Favre plans to retire!

[PaCkFan_n_MD]

Favre plans to retire

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3898942

Comment Email Print By Ed Werder and Chris Mortensen
ESPN.com

Without the tearful public ceremony that accompanied his retirement announcement from the Green Bay Packers just 11 months ago, quarterback Brett Favre has instructed agent Bus Cook to inform the New York Jets today that he plans to retire.

In an email to ESPN's Ed Werder, Favre indicated he had no regrets about finishing his career with the Jets rather than with the Green Bay Packers franchise he represented for his previous 16 NFL seasons. He specifically praised Tannenbaum, Jets owner Woody Johnson and fired coach Eric Mangini _ and even mentioned Thomas Jones and Kerry Rhodes, both of whom were publicly critical of Favre after the team's collapse in the final month of the season prevented the Jets from making the playoffs.

"Mike and Woody, as well as the entire organization, have been nothing short of outstanding,'' Favre said in the email. "My teammates _ Thomas and Kerry included _ were a pleasure to play with. Eric (Mangini) could not have been any better. I enjoyed playing for him. My time with the Jets was short, but I'm honored to be given that chance.''

The Jets did not have an immediate comment. A Jets official said Wednesday night that no definite word had come from Favre yet but added, "that can change any minute."

The Jets already have begun discussing their options at quarterback and spent a good portion of Tuesday studying the 2009 class of draft-eligible college quarterbacks. The team is unconvinced that Kellen Clemens, a former second-rounder, is capable of being Favre's replacement. There also appears to be a conviction to seek a quarterback with significant arm strength to play through the challenges of windy, cold-weather climate that often is a factor in Jets' games.

While Favre did not directly broach the subject of the team simply releasing him so that he might have the option of signing with another team such as the Minnesota Vikings, a source said that Cook informally discussed the option with the Jets. The Jets respectfully declined that option, the source said. Favre's retirement will save the Jets his $13 million salary in salary cap space. The Jets are in one of the worst salary-cap situtations in the NFL.

The retirement decision should not have surprised the Jets even though the team had publicly encouraged Favre to play another season. Favre informed Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum before the Super Bowl that he was leaning toward retirement. At some point within the past week, Favre told Cook to inform the Jets that he wanted to retire without fanfare and that the team could make the decision public at its convenience.

In what appears to be his final NFL season, Favre threw 22 touchdown passes and an NFL-high 22 interceptions while leading the Jets to a 9-7 record _ a five-game improvement over their previous season without him.

A week after the Jets' season ended without a playoff berth, Favre hinted to Werder during a telephone interview that he would probably retire because he lacked the motivation necessary to continue playing and felt prepared for life after football. "I have the ability to turn it off just like that,'' he said. "I don't feel I have anything else to prove. Do I have to redeem myself for the last five games? No. I could be trying to do that until I'm 60 years old. There is nothing left out there for me from that standpoint. I'm disappointed with the last five games, sure, but I know I did everything I could have.

"I didn't play as well down the stretch. It was probably a little bit of everything. It's hard for me, but I have to say I gave out down the stretch.''

In that same conversation, Favre conceded that he had an abundance of motivation to play for the Jets at the beginning of last season, most of it inspired by the spite he maintained for Packers GM Ted Thompson for trading him from Green Bay to New York. Favre felt Thompson had taken Favre's team from him, believed it had become personal, described the Packers as dishonest and concluded that the most accomplished quarterback in history had been exiled to the Jets precisely because it was something of a football purgatory, where no championships had been won in the four decades since Joe Namath.

"They sent me to New York because they didn't play the Jets, they were 4-12, so they didn't have to play me, they knew we had very little chance of making the playoffs and they knew it was not likely that we'd have a better year than they did,'' Favre told Werder. "I was aware of all of that and more than up to the challenge because they felt they were shipping me off to Siberia and they'd never hear from me again. So was I coming back to play because I loved the game or to prove them wrong? Probably a little bit of both.

"Maybe initially I came back for the wrong reasons,'' Favre says now. "It was like, "OK, they don't want me to play, then I'll play somewhere else and show them I can still play.''

He knew there would be comparisons between his statistics and those of the quarterback who replaced him in Green Bay, Aaron Rodgers, the very first player Thompson drafted when he took over the Packers' front office. Favre admits that his family and friends were consumed with keeping him informed about how his numbers measured against those of Rogers and constantly urged him to throw more touchdown passes than his replacement. Favre admits to virtually no interest in that kind of intramural competition. But he was devout in doing whatever he could to ensure that the Jets accomplished more than the Packers.

"The only thing I worried about was winning,'' he said. "There was a time in my career where I paid more attention to individual stats, but in the last couple of years the most important thing was winning and losing. In the end, that's what matters most. Was I pissed at Green Bay? Sure. But I wasn't pissed at their players. I did keep up with the wins and losses. Sure, it was hard not to do that. I didn't wish them bad, but I wished us better.''

Accomplishing that goal seemed unlikely. Removed from a Packers team that finished 13-3, Favre inherited a 4-12 Jets team.

Favre admitted transition was difficult. There were moments of extreme doubt that threatened to become actual regret, when Favre admits he wondered if he had made a terrible mistake. "Numerous times,'' he said. "Traveling was much more difficult. Nothing was easy in the whole transition, except for dealing with the guys on the team; that was the easy part, and I thought that would be the hard part. But let me tell you: when we rolled into the house the Tuesday morning after that San Diego game, I thought to myself, "What in the hell?''

In the third week of the season, Favre threw three touchdown passes, was intercepted twice and suffered a sprained left ankle in a 48-29 loss on Monday Night Football to the Chargers.

But Favre persevered. He became more comfortable, played more confidently, accomplished feats not even he had experienced. He threw six touchdown passes in a single game against the Arizona Cardinals.

The next week, the Jets took over sole possession of first place from defending AFC Champion Patriots, defeating them on the road for the first time in seven years. Favre orchestrated the unimaginable 34-31 triumph, leading consecutive scoring drives on the last possession of regulation and the first of overtime. He admitted afterward that nobody in the building was more nervous and says these were the moments that brought him out of retirement.

The next week would prove just as monumental. There was Favre was throwing touchdown passes and celebrating joyously as he and the Jets completed a 34-13 road upset of the Tennessee Titans, the final undefeated team in the league.

"There's not many games left for old Brett Favre, so I'm glad this one turned out the way it did,'' he said moments later.

When asked how winning a handful of big games for the Jets compared to doing the same for 16 years with the Packers, and his answer hinted at the animosity that may never leave him. "It feels great _ as good, if not better. My career in Green Bay was great. It was awesome, maybe better than awesome. Will I have a 16-year career in New York? I doubt it. But I'm going to try and lump 16 into one and see what happens.''

It doesn't get better than this, Favre thought. And, sadly, he was right. It would not get better than that moment.

"At that point, it was, Go get your Super Bowl tickets,''' Favre says. "That's what was so disappointing _ how quickly we rose, and then fell.''

After the victories in New England and Tennessee, the Jets were considered potentially the best team in the AFC and a legitimate Super Bowl contender. But the Jets failed badly in December, losing four of their final five games, and Favre's performance with an ailing right shoulder was a primary reason. In the final five games, Favre threw nine interceptions and only two touchdown passes. When the season was finished, Favre revealed he had a torn biceps tendon and that doctors had urged him to have surgery if he intended to play in 2009. He decided against both.

"It sucks getting old,'' he said. "At 40 years old, your mind tells you that you can do all the things you could in your younger years but the body doesn't cooperate. As I look back on it, I had my moments where people said, "It was the same Brett Favre, just a different uniform.''

Immediately after his first Jets season, Favre had decided that if it was also his final NFL season that there would be no press conference as there had been 11 months ago in Green Bay.

"I'm an emotional guy, and I'm sure people are tired of seeing me get emotional,'' he explained. "People would probably say, 'Oh, here he goes again.' I think it would just be better for me to just thank the Jets, and I sincerely mean that. It was well worth what I invested. But I'm going to just quietly step away if that's what happens.''

That is exactly what has just happened.

[sheepshead]

What are the odds we play him twice next year?

[channtheman]

So does this mean that we give the Jets a 6th round pick for next year?

[GrnBay007]

:(



nice article.

[Zool]

Seems I've read this article before. About a year ago? I'll believe it when the Jets take their first snap of the year.

[ND72]

[b]

"There was a time in my career where I paid more attention to individual stats..."



How many press conferences did we listen to that he never checked his stats?

[Lurker64]

Happy trails Brett.

What are the odds though, that Favre just made the easy choice to retire in February so the Jets didn't have to cut anybody to keep Favre, and plans on re-evaluating the retirement over the summer when the Jets are in a better salary cap situation. Not to be cynical or anything, but this isn't the first time he retired.

[PaCkFan_n_MD]

Seems I've read this article before. About a year ago? I'll believe it when the Jets take their first snap of the year.

I don't think he comes back. He admitted that his play fades as the year goes on and that is something no team wants to hear. Plus he said he kind of played just to prove the still could.

I only way Favre plays again is if a team has an injury late in the year a they call him to finish the season.

[Kyle.McCarroll]

Poor little Brett. Mean ole Ted Thompson ruined his life.

:lol:

[cpk1994]

What are the odds we play him twice next year?0. Since he retired, the Jets will do what the Packers did last year. If Favre again tries to "unretire" he is still the property of the Jets.

[sheepshead]

What are the odds we play him twice next year?0. Since he retired, the Jets will do what the Packers did last year. If Favre again tries to "unretire" he is still the property of the Jets.
ahhh good point

[HarveyWallbangers]

I wish him the best.

[PaCkFan_n_MD]

I wish him the best.

As do I. I wish he could have played for us forever.

[AV David]

"So does this mean that we give the Jets a 6th round pick for next year?"

No it means we owe the Jets a 7th pick next year. It only increased to a 6 if we received the Jets 2nd round pick. We didn't. We only received a 3 because the Jets did not make the playoffs.

By my count the Packers have an extra pick in the 3rd round and the 6th round. They have no 7th rounder at this point.

[packinpatland]

I wish him the best.

As do I. I wish he could have played for us forever.

He didn't start or end as a Packer. Glad we got those in-between years.

[sheepshead]

A jets presser in 49 minutes.

[bobblehead]

I can't believe the Jets made him make a decision so early....those bastards.

[BlueBrewer]

Thank God!!!! Now I hope he gets his shit together and comes back to Green Bay to go out in STYLE. Time will heal wounds, but he can't live without the spotlight forever, look for him to end up back in GB in some capacity or on a network pre-game.

[bobblehead]

Thank God!!!! Now I hope he gets his shit together and comes back to Green Bay to go out in STYLE. Time will heal wounds, but he can't live without the spotlight forever, look for him to end up back in GB in some capacity or on a network pre-game.

Very true. Brett returning to the organization would be a good thing all around but I don't think it'll happen for several years yet.

[Fritz]

Wait a minute...the Jets would owe the Pack a #1 pick if they traded him to an NFC North team this year. But what if he retires and later decides to come back? If the Jets then cut him - after all, by May they'll have his salary re-spent on other players mostl likely - he can sign on with anyone, right?

Hard not to notice the part of the article in which Butt Cook apparently asked the Jets "informally" if they'd consider releasing him...

[mraynrand]

[b]

"There was a time in my career where I paid more attention to individual stats..."



How many press conferences did we listen to that he never checked his stats?

I think he was talking about LeShon Johnson's stats. Favre really cared about the running backs.

[Zool]

Wait a minute...the Jets would owe the Pack a #1 pick if they traded him to an NFC North team this year. But what if he retires and later decides to come back? If the Jets then cut him - after all, by May they'll have his salary re-spent on other players mostl likely - he can sign on with anyone, right?

Hard not to notice the part of the article in which Butt Cook apparently asked the Jets "informally" if they'd consider releasing him...

I would think that part or all of his salary is guaranteed if he's on the Jets roster after a certain timeframe. If he decides to come back after that point and they cut him, they would still be on the hook for his salary putting them over the cap with dead money. Their only choice if he comes back late is a trade.

[channtheman]

"So does this mean that we give the Jets a 6th round pick for next year?"

No it means we owe the Jets a 7th pick next year. It only increased to a 6 if we received the Jets 2nd round pick. We didn't. We only received a 3 because the Jets did not make the playoffs.

By my count the Packers have an extra pick in the 3rd round and the 6th round. They have no 7th rounder at this point.

Oh okay. I wasn't to sure what the whole deal was with that but I see now. Don't worry about Ted not having a 7th though. One of these years his dream of owning the entire 7th round will come to fruition.

[sheepshead]

Thank God!!!! Now I hope he gets his shit together and comes back to Green Bay to go out in STYLE. Time will heal wounds, but he can't live without the spotlight forever, look for him to end up back in GB in some capacity or on a network pre-game.

Very true. Brett returning to the organization would be a good thing all around but I don't think it'll happen for several years yet.

I say sooner than later.

[packinpatland]

Trent Dillfer on ESPN just now, commenting on Brett Favre, said he may not be the best QB to have played the game, but in his opinion, he was the greatest football player to have played.
I thought that was nice. :wink:

[cpk1994]

Wait a minute...the Jets would owe the Pack a #1 pick if they traded him to an NFC North team this year. But what if he retires and later decides to come back? If the Jets then cut him - after all, by May they'll have his salary re-spent on other players mostl likely - he can sign on with anyone, right?

Hard not to notice the part of the article in which Butt Cook apparently asked the Jets "informally" if they'd consider releasing him...

I would think that part or all of his salary is guaranteed if he's on the Jets roster after a certain timeframe. If he decides to come back after that point and they cut him, they would still be on the hook for his salary putting them over the cap with dead money. Their only choice if he comes back late is a trade.This right here should stop the "Favre to Minnesota" speculation dead.

[LL2]

I wish him the best.

As do I. I wish he could have played for us forever.

He didn't start or end as a Packer. Glad we got those in-between years.

Me too. Just wonder if he will sign a 1 day contract and retire as a Packer. To me that would be the right thing to do. It will never happen as long as TT and MM are in GB.

[cpk1994]

I wish him the best.

As do I. I wish he could have played for us forever.

He didn't start or end as a Packer. Glad we got those in-between years.

Me too. Just wonder if he will sign a 1 day contract and retire as a Packer. To me that would be the right thing to do. It will never happen as long as TT and MM are in GB.He can't do that unless the Jets release him. The Jets don't need to do that as they will just put him on the retired list until it expires. He will not retire as a Packer and it won't have anything to do with TT & M3 so we can stop that nonsense.

[KYPack]

It will never happen as long as TT and MM are in GB.

You got it. There's serious bad blood between those 3. I think it's mainly Favre has the ass at Thompson, but MM earned some hate for that little talk he had with Brett at the end last summer.

Those are fresh wounds and haven't even started to heal yet.

[cpk1994]

It will never happen as long as TT and MM are in GB.

You got it. There's serious bad blood between those 3. I think it's mainly Favre has the ass at Thompson, but MM earned some hate for that little talk he had with Brett at the end last summer.

Those are fresh wounds and haven't even started to heal yet.Again, Favre CANNOT sign a 1 day contract he still has a contract WITH THE JETS! He has to be released from that to do so.

That said, if this scenario was possible, TT would let Brett sign a one day contract to retire as a Packer.The only question is whether Brett would sign it.

[Partial]

Trent Dillfer on ESPN just now, commenting on Brett Favre, said he may not be the best QB to have played the game, but in his opinion, he was the greatest football player to have played.
I thought that was nice. :wink:

That's what people in the know think as well, but those who are arm chair quarterbacks (and bad ones at that) seem to disagree (CPK, etc).

With that said, football got a little less fun today. I know half of you are all blind haters, but Brett Favre is the best thing to happen to the Packers ever. He saved them from mediocrity, brought them annual success, etc. We've already witnessed how a championship caliber team can fall apart without a strong quarterback. Hopefully we find out next Brett Favre within the next couple of years.

I wish him well and respect the hell out of him. He is a truly special football player who should have been allowed to go out with the Packers on his own terms.

[cpk1994]

Trent Dillfer on ESPN just now, commenting on Brett Favre, said he may not be the best QB to have played the game, but in his opinion, he was the greatest football player to have played.
I thought that was nice. :wink:

That's what people in the know think as well, but those who are arm chair quarterbacks (and bad ones at that) seem to disagree (CPK, etc).

With that said, football got a little less fun today. I know half of you are all blind haters, but Brett Favre is the best thing to happen to the Packers ever. He saved them from mediocrity, brought them annual success, etc. We've already witnessed how a championship caliber team can fall apart without a strong quarterback. Hopefully we find out next Brett Favre within the next couple of years.

I wish him well and respect the hell out of him. He is a truly special football player who should have been allowed to go out with the Packers on his own terms.SHow me where I ever said he wasn't a great QB? Never happened. What I have said is that as a PERSON, I think he is a POS. As a PLAYER, yes he is an all time great. Have fun eating your foot jackass.

[packinpatland]

Trent Dillfer on ESPN just now, commenting on Brett Favre, said he may not be the best QB to have played the game, but in his opinion, he was the greatest football player to have played.
I thought that was nice. :wink:

That's what people in the know think as well, but those who are arm chair quarterbacks (and bad ones at that) seem to disagree (CPK, etc).

With that said, football got a little less fun today. I know half of you are all blind haters, but Brett Favre is the best thing to happen to the Packers ever. He saved them from mediocrity, brought them annual success, etc. We've already witnessed how a championship caliber team can fall apart without a strong quarterback. Hopefully we find out next Brett Favre within the next couple of years.

I wish him well and respect the hell out of him. He is a truly special football player who should have been allowed to go out with the Packers on his own terms.SHow me where I ever said he wasn't a great QB? Never happened. What I have said is that as a PERSON, I think he is a POS. As a PLAYER, yes he is an all time great. Have fun eating your foot jackass.

Listening to all the different sports talk shows..........everyone saying what a great PERSON he is. I'm not hearing anything negative. 'Compassion for the game' says Jay Feeley. I like that. COMPASSION FOR THE GAME....


cpk1994, I think you're wrong.

[LP]

Brett Favre is not "the best thing to happen to the Packers ever". There is a reason Green Bay is called Titletown, and it's not because of the one championship won during his time there.

[Fritz]

Favre might've been the second greatest, or the third, but Lombardi is in my estimation the greatest.

Favre - what a great QB, for so many years.

[Partial]

"In a conversation ESPN's Werder had with Favre after the season and reported this morning, Favre conceded that he had an abundance of motivation to play for the Jets at the beginning of last season, most of it inspired by the spite he maintained for Packers general manager Ted Thompson for trading him.

Here's what Werder wrote: "Favre felt Thompson had taken Favre's team from him, believed it had become personal, described the Packers as dishonest and concluded that the most accomplished quarterback in history had been exiled to the Jets precisely because it was something of a football purgatory, where no championships had been won in the four decades since Joe Namath.

"They sent me to New York because they didn't play the Jets, they were 4-12, so they didn't have to play me, they knew we had very little chance of making the playoffs and they knew it was not likely that we'd have a better year than they did,'' Favre told Werder. "I was aware of all of that and more than up to the challenge because they felt they were shipping me off to Siberia and they'd never hear from me again. So was I coming back to play because I loved the game or to prove them wrong? Probably a little bit of both.

"Maybe initially I came back for the wrong reasons,'' Favre says now. "It was like, 'OK, they don't want me to play, then I'll play somewhere else and show them I can still play.'''

I still don't think we're getting the full story. Favre was given a raw deal, and I am glad he went out and led a team to a more successful record than the previous years' NFC championship caliber team. The current regime in GB is bush league at best, and should have been fired for the way they handled someone who has done as much for Wisconsin as BF. Unfortunately, the people that have to suffer the poetic justice are the fans, as I don't see GB fielding another contender like the Favre led 2007 squad anytime soon.

[cpk1994]

Trent Dillfer on ESPN just now, commenting on Brett Favre, said he may not be the best QB to have played the game, but in his opinion, he was the greatest football player to have played.
I thought that was nice. :wink:

That's what people in the know think as well, but those who are arm chair quarterbacks (and bad ones at that) seem to disagree (CPK, etc).

With that said, football got a little less fun today. I know half of you are all blind haters, but Brett Favre is the best thing to happen to the Packers ever. He saved them from mediocrity, brought them annual success, etc. We've already witnessed how a championship caliber team can fall apart without a strong quarterback. Hopefully we find out next Brett Favre within the next couple of years.

I wish him well and respect the hell out of him. He is a truly special football player who should have been allowed to go out with the Packers on his own terms.SHow me where I ever said he wasn't a great QB? Never happened. What I have said is that as a PERSON, I think he is a POS. As a PLAYER, yes he is an all time great. Have fun eating your foot jackass.

Listening to all the different sports talk shows..........everyone saying what a great PERSON he is. I'm not hearing anything negative. 'Compassion for the game' says Jay Feeley. I like that. COMPASSION FOR THE GAME....


cpk1994, I think you're wrong.And that is fine if you think I'm wrong But I happen to think as a person he is a pos, even more so after alst year. But I never said Favre wasn't a great PLAYER. Never.

[cpk1994]

"In a conversation ESPN's Werder had with Favre after the season and reported this morning, Favre conceded that he had an abundance of motivation to play for the Jets at the beginning of last season, most of it inspired by the spite he maintained for Packers general manager Ted Thompson for trading him.

Here's what Werder wrote: "Favre felt Thompson had taken Favre's team from him, believed it had become personal, described the Packers as dishonest and concluded that the most accomplished quarterback in history had been exiled to the Jets precisely because it was something of a football purgatory, where no championships had been won in the four decades since Joe Namath.

"They sent me to New York because they didn't play the Jets, they were 4-12, so they didn't have to play me, they knew we had very little chance of making the playoffs and they knew it was not likely that we'd have a better year than they did,'' Favre told Werder. "I was aware of all of that and more than up to the challenge because they felt they were shipping me off to Siberia and they'd never hear from me again. So was I coming back to play because I loved the game or to prove them wrong? Probably a little bit of both.

"Maybe initially I came back for the wrong reasons,'' Favre says now. "It was like, 'OK, they don't want me to play, then I'll play somewhere else and show them I can still play.'''

I still don't think we're getting the full story. Favre was given a raw deal, and I am glad he went out and led a team to a more successful record than the previous years' NFC championship caliber team. The current regime in GB is bush league at best, and should have been fired for the way they handled someone who has done as much for Wisconsin as BF. Unfortunately, the people that have to suffer the poetic justice are the fans, as I don't see GB fielding another contender like the Favre led 2007 squad anytime soon. :roll:

[Patler]

All of these "greatest Packer ever," "best player ever" comments are really pretty meaningless because those who make them have actual ecperience watching only a limited number of players or teams.

I remember the Lombardi Packers well, and yes Favre outperformed everyone on those teams. But it was a different era of football. I sometimes wonder how effective Favre would have been when DBs were allowed to mug a receiver until the time the ball was released, not just 5 yards from the line of scrimmage. Would he have thrown even more interceptions? I suspect he would have, because all QBs threw higher percentages of interceptions simply because coverages were so tight with the contact allowed. On the other hand, he could throw rockets into tight coverages as well. But that was an era when the strongest arm was not necessarily an advantage, consistent accuracy was. The QBs had to call their own plays, and the ability to do it well was often as important as the ability to throw. Maybe he would have been great. Maybe he would never have gotten past his first season or two. Maybe he would have been a linebacker, or safety in those days

How can anyone possibly compare any player today, with the rules today, with the game as it is; to some of the great two-way players of the 1940's and 1950's? Although I saw some of the last great two-way players, I certainly can't compare them even to those just 10 or 15 years before my memory.

In track, are the runners of today "greater" than those of the past just because they have better times? Are today's athletes the "greatest" ever, or do Jim Thorpe, Jesse Owens and others still merit consideration? Each can really be evaluated only within the era in which he competed, and perhaps a limited time before and after that time.

Is Favre one of the most impactful players of his or any era? Certainly. The greatest ever? Who knows.

[Lurker64]

Brett Favre is not "the best thing to happen to the Packers ever". There is a reason Green Bay is called Titletown, and it's not because of the one championship won during his time there.

Indeed. Favre was a hell of a player, but he wasn't even the best Quarterback to win a championship for the Packers.

Realistically, the best thing to ever happen to the Packers is the tremendous community support they receive from their fans and the City of Green Bay. It's an atmosphere unparalleled anywhere in professional sports.

[Guiness]

I to would like to see Favre retire with a one-day contract for the Packers.

And if the Jets believed that he was truly going to retire, I think they'd grant him that. The problem I see, however, is that the Pack and the Jets don't trust him to stay retired...

As far as I know, there's nothing to prevent him from signing that one day contract, retiring, and re-un-retiring come the fall - which is something neither team wants.

So short term, I agree that there's no chance he retires as a Packer.

[swede]

Favre was a hell of a player, but he wasn't even the best Quarterback to win a championship for the Packers.

Arnie Herber?

[retailguy]

Wait a minute...the Jets would owe the Pack a #1 pick if they traded him to an NFC North team this year. But what if he retires and later decides to come back? If the Jets then cut him - after all, by May they'll have his salary re-spent on other players mostl likely - he can sign on with anyone, right?

Hard not to notice the part of the article in which Butt Cook apparently asked the Jets "informally" if they'd consider releasing him...

I would think that part or all of his salary is guaranteed if he's on the Jets roster after a certain timeframe. If he decides to come back after that point and they cut him, they would still be on the hook for his salary putting them over the cap with dead money. Their only choice if he comes back late is a trade.This right here should stop the "Favre to Minnesota" speculation dead.

Some mis-information here. Yes, it is true that the Jets own his rights and would have to release him in order for him to have the freedom to sign with anyone.

However, if he decides to come back, lets say, two weeks before the start of the season, then he tells the Jets he wants to be removed from the reserve/retired list. At that point, the Jets have a decision. They can do one of 4 things: 1 - persuade him to stay retired, 2 - trade him, 3 - activate him and absorb the cap hit, or 4 - release him.

The only instance where the salary becomes "guaranteed" by the Jets is #3. The salary becomes "guaranteed" in #2 by the new club that trades for him on the 1st day of the season.

The most important point, is that the Jets can avoid cap troubles by releasing him outright when he asks for reinstatement ( choice #4). Thats one of the options they have BEFORE there are any salary guarantees.

Oh, and somewhere else somebody stated that the Jets can "squat on his rights" until the contract expires is not exactly accurate. If he doesn't come back to play, that contract never "expires" right now it's on "hold". We saw that about 5 years ago when Deion Sanders was going to come back to play for Oakland when they went to the Super Bowl. Washington (I think) had to release him first, and then San Diego claimed him to prevent him from going to Oakland.

[MadtownPacker]

I can't believe the Jets made him make a decision so early....those bastards.Really?? Does the make this forum A better place?? Or maybe you are no better than say pacopete with this shit?

[Guiness]

I can't believe the Jets made him make a decision so early....those bastards.Really?? Does the make this forum A better place?? Or maybe you are no better than say pacopete with this shit?

Mad, I'm pretty sure that was meant in jest...I know I mentally inserted the [/sarcasm] tag there.

Yes, I'm tired of BF getting dragged into every thread too...but this was a thread about him.

[cpk1994]

Wait a minute...the Jets would owe the Pack a #1 pick if they traded him to an NFC North team this year. But what if he retires and later decides to come back? If the Jets then cut him - after all, by May they'll have his salary re-spent on other players mostl likely - he can sign on with anyone, right?

Hard not to notice the part of the article in which Butt Cook apparently asked the Jets "informally" if they'd consider releasing him...

I would think that part or all of his salary is guaranteed if he's on the Jets roster after a certain timeframe. If he decides to come back after that point and they cut him, they would still be on the hook for his salary putting them over the cap with dead money. Their only choice if he comes back late is a trade.This right here should stop the "Favre to Minnesota" speculation dead.

Some mis-information here. Yes, it is true that the Jets own his rights and would have to release him in order for him to have the freedom to sign with anyone.

However, if he decides to come back, lets say, two weeks before the start of the season, then he tells the Jets he wants to be removed from the reserve/retired list. At that point, the Jets have a decision. They can do one of 4 things: 1 - persuade him to stay retired, 2 - trade him, 3 - activate him and absorb the cap hit, or 4 - release him.

The only instance where the salary becomes "guaranteed" by the Jets is #3. The salary becomes "guaranteed" in #2 by the new club that trades for him on the 1st day of the season.

The most important point, is that the Jets can avoid cap troubles by releasing him outright when he asks for reinstatement ( choice #4). Thats one of the options they have BEFORE there are any salary guarantees.

Oh, and somewhere else somebody stated that the Jets can "squat on his rights" until the contract expires is not exactly accurate. If he doesn't come back to play, that contract never "expires" right now it's on "hold". We saw that about 5 years ago when Deion Sanders was going to come back to play for Oakland when they went to the Super Bowl. Washington (I think) had to release him first, and then San Diego claimed him to prevent him from going to Oakland.Thanks for the clarification.

EDIT: I thought I'd point out that once again, ESPN is perpetuating the myth that the Packers pressured Favre into a decision. Ed Werder was on OTL today and said that he believes Favre is retiring for good becuase "He wasn't pressured this time." Nice to see ESPN is all for reporting facts.

[Guiness]

Thanks for the clarification.

What a fricken mess. Only good thing is that it's not our mess this year.

[MadtownPacker]

I can't believe the Jets made him make a decision so early....those bastards.Really?? Does the make this forum A better place?? Or maybe you are no better than say pacopete with this shit?

Mad, I'm pretty sure that was meant in jest...I know I mentally inserted the [/sarcasm] tag there.

Yes, I'm tired of BF getting dragged into every thread too...but this was a thread about him.Maybe but it aint the first time Bobble has made little similiar comments. I truly hope Favre stays retired and all this shit is put to rest.

[BallHawk]

The sad thing about this is that I truly don't care.

Yeah. Brett Favre, arguably the greatest QB in Packer history is retiring, and I really don't care about it.

Never thought I'd say those words, but that's how it is.

[sheepshead]

The sad thing about this is that I truly don't care.

Yeah. Brett Favre, arguably the greatest QB in Packer history is retiring, and I really don't care about it.

Never thought I'd say those words, but that's how it is.


Funny, we don't care that you don't care.

[PaCkFan_n_MD]

The sad thing about this is that I truly don't care.

Yeah. Brett Favre, arguably the greatest QB in Packer history is retiring, and I really don't care about it.

Never thought I'd say those words, but that's how it is.


Funny, we don't care that you don't care.

I don't think he cares that you don't care that he doesn't care.

[Lurker64]

I care.

[sheepshead]

I wonder if Brett cares if we care?

[Lurker64]

The Packers just issued A Statement (http://www.packers.com/news/releases/2009/02/11/1/)


Congratulations to Brett on a remarkable career. The Packers organization wishes him and his family well. Brett always will hold a special place in Green Bay Packers history, and we remain committed to retiring his number at an appropriate time in the future.

I wonder how long it will be until the Packers can convince Favre to show up at Lambeau so they can retire his number.

[sheepshead]

So.....


What if Rodgers goes down for the year in week 7 and were 5-2???


(Que Jeopardy music)

[gex]

Trent Dillfer on ESPN just now, commenting on Brett Favre, said he may not be the best QB to have played the game, but in his opinion, he was the greatest football player to have played.
I thought that was nice. :wink:

That's what people in the know think as well, but those who are arm chair quarterbacks (and bad ones at that) seem to disagree (CPK, etc).

With that said, football got a little less fun today. I know half of you are all blind haters, but Brett Favre is the best thing to happen to the Packers ever. He saved them from mediocrity, brought them annual success, etc. We've already witnessed how a championship caliber team can fall apart without a strong quarterback. Hopefully we find out next Brett Favre within the next couple of years.

I wish him well and respect the hell out of him. He is a truly special football player who should have been allowed to go out with the Packers on his own terms.

Nice post P. Thats how many people feel up here.
We will miss your antics on the field Brett :cry:

[Zool]

Wait a minute...the Jets would owe the Pack a #1 pick if they traded him to an NFC North team this year. But what if he retires and later decides to come back? If the Jets then cut him - after all, by May they'll have his salary re-spent on other players mostl likely - he can sign on with anyone, right?

Hard not to notice the part of the article in which Butt Cook apparently asked the Jets "informally" if they'd consider releasing him...

I would think that part or all of his salary is guaranteed if he's on the Jets roster after a certain timeframe. If he decides to come back after that point and they cut him, they would still be on the hook for his salary putting them over the cap with dead money. Their only choice if he comes back late is a trade.This right here should stop the "Favre to Minnesota" speculation dead.

Some mis-information here. Yes, it is true that the Jets own his rights and would have to release him in order for him to have the freedom to sign with anyone.

However, if he decides to come back, lets say, two weeks before the start of the season, then he tells the Jets he wants to be removed from the reserve/retired list. At that point, the Jets have a decision. They can do one of 4 things: 1 - persuade him to stay retired, 2 - trade him, 3 - activate him and absorb the cap hit, or 4 - release him.

The only instance where the salary becomes "guaranteed" by the Jets is #3. The salary becomes "guaranteed" in #2 by the new club that trades for him on the 1st day of the season.

The most important point, is that the Jets can avoid cap troubles by releasing him outright when he asks for reinstatement ( choice #4). Thats one of the options they have BEFORE there are any salary guarantees.

Oh, and somewhere else somebody stated that the Jets can "squat on his rights" until the contract expires is not exactly accurate. If he doesn't come back to play, that contract never "expires" right now it's on "hold". We saw that about 5 years ago when Deion Sanders was going to come back to play for Oakland when they went to the Super Bowl. Washington (I think) had to release him first, and then San Diego claimed him to prevent him from going to Oakland.

So none of Favre's pro-rated signing bonus would be saddled to the Jets if they release him? If he's not retired, his bonus is guaranteed. I guess that would be in the realm of $1.5mil x2 for the last 2 years of the deal. If I remember correctly, that gets pushed forward to next season if its after August something?

Edit: Bonus was $10mil for 10 years. So max he could cost the Jets this season on a release would be $2mil if I'm not mistaken. Anyone have a page with their actual cap # right now?

[Patler]

I must be getting old. The mind plays tricks on you when you do get old.
I could of sworn that Favre already retired!

Then, again, I thought Michael Jordan had retired too, but that was my mind playing tricks on me too, because he kept playing. That happened over and over again, like a recurring dream. I thought he retired. He kept playing.

But maybe it isn't age. Years ago, when I was less of an old codger than I am now, I thought Reggie White retired, but the next year he was back with the Packers. Then I thought he retired again, and he showed up in Carolina.

I worry some times. Is old Patler losing his mind???? :lol:

[Zool]

Well according to http://www.nyjetscap.com/salary.html he is owed no pro-rated signing bonus so cutting him is a very viable(and likely) option if he decides to come back.

[Guiness]

I must be getting old. The mind plays tricks on you when you do get old.
I could of sworn that Favre already retired!

Then, again, I thought Michael Jordan had retired too, but that was my mind playing tricks on me too, because he kept playing. That happened over and over again, like a recurring dream. I thought he retired. He kept playing.

But maybe it isn't age. Years ago, when I was less of an old codger than I am now, I thought Reggie White retired, but the next year he was back with the Packers. Then I thought he retired again, and he showed up in Carolina.

I worry some times. Is old Patler losing his mind???? :lol:

There was this baseball manager - for the Yankees. Billy Martin. Kept getting fired, kept showing up for work. You'd hear he was fired, then you'd see him back in the dugout. Strangest thing.

[The Shadow]

Trent Dillfer on ESPN just now, commenting on Brett Favre, said he may not be the best QB to have played the game, but in his opinion, he was the greatest football player to have played.
I thought that was nice. :wink:

That's what people in the know think as well, but those who are arm chair quarterbacks (and bad ones at that) seem to disagree (CPK, etc).

With that said, football got a little less fun today. I know half of you are all blind haters, but Brett Favre is the best thing to happen to the Packers ever. He saved them from mediocrity, brought them annual success, etc. We've already witnessed how a championship caliber team can fall apart without a strong quarterback. Hopefully we find out next Brett Favre within the next couple of years.

I wish him well and respect the hell out of him. He is a truly special football player who should have been allowed to go out with the Packers on his own terms.

Did I miss something here? I thought he retired from the Packers in a tearful ceremony, and publicly thanked by the entire organization for his contributions.
Exactly what 'terms' was he denied??

[PaCkFan_n_MD]

So.....


What if Rodgers goes down for the year in week 7 and were 5-2???


(Que Jeopardy music)

Call up Brett.

[KYPack]

Packers Statement.

It's cool, we're not making any money off the words herein:

Congratulations to Brett on a remarkable career. The Packers organization wishes him and his family well. Brett always will hold a special place in Green Bay Packers history, and we remain committed to retiring his number at an appropriate time in the future.

It won't happen as long as TT is around.

BLF has it out for that boy.

[sheepshead]

So.....


What if Rodgers goes down for the year in week 7 and were 5-2???


(Que Jeopardy music)

Call up Brett.


I say Brett stays in shape till Halloween or so.

[PaCkFan_n_MD]

So.....


What if Rodgers goes down for the year in week 7 and were 5-2???


(Que Jeopardy music)

Call up Brett.


I say Brett stays in shape till Halloween or so.

I'm not going to lie, that would be so exciting.

edit: Not that I don't like Rodgers, I still think he's a great player.

[Patler]

So none of Favre's pro-rated signing bonus would be saddled to the Jets if they release him? If he's not retired, his bonus is guaranteed. I guess that would be in the realm of $1.5mil x2 for the last 2 years of the deal. If I remember correctly, that gets pushed forward to next season if its after August something?

Edit: Bonus was $10mil for 10 years. So max he could cost the Jets this season on a release would be $2mil if I'm not mistaken. Anyone have a page with their actual cap # right now?

A couple points.

On very long contracts, the signing bonus can not be prorated over the entire life of the contract. When Favre signed his last one, I believe the limit was 6 years.

During the life of a contract, certain interim bonuses are sometimes "guaranteed" before they come due. This allows the team to prorate that bonus into the future, whereas if it had stayed as it was it would count entirely against the year in which it was paid. I believe this happened with Favre once in the last half of his contract, maybe a couple times, but not for extremely large amounts.

By 2007, Favre's cap # was almost entirely salary. In 2007 only $800,000. was classed as a pro-rated signing bonus, $11 million as salary. In years previous to 2007 it was much higher. This was by design so that if Favre retired anytime in the latter half of his contract, the cap hit against the Packers was minimal.

Even if a player has prorated signing bonus remaining, it does not pass to the team that trades for him. The team who paid him that bonus has to count it against their cap. The Packers counted the balance of $1.4 million for Favre against their 2008 cap (which I assume was for bonuses "guaranteed" at some point in the middle years of his contract). The acquiring team is responsible only for bonuses due in the future, not ones paid in the past.

The report at the time of the trade was that Favre had tweaked some details of his contract with the Jets. I don't know the details, or if anything affected salary/bonus structure.

[Harlan Huckleby]

"Its all about how I feel physically.

That could change with arthoscopic surgery."


- Brett Favre 2-11-2009, 5:15 CST

[Brando19]

Anyone have a link to the teleconference?

[Tyrone Bigguns]

So.....


What if Rodgers goes down for the year in week 7 and were 5-2???


(Que Jeopardy music)

Call up Brett.


I say Brett stays in shape till Halloween or so.

Stays in shape? To stay in shape you have to be in shape. Maybe you missed that gut he had all season long.

[texaspackerbacker]

So none of Favre's pro-rated signing bonus would be saddled to the Jets if they release him? If he's not retired, his bonus is guaranteed. I guess that would be in the realm of $1.5mil x2 for the last 2 years of the deal. If I remember correctly, that gets pushed forward to next season if its after August something?

Edit: Bonus was $10mil for 10 years. So max he could cost the Jets this season on a release would be $2mil if I'm not mistaken. Anyone have a page with their actual cap # right now?

A couple points.

On very long contracts, the signing bonus can not be prorated over the entire life of the contract. When Favre signed his last one, I believe the limit was 6 years.

During the life of a contract, certain interim bonuses are sometimes "guaranteed" before they come due. This allows the team to prorate that bonus into the future, whereas if it had stayed as it was it would count entirely against the year in which it was paid. I believe this happened with Favre once in the last half of his contract, maybe a couple times, but not for extremely large amounts.

By 2007, Favre's cap # was almost entirely salary. In 2007 only $800,000. was classed as a pro-rated signing bonus, $11 million as salary. In years previous to 2007 it was much higher. This was by design so that if Favre retired anytime in the latter half of his contract, the cap hit against the Packers was minimal.

Even if a player has prorated signing bonus remaining, it does not pass to the team that trades for him. The team who paid him that bonus has to count it against their cap. The Packers counted the balance of $1.4 million for Favre against their 2008 cap (which I assume was for bonuses "guaranteed" at some point in the middle years of his contract). The acquiring team is responsible only for bonuses due in the future, not ones paid in the past.

The report at the time of the trade was that Favre had tweaked some details of his contract with the Jets. I don't know the details, or if anything affected salary/bonus structure.

This is a small but very significant blessing that we can credit Thompson and possibly Sherman before him for. A lot of big contract QBs leave teams in "cap hell" when they retire--Aikman and Young, for example.

[Guiness]

[snip]

Even if a player has prorated signing bonus remaining, it does not pass to the team that trades for him. The team who paid him that bonus has to count it against their cap. The Packers counted the balance of $1.4 million for Favre against their 2008 cap (which I assume was for bonuses "guaranteed" at some point in the middle years of his contract). The acquiring team is responsible only for bonuses due in the future, not ones paid in the past.


I always wondered about this, and if there was a way around it if the teams wanted it..

Let's build a scenario - a hypothetical one if you like :)

Team A signs a player to a 4yr $8mil contract with a $4mil bonus. Two years in, they decide he's expendable, and have a willing trade partner in Team B. Problem is, $2mil of the pro-rated bonus would get accelerated into Team A's cap, and they can't afford it.

Is there a way for the teams to work around this? Let's assume the Team B thinks he's worth it, and would be willing to pay the remaining part of the bonus. Could they fork over $2million to Team A as part of the trade? Seems like it happens in soccer all the time, but I think that's more between leagues.

[packers11]

The NY Daily News reports Brett Favre has already submitted his retirement papers to the NFL, making his decision official.

Favre never filed the paperwork after retiring from the Packers last March, so it appears he's dead serious this time. It also means Favre's $13M salary is off the books, bringing the Jets roughly $10M under the salary cap. Feb. 11 - 5:35 pm et

Source: New York Daily News

[vince]

Many Packer fans remain miffed at the disrespect Brett Favre showed our great franchise, the fans, and other innocents like Aaron Rodgers last offseason and even through the season. In the end, this all amounts to a messy divorce and hurt feelings and immature behavior run amok.

Nevertheless, this is clearly a time to make a sincere attempt to move on and past the mess that was. The man was indisputably one of the greatest football players of all time and we had the pleasure of enjoying that play for all those years.

I'd say he's done for good this time. He has convinced himself that he can't play like he wants to, and that is the mental key to him moving on for good.

Here's a nice article about Favre from Matt Bowen, former Packer and National Football Post writer.

http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/2009/02/remembering-brett/


Remembering Brett
Everyone knew this day was coming. You could see it in his eyes during the final weeks of this past season and in the tired arm on a trip to Seattle. It was time to go, but that doesn’t mean Brett Favre won’t be missed.

It’s no secret to National Football Post readers that I’m a loyal Favre supporter — almost to a fault — but I have my own reasons. I grew up, and still live, in Chicago, and I can tell you that Brett is as big a name in the sports culture of this town as Walter, Michael and Ditka. I grew up cheering against him but always found myself rooting for him — just as the fans around me did in the cold seats of Solider Field.


Now, I can’t say that Favre and I are close. I was just a teammate — one of hundreds he played with during his career — for two quick seasons in Green Bay. I don’t have his cell phone number or even his e-mail address. I was just another player, a co-worker — a guy who wanted to be a part of something big, like Favre did. When I walked into the locker room for the first time at Lambeau, I was a 24 year-old kid — and I was star struck. Forget the fact I would soon be wearing a helmet that equaled the tradition of a Yankees’ ball cap, or the fact I would walk down the same concrete steps at the old Lambeau Field that Paul Horning did.

I was playing football with Brett Favre.

Let me say that again — I was playing football with Brett Favre — because it still sounds cool as a 32-year-old father of two. You want to talk about every kid’s dream growing up in my era? That was it, and I was living it — and I still do. Any place I go, when NFL football is brought up, it’s never about my career — it’s about Brett. At suburban cocktail parties holding a Bud Heavy, squeezed into a corner by strangers who want to know what he was like. At holidays, when family members at the table want to hear a story or two. At graduate school, when professors and fellow students want to hear me talk about Favre. At my son’s pre-school, when parents want to ask a question — it always comes down to Brett.

I was in awe watching him work on the field during those two seasons. I remember the Monday night game in Champaign on the University of Illinois campus against the Bears (still my favorite game). I can still see him unloading that ball to Donald Driver in the game’s opening minutes. I was a fan of my own teammate. Does that sound strange? It might, but we were all fans on the sideline when Favre and the offense were on the field. I never sat down because I never wanted to miss one of those magical moments, and they happened quite often in those days. Teammates would stare with wide eyes and open mouths as Brett uncorked 80-yard TD passes or made plays out of thin air.


During the 2006 season in Buffalo, I spoke briefly to Brett as we walked down the tunnel hours before our game against the Packers. By briefly, I mean a handshake and a few words — nothing much. But it is still one of my favorite moments in the National Football League, and it has nothing to do with what I did as a player on the field. It wasn’t about the game, schemes or wins and loses — it was about respect.

And now, it’s all gone. Sure, the breakup that happened in northern Wisconsin last year wasn’t pretty, but neither was yours with your girlfriend in high school. Every player who has either played with or lined up against Favre respected the man as a player. Nothing, and I mean nothing, had to do with the man as a person. Yes, he had his faults, but then again, we all do in some aspect of our lives — hidden away in some dark closet.

The guy could play and play well. He brought entertainment to our living rooms for 17 years, folks, and brought little-known teammates like me along for part of the ride. Give him the respect he deserves today and let him walk away from the game.

Man, he was fun to watch. And as a fan of this game, I will miss it — greatly.

[Gunakor]

Brett has had an incredible career. He won a ring, played in 4 championship games, and has racked up more wins as a starter than anyone in NFL history. He will be immortalized in Canton, and deservedly so. All the best to him in his future endeavors.

That said, I'm glad this is over.

[Harlan Huckleby]

That said, I'm glad this is over.

It ain't over till its over.

I wonder how his arm will feel this summer.

[Patler]

Here's a nice article about Favre from Matt Bowen, former Packer and National Football Post writer.

http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/2009/02/remembering-brett/


Remembering Brett
...
When I walked into the locker room for the first time at Lambeau, I was a 24 year-old kid — and I was star struck. Forget the fact I would soon be wearing a helmet that equaled the tradition of a Yankees’ ball cap, or the fact I would walk down the same concrete steps at the old Lambeau Field that Paul Horning did.

I was playing football with Brett Favre.

Let me say that again — I was playing football with Brett Favre — because it still sounds cool as a 32-year-old father of two. You want to talk about every kid’s dream growing up in my era? That was it, and I was living it — and I still do.


Bowen hits the key factor in all this. It was the dream of kids from his era. Favre is the hero of his era.

Over the years I have heard similar comments from young athletes in many sports who have the thrill of playing with a player they idolized as a youth. The 18-20 year old who had the privilege of stepping on the ice with Wayne Gretsky in LA or even later. Just 8 or 10 years earlier they dreamed of such a day. For Bowen, it was Brett Favre; and for him Favre will always be the greatest. A generation earlier in football it was Johnny Unitas. Kids grew up pretending to be "Johnny U." in their back yards. For them, as adults, Favre did not replace Unitas.

For Bowen it will always be Favre. For his kids it will be some one else, and 20 years from now he may have to defend the reputation of Favre against the new darling of a new era.

We have all experienced it.

[MOBB DEEP]

I wish him the best.

As do I. I wish he could have played for us forever.



QFT...

watchn his highlights today darn near brought me to tears

G.O.A.T

[MOBB DEEP]

So.....


What if Rodgers goes down for the year in week 7 and were 5-2???


(Que Jeopardy music)

Call up Brett.


I say Brett stays in shape till Halloween or so.

Stays in shape? To stay in shape you have to be in shape. Maybe you missed that gut he had all season long.

NOT TRUE! no gut...

[Joemailman]

Packers Statement.

It's cool, we're not making any money off the words herein:

Congratulations to Brett on a remarkable career. The Packers organization wishes him and his family well. Brett always will hold a special place in Green Bay Packers history, and we remain committed to retiring his number at an appropriate time in the future.

It won't happen as long as TT is around.

BLF has it out for that boy.

Favre addressed the issue today. http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/39462722.html

I would be disappointed if Favre lets any feelings with Thompson affect his decision. Retiring his number doesn't have anything to do with Ted Thompson. Most of Favre's accomplishments occurred before Ted Thompson arrived here. I understand Favre may resent what Thompson did, but he has the chance to take the high road here. I hope he takes it.

[Old School]

After what Favre put the organization through in general, and Aaron in particular,the only way I want to see him back in Wisconsin is wearing a Viking uniform and our D burying his sorry butt in his own endzone. Then instead of his number up in the stadium, they can paint him over and leave him lay.

I would be very disappointed if the Packers retired his jersey. After all we learned about how he had special treatment over the years. I have zero respect for anyone who puts himself above the team. I say this as a Cub fan who survived the Sam Me Sosa era. They say all the right things in front of the camera, but it's not who they really are. And their team mates suffer in silence.

[Harlan Huckleby]

instead of his number up in the stadium, they can paint him over and leave him lay.

:lol:

I picture Favre buried up to his neck in an ant hill, his flesh slowly being eaten away.

He did start for the Packers for 15 years, and almost single-handly restore the franchise from years of futility. I think whatever he did in 2008 ought to be forgiven.

[Old School]

I forgive him Harlan. I just don't want to be reminded of what he did last year. He tried his best to stick it to the Packers because couldn't accept not being able to dictate to management after all Green Bay did for him.

Sosa did a lot for the Cubs too. He undid it all when he turned his back on the team. They're all alike.

[PaCkFan_n_MD]

Saw espn say jets get our 7th round pick this year.

[packers11]

Saw espn say jets get our 7th round pick this year.

We get their 3rd round pick this year...

They get our 7th round pick in 2010...

[Lurker64]

Saw espn say jets get our 7th round pick this year.

Considering Thompson's habit of trading down, I think we still may manage to pick in the 7th in 2010 when the Jets get that pick.

Then again, Thompson did trade away one of our 7ths last draft to get a 6th in this draft, and the only 7th rounder of the Thompson era to stick around is Wynn... so it may not be a huge loss.

[Fosco33]

I miss that hillbilly already - wonder if he'll disappear (a la Joe Montana) or be on TV weekly (Aikman, Marino, others)?

Glad I can say I saw his last Packer game in person - regardless of the outcome.

[mission]

I'm just registering my presence in this thread.

Who knows, he might retire and this will be the big one. I can sell ad space to JSO or something.

Other than that, I hope we mend things with him from an organizational standpoint. And contrary to popular belief (or not), that's gonna have much more to do with Brett's attitude than anyone else's (TT for example).

[Gunakor]

I'm just registering my presence in this thread.

Who knows, he might retire and this will be the big one. I can sell ad space to JSO or something.

Other than that, I hope we mend things with him from an organizational standpoint. And contrary to popular belief (or not), that's gonna have much more to do with Brett's attitude than anyone else's (TT for example).

I want to think it's 50/50, but comments from Favre like how Ted was trying to take his team away from him cause me to believe that it just might have a bit more to do with Favre than Thompson. It smacks of ego and a sense of entitlement on Favre's part, and until he gets over the fact that the Packers are not nor ever were HIS team I'm not sure bridges can be rebuilt.

Favre was a great quarterback, and will be remembered as such no matter what happens. He took this team to heights unrealized in 25 years prior to his arrival in Green Bay. He helped to restore respect to a franchise that had turned into the Siberia of the NFL. But he did all of that as a quarterback, just one of 53 players who comprised the team. The team as a whole was not his, and due to recent comments I'm not sure he's come to that realization yet. I think that is part of the reason why he still sounds bitter about the whole ordeal, and I think he'll remain bitter about it until that thought subsides. Then, and only then, will he come back and embrace the franchise that helped make him a HOF quarterback.

That's what I think anyway.

[cpk1994]

I'm just registering my presence in this thread.

Who knows, he might retire and this will be the big one. I can sell ad space to JSO or something.

Other than that, I hope we mend things with him from an organizational standpoint. And contrary to popular belief (or not), that's gonna have much more to do with Brett's attitude than anyone else's (TT for example).Exactly. TT doesn't have a problerm with Brett. He made a decision and stuck to it. He may have made some tactical errors, but the bitterness only comes from one end.

[Fritz]

I'm posting - in quotes - a few lines from the JSO article (this is my attribution):

"He didn't flatly deny that his agent inquired whether the Jets might release him, but he said that was something he had no intention of doing.

'It doesn't matter one way or the other,' Favre said of his release. 'It all comes down to physically how I feel and I don't feel like . . . Again, that could all change with arthroscopic surgery or whatever. But I'm not willing to do that and I'm not willing to take that chance. That more than anything is why I'm retiring. We didn't ask for our release.'"

My point is not to stir the old pot, but to suggest that until the '09 season begins and there are no murmurs bubbling up from Hattiesburg about Favre getting restless, it really won't be possible for any fence-mending to begin.

Too much just-under-the-surface anger, too much skepticism of Favre's retirement at the moment.

But I believe that reconciliation will happen in the long run, and that that is a good thing.

[Pugger]

I too think there is only bitterness and that is with Brett. It will have to be Brett who lets by gones be by gones before he comes back to Lambeau for that # retirement ceremony originally planned for last September. Then and only then will the divide among Packer Nation (we fans) over this mess be reconciled.

If Brett has sent in his retirement papers to the NFL offices then he is done. Frankly, I'm relieved. There has been enough drama with this situation to last us a lifetime. :roll:

[Harlan Huckleby]

I too think there is only bitterness and that is with Brett. It will have to be Brett who lets by gones be by gones before he comes back to Lambeau for that # retirement ceremony originally planned for last September. Then and only then will the divide among Packer Nation (we fans) over this mess be reconciled.

Ya, I was listening to Favre's press conference yesteday. Somebody asked him, "Will you wait until Ted Thompson is gone before returning to Lambeau to have your number retired."

Long Pause. An ambiguous answer.

I'm surprised. I thought Favre had come to his sense by now.

I think Favre was 100% in the wrong in that saga. When you retire, you don't have a right to demand a return to your old status 6 months later. I have no problem forgiving him, but if he is permantly childish, then the hell with him.

[cpk1994]

I too think there is only bitterness and that is with Brett. It will have to be Brett who lets by gones be by gones before he comes back to Lambeau for that # retirement ceremony originally planned for last September. Then and only then will the divide among Packer Nation (we fans) over this mess be reconciled.

If Brett has sent in his retirement papers to the NFL offices then he is done. Frankly, I'm relieved. There has been enough drama with this situation to last us a lifetime. :roll:The papers mean nothing other than kick starting his retirement benefits. He can still comeback if he wants. That said, Roger Goodell may not be as quick to sign off on reinstatement if Brett pulls the same stunts.

[KYPack]

I too think there is only bitterness and that is with Brett. It will have to be Brett who lets by gones be by gones before he comes back to Lambeau for that # retirement ceremony originally planned for last September. Then and only then will the divide among Packer Nation (we fans) over this mess be reconciled.

Ya, I was listening to Favre's press conference yesteday. Somebody asked him, "Will you wait until Ted Thompson is gone before returning to Lambeau to have your number retired."

Long Pause. An ambiguous answer.

I'm surprised. I thought Favre had come to his sense by now.

I think Favre was 100% in the wrong in that saga. When you retire, you don't have a right to demand a return to your old status 6 months later. I have no problem forgiving him, but if he is permantly childish, then the hell with him.

There's some real bad blood there, HH.

Not just Brett, the whole Favre clan has a serious stiffy for Thompson.

"Country Folk will survive" and all that shit.

I honestly think Brett won't come up there until TT is out of the picture.

That, or Murphy would have to put together a deal where TT is so low profile, he was invisible. For a "retire the number" ceremony or whatever.

That whole Mississippi bunch is headstrong and stubborn. Including Deanna.

[Harlan Huckleby]

That whole Mississippi bunch is headstrong and stubborn. Including Deanna.

Wow. Well, its not a battle they are going to win in WI, if they care about public opinion.

Geez, he got a trade to a team that played better than the Packers this year. That talk of "Just let him play" was a false accusation. Favre sounded happy to play for the Jets, and he made the best of it.

I have not heard a SINGLE issue from the Favre clan that implicates TT in any sort of dirty dealing. If he made false comments to the public, name them specificially. There are only vague suggestions. If TT did something unethical, why the secrecy?

[bbbffl66]

I'm just registering my presence in this thread.

Who knows, he might retire and this will be the big one. I can sell ad space to JSO or something.

Other than that, I hope we mend things with him from an organizational standpoint. And contrary to popular belief (or not), that's gonna have much more to do with Brett's attitude than anyone else's (TT for example).

I want to think it's 50/50, but comments from Favre like how Ted was trying to take his team away from him cause me to believe that it just might have a bit more to do with Favre than Thompson. It smacks of ego and a sense of entitlement on Favre's part, and until he gets over the fact that the Packers are not nor ever were HIS team I'm not sure bridges can be rebuilt.

Favre was a great quarterback, and will be remembered as such no matter what happens. He took this team to heights unrealized in 25 years prior to his arrival in Green Bay. He helped to restore respect to a franchise that had turned into the Siberia of the NFL. But he did all of that as a quarterback, just one of 53 players who comprised the team. The team as a whole was not his, and due to recent comments I'm not sure he's come to that realization yet. I think that is part of the reason why he still sounds bitter about the whole ordeal, and I think he'll remain bitter about it until that thought subsides. Then, and only then, will he come back and embrace the franchise that helped make him a HOF quarterback.

That's what I think anyway.

I would hope the ARod feels this is HIS team too! Great leaders take ownership. If Brett didn't feel that it was his team, he would never have had sucsess. The truly great ones all have huge egos. It's part of what makes them great. I loved ARod's talk of "getting on board now" last summer. Arrogent? Sure. But that is what a leader should do! And that's what Brett's attitude was. "I'm the best, and this is MY team".

[KYPack]

That whole Mississippi bunch is headstrong and stubborn. Including Deanna.

Wow. Well, its not a battle they are going to win in WI, if they care about public opinion.

Geez, he got a trade to a team that played better than the Packers this year. That talk of "Just let him play" was a false accusation. Favre sounded happy to play for the Jets, and he made the best of it.

I have not heard a SINGLE issue from the Favre clan that implicates TT in any sort of dirty dealing. If he made false comments to the public, name them specificially. There are only vague suggestions. If TT did something unethical, why the secrecy?

HH, I ain't kidding around. They've said some stuff publically, but the whole Favre clan hates TT's guts. I kid thee not.

Here's an article from PG in the summer....

Quote on

Mike Vandermause
Source: Green Bay Press-Gazette

July 5, 2008

Brett Favre’s desire to return to the NFL has produced a new round of criticism directed at Green Bay Packers General Manager Ted Thompson.

The latest heat is coming from Favre family members and friends, who are suggesting the quarterback’s retirement in March was not only welcomed, but encouraged.

“He has felt like that for the last couple of years, that the Packers didn’t really want him back,” his mother, Bonita Favre, told Milwaukee TV station WITI after it was reported Wednesday that Favre was getting the itch to play again. “But nothing has been said. You know it has just been bits and pieces throughout the last couple of years, things that would come up, and it just didn’t seem like they went out of their way to keep him. It was kind of like, ‘You’re done.’”

Biloxi Sun Herald reporter Al Jones, a self-described friend of Favre’s, added fuel to the fire in an interview on Milwaukee’s WTMJ radio when he said Favre was forced into retirement by Thompson.

“It all comes down to Ted Thompson,” Jones said. “The main thing is the man has shown no respect to perhaps the greatest quarterback in their franchise history. Brett’s a little disappointed. He feels like he can still play. He knows he can still play.”

Jones added that Favre has been working out, throwing passes every morning and doesn’t want to play for any team other than the Packers.

“When it’s all said and done, Ted Thompson is the man to blame on all this,” Jones said.

Thompson has been unavailable for comment since the latest Favre news broke. But in an interview before he left on vacation, I asked Thompson to respond to the perception the Packers organization didn’t do enough to talk Favre out of retiring.

“I never understood that, quite frankly,” Thompson said. “We went about this offseason the way we have the last several, making sure Brett knew that Mike (McCarthy) and I both felt he’s still a good player, can still play the game, can still win and that our team was going to be in a position to win. I think that’s what a veteran looks for: Do we have a chance to win? And can I still play?

“Other than that, it’s not my place to try to convince someone that they’re making a bad decision or a good decision. It’s my place to say, these are the facts as I see them, now it’s up to you and Deanna to make your choice.”

That suggests Thompson would have welcomed Favre back. Thus, it’s puzzling that Bonita Favre and Jones are so critical of the Packers’ general manager.

Quote off

Jones is a local Miss. reporter and buddy buddy with all the Favre's.

I have a "small in" with locals who are active in the Breast Cancer Charities. Deanna, Bonita, and Scott are privately livid about TT and the Packers treatment of BF.

Like I said, there's big time bad blood there.

[Fritz]

I too think there is only bitterness and that is with Brett. It will have to be Brett who lets by gones be by gones before he comes back to Lambeau for that # retirement ceremony originally planned for last September. Then and only then will the divide among Packer Nation (we fans) over this mess be reconciled.

If Brett has sent in his retirement papers to the NFL offices then he is done. Frankly, I'm relieved. There has been enough drama with this situation to last us a lifetime. :roll:The papers mean nothing other than kick starting his retirement benefits. He can still comeback if he wants. That said, Roger Goodell may not be as quick to sign off on reinstatement if Brett pulls the same stunts.

I disagree here. Goodell is in the business of promoting the NFL's interests, and it'd be in the NFL's interests to have yet another Favre storyline going. Plus, I can't imagine Goodell would want to be compared to ol' TT by the Favre clan....I think Goody would sign off on any reinstatement Favre might request.

We'll see how it goes.

[mission]

That whole Mississippi bunch is headstrong and stubborn. Including Deanna.

I've dated enough manipulative bitches to know one when I see one.

I'm not ... uh.. calling Deanna any names ... just sayin... :wink:

she puts *a lot* of shit in his head and speculation aside, I guarnatee that's true.

Brett just has to stop being a little kid and realize -- like everyone else in the league -- that business happens. Ignorant seems like such a good word in this case. </brokenrecord>

[sheepshead]

I'm just registering my presence in this thread.

Who knows, he might retire and this will be the big one. I can sell ad space to JSO or something.

Other than that, I hope we mend things with him from an organizational standpoint. And contrary to popular belief (or not), that's gonna have much more to do with Brett's attitude than anyone else's (TT for example).

I want to think it's 50/50, but comments from Favre like how Ted was trying to take his team away from him cause me to believe that it just might have a bit more to do with Favre than Thompson. It smacks of ego and a sense of entitlement on Favre's part, and until he gets over the fact that the Packers are not nor ever were HIS team I'm not sure bridges can be rebuilt.

Favre was a great quarterback, and will be remembered as such no matter what happens. He took this team to heights unrealized in 25 years prior to his arrival in Green Bay. He helped to restore respect to a franchise that had turned into the Siberia of the NFL. But he did all of that as a quarterback, just one of 53 players who comprised the team. The team as a whole was not his, and due to recent comments I'm not sure he's come to that realization yet. I think that is part of the reason why he still sounds bitter about the whole ordeal, and I think he'll remain bitter about it until that thought subsides. Then, and only then, will he come back and embrace the franchise that helped make him a HOF quarterback.

That's what I think anyway.

I would hope the ARod feels this is HIS team too! Great leaders take ownership. If Brett didn't feel that it was his team, he would never have had sucsess. The truly great ones all have huge egos. It's part of what makes them great. I loved ARod's talk of "getting on board now" last summer. Arrogent? Sure. But that is what a leader should do! And that's what Brett's attitude was. "I'm the best, and this is MY team".

That "his" team, "my team" ----like Kobe and Shak. It's a bunch of crap and if I was coach, theres no way any of my players would be allowed to utter such bullsh1t. The first I heard this crap from was the Lakers and I cant stand Phil Jackson. Sorry, Arod is one of at least 22 guys (more with special teams) - I hope I never hear that crap out of his mouth.


I'll add, I dont think ARod is this much of a punk. The way he has handled himself thus far, I dont see him conducting himself this way.

[mission]

I'm just registering my presence in this thread.

Who knows, he might retire and this will be the big one. I can sell ad space to JSO or something.

Other than that, I hope we mend things with him from an organizational standpoint. And contrary to popular belief (or not), that's gonna have much more to do with Brett's attitude than anyone else's (TT for example).

I want to think it's 50/50, but comments from Favre like how Ted was trying to take his team away from him cause me to believe that it just might have a bit more to do with Favre than Thompson. It smacks of ego and a sense of entitlement on Favre's part, and until he gets over the fact that the Packers are not nor ever were HIS team I'm not sure bridges can be rebuilt.

Favre was a great quarterback, and will be remembered as such no matter what happens. He took this team to heights unrealized in 25 years prior to his arrival in Green Bay. He helped to restore respect to a franchise that had turned into the Siberia of the NFL. But he did all of that as a quarterback, just one of 53 players who comprised the team. The team as a whole was not his, and due to recent comments I'm not sure he's come to that realization yet. I think that is part of the reason why he still sounds bitter about the whole ordeal, and I think he'll remain bitter about it until that thought subsides. Then, and only then, will he come back and embrace the franchise that helped make him a HOF quarterback.

That's what I think anyway.

I would hope the ARod feels this is HIS team too! Great leaders take ownership. If Brett didn't feel that it was his team, he would never have had sucsess. The truly great ones all have huge egos. It's part of what makes them great. I loved ARod's talk of "getting on board now" last summer. Arrogent? Sure. But that is what a leader should do! And that's what Brett's attitude was. "I'm the best, and this is MY team".

That "his" team, my team like Kobe and SHak. It's a bunch of crap and if I was coach, theres no way any of my players would be allowed to utter such bullsh1t. The first I heard this crap from was the Lakers and I cant stand Phil Jackson. Sorry, Arod is one of at least 22 guys (more with special teams) - I hope I never hear that crap out of his mouth.

I think sometimes this is kind of taken out of context.

I QB'd for a state power that passed 12-20 times a game and had a 2500+ yard 40 tds rusher with a ridiculously dominant defense. I was hardly the reason for winning and my coach used to tare into me sometimes just to make an example.

But behind closed doors, there are a lot of talks from the coach to the "leader" of the team about how it's his/my team and their attitude towards growth and discipline will reflect (mine). I was hardly the best conditioned guy on my team but I HAD to finish in the top 4 during sidelines (50 yards x 4 down backs) or I got reamed.

"It's your team Tony, lets go!" before headin out the locker room or something... or I'd get blamed for one of my guys fucking up cuz maybe there was something I maybe could have done to prevent it. Gotta be accountable.

Sometimes this private conversation/pact between coach/QB slips outside of that realm but he's continuously brainwashed that it's "his" team and taught to translate not just on the field but in everything you do around your teammates.

I dont think Brett looked at it like that though. I think he looked at it like "I AM the Green Bay Packers". I MAKE this team.

And that's the difference.

[cpk1994]

I too think there is only bitterness and that is with Brett. It will have to be Brett who lets by gones be by gones before he comes back to Lambeau for that # retirement ceremony originally planned for last September. Then and only then will the divide among Packer Nation (we fans) over this mess be reconciled.

If Brett has sent in his retirement papers to the NFL offices then he is done. Frankly, I'm relieved. There has been enough drama with this situation to last us a lifetime. :roll:The papers mean nothing other than kick starting his retirement benefits. He can still comeback if he wants. That said, Roger Goodell may not be as quick to sign off on reinstatement if Brett pulls the same stunts.

I disagree here. Goodell is in the business of promoting the NFL's interests, and it'd be in the NFL's interests to have yet another Favre storyline going. Plus, I can't imagine Goodell would want to be compared to ol' TT by the Favre clan....I think Goody would sign off on any reinstatement Favre might request.

We'll see how it goes.But Goodell cannot let players overrun him. If he continues to let Favre like antics continue, more players will do it. At some point he needs to hold his ground and say, "If you aren't going to act in a responsible and professional manner, I'm not going to reinstate you, no matter who you are." Also if the NFl needs Favre to play one more year, then they have deeper issues they need to address.

[Pugger]

If Brett tries to get back in the game again this summer most of the country will think he is a fool. :roll: Brett can't keep crying wolf here. He'll be a laughing stock for sure. I love what Jay Leno said last night: "Brett Favre retires more often than Cher"!!!! :lol: :lol: :lol:

[Tyrone Bigguns]

So.....


What if Rodgers goes down for the year in week 7 and were 5-2???


(Que Jeopardy music)

Call up Brett.


I say Brett stays in shape till Halloween or so.

Stays in shape? To stay in shape you have to be in shape. Maybe you missed that gut he had all season long.

NOT TRUE! no gut...

I guess he was hiding a box of krispy kremes under his jersey for his linemen. My bad.

[Fritz]

I too think there is only bitterness and that is with Brett. It will have to be Brett who lets by gones be by gones before he comes back to Lambeau for that # retirement ceremony originally planned for last September. Then and only then will the divide among Packer Nation (we fans) over this mess be reconciled.

If Brett has sent in his retirement papers to the NFL offices then he is done. Frankly, I'm relieved. There has been enough drama with this situation to last us a lifetime. :roll:The papers mean nothing other than kick starting his retirement benefits. He can still comeback if he wants. That said, Roger Goodell may not be as quick to sign off on reinstatement if Brett pulls the same stunts.

I disagree here. Goodell is in the business of promoting the NFL's interests, and it'd be in the NFL's interests to have yet another Favre storyline going. Plus, I can't imagine Goodell would want to be compared to ol' TT by the Favre clan....I think Goody would sign off on any reinstatement Favre might request.

We'll see how it goes.But Goodell cannot let players overrun him. If he continues to let Favre like antics continue, more players will do it. At some point he needs to hold his ground and say, "If you aren't going to act in a responsible and professional manner, I'm not going to reinstate you, no matter who you are." Also if the NFl needs Favre to play one more year, then they have deeper issues they need to address.

I agree in principle, but I think Goodell has enough other stooges to make examples of. Favre still has some gloss left, and it'd make Goodell look needlessly bad. I feel pretty certain Goodell would reinstate him.

[Noodle]

I'm a little surprised that people are cracking on Favre for his attitude. Honestly, how would you be if you'd had an entire state, and millions around the country, in addition to the national media, telling you that you walked on water?

Think it might affect your thought process?

I'm one who thinks Favre was a top 10 QB all time, but not top 5, and I'm no apologist for the guy. But I think it's absurd for people to expect him to act like a "normal" guy when he's spent the last 15 years getting pubically fellated by ESPN, Madden, and everyone else.

And those saying he's a POS -- how the frigg do you know? To my knowledge, GBRulz is probably the only one on this board who has had more than a casual "hey Brett" encounter with the guy.

Let him take his time. He'll get his number retired here. But don't expect him to be some aw' shucks, I'm just glad I had a chance to play kind of dude when he has been worshipped as nothing less than a god for over a decade.

[Gunakor]

I'm just registering my presence in this thread.

Who knows, he might retire and this will be the big one. I can sell ad space to JSO or something.

Other than that, I hope we mend things with him from an organizational standpoint. And contrary to popular belief (or not), that's gonna have much more to do with Brett's attitude than anyone else's (TT for example).

I want to think it's 50/50, but comments from Favre like how Ted was trying to take his team away from him cause me to believe that it just might have a bit more to do with Favre than Thompson. It smacks of ego and a sense of entitlement on Favre's part, and until he gets over the fact that the Packers are not nor ever were HIS team I'm not sure bridges can be rebuilt.

Favre was a great quarterback, and will be remembered as such no matter what happens. He took this team to heights unrealized in 25 years prior to his arrival in Green Bay. He helped to restore respect to a franchise that had turned into the Siberia of the NFL. But he did all of that as a quarterback, just one of 53 players who comprised the team. The team as a whole was not his, and due to recent comments I'm not sure he's come to that realization yet. I think that is part of the reason why he still sounds bitter about the whole ordeal, and I think he'll remain bitter about it until that thought subsides. Then, and only then, will he come back and embrace the franchise that helped make him a HOF quarterback.

That's what I think anyway.

I would hope the ARod feels this is HIS team too! Great leaders take ownership. If Brett didn't feel that it was his team, he would never have had sucsess. The truly great ones all have huge egos. It's part of what makes them great. I loved ARod's talk of "getting on board now" last summer. Arrogent? Sure. But that is what a leader should do! And that's what Brett's attitude was. "I'm the best, and this is MY team".

That's not what I meant, and it's not what he meant. Favre was THE leader of this team ON THE FIELD. It was his team at practice, it was his team during the games. But during the offseason, during GM/Front Office time, it's not Favre's team. Favre insinuated that, because TT wouldn't make the personnel and coaching decisions he wanted, that TT was taking his team away from him. Favre has no reason to think it was his team in the sense that he could decide the roster, decide the coaching staff, etc. What Favre was talking about had little to do with what transpired on the football field, which is all Favre should have concerned himself with in the first place.

[Gunakor]

I think sometimes this is kind of taken out of context.

I QB'd for a state power that passed 12-20 times a game and had a 2500+ yard 40 tds rusher with a ridiculously dominant defense. I was hardly the reason for winning and my coach used to tare into me sometimes just to make an example.

But behind closed doors, there are a lot of talks from the coach to the "leader" of the team about how it's his/my team and their attitude towards growth and discipline will reflect (mine). I was hardly the best conditioned guy on my team but I HAD to finish in the top 4 during sidelines (50 yards x 4 down backs) or I got reamed.

"It's your team Tony, lets go!" before headin out the locker room or something... or I'd get blamed for one of my guys fucking up cuz maybe there was something I maybe could have done to prevent it. Gotta be accountable.

Sometimes this private conversation/pact between coach/QB slips outside of that realm but he's continuously brainwashed that it's "his" team and taught to translate not just on the field but in everything you do around your teammates.

I dont think Brett looked at it like that though. I think he looked at it like "I AM the Green Bay Packers". I MAKE this team.

And that's the difference.

His beef was with Randy Moss not coming to town - a roster decision that was not his to make. His beef was that Mooch wasn't hired as HC - a coaching decision that was not his to make.

When someone tells Favre on the way out of the tunnel "Let's go Brett, this is YOUR team, let's get this done, etc..." at that point it IS his team. ON THE FIELD. But not behind closed doors in the front office during the offseason. It most certainly isn't his team then.

[cpk1994]

I too think there is only bitterness and that is with Brett. It will have to be Brett who lets by gones be by gones before he comes back to Lambeau for that # retirement ceremony originally planned for last September. Then and only then will the divide among Packer Nation (we fans) over this mess be reconciled.

If Brett has sent in his retirement papers to the NFL offices then he is done. Frankly, I'm relieved. There has been enough drama with this situation to last us a lifetime. :roll:The papers mean nothing other than kick starting his retirement benefits. He can still comeback if he wants. That said, Roger Goodell may not be as quick to sign off on reinstatement if Brett pulls the same stunts.

I disagree here. Goodell is in the business of promoting the NFL's interests, and it'd be in the NFL's interests to have yet another Favre storyline going. Plus, I can't imagine Goodell would want to be compared to ol' TT by the Favre clan....I think Goody would sign off on any reinstatement Favre might request.

We'll see how it goes.But Goodell cannot let players overrun him. If he continues to let Favre like antics continue, more players will do it. At some point he needs to hold his ground and say, "If you aren't going to act in a responsible and professional manner, I'm not going to reinstate you, no matter who you are." Also if the NFl needs Favre to play one more year, then they have deeper issues they need to address.

I agree in principle, but I think Goodell has enough other stooges to make examples of. Favre still has some gloss left, and it'd make Goodell look needlessly bad. I feel pretty certain Goodell would reinstate him.I disagree that it would make Goodell look needlessly bad. If Favre pulls these atncis again, whatever support he had will be gone. Goodell would actually look bad reinstating him becuase he will be going against the majority opinion.

[Fritz]

I too think there is only bitterness and that is with Brett. It will have to be Brett who lets by gones be by gones before he comes back to Lambeau for that # retirement ceremony originally planned for last September. Then and only then will the divide among Packer Nation (we fans) over this mess be reconciled.

If Brett has sent in his retirement papers to the NFL offices then he is done. Frankly, I'm relieved. There has been enough drama with this situation to last us a lifetime. :roll:The papers mean nothing other than kick starting his retirement benefits. He can still comeback if he wants. That said, Roger Goodell may not be as quick to sign off on reinstatement if Brett pulls the same stunts.

I disagree here. Goodell is in the business of promoting the NFL's interests, and it'd be in the NFL's interests to have yet another Favre storyline going. Plus, I can't imagine Goodell would want to be compared to ol' TT by the Favre clan....I think Goody would sign off on any reinstatement Favre might request.

We'll see how it goes.But Goodell cannot let players overrun him. If he continues to let Favre like antics continue, more players will do it. At some point he needs to hold his ground and say, "If you aren't going to act in a responsible and professional manner, I'm not going to reinstate you, no matter who you are." Also if the NFl needs Favre to play one more year, then they have deeper issues they need to address.

I agree in principle, but I think Goodell has enough other stooges to make examples of. Favre still has some gloss left, and it'd make Goodell look needlessly bad. I feel pretty certain Goodell would reinstate him.I disagree that it would make Goodell look needlessly bad. If Favre pulls these atncis again, whatever support he had will be gone. Goodell would actually look bad reinstating him becuase he will be going against the majority opinion.

I dunno, CP. I think over the last five years or maybe more the NFL has become a story-based league, as opposed to a strictly sports league. Announceres spend half the damn game talking stupid B>S. instead of analyzing the game. And I think the Favre story is a compelling one, if he should decide to unretire. Everyone will watch every move. There are so many story lines - will the Jets release him if he wants to unretire, or will they cut half their team to accommodate his salary? If he's released, will he sign up for the hated Purple team in order to eff over Ted Thompson? And how will he play if he does? Me, I'd watch, the same way I can't help but look when I drive by a car wreck...

[Harlan Huckleby]

"I think this was a very personal sense of animosity he felt toward one person in the Green Bay organization, and that was Green Bay GM Ted Thompson," Werder said.

"His first move when he took over the management of the franchise was not to get Brett Favre more help on offense, but to draft his successor, Aaron Rodgers, with the very first pick. I don't think Brett really ever forgave him for that."

[KYPack]

"I think this was a very personal sense of animosity he felt toward one person in the Green Bay organization, and that was Green Bay GM Ted Thompson," Werder said.

"His first move when he took over the management of the franchise was not to get Brett Favre more help on offense, but to draft his successor, Aaron Rodgers, with the very first pick. I don't think Brett really ever forgave him for that."

That's the deal, HH

Favre is super-pissed at TT and has made this whole deal real personal.

Quote on

"Mortensen said the bad feelings Favre has for Thompson will take some time to heal.

"I think it will take three to five years for this relationship to be repaired," Mortensen told ESPNews.

In the telephone press conference held late Wednesday afternoon, Favre said he had not given thought to when he will feel good enough about his relationship with the Packers' front office to participate in a jersey retirement ceremony.

"I don't have an answer for that," Favre said. "It may be five years. It may be, you know, the first game (of 2009). I don't know."

Favre was asked if his retirement ceremony would have to wait until after Thompson left the organization.

"I don't know," Favre said.

Quote off.

Like I said before, there's a lot of real bad blood and it will take a lot of time to heal the thing up. Brett loves GB, loves the fans and his friends up there, but Thompson? There's some serious hate goin' on there.

[Harlan Huckleby]

Man, I've had FAR bigger assholes than Ted Thompson for bosses, and I don't hate them anymore. I laugh with them when I run into them.

TT is at worst cold and business-like. Could Favre REALLY be mad over the drafting of ARod? That reporter interviewed Favre extensively, it's a hell of a statement to make if its not true.

I hope time heals this wound.

[mraynrand]

Could Favre REALLY be mad over the drafting of ARod? .

Exactly. Boo fucking Hoo. Favre was on the verge of retiring for years running and you have to bring along the next guy. Plus, a guy who was originally slated for a top 5-10 pick slipped way down into your lap. Thompson looks like a genius now for that pick. I think Mission has Favre pegged exactly. Favre jumped the shark from being the leader of the team to being the purpose for the team. But he didn't do it on his own - he had TONS of help from the media. Think back to all those sickening MNF games where all they talk about is Favre - pregame, game, postgame, favre Favre, FAVRE!!! If I were a fan of the other team, I'd be puking my guts out. NAUSEATING!

[KYPack]

That whole Mississippi bunch is headstrong and stubborn. Including Deanna.

I've dated enough manipulative bitches to know one when I see one.

I'm not ... uh.. calling Deanna any names ... just sayin... :wink:

she puts *a lot* of shit in his head and speculation aside, I guarnatee that's true.

Brett just has to stop being a little kid and realize -- like everyone else in the league -- that business happens. Ignorant seems like such a good word in this case. </brokenrecord>

I know what you mean, Mission.

Deanna isn't the "iron maiden" in this whole deal. She's more like the mama bear protecting her cubs. That's her role and Bonita is very similar. Scott probably does as much "stirring up" as anybody in the world. Him and Brett kind of feed off each other and the whole tribe gets into a feeding frenzy. Scott and Brett were livid about TT drafting ARod and some of the other issues. Scott gets just as pissed as Brett and is pretty vocal about his problems with things.

I've heard a ton of this talk for a long time and I kind of felt it must not be as bad as I heard bc very little of it made the main stream media.

Now it's starting, but I think it will dissipate because it makes Brett looks bad in the long run.

There are big time issues with the Favre clan and TT.

That pic somebody ran of Deanna, TT, and MM at Brett's first retirement presser kind of told it all.
TT was freaked.
MM bored and distant, dicking with his cell phone.
Deanna? 199% pissed.

[cpk1994]

"I think this was a very personal sense of animosity he felt toward one person in the Green Bay organization, and that was Green Bay GM Ted Thompson," Werder said.

"His first move when he took over the management of the franchise was not to get Brett Favre more help on offense, but to draft his successor, Aaron Rodgers, with the very first pick. I don't think Brett really ever forgave him for that."This is BS journalism at its finest by Werder. He writes that like TT intnded to draft a QB in the first round all along, seemingly ignoring the fact ARod fell to him. No journalistic ingtergrity there. I can see why ESPN hired this idiot.

[Iron Mike]

ESPN poll this morning stated that 27% of those polled believe Ole #4 will come back next year.

[KYPack]

ESPN poll this morning stated that 27% of those polled believe Ole #4 will come back next year.

If he does....

Vikes
Bears
or Lions.

All 3 could use him and he gets to stick it to TT.

[Iron Mike]

ESPN poll this morning stated that 27% of those polled believe Ole #4 will come back next year.

If he does....

Vikes
Bears
or Lions.

All 3 could use him and he gets to stick it to TT.

He probably SHOULD go the Da Bears.....he already owns all of the passing records in Soldier Field. :P

[PaCkFan_n_MD]

ESPN poll this morning stated that 27% of those polled believe Ole #4 will come back next year.

If he does....

Vikes
Bears
or Lions.

All 3 could use him and he gets to stick it to TT.

He probably SHOULD go the Da Bears.....he already owns all of the passing records in Soldier Field. :P

Should of saved that for when one of those bears fans comes over here talking shit. :)

[Bossman641]

"I think this was a very personal sense of animosity he felt toward one person in the Green Bay organization, and that was Green Bay GM Ted Thompson," Werder said.

"His first move when he took over the management of the franchise was not to get Brett Favre more help on offense, but to draft his successor, Aaron Rodgers, with the very first pick. I don't think Brett really ever forgave him for that."

How is it that Favre has the fragile psyche equal to that of a 15 year old girl who thinks she is overweight and won't get a date to homecoming??

Good god man, grow up already. Who woulda known Favre has to be treated with kid gloves??

[Lurker64]

"His first move when he took over the management of the franchise was not to get Brett Favre more help on offense, but to draft his successor, Aaron Rodgers, with the very first pick. I don't think Brett really ever forgave him for that."

No, his first move when he took over the management of the franchise was to get under the cap by getting rid of Wahle, Rivera, Sharper, and Diggs. Free Agency and roster moves like this generally take place before the draft.

Jeez.

[Bossman641]

"His first move when he took over the management of the franchise was not to get Brett Favre more help on offense, but to draft his successor, Aaron Rodgers, with the very first pick. I don't think Brett really ever forgave him for that."

No, his first move when he took over the management of the franchise was to get under the cap by getting rid of Wahle, Rivera, Shaper, and Diggs. Free Agency and roster moves like this generally take place before the draft.

Jeez.

I guess his first move should have been to bow down and kiss Brett's left nut.

[MadtownPacker]

I took out the JSO link on all the FUCKING POST because it is Werder's words not JSO content so the next MFer that quotes anything JSO, well you know whats up.

[cpk1994]

"His first move when he took over the management of the franchise was not to get Brett Favre more help on offense, but to draft his successor, Aaron Rodgers, with the very first pick. I don't think Brett really ever forgave him for that."

No, his first move when he took over the management of the franchise was to get under the cap by getting rid of Wahle, Rivera, Shaper, and Diggs. Free Agency and roster moves like this generally take place before the draft.

Jeez.Absolutely. But ESPN would never say that becuase that doesn't make Favre look like he was oppressed by big bad TT.

[Harlan Huckleby]

I took out the JSO link on all the FUCKING POST because it is Werder's words not JSO content so the next MFer that quotes anything JSO, well you know whats up.

I thought JSO wanted links to their site, that's why I put the link in.

BTW, it is ALWAYS legal to quote short passages from copyrighted works, and then cite the source. This is principle of "fair use." Otherwise we would live in a bottled-up, anal society, couldn't even discuss a passage from a book in a book review, for instance. Or quote some lines from a song.

I'm not arguing with you. Just not up on the state of this silly situation with JSO.

[mission]

That whole Mississippi bunch is headstrong and stubborn. Including Deanna.

I've dated enough manipulative bitches to know one when I see one.

I'm not ... uh.. calling Deanna any names ... just sayin... :wink:

she puts *a lot* of shit in his head and speculation aside, I guarnatee that's true.

Brett just has to stop being a little kid and realize -- like everyone else in the league -- that business happens. Ignorant seems like such a good word in this case. </brokenrecord>

I know what you mean, Mission.

Deanna isn't the "iron maiden" in this whole deal. She's more like the mama bear protecting her cubs. That's her role and Bonita is very similar. Scott probably does as much "stirring up" as anybody in the world. Him and Brett kind of feed off each other and the whole tribe gets into a feeding frenzy. Scott and Brett were livid about TT drafting ARod and some of the other issues. Scott gets just as pissed as Brett and is pretty vocal about his problems with things.

I've heard a ton of this talk for a long time and I kind of felt it must not be as bad as I heard bc very little of it made the main stream media.

Now it's starting, but I think it will dissipate because it makes Brett looks bad in the long run.

There are big time issues with the Favre clan and TT.

That pic somebody ran of Deanna, TT, and MM at Brett's first retirement presser kind of told it all.
TT was freaked.
MM bored and distant, dicking with his cell phone.
Deanna? 199% pissed.

Yeah that picture is the 70% the reason for me having that (very unfounded) opinion.

Who is Scott in this case? I kept reading it as "Scott Boras" for whatever reason, but that's not his agent is it? Just had a post-lunch smoke so I cant seem to think of the rebel-rouser's name. Sum'n Bus?

[Fritz]

That'd be Brett's brother, I beleve. And if they really were pissed at TT for drafting Rodgers, who was clearly the BPA at that point (for a team that had no long term plan for post-Favre), then that doesn't say much for them.

By the 2004 season Favre was already making noises about retiring. So, if it was okay for him to plan for his retirment but not for the Pack, well, that isn't saying much for him and his family.

[Patler]

To put the drafting of Rodgers in context:

Sherman was looking for a replacement for two years, 2003 and 2004. In 2003 he brought Wolf in as a consultant to evaluate the QBs in the draft class. They openly talked to the press about the need to bring in an eventual replacement for Favre. From one article about why Sherman brought Wolf in before the draft:

Sherman has made it a priority this off-season to acquire a young quarterback in order to prepare for Favre's eventual retirement. The 33-year-old Pro Bowl quarterback spoke often of retirement during the past season, but announced he would be back in 2003.

Beyond that, however, no one knows for sure how long he'll stick around.


In 2004 Sherman admitted interest in a QB in the first round, and it was widely believed he had his eyes on Losman, but Buffalo made a trade to get ahead of the Packers.

At the end of the 2004 season, Favre implied he was seriously considering retirement. In the 2005 off season, Driver said he was "sure" that Favre would retire. Favre waited until March to announce that he would return. TT drafted Rodgers in April.

Sherman was actively looking for Favre's replacement for two years, because Favre had given them every reason to believe that he might be only a year or two away from retirement as far back as 2002. By 2005, it would have been irresponsible not to have a suitable young candidate on hand, especially when one falls to you in the first round.

Just another indication of how Favre's procrastination affected the team and hurt him. Had he been more positive about wanting to play as long as he could; Sherman wouldn't have been so anxious as far back as 2003 to draft a replacement. TT might have rolled the dice on Favre's longevity and durability, drafted someone else in 2005 (Logan Mankins maybe??). Maybe he still would have taken Rodgers, but maybe not. In 2006 he could have gone with Cutler at #5, or Leinart maybe. Had he waited until 2007, he could have taken Quinn.

But, with Favre very openly discussing retirement, it was urgent as far back as the 2003 draft to look for an eventual replacement and consider using a high draft choice for one. It took until 2005 to get a chance for a good prospect, and TT rightfully jumped at it.

[Pugger]

I just marvel at the immaturity of Favre if indeed he got pissed at TT for drafting Rodgers. :roll: Is he that insecure that he felt threatened by AR and felt slighted because TT and MM weren't calling him daily begging for him to come back? Good lord....

[KYPack]

Yeah, Scott is Scott Favre, Mission. Bus Cook is Brett's agent.

That got lost in the quotes, I think.

This was in the GBPG this AM...

Quote on

Favre’s dispute with the Packers appears to be almost exclusively with Thompson, so there’s at least the possibility he’ll wait until Thompson no longer is with the team before he agrees to attend a ceremony to retire his number. Thompson, 56, is beginning his fifth season as Packers GM.

“I don’t know,” Favre said when asked if he’d wait for Thompson’s departure before having his number retired. “He had his reasoning, I had my reasoning. Who’s to say who’s right or who’s wrong? He has a plan, and I’m not mad at him for that, but other people may be.

“I don’t know. It’s a touchy situation. I know my stay in Green Bay was unbelievable, unbelievable, and nothing can take that away, not one person in that organization who’s been outstanding to me throughout that career. So it is what it is. It’s unfortunate, but at some point it will be dealt with.”

Quote off

The "other people" mentioned is Brett's family and crew.

Not to be a broken record, but this will take ahwile.

I think it will all lessen when BF hasn't played for a season or so.

That whole bunch still has the old competitive fires burning.

[cpk1994]

Yeah, Scott is Scott Favre, Mission.

That got lost in the quotes, I think.

This was in the GBPG this AM...

Quote on

Favre’s dispute with the Packers appears to be almost exclusively with Thompson, so there’s at least the possibility he’ll wait until Thompson no longer is with the team before he agrees to attend a ceremony to retire his number. Thompson, 56, is beginning his fifth season as Packers GM.

“I don’t know,” Favre said when asked if he’d wait for Thompson’s departure before having his number retired. “He had his reasoning, I had my reasoning. Who’s to say who’s right or who’s wrong? He has a plan, and I’m not mad at him for that, but other people may be.

“I don’t know. It’s a touchy situation. I know my stay in Green Bay was unbelievable, unbelievable, and nothing can take that away, not one person in that organization who’s been outstanding to me throughout that career. So it is what it is. It’s unfortunate, but at some point it will be dealt with.”

Quote off

The "other people" mentioned is Brett's family and crew.

Not to be a broken record, but this will take ahwile.

I think it will all lessen when BF hasn't played for a season or so.

That whole bunch still has the old competitive fires burning.You gotta think that if Irv was still alive, none of this garbage would have happened as Irv would have slapped Brett around the first time he acted like a child.

[KYPack]

You gotta think that if Irv was still alive, none of this garbage would have happened as Irv would have slapped Brett around the first time he acted like a child.

Yeah, 100%.

Irv kept the "Favre Clan" in line. Irv was of the old, old school...."The coach is boss, get your ass out there and do your job" type stuff.

Brett's inner circle is VERY protective of Brett. They have to be. But Irv thought like a lot of these fans that think Brett is a Prima Donna think.
When Irv was pissed about a Packer Management move, Brett knew he had a legit beef. Also, when Irv was around, Scott, Jeff, Deanna, etc kept their traps shut less the wrath of Irv descend upon 'em.

When Irv was gone, some of the littler rats came out to play. Bonita is a great woman. But she would have never said 10% of what she has said if Irv was still with us.

It's natural really. I really believe all this dies down when Brett settles into retirement. The whole bunch is still all fired up. That will subside and Brett will wander North and see his fans at some point.

[Packers4Ever]

Packers Statement.

It's cool, we're not making any money off the words herein:

Congratulations to Brett on a remarkable career. The Packers organization wishes him and his family well. Brett always will hold a special place in Green Bay Packers history, and we remain committed to retiring his number at an appropriate time in the future.

It won't happen as long as TT is around.

BLF has it out for that boy.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Agree with all you say, KY - but TT just about has to have a retirement date

ready for the 2009 season, don't you think? I dread it already.

[cpk1994]

Packers Statement.

It's cool, we're not making any money off the words herein:

Congratulations to Brett on a remarkable career. The Packers organization wishes him and his family well. Brett always will hold a special place in Green Bay Packers history, and we remain committed to retiring his number at an appropriate time in the future.

It won't happen as long as TT is around.

BLF has it out for that boy.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Agree with all you say, KY - but TT just about has to have a retirement date

ready for the 2009 season, don't you think? I dread it already.Brett's jersey retirement wouldn't be in TT's hands. Mark Murphy would take care of that.

[LL2]

Not sure if this was posted in another thread but Lord Favre finally admits that it was his plan to stick it to TT after all...what a prick! Not sure if anyone else saw the comment below in Peter King's MMQB article. I'm glad TT and MM moved on with Rodgers! Favre is nothing more than a drama queen.

"3. Why wasn't his retirement real last time?

The reality, Favre knows now, is he not only wanted to play again, but he wanted to show Green Bay -- particularly general manager Ted Thompson -- that it was making a big mistake in going forward without him. "Part of me coming back last year, I have to admit now, was sticking it to Ted,'' he said in a rather startling admission.

I still maintain Favre meant it when he said he was retiring. I've saved the four-minute voice-message from him on my cell phone the day he quit, and when I've played it for people, I've asked, "Does that sound like a guy who was retiring with a lot of doubt in his mind?'' And everyone says no. Fifty weeks ago, even if he was mad at Thompson -- and, as he told Ed Werder in his weekend ESPN interview, all he heard from the Packers after the 2007 season was "crickets,'' meaning he thinks they wanted him to walk away -- he was a convincing retiree."

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/peter_king/02/15/favre/index.html

[Packers4Ever]

Packers Statement.

It's cool, we're not making any money off the words herein:

Congratulations to Brett on a remarkable career. The Packers organization wishes him and his family well. Brett always will hold a special place in Green Bay Packers history, and we remain committed to retiring his number at an appropriate time in the future.

It won't happen as long as TT is around.

BLF has it out for that boy.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Agree with all you say, KY - but TT just about has to have a retirement date

ready for the 2009 season, don't you think? I dread it already.

Brett's jersey retirement wouldn't be in TT's hands. Mark Murphy would take care of that.

One less detail on the mind, good.

[Packerarcher]

He wouldn't of had a reason to stick it to TT had the non grateful moron not given it to him. I still can't beleive there are those that defend TT and blame Brett in this whole fiasco. Brett Favre has done more for the Packers than TT will do if he lives 5 lifetimes.

[Harlan Huckleby]

He wouldn't of had a reason to stick it to TT had the non grateful moron not given it to him.

Could you give a specific example of how TT stuck it to Favre?

Are you saying that TT had no choice but to take Favre back as a starting QB when Favre unretired in July?
Was TT wrong to draft another QB?
Where's the beef?

[Noodle]

Brett's jersey retirement wouldn't be in TT's hands. Mark Murphy would take care of that.

If Packers were smart, they'd have Bob Harlan and maybe Ron Wolf do the honors -- sort of a "getting the band together one last time" kind of thing.

That would even be kind of cool.

Murph intros Harlan and Wolf, then gets the heck out of the way.

[Patler]

Brett's jersey retirement wouldn't be in TT's hands. Mark Murphy would take care of that.

If Packers were smart, they'd have Bob Harlan and maybe Ron Wolf do the honors -- sort of a "getting the band together one last time" kind of thing.

That would even be kind of cool.

Murph intros Harlan and Wolf, then gets the heck out of the way.

I disagree. It should be handled by Murphy and Thompson, the current "administration". Wolf and Harlan could be honored guests, but no more.
If Favre can't put his petty grievances behind him long enough to receive the highest award the team can bestow on him, along with the adulation of the fans to boot, then he can wait.

[Noodle]

Patler, you're just being a stiff-necked ol' fussbudget.

A retirement ceremony is for the fans and for the player. It's not supposed to be about making a point as to who is in charge.

Bringing back the beloved Harlan and Wolf would be a wowzer for the fans and would make the whole day go better for everyone involved.

And I wouldn't be too worried about whether the current players might get the wrong message as to who's in charge. After all, it is a retirement ceremony for the guy who got released. The "Who's the Boss" point has already been made.

[Joemailman]

Brett's jersey retirement wouldn't be in TT's hands. Mark Murphy would take care of that.

If Packers were smart, they'd have Bob Harlan and maybe Ron Wolf do the honors -- sort of a "getting the band together one last time" kind of thing.

That would even be kind of cool.

Murph intros Harlan and Wolf, then gets the heck out of the way.

I disagree. It should be handled by Murphy and Thompson, the current "administration". Wolf and Harlan could be honored guests, but no more.
If Favre can't put his petty grievances behind him long enough to receive the highest award the team can bestow on him, along with the adulation of the fans to boot, then he can wait.

Stop and think. Do you really want Ted Thompson introduced to the crowd so that the fans who think he drove Favre out of Green Bay (There's a lot of 'em) can boo him? That would be the worst think that can happen. It would be perfectly appropriate for Murphy to introduce Ron Wolf, the guy who brought Favre here, and for Wolf (or whomever Favre wants) to then introduce Favre.

[cpk1994]

Brett's jersey retirement wouldn't be in TT's hands. Mark Murphy would take care of that.

If Packers were smart, they'd have Bob Harlan and maybe Ron Wolf do the honors -- sort of a "getting the band together one last time" kind of thing.

That would even be kind of cool.

Murph intros Harlan and Wolf, then gets the heck out of the way.

I disagree. It should be handled by Murphy and Thompson, the current "administration". Wolf and Harlan could be honored guests, but no more.
If Favre can't put his petty grievances behind him long enough to receive the highest award the team can bestow on him, along with the adulation of the fans to boot, then he can wait.

Stop and think. Do you really want Ted Thompson introduced to the crowd so that the fans who think he drove Favre out of Green Bay (There's a lot of 'em) can boo him? That would be the worst think that can happen. It would be perfectly appropriate for Murphy to introduce Ron Wolf, the guy who brought Favre here, and for Wolf (or whomever Favre wants) to then introduce Favre.THe fans wouldn't boo THompson. THe season-ticket base is a very respectful bunch. Remember when Arron Rodgers got booed at the scrimmage game? Those weren't season ticket holders. But when the first preseason gmae hit with season ticket holders, he got cheered. Same would apply to Thompson. The ones that would boo Thompson are on the lunatic fringe of the fan base.

[Joemailman]

There are a lot of Packer fans who would boo Ted Thompson if he were giving out gifts to homeless kids on Christmas Eve.

[cpk1994]

There are a lot of Packer fans who would boo Ted Thompson if he were giving out gifts to homeless kids on Christmas Eve.True, but those fans probably don't have season tickets, and those are the people that would be at the jersey retirement.

[PlantPage55]

There are a lot of Packer fans who would boo Ted Thompson if he were giving out gifts to homeless kids on Christmas Eve.True, but those fans probably don't have season tickets, and those are the people that would be at the jersey retirement.

You'd be surprised. I can't tell you how many fans were cursing Aaron Rodgers during the Carolina game this last year, when it was the defense and the Special Teams that most certainly lost that game for us.

[cpk1994]

There are a lot of Packer fans who would boo Ted Thompson if he were giving out gifts to homeless kids on Christmas Eve.True, but those fans probably don't have season tickets, and those are the people that would be at the jersey retirement.

You'd be surprised. I can't tell you how many fans were cursing Aaron Rodgers during the Carolina game this last year, when it was the defense and the Special Teams that most certainly lost that game for us.ITs true there will be a few bad seeds, but its not like it will be mass booing of TT at Brett's jersey retirement.

[Patler]

Patler, you're just being a stiff-necked ol' fussbudget.

A retirement ceremony is for the fans and for the player. It's not supposed to be about making a point as to who is in charge.

Bringing back the beloved Harlan and Wolf would be a wowzer for the fans and would make the whole day go better for everyone involved.

And I wouldn't be too worried about whether the current players might get the wrong message as to who's in charge. After all, it is a retirement ceremony for the guy who got released. The "Who's the Boss" point has already been made.

So Ted Thompson should go hide in his office because Brett Favre is in town? Ridiculous. As I said, bring back Harlan and Wolf as honored guests, but don't insult Thompson by asking him to watch from home. If Favre can't walk over and shake Thompson's hand, then he is a much smaller man than I think he is.

Think of what THAT simple gesture would mean for the fans!
A great opportunity to unite the factions.

[GrnBay007]

Patler, you're just being a stiff-necked ol' fussbudget.

A retirement ceremony is for the fans and for the player. It's not supposed to be about making a point as to who is in charge.

Bringing back the beloved Harlan and Wolf would be a wowzer for the fans and would make the whole day go better for everyone involved.

And I wouldn't be too worried about whether the current players might get the wrong message as to who's in charge. After all, it is a retirement ceremony for the guy who got released. The "Who's the Boss" point has already been made.

Agree. A retirement ceremony is for the fans and the player. Harlan and Wolf would be perfect and I think ALL fans would enjoy it.

TT doesn't have to go hide....just not have any formal part in the ceremony.

[Lurker64]

TT doesn't have to go hide....just not have any formal part in the ceremony.

Well, if you did it sometime other than "during a game" Thompson probably would be busy scouting some division II kid instead.

[Patler]

TT doesn't have to go hide....just not have any formal part in the ceremony.

In other words....go hide for the day.

For better or worse, the organization is now Murphy, Thompson and McCarthy.
It is not Harlan, Wolf and Holmgren, nor has it been for a long time.

[Lurker64]

TT doesn't have to go hide....just not have any formal part in the ceremony.

In other words....go hide for the day.

For better or worse, the organization is now Murphy, Thompson and McCarthy.
It is not Harlan, Wolf and Holmgren, nor has it been for a long time.

Honestly, I wouldn't feel at all right about a "Jersey Retirement Ceremony" if there were still a considerable amount of antipathy between Favre and the Green Bay Packers Organization.

We're not going to give anybody else the number 4 any time soon, there's no rush to retire his jersey. If it takes 5-10 years for everybody to get over hurt feelings, so be it. It would be a better ceremony if there were no hard feelings on anybody's part, anyway.

[GrnBay007]

TT doesn't have to go hide....just not have any formal part in the ceremony.

In other words....go hide for the day.

.

OK, fine with me! :D

[Joemailman]

Patler, you're just being a stiff-necked ol' fussbudget.

A retirement ceremony is for the fans and for the player. It's not supposed to be about making a point as to who is in charge.

Bringing back the beloved Harlan and Wolf would be a wowzer for the fans and would make the whole day go better for everyone involved.

And I wouldn't be too worried about whether the current players might get the wrong message as to who's in charge. After all, it is a retirement ceremony for the guy who got released. The "Who's the Boss" point has already been made.

So Ted Thompson should go hide in his office because Brett Favre is in town? Ridiculous. As I said, bring back Harlan and Wolf as honored guests, but don't insult Thompson by asking him to watch from home. If Favre can't walk over and shake Thompson's hand, then he is a much smaller man than I think he is.

Think of what THAT simple gesture would mean for the fans!
A great opportunity to unite the factions.

Just because Favre buries the hatchet, which I think he needs to do, doesn't mean all of the fans will. I think you're underestimating how deep the anger toward Thompson runs with some people. That aside, I don't understand why you think Thompson should be part of the ceremony. He's not the head of the organization, Murphy is. He had nothing to do with bringing Favre here. He never negotiated a contract with Favre. The only time he conducted a transaction involving Favre is when he traded him. The retirement of Favre's number was an eventual certainty before Thompson became GM here. This occasion just doesn't have anything to do with Ted Thompson.

[Bretsky]

Favre is not coming back any time soon; I could care less if TTT is part of the ceremony or he watches it from his TV at home. But I doubt this is happening in the near future.

[Patler]

Just because Favre buries the hatchet, which I think he needs to do, doesn't mean all of the fans will. I think you're underestimating how deep the anger toward Thompson runs with some people.

And what better way is there to end it than for the two to appear together for the ceremony?

[Tyrone Bigguns]

Sometimes i wonder if any of you are employed by any real companies.

The packers are a business. TT is a significant player in that business as GM...perhaps the 4th ranked management employee. You don't leave out a guy like that from any sort of business "celebration."

[Lurker64]

I'm going to officially go on the record and say that I am not okay with any sort of jersey retirement celebration or other official celebration of Favre's Packer career that does not include the current Head Coach, General Manager, and President of the Green Bay Packers.

I won't watch it, attend it, or feel good about it otherwise. So I don't think there should be any hurry to do this before all wounds are healed.

[Old School]

So the only transaction TT had with Favre is when he traded him. How about they retire Favre's jersey whereupon TT immediastely trades it to the Jets?

Why are we so obsessed with the feelings of a guy who admittedly wanted to stick it to the Packers? For my part, they can nail his jersey to a tree stump in a Mississippi swamp.

[Harlan Huckleby]

I think Favre should not attend the jersey retirement ceremony because a lot of fans will boo him. Maybe it is not a nice thing to do, but their feelings are understandable.

[GrnBay007]

So the only transaction TT had with Favre is when he traded him. How about they retire Favre's jersey whereupon TT immediastely trades it to the Jets?

Why are we so obsessed with the feelings of a guy who admittedly wanted to stick it to the Packers? For my part, they can nail his jersey to a tree stump in a Mississippi swamp.

For his jersey retirement? Maybe because he's done way more for the Green Bay Packers during his time there then TT to this point.

Why are some so obsessed with the feelings of a guy that drove Brett Favre out of Green Bay?

Anyway, think about it....it's BF's jersey retirement....not a special day for TT. Maybe he will get a special day sometime too.

[GrnBay007]

I think Favre should not attend the jersey retirement ceremony because a lot of fans will boo him.

I doubt that VERY much!

[Joemailman]

I'm going to officially go on the record and say that I am not okay with any sort of jersey retirement celebration or other official celebration of Favre's Packer career that does not include the current Head Coach, General Manager, and President of the Green Bay Packers.

I won't watch it, attend it, or feel good about it otherwise. So I don't think there should be any hurry to do this before all wounds are healed.

I would expect the current head coach to be in the locker room getting ready for the 2nd half when Favre's jersey is retired.

Some wounds may never heal. If the rift between Favre and Thompson can be healed, great. I'm not choosing sides here. However, if it becomes apparent that Favre is waiting for Ted Thompson to leave the Packers organization before he has his jersey retired, that could just add to the air of bad feelings. I'm not suggesting Thompson shouldn't be there. I just wouldn't want to have a situation, (booing) that would prove embarrassing to Thompson.

[Harlan Huckleby]

I think Favre should not attend the jersey retirement ceremony because a lot of fans will boo him.

I doubt that VERY much!

I hope I don't stand out too much.

[GrnBay007]

I think Favre should not attend the jersey retirement ceremony because a lot of fans will boo him.

I doubt that VERY much!

I hope I don't stand out too much.

You won't be there.

[Tyrone Bigguns]

So the only transaction TT had with Favre is when he traded him. How about they retire Favre's jersey whereupon TT immediastely trades it to the Jets?

Why are we so obsessed with the feelings of a guy who admittedly wanted to stick it to the Packers? For my part, they can nail his jersey to a tree stump in a Mississippi swamp.

For his jersey retirement? Maybe because he's done way more for the Green Bay Packers during his time there then TT to this point.

Why are some so obsessed with the feelings of a guy that drove Brett Favre out of Green Bay?

Anyway, think about it....it's BF's jersey retirement....not a special day for TT. Maybe he will get a special day sometime too.

Done more than TT? As I recall Brett had many teammates that helped him. It is the Green Bay Packers not the Green Bay Favres. Furthermore, your point is..well, pointless. Why not exlude whomever Brett chooses..sounds like a great plan. :oops:

Your attitude is the exact reason we didn't win more...brett was coddled and allowed to do as he pleased.

Obsessed? Perhaps you need to look at yourself in the mirror regarding who is obsessed. TT is the GM. You don't exclude your current manager from attending events.

Drove him out of GB? Think you have an agenda? :roll:

[Lurker64]

I really think an appropriate time to retire #4 is five years from now, before he goes into the Hall of Fame. Why should we be in a hurry?

It's not like we have to worry about Favre dying, the stadium burning down, or anybody else accidentally being issued #4 in the meantime.

I mean, we still haven't retired Hornung's number. Reggie White was dead for a year and a half, out of football for five years, and out of Green and Gold for seven years when we retired his number. If we wait 20 years to retire Brett's number, so what?

[Tyrone Bigguns]

I really think an appropriate time to retire #4 is five years from now, before he goes into the Hall of Fame. Why should we be in a hurry?

I dont' think TT should be allowed at the HOF induction..along with any viking, bears, lions HOF players.

[GrnBay007]

As I recall Brett had many teammates that helped him. It is the Green Bay Packers not the Green Bay Favres.

We are talking about Favre's jersey retirement here...why change the subject?

[Tyrone Bigguns]

As I recall Brett had many teammates that helped him. It is the Green Bay Packers not the Green Bay Favres.

We are talking about Favre's jersey retirement here...why change the subject?

Who is retiring the jersey?

[Bretsky]

I wonder how many people in here have heard the ramblings from those who live in Green Bay about how BF was treated the last time in GB when he got into the stadium at the game. My guess is very few..which is fine. I've never bothered brining any of the points up because it would just add to the warfare.

I'll always feel both sides have plenty of fault in this. Even those JS guys that are anti Favre, they take the same stance casually in points even today
And they know much more than we do.

It's great as fans to think we know the whole story; ignorant too IMO. We know what was fed to us by Favre's side, the politician hired to make GB smell like a rose, and the Packer brass

[GrnBay007]

As I recall Brett had many teammates that helped him. It is the Green Bay Packers not the Green Bay Favres.

We are talking about Favre's jersey retirement here...why change the subject?

Who is retiring the jersey?

Who's going to benefit from it?

[Tyrone Bigguns]

As I recall Brett had many teammates that helped him. It is the Green Bay Packers not the Green Bay Favres.

We are talking about Favre's jersey retirement here...why change the subject?

Who is retiring the jersey?

Who's going to benefit from it?

Nice to avoid the question.

Benefit? You tell me.

[GrnBay007]

I wonder how many people in here have heard the ramblings from those who live in Green Bay about how BF was treated the last time in GB when he got into the stadium at the game. My guess is very few..which is fine. I've never bothered brining any of the points up because it would just add to the warfare.



I'd like to hear it.

But geez, put it in the Brett Favre thread so you don't "bother" anyone with the non-bashing Favre talk.

[GrnBay007]

Benefit? You tell me.

You seriously don't think the Packer organization will benefit when/if this happens? You are crazy.

[Bretsky]

I wonder how many people in here have heard the ramblings from those who live in Green Bay about how BF was treated the last time in GB when he got into the stadium at the game. My guess is very few..which is fine. I've never bothered brining any of the points up because it would just add to the warfare.



I'd like to hear it.

But geez, put it in the Brett Favre thread so you don't "bother" anyone with the non-bashing Favre talk.

That stuff can't go in here; if we ever meet someday at the Oval Office I'll tell you :lol:

[GrnBay007]

I wonder how many people in here have heard the ramblings from those who live in Green Bay about how BF was treated the last time in GB when he got into the stadium at the game. My guess is very few..which is fine. I've never bothered brining any of the points up because it would just add to the warfare.



I'd like to hear it.

But geez, put it in the Brett Favre thread so you don't "bother" anyone with the non-bashing Favre talk.

That stuff can't go in here; if we ever meet someday at the Oval Office I'll tell you :lol:

You con! :P

[Tyrone Bigguns]

Benefit? You tell me.

You seriously don't think the Packer organization will benefit when/if this happens? You are crazy.

Who suggested that? Please tell me how the Packer org will benefit?

Who is the Packer organization?

[GrnBay007]

Thanks, but no thanks.

Not going to argue this shit with you. Knock him all you want. Few years down the road you will realize what an idiot you are.

[Tyrone Bigguns]

Thanks, but no thanks.

Not going to argue this shit with you. Knock him all you want. Few years down the road you will realize what an idiot you are.

When did i knock him?

The simple fact is that you refuse to acknowledge that TT is the organization. TT is the GM. TT and EVERY member of the packer org should be at the ceremony.

As for benefit: Interesting how you make assertions then refuse to explain. I find it almost ludicrous to suggest that a team with 30k or so people on the waiting list for tix, a team with a die hard wisco and national fan base, and a team that consistently ranks in the top ten for mechandise (we were 5th for 08) will see much of a benefit.,

But, when you feel emotionally able to discuss in a rational manner, this "idiot" will be here to learn.

[GrnBay007]

As for benefit: Interesting how you make assertions then refuse to explain. I find it almost ludicrous to suggest that a team with 30k or so people on the waiting list for tix, a team with a die hard wisco and national fan base, and a team that consistently ranks in the top ten for mechandise (we were 5th for 08) will see much of a benefit.,



If they didn't think they would benefit, why would they offer him 20 million to make appearances, etc? Of course there is a benefit!

I'm not saying the Packers will suffer because Brett Favre is gone...the fan base is awesome.

But I was actually talking about the retirement ceremony. If/when that happens it will be a huge draw in Green Bay ....and there is no way you can deny that.

[packinpatland]

Hey Tyrone......................Favre sells :lol: $$$$$$$$$

[Bossman641]

As for benefit: Interesting how you make assertions then refuse to explain. I find it almost ludicrous to suggest that a team with 30k or so people on the waiting list for tix, a team with a die hard wisco and national fan base, and a team that consistently ranks in the top ten for mechandise (we were 5th for 08) will see much of a benefit.,



If they didn't think they would benefit, why would they offer him 20 million to make appearances, etc? Of course there is a benefit!

I'm not saying the Packers will suffer because Brett Favre is gone...the fan base is awesome.

But I was actually talking about the retirement ceremony. If/when that happens it will be a huge draw in Green Bay ....and there is no way you can deny that.

Don't you think it would be a huge draw regardless of whether TT is there at the retirement ceremony or not?

I don't see how a TT appearance would drive down the interest in Favre's jersey retirement. Hell, maybe they can even put TT in stocks after the game and let all the Favre superfans throw tomatoes at him for driving their superhero away. That would really drive up the interest.

Hopefully, at some point, the hurt feelings will subside and both sides will talk. Maybe Favre could even shake TT's hand, which would reflect well on Favre, TT, and the organization. Would I be angry at Favre if he doesn't do that? No. But I also wouldn't be angry at the Packers if they refuse to have Favre's retirement until he grows up and stops looking at things so emotionally.

[GrnBay007]

Don't you think it would be a huge draw regardless of whether TT is there at the retirement ceremony or not?

The initial discussion was about Harlan and Wolf being there. It will be a huge draw regardless. I just agreed with someone saying it would be nice to have both of them there. I really wouldn't care if TT is there or not.



I don't see how a TT appearance would drive down the interest in Favre's jersey retirement. Hell, maybe they can even put TT in stocks after the game and let all the Favre superfans throw tomatoes at him for driving their superhero away. That would really drive up the interest.

Interesting marketing idea. :D



Hopefully, at some point, the hurt feelings will subside and both sides will talk. Maybe Favre could even shake TT's hand, which would reflect well on Favre, TT, and the organization. Would I be angry at Favre if he doesn't do that? No. But I also wouldn't be angry at the Packers if they refuse to have Favre's retirement until he grows up and stops looking at things so emotionally.

That's funny. The Packers refuse to have his jersey retirement? I don't think that will happen.

The point that some were making is that it will be Favre's jersey retirement. Would be nice to give him some consideration in the matter. Maybe the bitter Favre fans could even find it in their heart to celebrate for a moment or two on that day.

[Bossman641]

Hopefully, at some point, the hurt feelings will subside and both sides will talk. Maybe Favre could even shake TT's hand, which would reflect well on Favre, TT, and the organization. Would I be angry at Favre if he doesn't do that? No. But I also wouldn't be angry at the Packers if they refuse to have Favre's retirement until he grows up and stops looking at things so emotionally.

That's funny. The Packers refuse to have his jersey retirement? I don't think that will happen.

The point that some were making is that it will be Favre's jersey retirement. Would be nice to give him some consideration in the matter. Maybe the bitter Favre fans could even find it in their heart to celebrate for a moment or two on that day.

They will obviously retire his jersey. The issue is when that will be. My point is that if Favre and Co. came to the Packer organization and said "yea we want to do the retirement this day but that's only if TT is not allowed to show his face in the stadium" then I would not blame the Packers one bit if they said "thanks, but no thanks. Call us back when you are willing to have ALL the organization there to support you."

[Harlan Huckleby]

I wonder how many people in here have heard the ramblings from those who live in Green Bay about how BF was treated the last time in GB when he got into the stadium at the game. My guess is very few..which is fine. I've never bothered brining any of the points up because it would just add to the warfare.

And as it turned out, the PAckers were 100% justified in keeping Favre away from the team.
Favre had a giant chip on his shoulder, was full of hate for Packer management, and had no intention of competing for his job.
MM spent six hours talking to Favre, and they both concluded there was ZERO chance that Favre was mentally in a state to be a positive teammate.

Its not surprising that there are many Favre worshippers in Green Bay. It is not surpring that these fans-till-death will always see Favre as a hero and victim, regardless of his conduct. These people are idiots.


It's great as fans to think we know the whole story; ignorant too IMO. We know what was fed to us by Favre's side, the politician hired to make GB smell like a rose, and the Packer brass

Here we go. Since there is ZERO evidence that Favre was mistreated by TT or MM, we have the secret slight theory. TT did something really bad, but Favre never discussed it publicly because, because, well, just because.

Other players don't get to use the "we don't know everything", get-out-of-jail-free card. Just Lord Farve.

[Gunakor]

I really think an appropriate time to retire #4 is five years from now, before he goes into the Hall of Fame. Why should we be in a hurry?

It's not like we have to worry about Favre dying, the stadium burning down, or anybody else accidentally being issued #4 in the meantime.

I mean, we still haven't retired Hornung's number. Reggie White was dead for a year and a half, out of football for five years, and out of Green and Gold for seven years when we retired his number. If we wait 20 years to retire Brett's number, so what?

I think an appropriate time would be AFTER he is enshrined. If only because the other numbers that the Packers have retired belonged to players already enshrined themselves. IMO if you want your name and number at the north end zone, you have to wait for your bust to be put on display in Canton. That's the way it's been for other Packer greats who have had their number retired, so in all fairness, I'd make both Favre and Thompson wait if I were Mark Murphy.

[Gunakor]

The point that some were making is that it will be Favre's jersey retirement. Would be nice to give him some consideration in the matter. Maybe the bitter Favre fans could even find it in their heart to celebrate for a moment or two on that day.

What consideration would you be referring to? Thompson has already offered to have this ceremony for him. As I understand it, the ball is in Favre's court now. He has to decide for himself when, or if, he will come back and celebrate with us.

If the issue is TT being there, then I'd say Favre is being a bit childish. This isn't about TT, and it's not going to be made about TT, but TT WILL be there (If this ceremony takes place during TT's tenure here, if not the next GM will be). Thompson helped orchestrate Favre's last run at greatness, just as he'll be helping to orchestrate the celebration of Favre's career and the retirement of his jersey. He's the GM of the franchise right now. Whether you are okay with that or not, it is what it is. And if that is the reason for Favre not wanting to come celebrate with us, then from a purely objective standpoint, Favre is being a baby in this deal. IMO he should just recount that 100 million dollars we've paid him over his career, clutch that Super Bowl ring a little tighter, talk to some of his teammates over the years, and come celebrate with the franchise who made all of that happen - regardless who the GM is.

[cpk1994]

Why are some so obsessed with the feelings of a guy that drove Brett Favre out of Green Bay?
I don't know, why are people obsessed with Brett Favre's, who drove himself out of GB, feelings?

TT did not drive Brett out of GB. Brett RETIRED, remember? And here I thought you were better than aceepting the drviel that comes out of Brett's mouth as 100% fact.

[Gunakor]

Why are some so obsessed with the feelings of a guy that drove Brett Favre out of Green Bay?
I don't know, why are people obsessed with Brett Favre's, who drove himself out of GB, feelings?

TT did not drive Brett out of GB. Brett RETIRED, remember? And here I thought you were better than aceepting the drviel that comes out of Brett's mouth as 100% fact.

To be fair, what Brett says could in fact turn out to be the truth. He may just have been lied to or decieved by TT. We'll probably never know what really went down during that fiasco. Which is why this bitter divide in Packer Nation exists in the first place - everybody seems to be making assumptions based on who they are more loyal to.

Now, to be clear, I side with Thompson on this one for a few reasons. One, Thompson made what he figured was the best business decision for our franchise, while Favre is complaining about personal issues. Second, given what we know now, Favre has less to stand on after what he said during his presser last March the 6th. He said he is done, having nothing left to give. That was false. He said he has nothing left to prove, and that was very much untrue. He said he wasn't being pushed out the door, now that story has changed a bit as well. So, if all we are basing our opinions on are assumptions, I have to assume that Favre is the one in the wrong here. He speaks frankly about the Packers organization being dishonest, yet isn't exactly Honest Abe himself.

Then I think about the other players on the roster. Al Harris had a beef with his prior contract a few years back, and was told to play out the season and they'd take care of him during the following offseason. He played his ass off that season for us and, wouldn't you know it, was rewarded with a 4 year contract extension the following offseason as promised. You could probably lump Donald Driver and Nick Barnett in that group of players with contract issues that got resolved as well. Aaron Rodgers had nothing but praise for the organization for being so honest with him when interviewed on Rome Is Burning the week before the Super Bowl. Listening to other players on the roster, and learning their stories, it doesn't really illustrate a dishonest, not-very-loyal franchise that Favre would describe.

So who would you believe?

[cpk1994]

Why are some so obsessed with the feelings of a guy that drove Brett Favre out of Green Bay?
I don't know, why are people obsessed with Brett Favre's, who drove himself out of GB, feelings?

TT did not drive Brett out of GB. Brett RETIRED, remember? And here I thought you were better than aceepting the drviel that comes out of Brett's mouth as 100% fact.

To be fair, what Brett says could in fact turn out to be the truth. He may just have been lied to or decieved by TT. We'll probably never know what really went down during that fiasco. Which is why this bitter divide in Packer Nation exists in the first place - everybody seems to be making assumptions based on who they are more loyal to.

Now, to be clear, I side with Thompson on this one for a few reasons. One, Thompson made what he figured was the best business decision for our franchise, while Favre is complaining about personal issues. Second, given what we know now, Favre has less to stand on after what he said during his presser last March the 6th. He said he is done, having nothing left to give. That was false. He said he has nothing left to prove, and that was very much untrue. He said he wasn't being pushed out the door, now that story has changed a bit as well. So, if all we are basing our opinions on are assumptions, I have to assume that Favre is the one in the wrong here. He speaks frankly about the Packers organization being dishonest, yet isn't exactly Honest Abe himself.

Then I think about the other players on the roster. Al Harris had a beef with his prior contract a few years back, and was told to play out the season and they'd take care of him during the following offseason. He played his ass off that season for us and, wouldn't you know it, was rewarded with a 4 year contract extension the following offseason as promised. You could probably lump Donald Driver and Nick Barnett in that group of players with contract issues that got resolved as well. Aaron Rodgers had nothing but praise for the organization for being so honest with him when interviewed on Rome Is Burning the week before the Super Bowl. Listening to other players on the roster, and learning their stories, it doesn't really illustrate a dishonest, not-very-loyal franchise that Favre would describe.

So who would you believe?I, like you am with Thompson and hertily endorse the points in your post. Under Thompson, Favre is the only one who is claiming the Packers are dishonest. Not even Javon Walker said that, and even he got what he wanted in the end.

[Harlan Huckleby]

To be fair, what Brett says could in fact turn out to be the truth. He may just have been lied to or decieved by TT. We'll probably never know

Huh? Favre went on the Gretta Van Sustren Show to broadcast how he had been abused. It turned into a self-pity party, with Favre grasping at straws. He was hardly holding his tongue.

If Favre was lied to, why did the Favre camp, including ESPN, never state anything specific? Its not like they were shy about slandering the Packer management in general terms. The Packers published a detailed chronology of events, the Favre Cult had EVERY opportunity to challenge wrong or misleading information.

"To be fair", as you say, there is zero evidence that Favre was mistreated in any way. And "to be fair", it is wrong to slander TT with these theories that don't pass the smell test.

[cpk1994]

To be fair, what Brett says could in fact turn out to be the truth. He may just have been lied to or decieved by TT. We'll probably never know

Huh? Favre went on the Gretta Van Sustren Show to broadcast how he had been abused. It turned into a self-pity party, with Favre grasping at straws. He was hardly holding his tongue.

If Favre was lied to, why did the Favre camp, including ESPN, never state anything specific? Its not like they were shy about slandering the Packer management in general terms. The Packers published a detailed chronology of events, the Favre Cult had EVERY opportunity to challenge wrong or misleading information.

"To be fair", as you say, there is zero evidence that Favre was mistreated in any way. And "to be fair", it is wrong to slander TT with these theories that don't pass the smell test.Yeah. I don't see how TT could have decieved BRett. TT, which Favre confirmed, agreed once to let him back, and Favre changed his mind. After that, TT decided Rodgers was the guy no matter what. Telling Brett he could comeback to be the backup was in line with that. As far as I can see, TT never told Brett he couldn't comeback. Brett just coudln't handle the fact that the team wouldn't bend down, kiss his ring, and just give him the starter job whenever he felt like he wanted it back.

[Harlan Huckleby]

Why are some so obsessed with the feelings of a guy that drove Brett Favre out of Green Bay?

The extreme Favre supporters behave like any other religious cult. Facts don't matter, it's all faith-based. Love of Him justifies any statement in His support.

The only action that TT took was to not accept Favre back as the starting QB in July, 5 months after he had retired. It was a debatable choice, but certainly a reasonable one. Now in retrospect, TT looks positively wise.

Starting around November, the Favre Cult has been saying in desperate tones that they hoped that He would retire after this season. Why? Its obvious that Favre has lost his edge, and they don't want to see him embarass himself further.

So why is the cult unwilling to simply acknowledge that TT made the correct decision in the interest of the Packers? Why are they carrying on with this outragous slur about TT "driving Favre out of town."?

BEcause it is a cult.

[cpk1994]

Why are some so obsessed with the feelings of a guy that drove Brett Favre out of Green Bay?

The extreme Favre supporters behave like any other religious cult. Facts don't matter, it's all faith-based. Love of Him justifies any statement in His support.

The only action that TT took was to not accept Favre back as the starting QB in July, 5 months after he had retired. It was a debatable choice, but certainly a reasonable one. Now in retrospect, TT looks positively wise.

Starting around November, the Favre Cult has been saying in desperate tones that they hoped that He would retire after this season. Why? Its obvious that Favre has lost his edge, and they don't want to see him embarass himself further.

So why is the cult unwilling to simply acknowledge that TT made the correct decision in the interest of the Packers? Why are they carrying on with this outragous slur about TT "driving Favre out of town."?

BEcause it is a cult. There is no reason behind their statements, simply uncritical worship.I think also that some of that stems from the fact theat some of those fans never liked TT from the day he was hired. This just fuels the hatred. I call them the Tank-ophiles.

[Tyrone Bigguns]

As for benefit: Interesting how you make assertions then refuse to explain. I find it almost ludicrous to suggest that a team with 30k or so people on the waiting list for tix, a team with a die hard wisco and national fan base, and a team that consistently ranks in the top ten for mechandise (we were 5th for 08) will see much of a benefit.,



If they didn't think they would benefit, why would they offer him 20 million to make appearances, etc? Of course there is a benefit!

I'm not saying the Packers will suffer because Brett Favre is gone...the fan base is awesome.

But I was actually talking about the retirement ceremony. If/when that happens it will be a huge draw in Green Bay ....and there is no way you can deny that.

Benefit: You are now talking about something else. We were talking strictly about his jersey retirement. But, as for your 20 million...uh, they were asking him to WORK for that 20 million. Clearly a bit of difference. They will derive a benefit because someone will be working for that money. They would derive a benefit if joe blow in the mailroom does his job the money they pay him.

Ceremony: Sure, it will help the local economy, but you have failed to show how it will help the packers..and that was the crux of the argument.

[Tyrone Bigguns]

Hey Tyrone......................Favre sells :lol: $$$$$$$$$

I never said he didn't. But, do you really think the packers will be killed because he doesn't play for them anymore?

Packer merch will always sell.

[ThunderDan]

Don't you think it would be a huge draw regardless of whether TT is there at the retirement ceremony or not?

The initial discussion was about Harlan and Wolf being there. It will be a huge draw regardless. I just agreed with someone saying it would be nice to have both of them there. I really wouldn't care if TT is there or not.



I don't see how a TT appearance would drive down the interest in Favre's jersey retirement. Hell, maybe they can even put TT in stocks after the game and let all the Favre superfans throw tomatoes at him for driving their superhero away. That would really drive up the interest.

Interesting marketing idea. :D



Hopefully, at some point, the hurt feelings will subside and both sides will talk. Maybe Favre could even shake TT's hand, which would reflect well on Favre, TT, and the organization. Would I be angry at Favre if he doesn't do that? No. But I also wouldn't be angry at the Packers if they refuse to have Favre's retirement until he grows up and stops looking at things so emotionally.

That's funny. The Packers refuse to have his jersey retirement? I don't think that will happen.

The point that some were making is that it will be Favre's jersey retirement. Would be nice to give him some consideration in the matter. Maybe the bitter Favre fans could even find it in their heart to celebrate for a moment or two on that day.

That is so unrealistic I can't believe you actually think that would happen.

When my dad retired he asked Tommy Thompson to stay away but that damn Governor of ours decided to show. He wouldn't let Anthony Earl or Fred Risser do it.

That is sarcasm. He was very happy the Governor would take time out of his busy schedule.

[ThunderDan]

TT and Murphy are the boys in the front office for GB. They need to be at every Packer event of that stature.

[Tyrone Bigguns]

Word is that brett won't show if Travis Conard shows up. Travis got all uppity when brett wanted his password changed to "fuckTT."

[Fritz]

Whenever Favre's jersey is finally retired, I hope it stays retired....

[Gunakor]

To be fair, what Brett says could in fact turn out to be the truth. He may just have been lied to or decieved by TT. We'll probably never know

Huh? Favre went on the Gretta Van Sustren Show to broadcast how he had been abused. It turned into a self-pity party, with Favre grasping at straws. He was hardly holding his tongue.

If Favre was lied to, why did the Favre camp, including ESPN, never state anything specific? Its not like they were shy about slandering the Packer management in general terms. The Packers published a detailed chronology of events, the Favre Cult had EVERY opportunity to challenge wrong or misleading information.

"To be fair", as you say, there is zero evidence that Favre was mistreated in any way. And "to be fair", it is wrong to slander TT with these theories that don't pass the smell test.

What do you want me to say? I'm being completely objective here, or trying to anyway, and am allowing for the possibility that the whole story hasn't come out yet. We don't know for certain how it specifically went down. All we know is what the Packers have said happened and what Favre said had happened. We base our opinion on whichever story we think is the truth. Meaning all any of us fans have to base our opinion on are assumptions. I'm of the same opinion as you Harlan, but I'm not convinced that Thompson was/is 100% free of guilt in the matter.

[Harlan Huckleby]

ahhh, you're a Hatfield alrighty. I seen ya shittin outside the Hatfield double wide. I got no use for Hatfields and Favres.

http://msp86.photobucket.com/albums/k100/john_april_saffle/hillbilly.jpg

[Gunakor]

:shock:

You are one sick bastard Harlan.

And, to be honest, I don't really understand the correlation. You certainly couldn't be trying to lump me in with the "TT's a snake" crowd. I'm not throwing any stones in either direction. So I don't get the Hatfield/McCoy reference.

In any case, it doesn't matter. Who's right, who's wrong, will Favre come back and embrace the Packers or not, none of those things matter anyway. The franchise will be successful both as a business and as a football team regardless of what Favre decides to do. So who cares.

[Bretsky]

To be fair, what Brett says could in fact turn out to be the truth. He may just have been lied to or decieved by TT. We'll probably never know

Huh? Favre went on the Gretta Van Sustren Show to broadcast how he had been abused. It turned into a self-pity party, with Favre grasping at straws. He was hardly holding his tongue.

If Favre was lied to, why did the Favre camp, including ESPN, never state anything specific? Its not like they were shy about slandering the Packer management in general terms. The Packers published a detailed chronology of events, the Favre Cult had EVERY opportunity to challenge wrong or misleading information.

"To be fair", as you say, there is zero evidence that Favre was mistreated in any way. And "to be fair", it is wrong to slander TT with these theories that don't pass the smell test.

What do you want me to say? I'm being completely objective here, or trying to anyway, and am allowing for the possibility that the whole story hasn't come out yet. We don't know for certain how it specifically went down. All we know is what the Packers have said happened and what Favre said had happened. We base our opinion on whichever story we think is the truth. Meaning all any of us fans have to base our opinion on are assumptions. I'm of the same opinion as you Harlan, but I'm not convinced that Thompson was/is 100% free of guilt in the matter.


don't bother using reasoning/common sense on this topic with Harlan; all reasoning is futile......futile :!: :lol:

[mraynrand]

I'm not sure which I like better, Tanhäusser, Götterdämmerung, or Das LiebFavrebot

http://i453.photobucket.com/albums/qq254/mraynrand/vikingfavre2.jpg

"Who joins us not in frolic jest
Shall have a dagger in his breast"

[Harlan Huckleby]

And, to be honest, I don't really understand the correlation. You certainly couldn't be trying to lump me in with the "TT's a snake" crowd.

I got your point. I have only a small difference of opinion with you, but decided to entertain myself by signing you up with the bad guys. :twisted: I'm that way.

I have a pet peeve. If a man publicly accuses someone of unethical behavior or bad faith, he ought to lay out the evidence. Or as a minimum make a concrete accusation.

As far as I can tell, TT is guilty of nothing more than doing his job. He did not dis Favre, he gave him a fair opportunity to stay with the team until Favre retired on his own terms. If anything, the PAckers over-indulged Lord Favre over recent years.

I resent that the Favre Cult has used TT as a scapegoat. Favre created the mess with his spoiled behaivor, and his admirers don't want to face it. TT the devil is all too convienent.

There truly is only ONE way to settle this: Favre needs to make another trip to Gretta Van Sustern's porch and get it all out. I did not sense that he was pulling any punches during his first visit. On the contrary, all I heard was hurt pride and unfocused lashing-out. But perhaps there is some there there.

Lets have it, Favre: if you got the dirt on TT, lay it out. Otherwise I think an apology to TT and the Packer organization is in order.

[CaptainKickass]

The franchise will be successful both as a business and as a football team regardless of what Favre decides to do. So who cares.

And it only took 11 pages to get there.

Well said Gun - well said.

[cpk1994]

And, to be honest, I don't really understand the correlation. You certainly couldn't be trying to lump me in with the "TT's a snake" crowd.

I got your point. I have only a small difference of opinion with you, but decided to entertain myself by signing you up with the bad guys. :twisted: I'm that way.

I have a pet peeve. If a man publicly accuses someone of unethical behavior or bad faith, he ought to lay out the evidence. Or as a minimum make a concrete accusation.

As far as I can tell, TT is guilty of nothing more than doing his job. He did not dis Favre, he gave him a fair opportunity to stay with the team until Favre retired on his own terms. If anything, the PAckers over-indulged Lord Favre over recent years.

I resent that the Favre Cult has used TT as a scapegoat. Favre created the mess with his spoiled behaivor, and his admirers don't want to face it. TT the devil is all too convienent.

There truly is only ONE way to settle this: Favre needs to make another trip to Gretta Van Sustern's porch and get it all out. I did not sense that he was pulling any punches during his first visit. On the contrary, all I heard was hurt pride and unfocused lashing-out. But perhaps there is some there there.

Lets have it, Favre: if you got the dirt on TT, lay it out. Otherwise I think an apology to TT and the Packer organization is in order.Amen. But you shouldn't be wasting this greatness on us poor schmucks, but emailing that directly to Favre himself.