Favre held out of Mondays practice by MM

[red]

this should quiet a few folks. from espn.com

Favre returns to practice after being held out Monday
Associated Press

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Brett Favre was back on the field Tuesday, a day after being held out of a voluntary practice.

Brett Favre
Favre

Packers coach Mike McCarthy said he planned to hold the quarterback out of Monday's practice all along -- despite comments last week that led many to believe Favre would take part in all four practices this week.

Favre worked out Monday but didn't practice with the team.

"I never said he would practice all four days. Him practicing all four days was never the intention, ever," McCarthy said.

McCarthy seemed slightly agitated by persistent questions about players who haven't taken part in voluntary workouts -- a group that again included starting cornerbacks, Al Harris and Charles Woodson, on Tuesday.

"Brett has hit every target that we've asked," McCarthy said. "The plan for him has been laid out for months and frankly, I'm not going to get into going through this every day. He worked out here [Monday], he did what's asked of him. I've said it over and over, we're just being smart with Brett. So he did what was on his schedule to do [Monday]."

Favre is scheduled to speak to the media Thursday and will host his annual charity softball tournament Sunday.

The 36-year-old quarterback decided last month he would return for one more season. Favre threw a career-worst 29 interceptions last season and the Packers went 4-12, the team's first losing season since he became its quarterback.

[MJZiggy]

"I never said he would practice all four days. Him practicing all four days was never the intention, ever," McCarthy said.


I KNEW he never said that!

[MadtownPacker]

I dont see why M3 is expected to be honest about anything with the media. What have they done for him besides make him look like he isnt in control? He is just showing them the same respoect they show him. I wouldnt have any problem with him saying "Im not telling you guys shit, now report that!".

[red]

if i was favre and MM and maybe a few other guys, i'd tell the media to piss off this year and take the old sterling sharpe approch to the media

screw them, most of the media has done everything in their power to try and bring down favre and make MM look like shit, and make driver and harris out to be bad guys who demand more money

to hell with the national media

[pbmax]

I wouldnt have any problem with him saying "Im not telling you guys shit, now report that!".
Exactly Madtown, except you have him say this:

"Brett Favre, 3 time MVP and owner of the longest consecutive starts streak in the NFL, participated in camp Monday performing conditioning and weightlifting drills under the direction of our top flight physical conditioning staff. This was his assigned workout designed to maximize his physical gifts and minimize wear and tear on his body.
As for the cornerback position, Ahmad Carrol returned to practice and started alongside Mike Hawkins. Their continued development has been one of the highlights of the offseason and promise stiff competition among the DBs and providing something this team had been sorely lacking for the past few years, depth.
We also like that Donnell Washington has lost another 6 ounces and that Allen guy has surprised us with his ability to stand up and leave the buffet line. As our defensive line showed last year, important game-changing contributions can be made by the tackles in a rotation used smartly."

"But coach, what about Charles Woodson?"

"We were going to surprise him with sometime at WR"

"What about Al Harris?"

"No new developments since Al last practiced."

He has then said nothing, but sounds like something, until the reporters get home and realizes he has nothing.

[MJZiggy]

I wouldnt have any problem with him saying "Im not telling you guys shit, now report that!".
Exactly Madtown, except you have him say this:

"Brett Favre, 3 time MVP and owner of the longest consecutive starts streak in the NFL, participated in camp Monday performing conditioning and weightlifting drills under the direction of our top flight physical conditioning staff. This was his assigned workout designed to maximize his physical gifts and minimize wear and tear on his body.
As for the cornerback position, Ahmad Carrol returned to practice and started alongside Mike Hawkins. Their continued development has been one of the highlights of the offseason and promise stiff competition among the DBs and providing something this team had been sorely lacking for the past few years, depth.
We also like that Donnell Washington has lost another 6 ounces and that Allen guy has surprised us with his ability to stand up and leave the buffet line. As our defensive line showed last year, important game-changing contributions can be made by the tackles in a rotation used smartly."

"But coach, what about Charles Woodson?"

"We were going to surprise him with sometime at WR"

"What about Al Harris?"

"No new developments since Al last practiced."

He has then said nothing, but sounds like something, until the reporters get home and realizes he has nothing.

Nice, but just once I'd like to see him say, "piss off" instead.

(He did already tell them on Friday that he's just not going to get into every detail of Favre's schedule. He said he doesn't have that kind of time.)

[MadtownPacker]

Exactly Madtown, except you have him say this:

"Brett Favre, 3 time MVP and owner of the longest consecutive starts streak in the NFL, participated in camp Monday performing conditioning and weightlifting drills under the direction of our top flight physical conditioning staff. This was his assigned workout designed to maximize his physical gifts and minimize wear and tear on his body.
As for the cornerback position, Ahmad Carrol returned to practice and started alongside Mike Hawkins. Their continued development has been one of the highlights of the offseason and promise stiff competition among the DBs and providing something this team had been sorely lacking for the past few years, depth.
We also like that Donnell Washington has lost another 6 ounces and that Allen guy has surprised us with his ability to stand up and leave the buffet line. As our defensive line showed last year, important game-changing contributions can be made by the tackles in a rotation used smartly."

"But coach, what about Charles Woodson?"

"We were going to surprise him with sometime at WR"

"What about Al Harris?"

"No new developments since Al last practiced."

He has then said nothing, but sounds like something, until the reporters get home and realizes he has nothing.I like it, I like it alot. But M3 might not be able to say all that before grabbing a reporter by the neck and screaming at him.

[woodbuck27]

I would address these questions from the press with the layoff approach:

Questions of the type - this or that guy is missing?

Yup your right he's (their) not in the OTA's today, but right now we've got alot of people that are here and I am running a practice (have just run a practise) and sorry but I need to collect some info. from my coaching staff get some detailed stuff. Save that question for another time, because sorry but I've got to scaaaadaaaadel.
That was (this is) a great practice. . . didn't (don't) you think . . seeya.

The question with a question approach often discourages the really pestering press fellas/gals but simply, make it known that answers to all those nagging questions ( of course you do so . . .cooooooly) will be covered in the weekly scheduled press conferences. To do so daily, just isn't practical.

[Fritz]

I kind of like that MM's not the smooth operator with the press. Mariucci did that crap in Detroit - they'd ask a point-blank question and he'd talk for five minutes without addressing it at all. Ugh.

[Noodle]

M3 has got to get his press shite together. The best way to ensure that the press will stick with a story is to show that it has gotten under your skin. That's blood in the water to these guys.

PBMax has it just right. Focus on what you want to talk about, show a little humor, but be firm and move on.

M3 has also shot himself in the foot on the Favre thing, and it's undercutting the rep he'd like to have of himself as a straight shooter. Favre's status is of obvious interest to the press. If on Friday M3 knew that Favre was going to miss the Monday practice for weight training (which M3 must have known if in fact they've already set Favre's workout schedule), he should have said so then. M3 doesn't have to lay out Favre's schedule, but he'd do everyone a favor to give a quick -- "Hey guys, FYI, Brett's hitting the weights Monday, so we're keeping him out of practice until Tuesday, see ya next week" on Friday.

This isn't at all about Brett, it's about a new HC learning to deal with the press.

[pbmax]

I kind of like that MM's not the smooth operator with the press. Mariucci did that crap in Detroit - they'd ask a point-blank question and he'd talk for five minutes without addressing it at all. Ugh.
On a personal level, Fritz and MJ, I agree completely. I'd rather have a beer with the M3 type, straight shooter, no nonsense guy. Exception would be Holmgren, I could listen to that gut say nothing for a long time.

But there is a need for the skill to deflect, either say little like woodbuck's example or just give them pablum, like mine. If for no other reason to delay the need to comment until you are ready. This can probably be developed, Sherman got better at this as he started to get thicker skin (beside the cell phone incident).

My concern with M3 is that he has now started three of these narratives himself. That Harris will be here for OTAs, argument within earshot of others with Wilde and now the Favre thing. He is just making his job harder and giving rise to stories that aren't as flattering. The story of the last three days should have been 1)Gardner and the other guy are here, 2)How about Ruvell Martin and 3)New training camp schedule. All good things.

Now I don't know how M3 gave the impression that Favre would be outside throwing, other than to say Favre will be here next week. But once the question was asked, all you have to say is Brett is doing what we scheduled him to do. We are trying to be smart with a 36 year old's arm. Film and weightlifting, the Breakfast of Champions. By stalling and refusing comment, it looks like you got a reason to hide.

Stay in front of the story.

[Patler]

But once the question was asked, all you have to say is Brett is doing what we scheduled him to do. We are trying to be smart with a 36 year old's arm. Film and weightlifting, the Breakfast of Champions. By stalling and refusing comment, it looks like you got a reason to hide.

Stay in front of the story.

The way they did handle it leads to speculation that maybe they did expect Favre at practice and didn't know why he wasn't until they ran him down and asked him. I'm not saying that is what happened, but there is a little doubt when the reason doesn't come out until a "news release" at 7:30 pm.

[AtlPackFan]

McCarthy should do the same thing with the Favre questions that Parcells is doing with regards to the Owens questions.


IRVING, Texas -- Bill Parcells says he's finished talking about Terrell Owens -- until the Dallas Cowboys get to training camp in July.

"I answered 35 questions on him the other day," Parcells said Sunday. "That will be the last on him until we get on the field at practice in training camp. You won't hear anything else from me on that subject. Go to the tape."

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