An early take on this weeks Bear Game

[CaliforniaCheez]

http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/football/bears/cs-071217bearsnext,1,1624875.htmlstory?coll=cs-bears-headlines

Good assessment of the Pack by Chicago Tribune.

Stat in article I did not realize:

The Packers are the only team in the league that has not allowed a touchdown on any type of return this season.

Author's prediction: Packers 24, Bears 12.

[Badgerinmaine]

It is a good article overall. However, I got awfully tired of this line last season and think it makes less sense than ever now:

This could be Brett Favre's last visit to Soldier Field
It's like sportswriters have that line still saved on their word processors from last year. Or, it's just wishful thinking in Chicago. :-)

[packinpatland]

They just want to be able to say 'see I said it first, second, third......' :roll:

Good article tho.

[CaliforniaCheez]

The whole retirement thing stems from a Peter King interview years ago.

It went something like this:

"Brett, do you ever think about life after football?"

"Well, that day will come and you have to prepare for it. Financially, the bigmoney isn't there anymore but I'll be okay. But you have to think about what you do with the rest of your life. I don't think about it all the time but once in awhile you do some planning ahead and thinking on it."

He went on to say coaching was not for him. People who only scan headlines read Favre considering retirement. He started getting asked about it all the time.

Now he says he will know when he is not competeing "at a high level" which I take to mean not being one of the top QB's in the league, maybe top 10. Being a Superbowl starter on top team in the league. He is playing at a high level.

Opening Day 2009 he breaks Jim Marshall's consecutive start record.

[Tarlam!]

He went on to say coaching was not for him.

Yeah, I remember this interview and the above statement, especially.

I wonder if Favre still sees potentially being a coach in the same way these days. He is clearly helping A-Rod develop (they spend a lot of time on the sidelines discussing decisions Brett made on plays).

He has also got a knack for helping to develop WR's, if I am any judge. It can't be coincidental that Packers rooks at that position seem to develop really quickly.

I think also being Big Irv's offspring gives him great insights into being a successful coach.

I thik his enthusiasm is infectious and he could coach a team with passion. He is said to be a great guy in the film room to boot.

One can't help but wager he'd make a fine coach.

[BF4MVP]

Favre has been outstanding this year, but I don't think it is a stone-cold lock that he returns next season..Maybe I'm in the minority, but Brett is well aware of how teams' fortunes can change from one year to the next (Chicago, anyone?), it's been seventeen years for him and he also says he wants to be able to walk away on his own and not be forced to retire like Aikman and Young were. I'm not saying our team will be bad next year (they could very well be as good or better than this year's team), and I'm not saying he will retire after this year, I'm just saying anything is possible.

[Fritz]

Well, hasn't Favre said he might be interested in coaching high school kids, because they're still in it for the fun?

Imagine that dude being your high school coach. Dang.