Silverstein Thompson Interview 7/12/08

[pbmax]

Silverstein is up with the interview. Packers intention more muddled than previously thought.
http://blogs.jsonline.com/packers/archive/2008/07/12/favre-return-making-things-messy-for-thompson.aspx
Favre return making things messy for Thompson
By Tom Silverstein
Saturday, Jul 12 2008, 02:36 PM

Green Bay -- Refusing to rule out the possibility of Brett Favre playing for the Green Bay Packers this season but at the same time reiterating that Aaron Rodgers is currently his starter, general manager Ted Thompson admitted during a half-hour interview Saturday that he was dealing with a messy situation.

Thompson, who agreed to conduct interviews with several local media outlets, did not publicly dissuade Favre from filing reinstatement papers and did not go as far as saying there was no way he would play for the Packers this season. But he said he could not answer whether there would be an opportunity for Favre to get his starting position back with the Packers if he chose to return.

[pbmax]

Thompson confirms aborted comeback in March. Doesn't force the issue of backup. Makes the case that Favre has yet to ask to return to the Packers, just be reinstated. Intimation is that Favre might be jockeying for a release, which puts us back to square one where we debate who fault it is that Favre is asking to leave.

I feel like we have gone backwards and are less sure.

[RashanGary]

"It doesn't bother me when people think we picked the wrong guy or we made a personnel decision that wasn't right. But when it gets to something as core value as this, it concerns me that there would be people who would think less of us. That's important to me. It always has been.







Something about what Favre has done is not at all acceptable to MM, TT or both. They are moving on. He said Aaron Rodgers is our QB and we are moving forward.

I don't think he wants the lockerroom to see the type of shit Favre gets away with. TT is a very big lockerroom guy and I don't think he thinks Brett deserves to play for this team.

[imscott72]

How I take it is that TT is willing to allow Brett to remain on the roster if he reinstates. This tells me that he hasn't completely ruled out Brett starting for the Packers this season. He may claim Arod is the starting QB, but he didn't rule out a competition either. It's going to be very interesting.

You have to wonder if this is why TT left so much cap room in case he did return.

[cpk1994]

"It doesn't bother me when people think we picked the wrong guy or we made a personnel decision that wasn't right. But when it gets to something as core value as this, it concerns me that there would be people who would think less of us. That's important to me. It always has been.







Something about what Favre has done is not at all acceptable to MM, TT or both. They are moving on. He said Aaron Rodgers is our QB and we are moving forward.

I don't think he wants the lockerroom to see the type of shit Favre gets away with. TT is a very big lockerroom guy and I don't think he thinks Brett deserves to play for this team.ALl TT is doing is putting it all on the table to see if Brett will finally grow a sac, quit hiding behind mommy and bro, act like a man instead of a whiny petulant diva,, and talk for himself. Kind of funny about the man who never could shut up now has no balls to talk at all.

[pbmax]

I think that is a mortal lock.


You have to wonder if this is why TT left so much cap room in case he did return.

[pbmax]

http://blogs.jsonline.com/packers/archive/2008/07/12/thompson-won-t-talk-trade.aspx

Thompson doesn't want to discuss a trade and won't release him.

[RashanGary]

A couple interesting pieces:

That could change should Favre file reinstatement papers. According to Thompson, there was a general agreement among Favre, coach Mike McCarthy and himself that it would be difficult for the Packers to switch gears at this point of the off-season, but Favre may think he can force the Packers' hand if he comes back


UPDATE: Stick with the blog, I will have a timeline described by Thompson of the events between the NFC Championship Game and last Tuesday. They are extremely interesting.



I am anxiously awaiting this timeline. It is very interesting to see this thing unravel. TT should just tell us why he doesn't want him back. I'm sick of guessing.

1. Brett not committing to off season work or being a good teammate
2. Not wanting a guy who said he doesn't have it anymore
3. A promise to Rodgers that they will not go back on because their word is very important to them. They told Brett to make a decisoin because if they gave Rodgers the job they would not go back.
4. Brett trying to force personnel moves behind the scenes

That's all I can think of. Whatever it is, bravo to the Packers for staying true to their convictions.

[pbmax]

I think this is your answer. He doesn't want to switch gears now. If that's because its too late to make this go down well with Rodgers/Teammates/Gameplan or because they are tired of shadow boxing a moving target in the offseason, I don't think you will get a direct answer until someone writes their memoirs.


According to Thompson, there was a general agreement among Favre, coach Mike McCarthy and himself that it would be difficult for the Packers to switch gears at this point of the off-season

[motife]

http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080712/PKR01/80712044/1058

Thompson: Favre welcome back, but 'scenery has changed'

GM describes matter as 'volatile, sensitive thing'

By Tom Pelissero
tpelisse@greenbaypressgazette.com

The Green Bay Packers will neither comply with Brett Favre’s request for his release nor take him back as the unquestioned starter.

But General Manager Ted Thompson, in an interview with the Press-Gazette this afternoon, said the Packers would welcome back Favre and decide what role he plays if and when he returns.

"Favre's welcome back, but the scenery has changed," Thompson said. "There may be a different role. … He becomes an active member of the roster, and then we'll see how it goes from there. We don't have the answers right now, because it hasn't happened, and we don't know that it will."
During the roughly 20-minute interview, Thompson acknowledged Favre told the team in March he wanted to return and that the team arranged a meeting before Favre backed out.

“Since then, I think he’s — once again, it’s passed messages back and forth — starting to get the itch or something like that,” Thompson said. “But to my knowledge, he’s never said, ‘I want to come back there.’ Messages have been relayed to him that we’ve sort of moved forward, which we’ve been tasked to do by the organization, so that’s kind of where we are.

“We understand this is a very volatile, sensitive thing,” Thompson said. “Fans are unbelievably passionate about this team and passionate about Brett Favre. We understand that, and we’re going to try to stay steady, consistent, and try to do the right thing for Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers.”

Thompson said a story by The Associated Press indicating Favre only would be welcomed back as a backup was taken out of context.

[RashanGary]

I think Thompson is taking the right approach. Favre is NOT starting and he's NOT being released. If Favre really wants to be a backup, so be it. I'm starting to think the reason Thompson won't allow him back as a starter is because they promised it to Rodgers and will not go back on their word. If that is the case the the backup sinerio is possible. We'll see. I'm still hoping for a trade or retirement.

If Brett does show up, he's not really a complete dirt bag. I don't think he'd come back and stir shit. He'd just go about his buisness but man, I can't picture him wanting to come back to a place that he is clearly not wanted. At this point you have to know it's all about the money because he's not even being given an option to play.

[MJZiggy]

Thompson didn't rule out Favre starting, it's just not his role on the team right now. He said he wasn't ruling anything out and when someone reported the Favre was the backup TT said they took that out of context.

What TT did make clear is that he has no intention of doing anything until he recieves an official reinstatement request which has not happened as yet.

[pbmax]

No timeline, but now we are left wondering why Favre kept asking if the team wanted him back and not if he could rejoin them.

http://blogs.jsonline.com/packers/archive/2008/07/12/favre-never-formally-asked-to-rejoin-packers.aspx

[mmmdk]

TT is smart and doing the right thing.

[pbmax]

This is getting to be too much like College. Kremlinology. Studying Pravda. Would Thompson be Brezhnev or Andropov? Favre would clearly be Gorbachev. Maybe Tretiak.

Tank would be Trotsky. And Packer fans would be the dissidents.

[mmmdk]

This is getting to be too much like College. Kremlinology. Studying Pravda. Would Thompson be Brezhnev or Andropov. Favre would clearly be Gorbachev or Tretiak.

Tank would be Trotsky.

I think Favre could be Jeltsin! Hero and clown?

[woodbuck27]

A couple interesting pieces:

That could change should Favre file reinstatement papers. According to Thompson, there was a general agreement among Favre, coach Mike McCarthy and himself that it would be difficult for the Packers to switch gears at this point of the off-season, but Favre may think he can force the Packers' hand if he comes back


UPDATE: Stick with the blog, I will have a timeline described by Thompson of the events between the NFC Championship Game and last Tuesday. They are extremely interesting.



I am anxiously awaiting this timeline. It is very interesting to see this thing unravel. TT should just tell us why he doesn't want him back. I'm sick of guessing.

1. Brett not committing to off season work or being a good teammate
2. Not wanting a guy who said he doesn't have it anymore
3. A promise to Rodgers that they will not go back on because their word is very important to them. They told Brett to make a decisoin because if they gave Rodgers the job they would not go back.
4. Brett trying to force personnel moves behind the scenes

That's all I can think of. Whatever it is, bravo to the Packers for staying true to their convictions.

So then why not just release Favre JH. Why try 'in any way' to control his freedom?

[falco]

A couple interesting pieces:

That could change should Favre file reinstatement papers. According to Thompson, there was a general agreement among Favre, coach Mike McCarthy and himself that it would be difficult for the Packers to switch gears at this point of the off-season, but Favre may think he can force the Packers' hand if he comes back


UPDATE: Stick with the blog, I will have a timeline described by Thompson of the events between the NFC Championship Game and last Tuesday. They are extremely interesting.



I am anxiously awaiting this timeline. It is very interesting to see this thing unravel. TT should just tell us why he doesn't want him back. I'm sick of guessing.

1. Brett not committing to off season work or being a good teammate
2. Not wanting a guy who said he doesn't have it anymore
3. A promise to Rodgers that they will not go back on because their word is very important to them. They told Brett to make a decisoin because if they gave Rodgers the job they would not go back.
4. Brett trying to force personnel moves behind the scenes

That's all I can think of. Whatever it is, bravo to the Packers for staying true to their convictions.

So then why not just release Favre JH. Why try 'in any way' to control his freedom?

ummm.... draft picks maybe??? come on woodbuck, you know better

[son of a vic]

You don't release him because it could put your franchise at a disadvatage inside the division, or the conference. All the Ted haters would have a field day if they basically gave Favre away to a divisionsl foe, and I'm sure Woody would be leading the troops. A good G.M. does not give players away when they have value. Favre surely has some value, and Thompson will capitalize on that. Emotion isn't part of a good G.M.s make-up. It's his job to make the team better. Not to make people FEEL GOOD.

[gbgary]

I think Thompson is taking the right approach. Favre is NOT starting and he's NOT being released. If Favre really wants to be a backup, so be it. I'm starting to think the reason Thompson won't allow him back as a starter is because they promised it to Rodgers and will not go back on their word. If that is the case the the backup sinerio is possible. We'll see. I'm still hoping for a trade or retirement.

If Brett does show up, he's not really a complete dirt bag. I don't think he'd come back and stir shit. He'd just go about his buisness but man, I can't picture him wanting to come back to a place that he is clearly not wanted. At this point you have to know it's all about the money because he's not even being given an option to play.

i agree with the first part. it's very messy and TT's done fine to this point. as for Brett not being allowed to start, i don't think that would happen if Brett clearly beat Rodgers out in camp. i also don't believe he's clearly not wanted. they said he'd be welcome to return and i believe nearly everyone would do that.

[swede]

This is getting to be too much like College. Kremlinology. Studying Pravda. Would Thompson be Brezhnev or Andropov? Favre would clearly be Gorbachev. Maybe Tretiak.

Tank would be Trotsky. And Packer fans would be the dissidents.

I want to be George Jetson. That flying car was way cool.

[gbgary]

This is getting to be too much like College. Kremlinology. Studying Pravda. Would Thompson be Brezhnev or Andropov? Favre would clearly be Gorbachev. Maybe Tretiak.

Tank would be Trotsky. And Packer fans would be the dissidents.

I want to be George Jetson. That flying car was way cool.

http://images.corvetteforum.com/images/smilies/lol.gif

[MJZiggy]

This is getting to be too much like College. Kremlinology. Studying Pravda. Would Thompson be Brezhnev or Andropov? Favre would clearly be Gorbachev. Maybe Tretiak.

Tank would be Trotsky. And Packer fans would be the dissidents.

I want to be George Jetson. That flying car was way cool.I call shotgun!

[VegasPackFan]

What happened to this "interesting" timeline that TT talked about. I have been waiting for that one.

[woodbuck27]

A couple interesting pieces:

That could change should Favre file reinstatement papers. According to Thompson, there was a general agreement among Favre, coach Mike McCarthy and himself that it would be difficult for the Packers to switch gears at this point of the off-season, but Favre may think he can force the Packers' hand if he comes back


UPDATE: Stick with the blog, I will have a timeline described by Thompson of the events between the NFC Championship Game and last Tuesday. They are extremely interesting.



I am anxiously awaiting this timeline. It is very interesting to see this thing unravel. TT should just tell us why he doesn't want him back. I'm sick of guessing.

1. Brett not committing to off season work or being a good teammate
2. Not wanting a guy who said he doesn't have it anymore
3. A promise to Rodgers that they will not go back on because their word is very important to them. They told Brett to make a decisoin because if they gave Rodgers the job they would not go back.
4. Brett trying to force personnel moves behind the scenes

That's all I can think of. Whatever it is, bravo to the Packers for staying true to their convictions.

So then why not just release Favre JH. Why try 'in any way' to control his freedom?

ummm.... draft picks maybe??? come on woodbuck, you know better

Hey! Where I come from. When you 'bust a man's balls', you don't need to cut his throat to drain the life out of him.

[Scott Campbell]

A couple interesting pieces:

That could change should Favre file reinstatement papers. According to Thompson, there was a general agreement among Favre, coach Mike McCarthy and himself that it would be difficult for the Packers to switch gears at this point of the off-season, but Favre may think he can force the Packers' hand if he comes back


UPDATE: Stick with the blog, I will have a timeline described by Thompson of the events between the NFC Championship Game and last Tuesday. They are extremely interesting.



I am anxiously awaiting this timeline. It is very interesting to see this thing unravel. TT should just tell us why he doesn't want him back. I'm sick of guessing.

1. Brett not committing to off season work or being a good teammate
2. Not wanting a guy who said he doesn't have it anymore
3. A promise to Rodgers that they will not go back on because their word is very important to them. They told Brett to make a decisoin because if they gave Rodgers the job they would not go back.
4. Brett trying to force personnel moves behind the scenes

That's all I can think of. Whatever it is, bravo to the Packers for staying true to their convictions.

So then why not just release Favre JH. Why try 'in any way' to control his freedom?

ummm.... draft picks maybe??? come on woodbuck, you know better

Hey! Where I come from. When you 'bust a man's balls', you don't need to cut his throat to drain the life out of him.


Where you come from?

Well this ain't the CFL. Welcome to the Bigs Woody.

[motife]

This is getting to be too much like College. Kremlinology. Studying Pravda. Would Thompson be Brezhnev or Andropov? Favre would clearly be Gorbachev. Maybe Tretiak.

Tank would be Trotsky. And Packer fans would be the dissidents.

Reading about Stalin's world is like reading Tolkien's. It's completely insulated from real life, morality and sanity. There was tremndous intrigue and constant frightful paranoia among the under leaders/victims. But in the end Stalin killed them all.

[VegasPackFan]

The timeline is up in the blog right now.

Anyone who wants to say that TT didnt do enough, well you are ignoring the facts at this point.

Favre comes off as an insecure child to me on this one.

[mmmdk]

What happened to this "interesting" timeline that TT talked about. I have been waiting for that one.

There is the theory of the Moebius, a twist in the fabric of space where time becomes a loop.

The Theory of the Moebius... where we reach that point, when whatever happened will happen again.

A la Favre? :P

[mmmdk]

The timeline is up in the blog right now.

Anyone who wants to say that TT didnt do enough, well you are ignoring the facts at this point.

Favre comes off as an insecure child to me on this one.

I agree.

Still I'd loathe to see Favre play in another uniform.

[woodbuck27]

The timeline is up in the blog right now.

Anyone who wants to say that TT didnt do enough, well you are ignoring the facts at this point.

Favre comes off as an insecure child to me on this one.

No He simply wants to start for a contender in 2008. The man has decided he'd rather play in the NFL then retire. His right of choice of freedom. Is that really strange or foreign to you?

[Scott Campbell]

Is that really strange or foreign to you?


Irony! I love it. A Canandian asking if it's foreign to you! Hahahaha!

[Lurker64]

The man has decided he'd rather play in the NFL then retire. His right of choice of freedom. Is that really strange or foreign to you?

Well, he's under contract and if he really wants to play he can file his request to be removed from the retired list with the NFL and report to camp, as Thompson is suggesting. That's his right and really his only choice other than "stay retired" at this point. The Packers are also fully within their right (due to the fact that Favre agreed to a contract that said as much) to control where and how much he plays this year and subsequent years.

If Favre really wants the Packers to do something that's contrary to their best interests because he's "special" in some way, that's absolutely immature child territory. He's not bigger than the Green Bay Packers and if he thinks he is, he needs to be knocked down a few pegs.

[pbmax]

Risking deletion from Mad, but here is the timeline, copyright, of course, the fine folks at JSOnline and Journal Sentinel Inc.

Link here (please visit their advertisers!): http://blogs.jsonline.com/packers/archive/2008/07/12/favre-retirement-timeline.aspx

Favre retirement timeline
By Tom Silverstein
Saturday, Jul 12 2008, 06:06 PM
The following is a timeline provided by Packers general manager Ted Thompson of the off-season dealings with quarterback Brett Favre. All of the information comes from Thompson and several sources close to Favre did not return phone messages seeking verification of Thompson's account.

Jan. 20, 2008 - The Packers lose in overtime to the New York Giants in the NFC Championship Game. Both Thompson and coach Mike McCarthy speak briefly to Favre before he returns home to Hattiesburg, Miss.

Jan. 30 - McCarthy and Favre are both at the Super Bowl media center in Phoenix to collect post-season awards and spent about an hour chatting. The two talk again when McCarthy is at the Pro Bowl in Honolulu and later when McCarthy returns home.

... I can't do this to Mad, go to the link to see the entire article ya lazy bums!

July 11 - Thompson receives a letter from Favre and Cook formally asking for Favre to be released.

[Scott Campbell]

His right of choice of freedom. Is that really strange or foreign to you?


Woody. This is America, the greatest country on earth. And we have something called contracts here. Maybe you've heard of them.

Well Brett accepted millions and millions of dollars from the Packers in return for playing football for us, and for allowing the Packers to control his playing rights. These things we call contracts require both parties perform within all aspects of the signed agreement. Not just the ones they like. Brett willingly gave up his freedom - for the money.

[Harlan Huckleby]

July 12 - a bloody glove is found on Favre's estate. DNA matching TT

[SD GB fan]

The timeline is up in the blog right now.

Anyone who wants to say that TT didnt do enough, well you are ignoring the facts at this point.

Favre comes off as an insecure child to me on this one.

No He simply wants to start for a contender in 2008. The man has decided he'd rather play in the NFL then retire. His right of choice of freedom. Is that really strange or foreign to you?

and i can make the choice of punching a guy in the face...but that'd make me an asshole. Favre's choice, especially his timing of the choice, puts the packer's organization in a tough situation:

someone, favre or rodgers, will be gone sometime this season. If favre is gone, half of the packers fanbase (people like you) will never forgive TT. If rodgers is gone, we are back at square one. When will Favre retire? Is Brohm going to be good enough, soon enough?

Worst case scenario: Rodgers leaves and succeeds with another team. Favre has a decent year but doesn't get his ring and retires again. uh oh, is Brohm ready? 2009 Packers do not reach the playoffs and TT gets fired for KEEPING FAVRE TOO LONG.

[Scott Campbell]

Woody, maybe this will help you understand. Brett is the American equivalent of this well known Canadian:


http://images.askmen.com/galleries/singer/celine-dion/pictures/celine-dion-picture-1.jpg

[woodbuck27]

The man has decided he'd rather play in the NFL then retire. His right of choice of freedom. Is that really strange or foreign to you?

Well, he's under contract and if he really wants to play he can file his request to be removed from the retired list with the NFL and report to camp, as Thompson is suggesting. That's his right and really his only choice other than "stay retired" at this point. Anything else he's asking for puts him in the "immature child" ranks, IMO.

That's where I fear this (now a mess) will likely go and the sharade continue. It's like a log jam and the Packer management has to get it right not just done.

PACKERS FOREVER.

[woodbuck27]

Woody, maybe this will help you understand. Brett is the American equivalent of this well known Canadian:


http://images.askmen.com/galleries/singer/celine-dion/pictures/celine-dion-picture-1.jpg

Come on amatuer. Don't compare Brett Favre to Celine Dion. He can"t sing song tracks for awesome movies.....Low shot ....
' mucho lesso '.

and....Yes. She can't even get her choice of venue for the big Quebec City Anniversary coming up. Paul McCartney rules. :D

[CaliforniaCheez]

What is apparent is that the Packers seemed to have communicated well or at least they answered the phone and were always willing to talk.

Did Brett Favre accept his locker as a gift?? I didn't hear him say leave it in place, I'm going to use it.


The team has timelines. What if they left a chair open for him and he never showed up? They would have Rodgers and a rookie back up.
The offseason is getting ready for the season. Free agency, the draft, OTA's, mini camp. The team had to prepare based on what they knew at the time.

Draft day the Packers got a back up QB and a third string QB. That was based on the information at the time.

What is Ted to do? Just deal with it as best he can.

Just a week ago Matt Flynn was going to have an easy no pressure time making the Packer team. Now his future brightens and dims as this plays out beyond his control.

Do the Packers assume Brett will be back every year until the day he stands them up?

How do they handle the future when he shows up AFTER training camp??

Is Brohm the successor to Favre? In three years??

Does anything Brett says from February to September to be taken seriously??

The next few steps in this dance will be interesting.

[texaspackerbacker]

Let's just take this situation at face value--not try to read things into what Thompson and McCarthy are saying. IMO, Thompson has handled this mess perfectly. Favre doesn't hold the high cards in this hand; The Packers do.

They can simply pay him (what's a mere $10-12 million?) and keep him on whatever status they want.

None of us in this forum, none of the media types, etc. know what Brett Favre is really like. Will he turn out to be a good soldier, relatively cooperative--coming to camp in a low key normal way? Or will he turn out to be spiteful and selfish some have accused him of being--being a disruptive influence, etc.?

The bottom line is that the Packers could just pay him $10 million (or is it $12 million) to sit--and be villified in Green Bay. So Brett has to ask himself, is his legacy/reputation/whatever worth the money?

There was another thread here about possibilities. Well, realistically, there are three choices for Brett: Take the money and sit and pout, OR cooperate, come to camp and take his chances--either to play as a backup or maybe more if Rodgers gets hurt or flops OR just fade back into retirement with grace but no $12 million.

Thompson also has choices if Favre plays hardball--which he may already have made: Pay him to sit, and risk Thompson's reputation too OR trade him for, hopefully, a decent draft pick(s) OR get spineless, and release him.

I'm not ready to predict how it will all turn out.

[Fritz]

Okay, nobody has mentioned what is, to me, the most fascinating thing about that whole Silverstein blog/timeline:

"Greg Aiello, an NFL spokesman, said he was not aware whether Favre had officially petitioned NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell for reinstatement. Goodell is in Afghanistan."

Goodell is in Afghanistan? WTF is he doing there? "Hey honey, doncha think Afghanistan would be nice this time of year?"

A UFO tour? "Okay, soldiers, we're bringing Roger Goodell over to Afghanistan to entertain you and take your mind off the fighting by talking to you about who's being suspended and for how long, and whether the 'tuck' rule will continue to be in effect." Woo-hoo!

Honest to gosh, that's the craziest frippin' thing I've read in this whole mess.

[Scott Campbell]

A UFO tour?



What's a UFO tour? Sounds like something Tank and his X-Files buddies would go on.

[MJZiggy]

Okay, nobody has mentioned what is, to me, the most fascinating thing about that whole Silverstein blog/timeline:

"Greg Aiello, an NFL spokesman, said he was not aware whether Favre had officially petitioned NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell for reinstatement. Goodell is in Afghanistan."

Goodell is in Afghanistan? WTF is he doing there? "Hey honey, doncha think Afghanistan would be nice this time of year?"

A UFO tour? "Okay, soldiers, we're bringing Roger Goodell over to Afghanistan to entertain you and take your mind off the fighting by talking to you about who's being suspended and for how long, and whether the 'tuck' rule will continue to be in effect." Woo-hoo!

Honest to gosh, that's the craziest frippin' thing I've read in this whole mess.

Not that I'd expect it or anything, but can you imagine if Brett applies for reinstatement and Goodell denies the application??? :lol: :lol: