Other: Its football, and its not something that should disrupt anyones life.
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Other: Its football, and its not something that should disrupt anyones life.
Just a reminder: IF the offensive line stays healthy, it ought to be - by dint of having year of experience and an off-season of lifting for the two rookie guards - a much better unit than last year. Jennings, again IF he stays healthy, ought to also be much better. Thus, I do not understand how a writer can so confidently assert that the Packer offense will be worse than last year's edition.
Ahman Green? I hoped TT could re-sign him but Houston paid ridiculous money for him and I am glad TT did not try to top that. This is the same Ahman Green, who, after all, has been frequently lambasted for his early season fumbling problems, and who by all accounts last year was not the same guy he used to be - and now he's a year older. He also missed some playing time last year, too.
Again, I don't share the writer's assertion that Green Bay's offense will be worse this year. I think it will be better, if the team stays healthy.
As for Favre's comments about "if it wasn't for the defense..." - well, isn't that what a good defense does? Help you win? How can you discount that?
Brohm, Swede - nice posts. I agree fully with the comments. When I see logical debates for both sides over here, I always head back over to the JSO for a dose of the Jerry Springer forum for the drama and grade school flaming that goes on over there. Then come back to here and wonder how I got by without this site.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18646038/ by a freelance writer MV
Indecisive Pack should’ve traded Favre by now. QB right to be peeved by his own team's lack of direction.
I often wonder what goes on inside the war room of an NFL team during the annual draft. I’m sure I can guess: Lots of hushed but frantic chatter, shuffling of index cards, rustling of paper, shoving aside of pizza boxes, and the TV drone of the ESPN crew. I get all that. What I don’t understand is why it takes teams so long between picks. Surely a team has done so much homework up to that point that, considering which players had been selected up to that point and which ones are left, the choice at a particular pick should be a fairly simple matter. But I guess what I wonder most about is what the Green Bay Packers do on draft day. They must be quite a sight. I’d love to be a fly on the wall in their war room, although the exchanges would probably be fairly monotonous: “What do you think?” followed by “I don’t know. What do you think?”
I bet the only reason the Packers make any decisions at all — and I’m talking not just about the draft but free agency, parking, the brand of bratwurst for the annual picnic, the team’s colors (they’re the same every year, but I’m sure club executives are still unsure) and whether to go with boxers or briefs — is because they’re part of a 32-team collective and the other organizations lean on them to go ahead and choose already.
I bring this up because Brett Favre reportedly has asked the Packers to trade him, which is fascinating because I believe the primary reason he wants to be traded is because the Packers have failed to trade him. I know what you’re saying: “Huh?” But follow closely. The Packers are wimps. They’re terrified of Brett Favre. Each year Favre’s future becomes a huge news story, much bigger than it warrants. The Packers sit around on pins and needles waiting for Favre to tell them which direction the franchise will go: With him, or without him. They have to wait for Favre to tell them that because they can’t decide for themselves. They’re frightened that if they got rid of Favre, fan backlash would be fierce enough to require Red Cross intervention. In fact, Favre has become not just a future Hall of Fame quarterback, but a dictator in the most literal sense, because he is dictating to the people he rules over (the Green Bay Packers) what they will and will not do.
But now a report on the Fox Sports web site suggests he asked for a trade after the draft because he took a look at the team in its present form, he realizes that it stinks, he understands that the main reason it stinks is because it’s petrified to make a major move and lacks the guts to do something like trade Brett Favre, and so he wants out. If they had simply traded him a couple seasons ago rather than sit and do nothing, he wouldn’t have to ask for a trade now. See? It’s simple.
The crux is this: Favre is frustrated because he is the front man for a franchise that is going nowhere, and he’s tired of that role. He asked for a trade now because the New England Patriots pulled the trigger and acquired Randy Moss, a wide receiver to which Favre longed to throw. Because he was so upset that Moss went elsewhere, he decided the Packers were going nowhere. That’s why he reportedly asked for a trade. But the Moss thing was just the final, high-profile straw. Favre’s underlying dissatisfaction centers on the Packers’ inertia. And there is no better example of that than the team’s indecision on trading Favre....
[b]CONTINUED: Favre sees teams improving, but not Packers[/b
Favre will be 38 in October, he will be entering his 17th season and he certainly has looked at the NFL world around him with the eyes of a man whose time in the game is rapidly expiring. The six playoff teams in the NFC last season — Philadelphia, Dallas, New York Giants, Chicago, New Orleans and Seattle — arguably should be in contention next season as well. In addition, teams like Carolina, Atlanta, Tampa Bay, San Francisco and Arizona all have a shot at competing for a playoff berth. Over in the AFC, there is even renewed optimism at Raiders’ camp. The Raiders, for Pete’s sake! They were atrocious last season, but there’s talk they could conceivably double their victory total in 2007. That would be four wins, but hey, it’s an improvement.
Favre sees teams taking steps to get better while he sees his Packers doing zilch. Moss is indeed a head case and, if the Packers struggled at some point in the season, Randy is not the type of teammate to pull a Knute Rockne and rally the fellows to follow his inspirational lead. But it was worth the risk. In the right environment, Moss could still be a superstar. Obviously the Patriots felt that way or they wouldn’t have taken on a contract that calls for Moss to receive about $21 million in base salary over the next two seasons. Favre told the Biloxi (Miss.) Sun-Herald that Moss was willing to “wipe his contract clean” and sign for $3 million guaranteed, but that the Packers were not willing to go for it. Favre even said he was willing to guarantee that portion of the contract out of his own money. Still no deal. But again, it isn’t just Randy Moss. The Packers have done little to improve other than lock up some of their key defensive players to contracts. It’s foolish to go out and spend money like Daniel Snyder, but it’s equally boneheaded to stand pat when standing pat means settling for mediocrity. This will all blow over like yesterday’s news. The Packers begin their mandatory minicamp on Friday, and Favre may or may not be there, since he is recovering from surgery in February to remove bone spurs from his left ankle. If he shows, he’ll make nice and say the trade demand was taken out of context or overblown. If he doesn’t show, the team will spin it to suggest all is well and that he is busy rehabbing. Yet behind the scenes, Brett Favre would be wise to demand that the team show some gumption by trading Brett Favre. That’s the kind of decisiveness he’s been waiting to see.
I was just thinking, didn't Favre call the 2006 Packers the most talented team he'd ever been on?
Harv, maybe you make a move to get Moss to placate Favre. Maybe you don't sign Moss because there are those that don't want him here and you already have on serious problem at WR.Quote:
Originally Posted by HarveyWallbangers
Plus, Green missed valuable time ALL THE TIME, due to his asthma. Just look to 2003 - and the number of successful drives that stalled, due to Green coming out for a breather - including the incredibly important final drive of the first half in the Divisional playoff game with Philly. Tell me that had Green stayed on the field, the Packers wouldn't have scored a TD. This happened more often than not. The new guys plus the collection of RBs could easily be better than what they had with Green last year.Quote:
Originally Posted by Fritz
I vote other and here is why:
My stance on Thompson is that he's done a great job of restocking the team with talented youth. Despite Thompson's success in the draft, he has failed in free agency and trades. Furthermore, though Thompson has really redid the team salary cap, he has not done anything with it and every team ended up with extra cap room due to the CBA being done last year. Thus, I believe that Thompson is performing adequately as a GM but I don't like the job he's done with respects to winning now. I don't know if it's fair for me to hold it against him because his job is to ensure winning in the future but I am irritated, for two years now, that THompson hasn't done more to win now. I didn't want to rebuild when they fired Sherman. It's why I would've held onto Sherman the coach longer. Changing coaching staffs cost the Packers a playoff spot last year which cost the team a shot at a superbowl. Were we the most talented team last year? Not by any reach but just getting to the playoffs and having a player like Favre could've turned into a superbowl spot.
Thompson came in and chose to rebuild. For that effort, I give him a B+. On the flip side, Thompson came in and chose to lose now. For that, I give him an F. He hasn't stepped up to give the team tools to win with and though I think this year's class is a poor example of opportunities missed in free agency, I certainly can point to last year and the year before and the many players Thompson could've signed but didn't (mainly safeties) that could've helped the team win some games. Hell, when the bodies were dropping like flies a couple years back, Thompson was signing guys name TACO to fill need positions. I disliked that very much. I love the way Thompson drafts. I hate the way he has chosen to not do the little things he could do in order to give the team a chance to win now.
IF Thompson screwed over Favre with the Moss thing and played politics by making it seem as if he wanted Moss but then, when he actually had the chance, said no....then I may have a problem with Thompson. We just have to see what the facts are before going there.... That and the fact that the off-season isn't over yet. Thompson could still do some things. If Larry Johnson ends up getting traded to G.B. then I have a sneaky suspicion that Thompson's job rating will skyrocket and everyone will be happy for a while. We have to wait and see what else happens with trades, June 1 cuts and other...
I liked the hiring of TT. Did not know much about him but after reading about his expereince I thought he was a good choice. So far I have been a TT bandwagon guy but thought this year he was to laid-back. Possibly he could have been more aggressive.
I wondered if he called Oakland at all during the draft to see if the trade was going to happen? It appears he sat back and waited for day two and found out by the media that Moss had been trading to New England. :roll:
Again, I find myself agreeing with Gureski. While Thompson has in fact turned our cap situation around, and he has added youth to our team, he has been all but invisible in FA.
People can argue until they turn blue that our Offense will be improved over last year due to time spent in the weight room and the year that they have played in our system. That would however be pure speculation and does not change the fact that they could not put points on the board last year. The Lions had a better scoring percentage than us last year, how sad is that?
http://packerfansunited.blogspot.com/
Brett Speaks
In a statement posted on the Packers official website about all the brouhaha regarding his supposed demand to be traded, Brett Favre says the following: "I was frustrated a couple weeks back when Randy Moss was traded to New England. I never wanted to be traded and I don't want to be traded. I want to be in Green Bay. I want to finish my career as a Packer. Sometimes when I get frustrated I let my emotions get the better of me. As I said in February when I announced that I was coming back, I am excited about the young talent on our team and the improvements we're going to see from one year to the next. I really enjoy the young guys I'm playing with. I'm working hard down in Mississippi right now, rehabbing, and I plan to be in the best shape of my life. I look forward to playing with this team and seeing what we can do. I think we can be pretty good."So...that's it then. Or is it?
Does He or Doesn't He?
As in, does Brett want to be traded or doesn't he? That is the question which has Packerland in near hysteria. Based upon Brett's own comments over the weekend about his extreme disappointment that the Packers did not acquire Randy Moss, and subsequent news reports that his agent called Packers GM Ted Thompson after the draft demanding a trade and reports that Brett didn't take calls from Coach Mike McCarthy for nearly a week afterward, it would seem...well, we'll only know when Brett decides to say. Thompson and McCarthy aren't talking.
But the surprising thing -- at least to this Packer fan -- is that in a poll today in the online version of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel a slight majority of nearly 5,000 persons responding (as of the time of this post) said if Favre wants a trade the Packers should do it. Wow. Here are the results so far: An angry Brett Favre asks the Packers to trade him. Should they do it? ACTUAL RESULTS: 51% NO 49% YES.
One of the other things being reported is that Brett may not attend the upcoming minicamp as a sign of his displeasure. Because he is rehabbing from his ankle surgery the plan was that he wouldn't actually participate in any activities anyway but would still attend. If nothing else, it might give him a better opportunity to see exactly what some of the new additions to the offense might be able to bring to the field. Brett wasn't too impressed with last year's draft either on the offensive side of things. Yet, it didn't take Brett long to discover that then-rookie Greg Jennings might become one of his favorite receivers. Granted, there is no one with the pedigree of Moss. But there just might be someone with the game and a heckuva lot better attitude.
On the other hand, it is easy to understand Brett's frustration. The Pack has one of the best quarterbacks -- arguably the best -- to ever play the game, in the twilight of his career, still being productive and competitive, and it doesn't seem as if much effort is being made to put the veteran pieces in place to provide a legitimate shot at the playoffs and Super Bowl. Maybe these new kids will surprise everyone. Or maybe they will just disappoint and frustrate Brett to the point where he decides to retire or demand a trade to a team that can give him one last shot for another ring.
The Packers have salary cap room. They have veteran leadership at a number of positions despite being the youngest team overall in the league last year. Whether the team's management and coaching staff know how best to make it all click remains to be seen. But one thing's for sure: if it isn't clicking with #4 -- on or off the field -- all is not well in Packerland.
__________________________________________________ _____________________________________
http://story.scout.com/a.z?s=61&p=2&...2%26c%3d643826
Crunch time By Todd Korth
Favre, Packers should part ways, but five good reasons why it simply
won't happen this year.
__________________________________________________ _________________________________________
http://www.railbirdcentral.blogspot.com/
Plenty of mixed messages
It's really hard to gauge the extent of quaterback Brett Favre's discontent with the Green Bay Packer organization. Favre is upset, that much is clear. He's miffed that the team was unable to obtain wide receiver Randy Moss in a trade. Favre even offered money from his own contract to help pay for Moss. So does Favre really want a trade? Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel writes, "Until quarterback Brett Favre speaks on the matter in full, the depth of his resentment toward the Green Bay Packers' front office for not working out a trade for Oakland receiver Randy Moss won't be known."
Well, fans may not have gotten it from the horse's mouth, but Favre's own brother has let it be known that Favre did indeed ask for a trade. "Favre's brother, Scott, tells TMJ4's Lance Allan that Brett's agent called Packers general manager Ted Thompson the day after the draft and asked for a trade," according to Silvia Acevedo of WTMJ in Milwaukee. Furthur interviews with Scott Favre aired on WTMJ indicate that Favre would still be open to the idea of a trade. And meanwhile, the Green Bay Press-Gazette headline reads, "Favre trade talk likely no big deal."
According to reporter Pete Dougherty, "Within a few days after the NFL draft, Brett Favre apparently asked the Green Bay Packers to trade him, but indications suggest he's now not pushing for a deal to another club." Also a matter of contention is whether Favre will show up to mini-camp this upcoming weekend as well. Tom Silverstein of the Journal Sentinel says, "(Head coach Mike) McCarthy is confident he will show up, a source said Sunday." But WTMJ reports, "Favre won't be able to practice in the upcoming mini camp because he is still recovering from surgery on his left ankle. But he probably will stay away because he is still steamed over this whole issue." One final thing to note ...Silverstein reports, "Favre created a maelstrom when he expressed dissatisfaction with the team's effort to obtain Moss. But he apparently doesn't want to fuel the fires any more. On his personal Web site, the site administrator posted a message that said Favre wanted to tone things down about his displeasure with Packers management." Stay tuned.
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=605108
Favre: 'I don't want to be traded' Also, Packers QB says he'll miss minicamp due to daughter's graduation
Brett Favre will not attend the Green Bay Packers' mandatory minicamp this weekend because of his daughter's upcoming graduation, he told a reporter in Mississippi this afternoon....
TOP HAT: I SENSE A SHADOW COMING. :lol: :lol: :lol:
Other.
I had heard of TT from his days with the Seachicks and had no probem with him being given the reigns to the team but I do not agree with his penny pinching 100 percent. If this year is a big struggle for the offense and we end up 8 and 8 or worse again when he could have added some firepower with either Moss or Turner.......you have to roll the dice sometimes. If the Pack starts to win and is very competitive over the next few years then TT will be a hero... but if the :shtf: after old #4 leaves and then its the firing squad for him.
Posted: Sun May 13, 2007 9:00 pm Post subject:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Sorry.
I'm on the bandwagon.
TT is a grown up.
He has a plan and sticks to it. He doesn't get a hard on for names, but he does respect talent. He spends money carefully. He rewards our best players and keeps them on the team.
I have begun slipping off the Favre bandwagon.
He is still my favorite player, author of many happy memories. But his off-season act is really growing old.
It's one thing for "fans" dressed up for some kind of green and gold Mardis Gras to boo draft picks and talk stupidly about not signing Free Agents or drafting Bowe or Meacham or whoever Mel Kiper had on his board.
It is another thing to have Brett fire off like that.
Brett will be a great quarterback again if we can get him into training camp without retiring.
But he sure does suck at off-season public relations.
_________________
TT cares. He just doesn't care what YOU think."
.................................................. .........................
Hey, swede :
Nicely put - well stated.
I agree.
8-) 8-)
Other.
I've been mostly supportive of Thompson. I agree with his approach to be conservative most of the time and build through the draft. However, I disagree with his indecision and inability to seal the deal when opportunities present themselves.
I first spotted this in the Walker saga...where Thompson refused to talk with Walker and bypassed a GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY to work with Javon on a deal that favored both sides and allowed Walker to save face. Now, Thompson bungles an opportunity to land an impact WR on a team that converted only 16 of 49 red zone opportunities the year before.
I'm not ready to fire him yet...he deserves to have a chance to prove his draft choices and coaches can continue to improve the team.
Good luck TT.
http://story.scout.com/a.z?s=61&p=2&...%2f644006.html
Sydney Speaks! Can’t they all just get along? By Harry Sydney
Ted Thompson has a plan. Favre wants to win now. PackerReport.com’s Harry Sydney provides an insiders point of view on how a communication breakdown has created an awkward situation between the two.
FAVRE'S ESTATE: http://img72.imageshack.us/img72/693...mansionli1.jpg
http://www.packerchatters.com/op-ed/view.php?id=2206
Brett Shows Frustration All Packer Fans Are Feeling by Capasso
I am not one to usually believe the rumors stating what Favre, Thompson, McCarthy, or anyone else in the Packer organization may or may not have said without documented evidence of the fact. On the other hand, I have seen enough quotation's around Brett’s recent comments at his golf outing to believe that he showed at least some disdain about that fact that Randy Moss was not signed by the Packer general manager Ted Thompson. I believe that he was expressing feelings that many Packer fans have been feeling over the entire off season…… frustration. Although I do not believe that Favre ever asked to be traded, I have heard rumors to that effect however, I haven’t seen him quoted as saying so by any credible sources.
Favre made a statement today denying that fact that he wants to be traded and is looking forward to playing with the team this year. I can see how Favre and many Packer fans can be frustrated with the approach that Mr. Thompson is taking to turn the present Green Bay Packers team around. It is not a fast approach by any means. Many look at a team like New Orleans and say if they could go from last to first in one year why can’t the Packers? Well there are several reasons. New Orleans had a younger and more talented core of players than the Packers had. They also picked up a QB in Drew Brees that ended up having a Pro bowl year. The Packers have a much harder uphill battle to climb. Poor drafts and weak player negotiations over several years left the youth and talent pool pretty much dried up. Thompson had the chore of not only replacing the aging starters but also building up the reserves and depth of the Packers. On top of that he walked into camp with a very unfriendly salary cap situation that forced him to release several popular and talented players. The players and fans of the Green Bay Packers however want a championship team…. NOW.
Some General Managers may have gone another way and filled the gaps with some more popular draft picks and by signing expensive free agents. In doing so they may have made themselves a more competitive team today, possibly giving them a shot of getting to the Super Bowl this year. But at what price? Could those teams possibly be looking at severe salary cap issue in the next several years? The possibility of overpaying several free agents may mean that they could have a one and done shot at a Super Bowl. This is the route some General Managers take to try to save their jobs but signing glorified free agents in an attempt for a 'quick fix' is not the way to get to the Super Bowl, or to create a dynasty. This is not the route Thompson chose to take. Thompson chose to build a team by expanding the core of talent with young talented draft picks and little known free agents that were 'under the radar'. That is why he has not picked the 'popular' picks that would fill the immediate gaps for a team that is making a run for the Super Bowl this year. Are the Packers a Super Bowl-bound team this year? Sorry...it probably is not! Are we getting better? Yes! Are we filling some of the voids on the team? Yes! Are we going to become a dynasty overnight? No! Will it be in the near future? Let’s hope so. We as Packer fans will have to be patient and wait for the seeds that Thompson is planting to bloom. I want to see the Packers win the Super Bowl led by Brett Favre as much as anyone but for that to happen I am afraid that Brett is going to have to play another year or two. Hence ..Brett’s and our frustration grows
Like I've said before, I'm probably in the major minority here when I say I'm not upset with Brett saying what he did. He voiced the opinion of thousands of Packer fans. I think it's something that needed to be said and maybe after the dust settles will work out for the best. I think Harv posted somewhere that one of Favre's biggest faults is his honestly. Well damn, in a NFL world full of gang bangers and drug users, I guess I find a player....a HOF'er... being honest, nothing to get irrate about. Lots of players speak their mind, but because this is Favre it gains national media attention.Quote:
Originally Posted by swede
As for Thompson...I'm not against him, but I do wonder how so many people are pro Thompson...anti Favre during all this. TT may turn out to be one of the best GM's...but he's unproven at this point in GB. Thompson gave us a good draft + a little FA help in 2006....that's all we know for sure. Favre has been a faithful Packer for 17 years!! It makes me sick hearing all the Favre bashing going on in these threads. I seriously hope I don't hear the same people gushing over Favre during the 2007 season as he's breaking records.
You are in the majority 007. You are just honest great Packer fan.
DOES FAVRE NEED MORE PLAYMAKERS?
YES 67%
MAYBE 18%
NO 10%
OTHER 2%
When is TT responsible for the results of this squad?
Day 1: The 4-12 season was all TT fault. 12-4 with MS 3 votes
Year2: 8-8 was all on TT 1 votes
Year3: 2 drafts, Now it is fully his team 49 votes
Year4: Hey, if it works for the Lions, it works for me. 19 votes
http://bratsandbeer.com/
Just Selling Papers
By now you’ve all probably heard or read the rumor that Brett Favre asked the Packers to be traded after the Randy Moss deal fell apart. The amazing part of the story, to me anyway, is that it was FOX Sports and not ESPN that got the scoop on this one. Was Mort Anderson taking a nap or on vacation? So is it true? Obviously Jay Glazer at FOXSports.com thought it was substantial enough to pen a lengthy article on it, though there at no direct quotes from anyone backing up the claim. The Press-Gazette, on the other hand, says it was just No. 4 blowing off steam, quoting someone close to the three-time MVP as saying “he was mad — but he wouldn’t be busting his (butt) like this.” Which leaves us to wonder, is it true? Maybe. I bet Favre was upset that the Packers didn’t follow through and trade for Moss — why he’s so convinced the Randy Ratio still can play I’m not sure — and maybe he said something like “maybe I’ll ask for a trade.” Maybe his agent Bus Cook did call Ted Thompson and told him Favre was upset and thinking about asking for a trade. But was anyone serious about this plan? I just find it hard to believe.
On the other hand, a major sports franchise GM generally should not piss of his marquee player to the point of trade rumors getting tossed around in the press. It seems like there needs to be a little better communication between TT and his star veteran. As Jib at the Wisconsin Sports Bar puts it, “It was a piss poor piece of people managing on Thompson’s part.” I’m sure this will all blow over in a week or two, and by the time trainging camp starts Favre will be talking up his team like they are the second coming of the Lombardi era. In the meantime, though, this story should keep all the pundits at ESPN busy.
TOP HAT: ISN'T THAT THE POINT?
According to the article in the Journal Sentinel (dated 05/14/2007), Favre outright denied asking to be traded. Fox, NBC, and other news networks ran with the story based on anonymous sources.
Here is a clip from the article:
"But that does not mean Favre is holding out to force a trade. In fact, he denies ever asking for one on the Biloxi Sun Herald Web site.
"I did not say that, or anything about a possible trade," Favre told the paper.""
and this:
"According to a FoxSports.com report Sunday, Favre was so incensed over the failure to obtain Moss that he had his agent, James "Bus" Cook, call the Packers several days after the April 28-29 draft and ask for a trade. The Wisconsin State Journal cited two sources that confirmed the trade demand, albeit as an emotional reaction on Favre's part."
It's rather obvious that this was not a real demand for a trade, the way it was portrayed in the media. This was Favre making a pissed off comment that some news sources decided would be a nice way to make headlines and $$$$. I'd guess ESPN didn't run with it because it wasn't credible. They knew it would be shot down.
http://www.acmepackingcompany.com/
He never ever wanted to be traded, honest: I was frustrated a couple weeks back when Randy Moss was traded to New England. I never wanted to be traded and I don't want to be traded. I want to be in Green Bay. I want to finish my career as a Packer. Sometimes when I get frustrated I let my emotions get the better of me.
As I said in February when I announced that I was coming back, I am excited about the young talent on our team and the improvements we're going to see from one year to the next. I really enjoy the young guys I'm playing with. I'm working hard down in Mississippi right now, rehabbing, and I plan to be in the best shape of my life.
I look forward to playing with this team and seeing what we can do. I think we can be pretty good. He really doesn't deny asking for a trade in the above statement, but he told Al Jones that he never asked for a trade. It sounds like this story is all over and there is no where else for it to go. Now QB Brett Favre and GM Ted Thompson can go back to hating each other in private.
http://pu2006.typepad.com/packerupdate/
PACKERS STILL DOING IT WOLF'S WAY
While Brett Favre rails against his team’s inability to land wide receiver Randy Moss, it’s high time to put to rest the idea that Ted Thompson has ignored the offense since taking over as general manager 28 months ago. True, he hasn’t bolstered that side of the ball with any notable free agents, but he’s selected one quarterback (Aaron Rodgers), one running back (Brandon Jackson), three wide receivers (Terrence Murphy, Greg Jennings and James Jones) and two linemen (Daryn Colledge and Jason Spitz) on the first day of the past three drafts. That’s certainly not a case of ignoring the offense. It’s simply a matter of philosophy.
“Thompson, like Ron Wolf before him, believes that you build an offense primarily through the draft,” said a person familiar with the situation. “Ideally, you want the skill players to grow up together. Wolf had Favre, Edgar Bennett, Dorsey Levens, William Henderson, Antonio Freeman, Robert Brooks and Mark Chmura in the mid-90s. Thompson is hoping to have similar success with Aaron Rodgers, Brandon Jackson, Greg Jennings, James Jones, etc. in the years to come.” A strong defense, at least according to this philosophy, is much easier to put together by piecemeal. “Wolf acquired veterans Reggie White, Sean Jones, Santana Dotson and Eugene Robinson,” added the source. “And Thompson has brought in Ryan Pickett, Charles Woodson and Marquand Manuel. It’s the same basic blueprint.” The big difference, of course, is that Wolf had a 25-year-old Favre and one of the greatest defensive players in the history of the league to help speed the process along.
Critics of Thompson will point to Wolf’s daring acquisition of Pro Bowl tight end Keith Jackson prior to the start of the 1995 season as a major difference between the two men. And while there’s no question that the teacher was more aggressive than the pupil appears to be, there’s also one big caveat. Wolf knew how close those Packers were to winning it all and he believed that Jackson could be the missing piece to the puzzle. Meanwhile, the current team is nowhere close to being a legitimate Super Bowl contender. “I can certainly understand Favre’s growing frustrations, but he’s not really part of the equation,” said the source. “This team is being built for the long haul, and right or wrong, Thompson is doing it his way.” And as it turns out, he’s also doing it Wolf’s way. Whether the payoff is the same remains to be seen.
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=605987
Coming to Favre's defense
According to Steve Young, the Green Bay Packers and Brett Favre are working on different agendas: Favre wants to win tomorrow and the Packers are building to win beyond tomorrow. Young made his comments Tuesday afternoon on ESPN Radio. The former San Francisco 49ers quarterback said Favre was not being selfish or putting himself above the team for expressing frustration about not getting help to make Packers a championship contender before he retires.
"He's a made man," Young said of Favre. "In a way he's like Jerry Rice, who many times would complain and moan. But because he works so hard and has accomplished so much that instead of being selfish, was (perceived as) all I want to do is win. . . . In that way he is a little bit protected." Young said the Packers started retooling two years ago and "were moving on" to build for the future. "As an organization, I think they are fundamentally looking to build a championship football team, not necessarily building a team for tomorrow to help Brett Favre win a championship," Young said. "So those two things don't meet. It's not against anybody. It's just that they are not going to meet. When I found that out with the 49ers in 2000, I retired. If we weren't going to go for a championship, I was at an age where that's not what I wanted to do. Brett decided differently, like Jerry Rice."
Perhaps clear communication about these matters has not taken place between Favre and the Packers. "(Favre) is one of the best players in professional football history," Young said. "It's his career. If he is going to stick around and he has done so much for his team, it's not selfish to say, 'Look, I want help, if we are going to go for a championship.' Or the Packers need to say, 'We are not playing for championships; we are building a team over a period of time.' They do this little dance step where neither of them says what they really mean. Unfortunately, it's put them in a little bit of a jam with each other and that's why I think Brett reacted.
"I think he thought, 'Look, I'll come back. We had a nice finish to the season. We get a couple of nice pieces, including Randy Moss, look, we can win it.' I know what Brett's thinking. 'I can sneak one in and leave like John Elway on the horse. Leave and be a champion. But I need a couple of weapons.' When they let it pass and they didn't get him . . . I think it left him empty." The two sides are looking at winning in different ways.
"To me the Packers are doing what they think is best," Young said. "Totally fine. Brett is doing what he hoped would be best. That's fine. There has been some miscommunication or some expectations that weren't met. That's the reaction. I think you are in a tough spot with a Hall of Fame football player playing late into his 30s and the team is thinking, 'We are a long way from a championship and we will do something different.' Philosophically they are in different places. They are going to have some rough patches."
Better of arms race
Boomer Esiason of CBS-TV said the New England Patriots had done for Tom Brady what the Packers had failed to do for Favre: give the quarterback better weapons to win a championship now. "From a guy who used to sit in a seat quite like his I can understand his frustrations," Esiason told Sirius NFL Radio, referring Favre's comments last weekend. "The older you get the more help you need around you. It's not that they don't have good young players in Green Bay. There's just no sizzle… "The unfortunate thing for him is that he's a thoroughbred - now, he's rounding that final turn - but he takes a look and sees what New England is doing for Tom Brady. And look at New England and how they went out and they've actually this off-season tried to get their thoroughbred some really good players to play around him because Tom Brady has been playing with less-than-stellar players at the wide receiver position." Esiason said Favre was "going to have to fight through another hard year in Green Bay because they just don't look like a team that's going to be able to make the playoffs."
Green not surprised
Houston Texans running back Ahman Green said the frustration that Favre expressed in recent days was to be expected. Green, who played for the Packers from 2000-'06, made his comments during an interview Tuesday night on Sirius NFL Radio. Green was asked about Favre's frustration after Moss was acquired by the Patriots. "Wasn't surprised at all," Green told Sirius NFL Radio, referring to Favre's publicly expressed dissatisfaction. "With the stuff that had transpired the last several months with me leaving, David Martin and William Henderson exiting, that basically brought on what happened this past weekend. It doesn't surprise me. The only thing I'm surprised about is it didn't happen any sooner."
"The things that he works with on the offense are kind of gone, myself as a runner helping him with the running game, Will blocking, David Martin one of the tight ends catching balls. Randy Moss, bringing him to Green Bay would have been another weapon for his arsenal. With him not being there that just kind of added to the frustration."
I think Steve Young said it best among the national media right here. I've echoed his sentiments on this forum.Quote:
Originally Posted by TopHat
http://www.620wtmj.com/_content/spor...aels/index.asp
Final 4?
Randy Moss isn’t a Green Bay Packer. The majority of us found out that fact on day two of the NFL Draft. Brett Favre and Bus Cook apparently found out a week to ten days earlier. According to a source, close to both the team and Brett, Bus Cook was informed of the Packers lack of interest in acquiring Moss prior to the draft. Cook then informed Favre of Ted Thompson’s choice not to pursue the controversial wide receiver. Upset at the lack of interest in bolstering the offense, but unwilling to believe that the Packers wouldn’t at the very least make a “play” for Moss, Favre decided to keep his feelings confined to those around him until draft day. After the announcement was made that indeed Moss was a Patriot and that it only took a 4th round draft pick to garner the services of the veteran receiver, Favre spouted to Cook that he ”wanted out”. He wanted to be traded to a team that would give him the opportunity to be a serious post-season contender.
Cook contacted Thompson and Brett’s displeasure was conveyed to the Packers GM. It took Mike McCarthy to calm the waters, so to speak. McCarthy, after a week of trying to contact Favre, finally received a return phone call from the Packers signal caller. Favre told McCarthy that he’d be a man of his word and return to the Green Bay Packers. Favre admitted that he really didn’t want to part company with the storied franchise but that he’s more than frustrated with the team for not supplying him with the offensive talent to give him another legitimate shot at an NFC title.
Favre’s demands and discontent leaked to the media and that’s when the spin went into effect. In a statement released on the Packers website Favre stated, “I was frustrated a couple weeks back when Randy Moss was traded to New England. I never wanted to be traded and I don't want to be traded. I want to be in Green Bay. I want to finish my career as a Packer. Sometimes when I get frustrated I let my emotions get the better of me. As I said in February when I announced that I was coming back, I am excited about the young talent on our team and the improvements we're going to see from one year to the next. I really enjoy the young guys I'm playing with. I'm working hard down in Mississippi right now, rehabbing, and I plan to be in the best shape of my life. I look forward to playing with this team and seeing what we can do. I think we can be pretty good.”
According to 2 separate sources, their opinion is that if Favre plays well this season (2007) then he’ll return for another year but it will NOT be with the Green Bay Packers. If Favre doesn’t play up to his own expectations, he’ll walk away from the game, to his tractor in Hattiesburg and ultimately to that anticipated day when he slips on that gold jacket and unveils his bronze bust on the historic stage in Canton.
Enjoy this year Packers fans, this appears to truly be Favre’s last hurrah. Question, if the Packers finish the 2007 campaign 11-5 and play deep in to January, would that convince #4 to don the green and gold once again? We’ll have to wait and see.
Note: Lance Allan of Today’s TMJ4 is reporting that a spokesman for the Packers has stated that the upcoming mini camp is mandatory and that anyone not in attendance is subject to fine. As we all know, Brett has stated that he will NOT be attending the mini camp this weekend. He’s rehabbing his surgically repaired ankle and he’ll be attending the high school graduation of his oldest daughter.
http://www.packersnews.com/apps/pbcs.../70515211/1989
Packers: Favre not excused from minicamp QB plans to skip mandatory practice
Though Brett Favre told a newspaper in Mississippi he won’t attend the Green Bay Packers’ minicamp this weekend, it appears he and the team haven’t made that decision yet. The Biloxi Sun Herald reported on its Web site Tuesday that Favre said he’ll miss the camp because his recovery from offseason ankle surgery won’t allow him to participate in practice. He prefers to remain in Mississippi to work out, rehabilitate his injury and take part in activities surrounding his oldest daughter’s graduation from high school. Coach Mike McCarthy was unavailable for comment Tuesday but through a team spokesman gave no indication that Favre has been excused from the mandatory camp, at least not as of Tuesday evening. All signs suggest Favre and McCarthy will talk before making the decision. The minicamp runs Friday through Sunday. “As far as (McCarthy) is concerned, it’s a mandatory minicamp,” said Jeff Blumb, the Packers’ director of public relations.
[quote="HarveyWallbangers I think Steve Young said it best among the national media right here. I've echoed his sentiments on this forum.[quote]
I AGREE.
http://packerfansunited.blogspot.com/
Report: Favre Says This is It...At Least in Green Bay
We know that Brett Favre was not happy with what transpired with the Packers' most recent draft. He was frustrated with the lack of the Pack's ability to trade for Randy Moss. Now he says he's not going to attend this weekend's mandatory minicamp because he'd prefer to continue his ankle rehab in Mississippi. Only problem is, Coach McCarthy hasn't excused him from participating. Hmmm...
Tonight, according to a report on WTMJ-TV in Milwaukee, its sister radio station 620WTMJ-AM is reporting (follow that, folks: this is a report of a report of a report!) that Brett has told Coach McCarthy that this will be his last year with the Packers; either he will retire or he will ask to be traded at year end because he can no longer play for Ted Thompson. Oh boy. This report flies in the face of the upbeat "statement" by Brett posted on the Packers website yesterday in the aftermath of all the Moss hubbub. Something doesn't fit. They both can't be correct. Brett is already starting to lose some of his luster among national sports pundits. On a number of sports talk shows yesterday, when the question was raised as to whether Brett was a selfish player, some of those answering came to the conclusion that it seems so based upon his on again-off again retirement dalliance last year, and the Moss situation now. Others say that after all Brett has given and meant to the Packers organization they should do what they can to accommodate him; it's not about being selfish, it's about putting players around Brett so the team can succeed.
Fans are also turning more and more against Thompson. In an online poll reported yesterday at WTMJ-TV, when asked how to respond to the most recent situation, more than half the respondents answered "Fire Ted Thompson" over "Trade Brett Favre" and "Do Nothing". Things seem like they are getting messier rather than better. There might be some indication as to whether it is going to get better or worse as the weekend minicamp draws near. Stay tuned.
http://www.acmepackingcompany.com/
Don't They Have A Phone?
The pissing match between QB Brett Favre and the Packers just keeps on trucking. Now Favre isn't excused from minicamp although he won't be able to participate anyway. Favre has rarely participated at minicamp over the last ten years because he is often recovering from some injury or surgery. I'm certain he has skipped minicamp in previous years. Favre isn't a mentoring type of guy, so the Packers lose nothing if Favre skips out. It's surprising to see so much back and forth going on in the media. Usually players and coaches give each other a call, but GM Ted Thompson and Mike McCarthy have been pretty bad at media and star player relations over the last week.
8-) 8-) 8-)
http://www.aolsportsblog.com/2007/05...arefully/#cont
Counterpoint: Packers Should Choose Battles Carefully
Earlier, the great Michael David Smith penned yet another Brett Favre piece for the FanHouse. In it, he makes the case that the Packers should fine their veteran QB if he ends up skipping the team's minicamp this weekend. It's a compelling argument, really. But it's wrong. Why is it wrong? Well, let's first make something abundantly clear. This isn't news to the Green Bay Packers. They bumped the minicamp back in an effort to get Favre fully recovered from his February surgery before the camp. Secondly, it's not set in stone that Favre will skip the camp, or that head coach Mike McCarthy won't excuse Favre from attending. As reported in this morning's Green Bay Press-Gazette, it appears that Favre and McCarthy will communicate before any decision is formally made by either side.
The crux of the "Don't fine him" argument is centered around the idea that Brett Favre couldn't give the Packers organization any more than he has given them. He's been the face of the franchise since that fateful touchdown pass to Kitrick Taylor that beat Cincinnati way back in 1992. He became a sympathetic figure of sorts when he revealed his painkiller addiction in 1996, then went on to lead the Packers to a Super Bowl championship. He doesn't beg out of practices. He doesn't miss starts, no matter how banged-up he may feel. He's never been accused of "dogging it" or "taking plays off". Outside of his painkiller issues in the mid-1990s, he's never gotten in trouble off the field. He's not known as a bad influence on teammates.
If he wants to take the weekend off and spend it with his family (a family that, by the way, has also sacrificed time after time because of football), I guess I don't see why it's such a big deal. Fining Favre sends a message that no one is above the team, right? Well, what about last year, when McCarthy and Favre sat down and figured out a special workout schedule for the quarterback? Doesn't that work in direct contradiction with this "no one is above the team" statement? He didn't have to do everything the rest of the guys did last year, but it was okay then? Why? He was actually healthy then. You could also argue that Favre is above the team. He's a future Hall-of-Famer, and no matter what you believe about the story that leaked over the weekend (Favre says he doesn't want a trade), what's the use of ruffling any more feathers over $24,000 ($8,000 per day for a three-day camp)? Do you really think that this is going to send a message to the rest of the team? If Favre were scheduled to work out, that would be one thing. But he's 37 years old, knows the offense, knows his teammates, and isn't scheduled to work out. It isn't worth the hassle.
In the end, all it does is make the Packers look petty in the eyes of their own fans. Pick your battles, Packers. Fining Favre would simply create a mountain out of a molehill.
ESPN BREAKING NEWS: FAVRE WILL REPORT TO MINICAMP.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2872883
Agent: Favre changes mind, will attend minicamp
Brett Favre will attend the Green Bay Packers minincamp this weekend, after all, according to his agent. Not only will he report on Friday but he expects to participate in all practices, despite having ankle surgery this offseason. "Brett's going to camp because it's the right thing to do ... he's going up there for his teammates, to check out some of the new guys and he expects to do everything everybody else does," said Bus Cook, Favre's agent.
Favre said last weekend that he would not attend minicamp because his family was preparing for the high school graduation of his daughter Brittany. The fact that a Packers spokesman reminded the media that the minicamp was "mandatory" -- which meant Favre could be subject to an $8,000 daily fine -- apparently did not play a factor in Favre's change of heart. "Nobody from the Packers has ever threatened a fine or told him he needed to get his butt up there -- knowing Brett, that would probably have an opposite effect," Cook said. "He did say last weekend that he wasn't going but said he got to thinking about it and, again, he felt that getting to minicamp was just the right thing to do.
"As far as Brittany and graduation goes, Brett realized that they're pretty organized and they've rearranged some things. They had a big party last week, they've been visiting colleges and there's graduation next week [May 25], so it's been a busy time for Brett and the family." Cook also indicated that Favre's anger with the team for not acquiring Randy Moss in a trade had subsided. "Just to make ourselves clear -- nobody has ever demanded a trade," Cook said. "Brett has never asked to be traded and he doesn't want to be traded."
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http://packers.aolsportsblog.com/
Brett Favre Changes Mind, Will Attend Packers' Minicamp
In a sign of concession after a contentious few weeks, Packers quarterback Brett Favre will attend the team's mandatory minicamp, according to ESPN's Chris Mortensen. Favre had initially said he would skip the minicamp, noting that he wouldn't be able to participate in drills because he is recuperating from ankle surgery, and saying he wanted to get ready for his daughter's high school graduation. Mortensen reported that Favre said he was going to the camp because "it's the right thing to do," which raises the question of why he wasn't planning to attend the camp in the first place. Wasn't it the right thing to do in the first place?
Favre has been angry at the team since NFL draft weekend, when the Packers missed out on trading for wide receiver Randy Moss, who ended up in New England. Favre was reported to have asked for a trade, but he denied that. Favre has been one of the league's most popular players for more than a decade, but recently he has become the focus of criticism among fans and the media for a perception that he puts his personal interests ahead of the team's. The decision to attend minicamp may be an effort to blunt that criticism. Whatever the reason, it is the right thing to do.
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http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=607006
'4' certain to attend weekend minicamp Favre reverses decision to stay in Mississippi
Not only has Brett Favre changed his mind about the mandatory minicamp this weekend, but he's even coming to Green Bay with the intent to practice. Favre's agent, Bus Cook, told ESPN.com that Favre has reversed an earlier decision not to attend the Green Bay Packers' mandatory minicamp this weekend. Initially, Favre told a Mississippi newspaper Monday that he wasn't going to come, in part because of preparations for his daughter's upcoming graduation and also because he was still rehabilitating his ankle. He had surgery on bone spurs on his left ankle on Feb. 26. The team would not make any formal announcement on whether Favre specifically was excused from camp and wouldn't say whether he would be fined if he didn't attend. Favre had been in the middle of controversy when he criticized the team last weekend for not signing receiver Randy Moss. Now, the 17-year veteran famous for his record 257-game starting streak has concluded that coming to camp was simply in everyone's best interests.
"Brett's going to camp because it's the right thing to do . . . he's going up there for his teammates, to check out some of the new guys and he expects to do everything everybody else does," Cook told ESPN's Chris Mortensen. An Associated Press report cited an unidentified source to confirm Favre's plans. Cook could not be reached Wednesday by the Journal Sentinel. Minicamp begins Friday and concludes Sunday. Meanwhile, the Packers signed Oklahoma quarterback Paul Thompson on Wednesday. Thompson could be very useful this weekend if the Packers decide they want to withhold Favre from practice or limit his on-field work in any way. Backup quarterback Aaron Rodgers is rehabilitating from a broken bone in his foot, so the Packers would have been down to just third-string quarterback Ingle Martin for the weekend. So they brought in the athletically gifted Thompson, who could help out right away. He is from Austin, Texas, and has been working out there with former Packers quarterback Ty Detmer since before the combine. Detmer has also been giving Thompson a crash course on the Packers' West Coast offense....
In regard to Favre, Ted Thompson would only say Wednesday afternoon that he expected full attendance from the team. "I will say in general terms that this is our minicamp and we would expect most, if not all, of our players to be there," Thompson said. Asked if those who don't attend would be fined, Thompson said: "I couldn't get into that." ESPN reported that a possible daily fine of $8,000 for missing camp was not a factor in Favre's change of heart.
"Nobody from the Packers has ever threatened a fine or told him he needed to get his butt up there - knowing Brett, that would probably have an opposite effect," Cook told ESPN.com. "He did say last weekend that he wasn't going but said he got to thinking about it and, again, he felt that getting to minicamp was just the right thing to do. "As far as (daughter) Brittany and graduation goes, Brett realized that they're pretty organized and they've rearranged some things. They had a big party last week, they've been visiting colleges and there's graduation next week, so it's been a busy time for Brett and the family."
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http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/6...40813162&ATT=5
Favre now expected to attend minicamp
Packers quarterback Brett Favre has changed his mind and now is expected to attend the team's mandatory minicamp this weekend, a person familiar with the situation said Wednesday....
GM THOMPSON PERFORMANCE SATISFACTION SURVEY:
SUPPORTED TT FROM BEGINNING, STILL ON HIS BANDWAGON 35%
vs.
AFTER 2007 WE MAY NEED A NEW GM/FIRE THE GM WANNA BE 38%
http://www.packerchatters.com/op-ed/view.php?id=2215
So what's really behind the fans' criticism of Ted Thompson?
There's a perception floating around out there that the '99 Rams or the '01 Patriots are how it works in the NFL. That is, a team acquires that really good or special player in one off-season (whether by free agency, the draft, or a trade), and just like that it goes from a 5-11 team one year to a championship team the next. The increasingly pervasive perception is that teams---even the perennially bad ones---may just be a player or two away from contending for a championship, and many fans are saying Why can't it be my team? or Why not this year?
Fans are not content to endure a long rebuilding process. Why should they be? Quick turnarounds have occurred before, even recently. Rebuilding doesn’t have to be a four- or five-year effort. It can be done much more quickly than that. Winning now, not eventually, has become the expectation. And that's why there's such a clamoring for GMs like Ted Thompson to aggressively pursue players who have a good shot to be difference-makers. There’s a lack of tolerance for sitting back and waiting to see if our team can get the best deal in a trade, if our GM can add some depth and potential to the roster in hopes that 2 or 3 of the mostly late-round, traded-down-for draftees can contribute a few years down the road. Put simply, fans want their GMs to do something audacious. They want them to take risks. They just plain want them to do whatever it takes to increase the chances that a Marshall Faulk-type player or a Tom Brady-type player can be obtained in one off-season so that he can burst onto the scene and plant their team in the Super Bowl.
A common theme among fans critical of Thompson is that they don't think he has done whatever it takes this off-season to get the Packers into the Super Bowl this year, in 2007. And they do think a Super Bowl in 2007 is an actual possibility---as long as Thompson goes out and grabs that player or two that can get them over the proverbial hump. And this may very well be the last hurrah for Thompson from the fans’ standpoint. If the Packers win only 5 or 6 (or fewer) games this next year, there is a possibility, maybe even a probability, that there will be a public outcry to oust Thompson after the season. The thing is, had he been aggressive this off-season (traded up to get his guy for the first time, offered more than a 5th for Moss, maybe gone after more than just a leftover or two in free agency), he likely would be given more slack from fans---even if the Packers lose. But without the obvious appearance of a strong effort to get ready-made contributors for the offense in 2007, without appearing like he's trying to win now, not eventually, he's just not going to be given the benefit of the doubt from fans.
All of this, of course, is pessimistically assuming Green Bay's offense struggles miserably and they lose a lot of games in 2007. If the Packers win, if Randy Moss and Ahman Green turn out to be duds in their new environs, if even one of Thompson's '07 draftees turns out to be a difference-maker, Thompson will be fine in the eyes of fans. For at least another season, anyway.
http://www.packerchatters.com/op-ed/view.php?id=2221
Favre, Thompson and the Packers
I have stayed clear of the Favre vs. Thompson (the Packers) subject because I have conflicting feelings. After the loss to Atlanta (in the playoffs) I said Favre would play AT LEAST 4 more years and he has. I also said that this upcoming season would be his last, and I still feel that way. After this weekend and the reports that Favre had requested a trade, I wanted to think about his point of view and the Packers point of view.
I'll start w/ Favre: He is frustrated, like most of the Packers fans, with the Packers inability to add some offensive fire power, imperticular not landing his friend, Randy Moss. He has seen Ahman Green, Davis Martin and William Henderson leave after last season and Darren Sharper, Mike Wahle, Marco Rivera, Javon Walker and Mike Mckenzie leave during the last 4 seasons. He has also seen Mike Sherman let go and his "heir apparent" brought in. He wants to win NOW. He wants to go out on top like he watched Elway do. He wants 1 more chance to go for it all. He feels Moss could have been 'that guy' to put the Packers in the upper part of the NFC (which we all know is weak). He doesn't feel Ted Thompson has done enough to win in 2007 and is upset that the Packers, in his mind, are not giving him his wish to make one last run at the Vince Lombardi trophy. Some may agree with him....
But lets try to look at it from the Packers (Ted Thompson's) POV. The Packers were in 'cap hell' when Thompson was hired. He had to make tough decisions to let those aforementioned players go. The Packers were getting older in some spots and for the amount of money those players were getting their production was not up to the dollar amount. Ted Thompson has said that the Packers are not 'rebuilding' but he has also said that he is trying to build a contender for the long haul (read between the lines). This past off season's free agents were NOT that great of a class (from an offensive standpoint). There were no 'difference makers' that would be able to come in and make that big of an impact. Daniel Graham's style of play is similar to Bubba Franks, Dontè Stallworth can't stay healthy and Travis Henry is as good as he is gonna get. So Thompson felt he can get comparable players in the draft.
As far as Moss, they had a deal done with Oakland (for a 5th) but Moss wanted $3 million guaranteed for 2 years, while the Packers offered $1.85 with a weekly bonus of $600,000 and other incentives for 2 years (making a little over $8 million). Once the Patriots came into the picture with a 4th and a 1 year $3 mill offer the Raiders, actually MOSS, jumped at the chance to play for a team that, on paper, is the front runner to win the title. Moss chose to NOT come to Green Bay, it wasn't the other way. Recently we have learned that Moss was NOT a good locker room guy in Oakland and his former OC says he lost a step. Moss has always had issues, but Favre seemed to think he could 'hold Randy down'. For $3 million a year and a 4th (or 5th) was a low risk move for Thompson, and he dropped the ball, POINT BLANK.
My opinion on this situation. If Favre wants a commitment from the Packers about the teams intention of winning right now, he should make the same commitment to them about how much longer he intends to play football. Why is it OK for him to jump in and voice his displeasure on Bubba Franks, Mike Mckenzie and Javon Walkers' contract issues (or how they handle their business) and be critical of them for being unhappy with the organization by basically calling them 'disloyal' but it's ok for him to air out the Packers through the media? I also am not happy about his mini-camp issues. I feel it is important for EVERY PLAYER to be there. This is where you start to build chemistry with your teammates. By saying that you are not coming because "you were not going to be doing anything anyway" is crap. What if Charles Woodson, Nick Barnett or a rookie said that...we would be ALL OVER THEM!! I understand his daughter is getting ready to graduate H.S. and I bet if went to the front office and said "look I want to leave early so I can be apart of Brittney's graduation week" the Packers would have NO PROBLEM with that, but he handled it wrong and it looks like a player that is starting to think he is above the team. I am glad that he had a change of heart. I also feel Ted Thompson needs to stop being Mr. Roboto when it comes to FA. The Packers have the resources (MONEY) to land players that can make a difference, but Thompson instead decided to build through the draft and NOT add a player (like Justin Griffith) that would have helped. He tried to get 'to cute' in the Moss negotiations and missed out on him. Thompson needs to become a better communicator with the media and the players. He may not like it, but the fact of the matter is IT IS A PART OF IS JOB. I still think the Packers will be a better team then what they were last year. Moss would have helped, but he wasn't the answer to all. He wouldn't have made the Packers 'the clear cut favorite' in the NFC, they are a few players still away. Those players were NOT in this FA class, IMHO. With the Bears losing Briggs, Boone, Scott and Tank Johnson (to suspension) the defense will not be able to 'carry them' like they did last year. The Lions will be better, but they are still a few years away and the Vikings have questions as well. So the Packers COULD be in a position to win the North title but they need to get on the same page and that means Favre, Thompson and ANYONE else needs to put ego's aside and communicate with each other, do the jobs they are hired to do and COMPETE. All parties involved are at fault.
How can Tophat only have 259 posts?
http://www.acmepackingcompany.com/st.../19/3846/98763
GM Ted Thompson's Bad Offseason By Brandon
First he doesn't sign any notable free agents and loses RB Ahman Green who he had clearly wanted to resign. Then he gets booed when the DT Justin Harrell pick is announced. Then he loses WR Randy Moss to New England which makes QB Brett Favre want to retire. Now his rookie RB Brandon Jackson has to skip this weekend's minicamp due to NFL rules and it turns out that Thompson could have avoided it, but screwed up: A league source tells us that the Green Bay Packers could have moved the dates of this weekend's mandatory minicamp after it became clear that there was a conflict this weekend with the 2007 Rookie Premier Photo Shoot -- and that the L.A. event for 35 hand-picked incoming players is a rock and the minicamp is scissors.
The real sad part is that even Detroit GM Matt Millen knew how to avoid this problem: The Lions, for example, convened on Tuesday through Thursday, even though (as we understand it) they were initially slated to have a full-squad camp over the weekend. As a result, the Lions were able to have access to receiver Calvin Johnson. Low times indeed.