Cheesehead Craig
07-11-2008, 09:00 PM
This is from Clark Judge over at CBSSports.com. Frankly, I think it's a very good article.
http://www.sportsline.com/nfl/story/10894885
Buckle up, Green Bay fans. Your team is about to suffer its first loss.
No matter what happens with the Brett Favre situation, the Packers are goners. They have as much chance of winning this public-relations nightmare with Favre as the San Diego Padres do of reaching the World Series.
I don't care what you think of Favre playing again. There is no denying he's put the Packers in an unwinnable position.
Trust me. I've seen it before, and so have you. San Francisco wanted to "move forward with (its) football team", as the Packers put it Friday, in 1993 when they made a commitment to backup quarterback Steve Young.
The message was clear: The 49ers thought they had a better chance with the younger quarterback than they did with Joe Montana, and when they communicated that to Joe, he demanded a change of scenery.
So the 49ers did the unthinkable and traded him to Kansas City, and while he was successful there, he never again played in a Super Bowl. Young, of course, did, breaking Montana's record for touchdown passes in Super Bowl XXIX as the 49ers destroyed San Diego.
Nevertheless, there were -- and are -- 49ers' fans who never forgave the club for letting Joe go and believed then as they do now that the 49ers made a mistake.
What they forget is that San Francisco had no choice. The 49ers knew what they had to do, and they did it. And if Montana wasn't on board with the program, then he would have to play somewhere else.
So he was traded, the club was criticized and Young led the 49ers to another Super Bowl.
I'm reminded of that when I hear about Favre demanding his outright release from Green Bay, a move that will put the Packers in another can't-win situation. Favre sees what Montana did 15 years ago -- that he must sit behind a younger quarterback -- and he's not happy.
I understand that. But at some time you have to "move forward," and the Packers have. So did Dallas when it said goodbye to Troy Aikman in 2001, and so did the 49ers when they put Young on notice in 2000 that he was finished in Santa Clara.
Rodgers must have his opportunity, and the Packers rightly will give it to him. When they spent a first-round pick on Rodgers in the 2005 draft the expectation was that he was the quarterback of the future. The only question was: When would that future begin?
Well, it's now, people, and Favre knows it. He also knows if he returns to the club he complicates a situation where Rodgers is the expected starter and where Favre might, just might, wind up on the bench.
So he'll allow the Packers to move forward and try to move forward himself by getting his release. And that's where it gets tricky. The club could cut him, as the 49ers could've released Montana, but it doesn't take a genius to understand how foolish that move would be.
First, anyone could sign him, which means he could wind up in the Packers' division. Second, I know of at least two clubs in the NFC North -- Chicago and Minnesota -- that might be interested if he were available, and try selling that to cheeseheads. Third, can you imagine the nightmare if Favre were to join Minnesota and return to Lambeau in the Monday night opener -- but as the quarterback of the Vikings.
That's why the only possible solution here is to trade the guy. I don't care what the Packers get in return, but they can't allow Brett Favre to sign with anyone in the division, and I'm not sure they can allow him to sign with anyone in the NFC.
If I'm the Packers, I hope Favre reconsiders. In fact, I'd pray for it only because there's no way for them to emerge from this looking good. But if he pushes the envelope and forces the team to make a move, then it must do something -- and it must let him go on.
But remember what the Packers said in their prepared statement: They have a "commitment to move forward" with the team. That means they can't sit down Rodgers, and it means they can't allow Favre to show up twice on their schedule.
If he does, in fact, play again, it probably means the Packers become the San Francisco 49ers and make the tough call to trade him for whatever they can get. It turns out the 49ers could get a first-round draft choice for Montana.
I doubt the bidding will be as high for Favre, but you never know unless you try. You have to believe Tampa Bay would be interested partly because Jon Gruden once coached Favre, partly because Favre would be a perfect fit for Gruden's offense -- just as veterans Rich Gannon and Jeff Garcia were -- and mostly because Favre is a helluva quarterback.
Of course, I hope we don't get that far, but watching Montana leave San Francisco convinced me anything's possible. If Favre is determined to play again -- no, if he's determined to start again, which I think he is -- then what is probable is that Green Bay trades him.
It's the team's only choice.
http://www.sportsline.com/nfl/story/10894885
Buckle up, Green Bay fans. Your team is about to suffer its first loss.
No matter what happens with the Brett Favre situation, the Packers are goners. They have as much chance of winning this public-relations nightmare with Favre as the San Diego Padres do of reaching the World Series.
I don't care what you think of Favre playing again. There is no denying he's put the Packers in an unwinnable position.
Trust me. I've seen it before, and so have you. San Francisco wanted to "move forward with (its) football team", as the Packers put it Friday, in 1993 when they made a commitment to backup quarterback Steve Young.
The message was clear: The 49ers thought they had a better chance with the younger quarterback than they did with Joe Montana, and when they communicated that to Joe, he demanded a change of scenery.
So the 49ers did the unthinkable and traded him to Kansas City, and while he was successful there, he never again played in a Super Bowl. Young, of course, did, breaking Montana's record for touchdown passes in Super Bowl XXIX as the 49ers destroyed San Diego.
Nevertheless, there were -- and are -- 49ers' fans who never forgave the club for letting Joe go and believed then as they do now that the 49ers made a mistake.
What they forget is that San Francisco had no choice. The 49ers knew what they had to do, and they did it. And if Montana wasn't on board with the program, then he would have to play somewhere else.
So he was traded, the club was criticized and Young led the 49ers to another Super Bowl.
I'm reminded of that when I hear about Favre demanding his outright release from Green Bay, a move that will put the Packers in another can't-win situation. Favre sees what Montana did 15 years ago -- that he must sit behind a younger quarterback -- and he's not happy.
I understand that. But at some time you have to "move forward," and the Packers have. So did Dallas when it said goodbye to Troy Aikman in 2001, and so did the 49ers when they put Young on notice in 2000 that he was finished in Santa Clara.
Rodgers must have his opportunity, and the Packers rightly will give it to him. When they spent a first-round pick on Rodgers in the 2005 draft the expectation was that he was the quarterback of the future. The only question was: When would that future begin?
Well, it's now, people, and Favre knows it. He also knows if he returns to the club he complicates a situation where Rodgers is the expected starter and where Favre might, just might, wind up on the bench.
So he'll allow the Packers to move forward and try to move forward himself by getting his release. And that's where it gets tricky. The club could cut him, as the 49ers could've released Montana, but it doesn't take a genius to understand how foolish that move would be.
First, anyone could sign him, which means he could wind up in the Packers' division. Second, I know of at least two clubs in the NFC North -- Chicago and Minnesota -- that might be interested if he were available, and try selling that to cheeseheads. Third, can you imagine the nightmare if Favre were to join Minnesota and return to Lambeau in the Monday night opener -- but as the quarterback of the Vikings.
That's why the only possible solution here is to trade the guy. I don't care what the Packers get in return, but they can't allow Brett Favre to sign with anyone in the division, and I'm not sure they can allow him to sign with anyone in the NFC.
If I'm the Packers, I hope Favre reconsiders. In fact, I'd pray for it only because there's no way for them to emerge from this looking good. But if he pushes the envelope and forces the team to make a move, then it must do something -- and it must let him go on.
But remember what the Packers said in their prepared statement: They have a "commitment to move forward" with the team. That means they can't sit down Rodgers, and it means they can't allow Favre to show up twice on their schedule.
If he does, in fact, play again, it probably means the Packers become the San Francisco 49ers and make the tough call to trade him for whatever they can get. It turns out the 49ers could get a first-round draft choice for Montana.
I doubt the bidding will be as high for Favre, but you never know unless you try. You have to believe Tampa Bay would be interested partly because Jon Gruden once coached Favre, partly because Favre would be a perfect fit for Gruden's offense -- just as veterans Rich Gannon and Jeff Garcia were -- and mostly because Favre is a helluva quarterback.
Of course, I hope we don't get that far, but watching Montana leave San Francisco convinced me anything's possible. If Favre is determined to play again -- no, if he's determined to start again, which I think he is -- then what is probable is that Green Bay trades him.
It's the team's only choice.