Partial
07-31-2006, 10:44 PM
From JSO (http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=478199)
Green Bay - It was a mere four months ago that quarterback Brett Favre wondered out loud whether it was worth returning to the Green Bay Packers if they weren't going to compete for a Super Bowl.
With retirement still a possibility, Favre seemed light years away from believing he wasn't going to be playing for a 4-12 football team again.
"I want to feel like we can compete for the Super Bowl and not just say that to say that because people want to hear that," he said on April 8. "I don't want the coaches to say that, I don't want to say that unless we really can get to the Super Bowl or compete for it."
How times have changed.
In his first meeting with reporters since training camp opened Friday, Favre was singing a vastly different tune from the one he delivered at his charity golf tournament in Tunica, Miss. The soon-to-be 37-year-old quarterback stunned a room full of reporters by stating, "I really feel, as far as talent is concerned, this is the most talented team that I've been part of as a whole."
Say what?
Is this the same Brett Favre who was prodding the Packers to make some kind of splash in free agency so he would have someone other than Donald Driver to throw the ball to? Is this the same Brett Favre who said you can't expect a bunch of rookies to come in and have an impact on the team?
Favre either could not or would not answer how his opinion of the Packers could change so dramatically in such a short period of time. Apparently the football gods didn't take too kindly to his proclamation because Favre went out and threw five interceptions in a 2½-hour workout after he made his comments.
Whatever the case, Favre did offer a caveat to his pronunciation that this team has more talent than even the Super Bowl champion Packers of a decade ago.
It's the most talented, "but the most unproven, inexperienced team that I've ever played on," said Favre, who is entering his 15th year in Green Bay. "So if we can somehow put it together, there's a lot of talent out there. But when you compare, like, this year to maybe the year we won the Super Bowl, the two years previous to '96, we weren't a very talented team. We weren't under-talented, but we were very experienced.
"Sometimes, guys in their first or second year, they show up and make plays and you go, 'Whoa, that's why we drafted them.' We have guys who can do that, but it remains to be seen what can happen."
Favre's declaration might have been calculated to send a message to a young team trying to get over the fact it was one of the worst teams in the league last season. Favre doesn't make big speeches in the locker room but he sometimes makes bold public statements, hoping their impact trickles down to the team.
Under general manager Ted Thompson, the Packers have a vast number of young players on the roster, including 21 players from his last two drafts, 15 rookie free agents and 11 first-year players. All told the Packers have 53 first- or second-year players out of 89 total players taking part in training camp.
It's not exactly the kind of team Favre played on when he went to consecutive Super Bowls with the Packers in the mid-1990s. But he seems to have bought into new coach Mike McCarthy's program and to understand that he won't be able to lead this team anywhere positive all by himself.
More than anything, he appears to have a good handle on where the improvement has to come from if this team is going to be better than in 2005.
"I know that if we have everyone healthy or if we had everyone healthy last year, it would have been a different story," Favre said. "How different? I don't know. I would think much different. This year, to me, the question mark is offense. If we stay healthy and our young guys play to par, I don't see any reason why we won't be much better than we were last year. I am optimistic."
To make his point about talent, Favre pointed to recovering running backs Ahman Green and Najeh Davenport, second tight end Donald Lee, rookie receiver Greg Jennings and rookie guards Daryn Colledge and Jason Spitz as reasons the Packers would be better this season. He knows all or none of them could come through this season.
Favre said physically he felt every bit his 36 years, but he said his arm was still strong. The worst thing ailing him is a sore left ankle that dates back to surgery he had on Feb. 27, 1996. He said he woke up some mornings feeling as if he had broken glass in his socks, but the injury won't keep him from playing in a game.
Currently, McCarthy has him on a one-practice-a-day routine and a strict pitch count so he has plenty left for the regular season. The ankle continues to bother him but he insists it's nothing to worry about.
"You know what? I don't want to make a big deal of it," he said. "It doesn't feel good. I may look kind of funny running - not that I ever looked great running - but it didn't feel good last year. I don't anticipate feeling better. But by taking maybe mornings off and being careful to a certain extent, it will prolong my playing.
"I don't think it's anything that tomorrow I say, 'I just can't make it. I can't do it anymore.' It's just something you have to play with."
Under McCarthy, the Packers are going to run the ball a lot and play a purer version of the West Coast offense than previous coach Mike Sherman did. They are going back to the offense's roots, settling for short completions in the passing game more often and waiting for the right moment to take shots downfield.
Offensive coordinator Jeff Jagodzinski said Favre would be allowed to take the team out of bad plays with calls at the line of scrimmage and be a significant part of the offensive brain trust. He won't determine the game plan but he'll be able to use his vast experience to make decisions.
Five interceptions aside Monday, his teammates expect him to lead this football team as he always has.
"Brett is a living legend," said cornerback Charles Woodson, who had three of the interceptions in practice. "That goes without saying. We'll take the good with the bad. We're going to rally behind him. That's whose lead we're going to follow."
And perhaps that's why Favre said what he said.
I realize that this is a bunch of public relations/raise moral jargin, but it is really nice to hear none the less. I think we are underestimating the team. I am really starting to get fired up with homerism since its that time of year, but I feel like we might be able to squeak our way into the playoffs. I have a hunch by the end of the year we're going to be a very tough team.
Green Bay - It was a mere four months ago that quarterback Brett Favre wondered out loud whether it was worth returning to the Green Bay Packers if they weren't going to compete for a Super Bowl.
With retirement still a possibility, Favre seemed light years away from believing he wasn't going to be playing for a 4-12 football team again.
"I want to feel like we can compete for the Super Bowl and not just say that to say that because people want to hear that," he said on April 8. "I don't want the coaches to say that, I don't want to say that unless we really can get to the Super Bowl or compete for it."
How times have changed.
In his first meeting with reporters since training camp opened Friday, Favre was singing a vastly different tune from the one he delivered at his charity golf tournament in Tunica, Miss. The soon-to-be 37-year-old quarterback stunned a room full of reporters by stating, "I really feel, as far as talent is concerned, this is the most talented team that I've been part of as a whole."
Say what?
Is this the same Brett Favre who was prodding the Packers to make some kind of splash in free agency so he would have someone other than Donald Driver to throw the ball to? Is this the same Brett Favre who said you can't expect a bunch of rookies to come in and have an impact on the team?
Favre either could not or would not answer how his opinion of the Packers could change so dramatically in such a short period of time. Apparently the football gods didn't take too kindly to his proclamation because Favre went out and threw five interceptions in a 2½-hour workout after he made his comments.
Whatever the case, Favre did offer a caveat to his pronunciation that this team has more talent than even the Super Bowl champion Packers of a decade ago.
It's the most talented, "but the most unproven, inexperienced team that I've ever played on," said Favre, who is entering his 15th year in Green Bay. "So if we can somehow put it together, there's a lot of talent out there. But when you compare, like, this year to maybe the year we won the Super Bowl, the two years previous to '96, we weren't a very talented team. We weren't under-talented, but we were very experienced.
"Sometimes, guys in their first or second year, they show up and make plays and you go, 'Whoa, that's why we drafted them.' We have guys who can do that, but it remains to be seen what can happen."
Favre's declaration might have been calculated to send a message to a young team trying to get over the fact it was one of the worst teams in the league last season. Favre doesn't make big speeches in the locker room but he sometimes makes bold public statements, hoping their impact trickles down to the team.
Under general manager Ted Thompson, the Packers have a vast number of young players on the roster, including 21 players from his last two drafts, 15 rookie free agents and 11 first-year players. All told the Packers have 53 first- or second-year players out of 89 total players taking part in training camp.
It's not exactly the kind of team Favre played on when he went to consecutive Super Bowls with the Packers in the mid-1990s. But he seems to have bought into new coach Mike McCarthy's program and to understand that he won't be able to lead this team anywhere positive all by himself.
More than anything, he appears to have a good handle on where the improvement has to come from if this team is going to be better than in 2005.
"I know that if we have everyone healthy or if we had everyone healthy last year, it would have been a different story," Favre said. "How different? I don't know. I would think much different. This year, to me, the question mark is offense. If we stay healthy and our young guys play to par, I don't see any reason why we won't be much better than we were last year. I am optimistic."
To make his point about talent, Favre pointed to recovering running backs Ahman Green and Najeh Davenport, second tight end Donald Lee, rookie receiver Greg Jennings and rookie guards Daryn Colledge and Jason Spitz as reasons the Packers would be better this season. He knows all or none of them could come through this season.
Favre said physically he felt every bit his 36 years, but he said his arm was still strong. The worst thing ailing him is a sore left ankle that dates back to surgery he had on Feb. 27, 1996. He said he woke up some mornings feeling as if he had broken glass in his socks, but the injury won't keep him from playing in a game.
Currently, McCarthy has him on a one-practice-a-day routine and a strict pitch count so he has plenty left for the regular season. The ankle continues to bother him but he insists it's nothing to worry about.
"You know what? I don't want to make a big deal of it," he said. "It doesn't feel good. I may look kind of funny running - not that I ever looked great running - but it didn't feel good last year. I don't anticipate feeling better. But by taking maybe mornings off and being careful to a certain extent, it will prolong my playing.
"I don't think it's anything that tomorrow I say, 'I just can't make it. I can't do it anymore.' It's just something you have to play with."
Under McCarthy, the Packers are going to run the ball a lot and play a purer version of the West Coast offense than previous coach Mike Sherman did. They are going back to the offense's roots, settling for short completions in the passing game more often and waiting for the right moment to take shots downfield.
Offensive coordinator Jeff Jagodzinski said Favre would be allowed to take the team out of bad plays with calls at the line of scrimmage and be a significant part of the offensive brain trust. He won't determine the game plan but he'll be able to use his vast experience to make decisions.
Five interceptions aside Monday, his teammates expect him to lead this football team as he always has.
"Brett is a living legend," said cornerback Charles Woodson, who had three of the interceptions in practice. "That goes without saying. We'll take the good with the bad. We're going to rally behind him. That's whose lead we're going to follow."
And perhaps that's why Favre said what he said.
I realize that this is a bunch of public relations/raise moral jargin, but it is really nice to hear none the less. I think we are underestimating the team. I am really starting to get fired up with homerism since its that time of year, but I feel like we might be able to squeak our way into the playoffs. I have a hunch by the end of the year we're going to be a very tough team.