MJZiggy
04-28-2006, 10:19 AM
The drama of Brett Favre's decision to retire or play has ended, but you are left puzzled by the timing of his decision.
Favre said his decision was contingent on the Green Bay Packers upgrading the team in the off-season through free agency and the draft.
The Packers have been players in free agency, but until reaching an agreement with cornerback Charles Woodson on Wednesday, had not made any major acquisitions. The draft doesn't start until Saturday.
But on Tuesday morning Favre told the team he is going to play next season.
In other words, the Packers have not done much of anything to demonstrate to Favre or anyone else that the team will be fundamentally upgraded from last season. Yet Favre decided to tell the Packers he is going to play another season.
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So his return must be for a reason other than one having chiefly to do with the Packers upgrading their talent level.
The curtain has fallen on this little play, but questions still linger, some of which might never get answered and some of which can't be answered now.
For example, is Favre going to play beyond this year?
He has said 2006 would be his last.
Packers President Bob Harlan told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on Wednesday that he doesn't know if this season will be Favre's last.
Does that mean we could all be doing this again during the 2007 off-season?
Oh, no.
Anything but that.
Meanwhile, the news of Favre's decision rippled across planet pigskin.
Some of the better ripples:
• Harlan told WSSP-AM (1250) that he is satisfied with the strategy general manager Ted Thompson has used in free agency.
"Absolutely," Harlan said. "I know there are players that we made offers to. We didn't get them for various reasons. Everybody wants to say you sat on your hands and did nothing. That's not true."
• Reporter Chris Mortensen said on ESPN Radio what the Packers told Favre to help convince him to return.
"What they tried to tell him is, 'Hey look, we have kept seven of our own unrestricted free agents,'" Mortensen said. "'Ahman Green and Najeh Davenport are back from injuries. You are going to have to trust us.' . . . So I really think he is going on faith and just also on the desire in his heart that he wants to play football again. So that's why he's doing it."
• Joe Theismann, the analyst on ESPN's "Monday Night Football," told WAUK-AM (1510) he thought the Packers should have encouraged Favre to retire.
"I think that what really should have happened, I think for the Green Bay Packers and for Brett, was for the Packers to sit down and say: 'Brett, how can we work this out? Let's make an announcement that you're going to retire. We have a new head coach. We have a young quarterback that we have to see if he can play. And there is absolutely nothing out there for you other than the satisfaction to play if you want to do it.' I think it's great that Brett is coming back. I don't necessarily agree with it. I think the Green Bay Packers should have tried to work something out with Brett Favre to give him an opportunity to retire from the game."
• Theismann told WAUK that Favre is in a long line of great athletes who find it hard to walk away from the game.
"I know why Brett's coming back," Theismann said. "The athlete just doesn't want to give it up. We've seen Jerry Rice go too far. Joe Montana went on to Kansas City. Joe Namath went on to L.A. (Johnny) Unitas went to San Diego. The great athletes don't want to give up the game - I understand that.
"But when I heard Brett say at the end of the season last year: 'You know there was a time when I wanted the ball at the end of the game and I wanted it to be on my shoulders. And I'm not sure I want that anymore.' All I need to hear is some doubt creep in for an individual and that's going to be there. He's not all of a sudden going to say: 'I feel a lot better.' He's going to feel better because it's the off-season."
• LaVar Arrington, the free-agent linebacker who signed with the New York Giants, told NFL Network on Tuesday he nearly signed with the Packers and it was a phone call from Favre that almost made him a Packer.
"It came close to being Green Bay for a little while," Arrington said.
Without specifying, Arrington said he and his family decided what the Giants offered was "a great situation."
But a telephone conversation Arrington had with Favre nearly convinced him otherwise.
"We spoke briefly," Arrington said. "I almost pulled the trigger when he called. I mean, man, how many times do you get one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play the game calling you on the phone? He basically let me know it would mean a lot to him if I did come to Green Bay to try and help get things turned around. It got me emotionally tied up, man. You know, Brett Favre calling, asking for some help."
Favre said his decision was contingent on the Green Bay Packers upgrading the team in the off-season through free agency and the draft.
The Packers have been players in free agency, but until reaching an agreement with cornerback Charles Woodson on Wednesday, had not made any major acquisitions. The draft doesn't start until Saturday.
But on Tuesday morning Favre told the team he is going to play next season.
In other words, the Packers have not done much of anything to demonstrate to Favre or anyone else that the team will be fundamentally upgraded from last season. Yet Favre decided to tell the Packers he is going to play another season.
Advertisement
So his return must be for a reason other than one having chiefly to do with the Packers upgrading their talent level.
The curtain has fallen on this little play, but questions still linger, some of which might never get answered and some of which can't be answered now.
For example, is Favre going to play beyond this year?
He has said 2006 would be his last.
Packers President Bob Harlan told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on Wednesday that he doesn't know if this season will be Favre's last.
Does that mean we could all be doing this again during the 2007 off-season?
Oh, no.
Anything but that.
Meanwhile, the news of Favre's decision rippled across planet pigskin.
Some of the better ripples:
• Harlan told WSSP-AM (1250) that he is satisfied with the strategy general manager Ted Thompson has used in free agency.
"Absolutely," Harlan said. "I know there are players that we made offers to. We didn't get them for various reasons. Everybody wants to say you sat on your hands and did nothing. That's not true."
• Reporter Chris Mortensen said on ESPN Radio what the Packers told Favre to help convince him to return.
"What they tried to tell him is, 'Hey look, we have kept seven of our own unrestricted free agents,'" Mortensen said. "'Ahman Green and Najeh Davenport are back from injuries. You are going to have to trust us.' . . . So I really think he is going on faith and just also on the desire in his heart that he wants to play football again. So that's why he's doing it."
• Joe Theismann, the analyst on ESPN's "Monday Night Football," told WAUK-AM (1510) he thought the Packers should have encouraged Favre to retire.
"I think that what really should have happened, I think for the Green Bay Packers and for Brett, was for the Packers to sit down and say: 'Brett, how can we work this out? Let's make an announcement that you're going to retire. We have a new head coach. We have a young quarterback that we have to see if he can play. And there is absolutely nothing out there for you other than the satisfaction to play if you want to do it.' I think it's great that Brett is coming back. I don't necessarily agree with it. I think the Green Bay Packers should have tried to work something out with Brett Favre to give him an opportunity to retire from the game."
• Theismann told WAUK that Favre is in a long line of great athletes who find it hard to walk away from the game.
"I know why Brett's coming back," Theismann said. "The athlete just doesn't want to give it up. We've seen Jerry Rice go too far. Joe Montana went on to Kansas City. Joe Namath went on to L.A. (Johnny) Unitas went to San Diego. The great athletes don't want to give up the game - I understand that.
"But when I heard Brett say at the end of the season last year: 'You know there was a time when I wanted the ball at the end of the game and I wanted it to be on my shoulders. And I'm not sure I want that anymore.' All I need to hear is some doubt creep in for an individual and that's going to be there. He's not all of a sudden going to say: 'I feel a lot better.' He's going to feel better because it's the off-season."
• LaVar Arrington, the free-agent linebacker who signed with the New York Giants, told NFL Network on Tuesday he nearly signed with the Packers and it was a phone call from Favre that almost made him a Packer.
"It came close to being Green Bay for a little while," Arrington said.
Without specifying, Arrington said he and his family decided what the Giants offered was "a great situation."
But a telephone conversation Arrington had with Favre nearly convinced him otherwise.
"We spoke briefly," Arrington said. "I almost pulled the trigger when he called. I mean, man, how many times do you get one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play the game calling you on the phone? He basically let me know it would mean a lot to him if I did come to Green Bay to try and help get things turned around. It got me emotionally tied up, man. You know, Brett Favre calling, asking for some help."