Rodgers had inherited -- after announcing his retirement. The ensuing chaos scuttled the Packers' season, and in 2009, Favre beat the Packers twice as a member of the Minnesota Vikings.
But the Packers' Super Bowl XLV championship in 2010, coinciding with Favre's retirement, began a healing process for both sides. Rodgers said producers from the NFL Honors show pitched the idea of making a joint presentation and, after thinking it over, he decided it could serve as a springboard for more important things.
Rodgers said he talked on the phone with Favre before the event. They also spent a "good amount of time" backstage arranging the routine that Rodgers claimed was entirely comfortable and devoid of the awkwardness it portrayed.
("That was the joke," Rodgers said, who added that the original plan was for the pair to start hugging but then back away and say, "Too soon?" Apparently the plan was better than the execution.)
Prior to that phone conversation, Rodgers and Favre hadn't spoken much since 2008 -- a distance I've always attributed to their distinctly different personalities as well as the inherent tension of a Hall of Fame succession. In the end, however, it was probably on Rodgers -- for lack of a better phrase -- to be the grown-up here. Favre wasn't likely to beg the Packers for forgiveness, and if Packers president Mark Murphy or general manager Ted Thompson have reached out to Favre, it has not been reported publicly.
"It didn't take a lot of coaxing for me to do it," Rodgers said. "I did want to sit and think about whether it was the right thing to do. I really feel very secure in my position with the team and feel good about the things that we've been able to accomplish in my five years as the starter, and feel good about the direction the organization is going in.
"Brett is two years removed from the game. He's going to obviously be in the Packers Hall of Fame. He'll get his number retired, and he'll be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in the next few years. It's important, I think, to make sure that he's recognized for all the accomplishments that he's achieved in our organization especially. He's still very dear to many of our fans for the things that he's done for the Packers on the field. You can never take that away.
"As the face of the franchise, I felt like it was important that I took a leadership role in that. Not that one was needed now, but I thought it was good timing to just let the fans know, let Brett know, let's move forward. Let's heal things up and let's move forward."
I do think that it would help for Favre and Thompson to clear the air between them before the Packers schedule a Brett Favre Day at Lambeau Field. But the first step is always the most important one, and Rodgers deserves credit for making it happen. As is often the case for children caught in the middle of a divorce, he was the most clear-thinking person in the group and thus served in the unifier role.
I'm sure some of you will think Rodgers is taking himself too seriously as the "face of franchise" and doubt the reach he can have in such a multilayered issue. You're certainly entitled to that opinion, but to me, it's a much more preferable approach than the alternative. I like that Rodgers will use the power inherent in being a team's franchise quarterback to effect greater good for the franchise. And pulling Favre back into the Packers family is without question good for everyone.
"… You think about what you want your legacy to be and how you want to be remembered," Rodgers said. "As I move forward … I think about how I want to be remembered, and this is one thing that I really want to move forward with."
Rodgers has long since escaped the shadow of Favre as a player. But the debacle of his unusual departure? In the end, Rodgers had to clean that up, too.
Go PACK
PFT's take:
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com...ackers-family/
(Way to go, Aaron, way to go, Brett [I hope])
** Since 2006 3 X Pro Pickem' Champion; 4 X Runner-Up and 3 X 3rd place.
** To download Jesus Loves Me ring tones, you'll need a cell phone mame
** If God doesn't fish, play poker or pull for " the Packers ", exactly what does HE do with his buds?
** Rather than love, money or fame - give me TRUTH: Henry D. Thoreau
As long as we can agree that I'm not supporting Favre in terms of me lieing about what I know we are fine. I would not tell a lie to misrepresent Brett Favre. I know what I read in terms of what Brett Favre said in the interview with the New York sports media at the conclusion of the 2008 season with the New York Jets. Clearly at that time Favre said that it was his impression that any bad feelings were over. That both sides had moved on.
Can I support that as the absolute TRUTH? NO. I'm just a fan and not that close to the principles.
Ted Thompson has been Ted Thompson and rather closed on the whole matter. All I get is what Favre says and demonstrates.
Where will this go. It must 'only' go one place.
A public display of forgivness on both sides with Brett Favre welcomed back to Lambeau Field in a ceremony for his many Packer fans; honoured by an induction in the Green Bay Packer HOF and his number retired as appropriate. It's time for the embarassment to end.
** Since 2006 3 X Pro Pickem' Champion; 4 X Runner-Up and 3 X 3rd place.
** To download Jesus Loves Me ring tones, you'll need a cell phone mame
** If God doesn't fish, play poker or pull for " the Packers ", exactly what does HE do with his buds?
** Rather than love, money or fame - give me TRUTH: Henry D. Thoreau
I just read this and it's all good. I tip my hat to Aaron Rodgers for taking the lead here. That's excellent stuff and commendable in terms of his leadership as a Green Bay Packer player.
Now it's time for the principles in the Green Bay Packer Organization to restore a better spirit of good will in Packer Nation as concerns this issue.
It's time to seriously consider the final steps to honor Brett Favre's legacy to the Green Bay Packers. To induct Brett Favre in the Green bay Packer Hall of Fame and retire his number. To get that done and to initiate the benefits of a total healing for the principles and some Packer fans.
GO PACKERS !
** Since 2006 3 X Pro Pickem' Champion; 4 X Runner-Up and 3 X 3rd place.
** To download Jesus Loves Me ring tones, you'll need a cell phone mame
** If God doesn't fish, play poker or pull for " the Packers ", exactly what does HE do with his buds?
** Rather than love, money or fame - give me TRUTH: Henry D. Thoreau
** Since 2006 3 X Pro Pickem' Champion; 4 X Runner-Up and 3 X 3rd place.
** To download Jesus Loves Me ring tones, you'll need a cell phone mame
** If God doesn't fish, play poker or pull for " the Packers ", exactly what does HE do with his buds?
** Rather than love, money or fame - give me TRUTH: Henry D. Thoreau
Did everyone watch his interview with Deon Sanders; it's obvious he still has issues with TT and still does from that interview. I think that happened last year. It was a two part. He came accross better than in the past but there are still issues in his mind
LIFE IS ABOUT CHAMPIONSHIPS; I JUST REALIZED THIS. The MILWAUKEE BUCKS have won the same number of championships over the past 50 years as the Green Bay Packers. Ten years from now, who will have more championships, and who will be the fart in the wind ?
Woodbuck;
You didn't know or remember that they had already made plans for it? They announced it publicly shortly after he retired. Announced tentative plans for what the day would be like and everything.
That's why when he was asked about it two years ago, Murphy quipped that this time they would wait long enough to make sure that he was staying retired before planning a ceremony. It got a pretty good laugh.
When Favre said he doesn't know when a retirement ceremony will take place, I took that to mean he doesn't know how long Ted Thompson will be in the Packer organization. The timing is really up to him. The Packers, I believe want a reconcilement before Favre's Canton induction, but Favre has to be a willing participant. There was some hope last year that inviting Favre to Holmgren's Packer HOF induction would be a start to a reconcilement, but much to the chagrin of people like Bob Harlan, Favre didn't show. There is now some hope that his appearance with Rodgers will lead to something. We'll see.Favre said he assumes he’ll some day return to Green Bay, where he played from 1992 to 2007 and was named NFL MVP three times. But he doesn’t know when that will be, and he doesn’t think he needs to see his jersey hung up to show what he accomplished.
“That day will come. I haven’t lost any sleep over it, nor have they, I think,” Favre said. “What I did speaks for itself. What I left behind speaks for itself.”
Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack, a crack in everything
That's how the light gets in - Leonard Cohen
Yes but the Green Bay Packer organization wouldn't listen to Brett Favre. He still was hungry for a Super Bowl victory. That's what being a competitive NFL player is all about. Nothing else matters to such players that have the juice. Brett Favre certainly had 'that juice'.
Favre still felt he had it to get a decent team to the show and he damn near pulled that off as a Viking. He couldn't attend a Green Bay Packer HOF etc. ceremony and be on the quest for another Super Bowl.
GO PACKERS !
** Since 2006 3 X Pro Pickem' Champion; 4 X Runner-Up and 3 X 3rd place.
** To download Jesus Loves Me ring tones, you'll need a cell phone mame
** If God doesn't fish, play poker or pull for " the Packers ", exactly what does HE do with his buds?
** Rather than love, money or fame - give me TRUTH: Henry D. Thoreau
March 6 2008
I"ll add this 'bigger picture look' to your post George. This is a decent synopsis of the most of it. The Brett Favre and Green Bay Packer drama. Of course, Brett Favre plays 'good cop - bad cop' in this drama. It omits the post game chat between Favre and Julius Peppers in Dec. 2010.
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1...en-bay-packers
Please, note the poll in this article.
** Since 2006 3 X Pro Pickem' Champion; 4 X Runner-Up and 3 X 3rd place.
** To download Jesus Loves Me ring tones, you'll need a cell phone mame
** If God doesn't fish, play poker or pull for " the Packers ", exactly what does HE do with his buds?
** Rather than love, money or fame - give me TRUTH: Henry D. Thoreau
** Since 2006 3 X Pro Pickem' Champion; 4 X Runner-Up and 3 X 3rd place.
** To download Jesus Loves Me ring tones, you'll need a cell phone mame
** If God doesn't fish, play poker or pull for " the Packers ", exactly what does HE do with his buds?
** Rather than love, money or fame - give me TRUTH: Henry D. Thoreau