Read This: Telling Timeline on Favre Situation

[RashanGary]

If the Packers make it to the NFC championship Thompson will be widely considered one of the games top 2 or 3 GM's. Just after 2007 there were already about a dozen stories about how he's considered top 5 or 6 already.

[vince]

Let's look at this offseason time frame and add in another event not included in the Packers timeline of events...

— March 29: Favre calls McCarthy to deliver a message: Thanks, but no thanks.

“He felt at this point we had reached a point of closure,” McCarthy said. “Those were his words. And he was going to stick with his initial decision.”

— McCarthy talks to Favre again the week of April 7 and April 14 and on April 24. On the 24th, McCarthy explains the team’s decision to place Favre on the reserve/retired list.

Favre does nothing to dissuade the team to move on. He tells them he has reached closure. Then this event...

------------------------------------------------------------------
April 25: Brett Favre appears on David Letterman and has this near mis-speak...

Favre: "I think when training camp gets close, I will - something's bound to happen."

Letterman: "You just said, 'Something's bound to happen,' so this makes me think you're not retired."

Favre: "Butterflies, or - I don't know, something's bound to happen."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Now back to the published timeline:

May 6: With the NFL draft out of the way, Thompson visits Favre in Mississippi and has lunch on his back porch. Thompson says they have a “good conversation,” but don’t spend too much time talking about the idea that he might be having second thoughts.

“We didn’t talk specifically about it,” Thompson says. “But he mentioned several things where there was always indecisiveness, or he was wondering if he made the right decision. I think that’s normal.”

— June 7: During a staff retreat in Kohler, Wis., Campen says he’s worried about Favre. McCarthy tells Campen to go to Mississippi—not as an official team intermediary, but as Favre’s friend.

— June 16-20: Acting on Campen’s advice, McCarthy calls Favre. They play phone tag for a few days but eventually connect. “You and Ted need to have a plan if I do come back,” Favre says, according to McCarthy. “Either give me my helmet or give me my release.”

At that point, McCarthy asks Favre if he was 100 percent committed to a return. “He said, ‘No, no, I’m not saying I’m there yet.”’

Brett insists he's not ready to commit, knowing fully that McCarthy demands commitment from his players, but warns them to be ready to give him his helmet or give him his release.

This all gives a lot of credence to Campbell's theory that Favre decided long ago (in late March) that he wanted to return - just not for the Packers.

It appears entirely possible that, on March 29, Brett decided he wanted to return to football, and expected the Packers to dissuade him at that time, which would give Brett the opportunity to recommend they release him. When they accepted his pledge to return TO THE PACKERS, he was left with no choice but to quickly recant.

Then, in order to execute his plan to return to another team, he needed to try to manipulate the people involved into giving him his unconditional release. The way tried to do that was by upset the apple cart (through his network of family and friends that he can trust) and hurt the Packers enough to want to rid themselves of his services as quickly as possible.

Obviously, this is all speculation, but it begs another question: If Favre only wants to return to the Packers, why hasn't he simply applied for reinstatement? Pretty simple matter to return.

I now believe that Brett Favre doesn't want to quit playing football. He wants to quit playing football for the Green Bay Packers.

This will never overturn the massive public goodwill he's built over the years, but he has willingly hurt the franchise and made it difficult for them to move forward in the most effective way possible - all because he wants to play for another team - the most logical being the Vikings. And he wants Ted Thompson to take the blame for it all. Better have his loyal fans who have helped make him the most marketable player in the history of the league think Thompson pushed him out than to have them know he would quit on them.

This is a real shitty way to see this, but it makes more sense than any other possibility.

[MJZiggy]

But why would he want to play for another team?

[vince]

Good question. It could very well have to do with the weather and the demands placed on him in Green Bay. He's not tired of football. He's just tired of football in Green Bay. The commitment that McCarthy has demanded may be more than he thinks he should have to give... He played last year and had success, but I just don't think it was fun for him.

[vince]

But why would he want to play for another team?

If he wants to play for the Packers, why wouldn't he just apply for reinstatement?

[GoPackGo]

Let's look at this offseason time frame and add in another event not included in the Packers timeline of events...

— March 29: Favre calls McCarthy to deliver a message: Thanks, but no thanks.

“He felt at this point we had reached a point of closure,” McCarthy said. “Those were his words. And he was going to stick with his initial decision.”

— McCarthy talks to Favre again the week of April 7 and April 14 and on April 24. On the 24th, McCarthy explains the team’s decision to place Favre on the reserve/retired list.

Favre does nothing to dissuade the team to move on. He tells them he has reached closure. Then this event...

------------------------------------------------------------------
April 25: Brett Favre appears on David Letterman and has this near mis-speak...

Favre: "I think when training camp gets close, I will - something's bound to happen."

Letterman: "You just said, 'Something's bound to happen,' so this makes me think you're not retired."

Favre: "Butterflies, or - I don't know, something's bound to happen."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Now back to the published timeline:

May 6: With the NFL draft out of the way, Thompson visits Favre in Mississippi and has lunch on his back porch. Thompson says they have a “good conversation,” but don’t spend too much time talking about the idea that he might be having second thoughts.

“We didn’t talk specifically about it,” Thompson says. “But he mentioned several things where there was always indecisiveness, or he was wondering if he made the right decision. I think that’s normal.”

— June 7: During a staff retreat in Kohler, Wis., Campen says he’s worried about Favre. McCarthy tells Campen to go to Mississippi—not as an official team intermediary, but as Favre’s friend.

— June 16-20: Acting on Campen’s advice, McCarthy calls Favre. They play phone tag for a few days but eventually connect. “You and Ted need to have a plan if I do come back,” Favre says, according to McCarthy. “Either give me my helmet or give me my release.”

At that point, McCarthy asks Favre if he was 100 percent committed to a return. “He said, ‘No, no, I’m not saying I’m there yet.”’

Brett insists he's not ready to commit, knowing fully that McCarthy demands commitment from his players, but warns them to be ready to give him his helmet or give him his release.

This all gives a lot of credence to Campbell's theory that Favre decided long ago (in late March) that he wanted to return - just not for the Packers.

It appears entirely possible that, on March 29, Brett decided he wanted to return to football, and expected the Packers to dissuade him at that time, which would give Brett the opportunity to recommend they release him. When they accepted his pledge to return TO THE PACKERS, he was left with no choice but to quickly recant.

Then, in order to execute his plan to return to another team, he needed to try to manipulate the people involved into giving him his unconditional release. The way tried to do that was by upset the apple cart (through his network of family and friends that he can trust) and hurt the Packers enough to want to rid themselves of his services as quickly as possible.

Obviously, this is all speculation, but it begs another question: If Favre only wants to return to the Packers, why hasn't he simply applied for reinstatement? Pretty simple matter to return.

I now believe that Brett Favre doesn't want to quit playing football. He wants to quit playing football for the Green Bay Packers.

This will never overturn the massive public goodwill he's built over the years, but he has willingly hurt the franchise and made it difficult for them to move forward in the most effective way possible - all because he wants to play for another team - the most logical being the Vikings. And he wants Ted Thompson to take the blame for it all. Better have his loyal fans who have helped make him the most marketable player in the history of the league think Thompson pushed him out than to have them know he would quit on them.

This is a real shitty way to see this, but it makes more sense than any other possibility.

This is a very entertaining theory that I hope isn't correct. Nice post Vince

[MJZiggy]

Actually and technically, to be fair, with Goodell out of the country we don't know that he didn't apply for reinstatement...

[Bossman641]

This doesn't go with the theory that Favre decided in late March he wanted to play for another team, but the Vikings traded for Jared Allen on April 22. Days later, on the 25th, is when Favre said his comment on Letterman about something happening. Could Favre have seen the Allen move as the big move he didn't see the Packers making?

Doubtful, but nothing in this situation makes sense.

I just don't understand why he would want to play for another team: Packers are coming off a NFC Champ game appearance, young team that should be even better, a coach who played to his strengths, and he was adored in GB.

This whole situation sucks.

[vince]

He asked the team for his unconditional release before applying for reinstatement. That's for sure.

He and/or his agent would certainly have made it known that Brett has taken that step if he has. They haven't made such an announcement, so IMO, it's safe to assume that he hasn't.

[woodbuck27]

Favre's not going to open up because he never thought the Packers would come out and tell the truth. He thought he could spread a half truth in the media because TT has allowed every other player to do it. Instead, the Packers came out and told how it really went down.

Yeah, Brett will be silent. There is nothing he cna possibly say to help his cause if this story is accurate. IF it's not accurate he'll say so. Brett has never been one to keep his mouth shut about anything that would help him. Maybe he'd let a teammate go under the bus, but never himself.

Favre won't say anything but he's decided he wants to win a Super Bowl with his team. That would be 'the Green Bay Packers'. He won't butt heads with Ted Thompson as he knows enough people fully realize where TT's sentiments lie, and that is the easy way with Favre staying retired.

Don't ever place TT is a difficult position where he has to make a solid and fast decision. Favre won't make it easy on Packer management and blow his cool.

Favre's 'the Dude'. One of the classiest people to ever play a pro sport.

[digitaldean]

Favre's not going to open up because he never thought the Packers would come out and tell the truth. He thought he could spread a half truth in the media because TT has allowed every other player to do it. Instead, the Packers came out and told how it really went down.

Yeah, Brett will be silent. There is nothing he cna possibly say to help his cause if this story is accurate. IF it's not accurate he'll say so. Brett has never been one to keep his mouth shut about anything that would help him. Maybe he'd let a teammate go under the bus, but never himself.

Favre won't say anything but he's decided he wants to win a Super Bowl with his team. That would be 'the Green Bay Packers'. He won't butt heads with Ted Thompson as he knows enough people fully realize where TT's sentiments lie, and that is the easy way with Favre staying retired.

Don't ever place TT is a difficult position where he has to make a solid and fast decision. Favre won't make it easy on Packer management and blow his cool.

Favre's 'the Dude'. One of the classiest people to ever play a pro sport.

Woody, Favre has done a lot of classy things like his charity softball game, his work with Make-A-Wish and his foundation. No question about it.

But in this situation he has been CLASSLESS, REPEAT CLASSLESS. If he was "the dude", he wouldn't be using surrogates to voice his opinion. When TT was cut down by Scott, Bonita and the usual suspects, TT didn't say a word. When this excrement hit the fan in the past week. He has come out directly and talked to the 3 major papers in the state, a local GB TV station plus an ESPN radio station in Milwaukee.

Your vitriol for TT is tiresome. He isn't the one who can't make up his mind. It's #4. Aren't you kind of forgetting the fact that even when Brett changed his mind less than 1 month after his retirement, TT still said that he wanted him back. But when Favre was using terms like "adding closure" to McCarthy after backing out of unretiring, a team has to move forward.

He still has to deal with a divided fanbase, keep from alienating Rodgers and the team (you know, the other people on the roster?)

If Favre comes back I will have no problem if he starts. But I will still remember the penny-ante BS shenanigans he pulled to get his way like a stinkin' spoiled brat. That has knocked him down respect-wise in my eyes.

[woodbuck27]

Favre's not going to open up because he never thought the Packers would come out and tell the truth. He thought he could spread a half truth in the media because TT has allowed every other player to do it. Instead, the Packers came out and told how it really went down.

Yeah, Brett will be silent. There is nothing he cna possibly say to help his cause if this story is accurate. IF it's not accurate he'll say so. Brett has never been one to keep his mouth shut about anything that would help him. Maybe he'd let a teammate go under the bus, but never himself.

Favre won't say anything but he's decided he wants to win a Super Bowl with his team. That would be 'the Green Bay Packers'. He won't butt heads with Ted Thompson as he knows enough people fully realize where TT's sentiments lie, and that is the easy way with Favre staying retired.

Don't ever place TT is a difficult position where he has to make a solid and fast decision. Favre won't make it easy on Packer management and blow his cool.

Favre's 'the Dude'. One of the classiest people to ever play a pro sport.

Woody, Favre has done a lot of classy things like his charity softball game, his work with Make-A-Wish and his foundation. No question about it.

But in this situation he has been CLASSLESS, REPEAT CLASSLESS. If he was "the dude", he wouldn't be using surrogates to voice his opinion. When TT was cut down by Scott, Bonita and the usual suspects, TT didn't say a word. When this excrement hit the fan in the past week. He has come out directly and talked to the 3 major papers in the state, a local GB TV station plus an ESPN radio station in Milwaukee.

Your vitriol for TT is tiresome. He isn't the one who can't make up his mind. It's #4. Aren't you kind of forgetting the fact that even when Brett changed his mind less than 1 month after his retirement, TT still said that he wanted him back. But when Favre was using terms like "adding closure" to McCarthy after backing out of unretiring, a team has to move forward.

He still has to deal with a divided fanbase, keep from alienating Rodgers and the team (you know, the other people on the roster?)

If Favre comes back I will have no problem if he starts. But I will still remember the penny-ante BS shenanigans he pulled to get his way like a stinkin' spoiled brat. That has knocked him down respect-wise in my eyes.

Please read that post more carefully without the let's slam woody slant. Try that. I said Favre won't make this any more difficult for himself or Packer management. He wants to win with the Packers. Nothing I've ever witnessed would indicate otherwise.

Secondly Favre can't control what passionate family members think, feel and release to the press. He's not tied to them with a rope.

Thirdly my observations of Ted Thompson's style are well supported, even criticized by more people than just woodbuck27. I support Packer teams winning, and today I still feel once Favre is back in the fold he gives us that BEST opportunity to get to the Super Bowl.

I just wish that he and Ted Thompson were more obviously on the same page and it's too obvious that their not. That irks me. What is TT's problem with winning, or really going for the win with Brett Favre a our QB?

I have always felt a need to fire away and question just that.

Is that not allowed? yes it is.

[digitaldean]

Your opinion on TT is supported by others, that is true.

The reply was not a personal slam. I am just posting my opinion as well.

All we heard last season was doom and gloom that since Moss wasn't here we'd suffer for it. (I disagreed with TT's handling of that affair, by the way).

Favre may not be able to control his family, but he can control his agent. If his agent says something he doesn't agree with , he can publicly state his disagreement and/or fire him. That he can do, but hasn't.

I think TT was trying to get on the same page with Brett in March when Brett backed out. When TT met with him in May, nothing was stated then about coming back either.

McCarthy has stated that he still can't pin Favre down about committing 100% either. Training camp is less than 2 weeks. It's time for #4 to settle this once and for all.

If he comes back, he's entitled to. It's the perception of him being above anyone else on the roster that gets my goat. #4 has caused this mess from the beginning, TT has not shoved him out the door. Was he less than enthused during the teleconference, yes. I would be too when I go through 3 years of this melodrama, then get words like "closure" and spend months trying to get A-Rod and a revamped offense prepped for the post-Favre era. This vacillating should be done.

Before this past weekend's events, the best analogy I heard was this: Tell Brett, come back for 1 more year to make a SB run, sign A-Rod to a long-term deal and then let Brett ride off into the sunset. But after all this, I wonder what'll happen now.

Again, Woody, no personal slam meant. But it doesn't change my opinion on how TT has handled this. He has to appease the NFL's most rabid fanbase, a QB who has been waiting for his chance to start, plus not alienate the HOF QB who has stiff-armed publicly and privately. Personally, TT has shown more patience than I would have.

[The Shadow]

Your opinion on TT is supported by others, that is true.

The reply was not a personal slam. I am just posting my opinion as well.

All we heard last season was doom and gloom that since Moss wasn't here we'd suffer for it. (I disagreed with TT's handling of that affair, by the way).

Favre may not be able to control his family, but he can control his agent. If his agent says something he doesn't agree with , he can publicly state his disagreement and/or fire him. That he can do, but hasn't.

I think TT was trying to get on the same page with Brett in March when Brett backed out. When TT met with him in May, nothing was stated then about coming back either.

McCarthy has stated that he still can't pin Favre down about committing 100% either. Training camp is less than 2 weeks. It's time for #4 to settle this once and for all.

If he comes back, he's entitled to. It's the perception of him being above anyone else on the roster that gets my goat. #4 has caused this mess from the beginning, TT has not shoved him out the door. Was he less than enthused during the teleconference, yes. I would be too when I go through 3 years of this melodrama, then get words like "closure" and spend months trying to get A-Rod and a revamped offense prepped for the post-Favre era. This vacillating should be done.

Before this past weekend's events, the best analogy I heard was this: Tell Brett, come back for 1 more year to make a SB run, sign A-Rod to a long-term deal and then let Brett ride off into the sunset. But after all this, I wonder what'll happen now.

Again, Woody, no personal slam meant. But it doesn't change my opinion on how TT has handled this. He has to appease the NFL's most rabid fanbase, a QB who has been waiting for his chance to start, plus not alienate the HOF QB who has stiff-armed publicly and privately. Personally, TT has shown more patience than I would have.

Sadly, it's a waste of time using reason and logic with The Cult.
The Favre idolizers have placed him far above the welfare of the team, and anyone who questions Favre's actions ABOUT ANYTHING draws the kneejerk vitriol of the True Believer.

[vince]

Let's look at this offseason time frame and add in another event not included in the Packers timeline of events...

— March 29: Favre calls McCarthy to deliver a message: Thanks, but no thanks.

“He felt at this point we had reached a point of closure,” McCarthy said. “Those were his words. And he was going to stick with his initial decision.”

— McCarthy talks to Favre again the week of April 7 and April 14 and on April 24. On the 24th, McCarthy explains the team’s decision to place Favre on the reserve/retired list.

Favre does nothing to dissuade the team to move on. He tells them he has reached closure. Then this event...

------------------------------------------------------------------
April 25: Brett Favre appears on David Letterman and has this near mis-speak...

Favre: "I think when training camp gets close, I will - something's bound to happen."

Letterman: "You just said, 'Something's bound to happen,' so this makes me think you're not retired."

Favre: "Butterflies, or - I don't know, something's bound to happen."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Now back to the published timeline:

May 6: With the NFL draft out of the way, Thompson visits Favre in Mississippi and has lunch on his back porch. Thompson says they have a “good conversation,” but don’t spend too much time talking about the idea that he might be having second thoughts.

“We didn’t talk specifically about it,” Thompson says. “But he mentioned several things where there was always indecisiveness, or he was wondering if he made the right decision. I think that’s normal.”

— June 7: During a staff retreat in Kohler, Wis., Campen says he’s worried about Favre. McCarthy tells Campen to go to Mississippi—not as an official team intermediary, but as Favre’s friend.

— June 16-20: Acting on Campen’s advice, McCarthy calls Favre. They play phone tag for a few days but eventually connect. “You and Ted need to have a plan if I do come back,” Favre says, according to McCarthy. “Either give me my helmet or give me my release.”

At that point, McCarthy asks Favre if he was 100 percent committed to a return. “He said, ‘No, no, I’m not saying I’m there yet.”’

Brett insists he's not ready to commit, knowing fully that McCarthy demands commitment from his players, but warns them to be ready to give him his helmet or give him his release.

This all gives a lot of credence to Campbell's theory that Favre decided long ago (in late March) that he wanted to return - just not for the Packers.

It appears entirely possible that, on March 29, Brett decided he wanted to return to football, and expected the Packers to dissuade him at that time, which would give Brett the opportunity to recommend they release him. When they accepted his pledge to return TO THE PACKERS, he was left with no choice but to quickly recant.

Then, in order to execute his plan to return to another team, he needed to try to manipulate the people involved into giving him his unconditional release. The way tried to do that was by upset the apple cart (through his network of family and friends that he can trust) and hurt the Packers enough to want to rid themselves of his services as quickly as possible.

Obviously, this is all speculation, but it begs another question: If Favre only wants to return to the Packers, why hasn't he simply applied for reinstatement? Pretty simple matter to return.

I now believe that Brett Favre doesn't want to quit playing football. He wants to quit playing football for the Green Bay Packers.

This will never overturn the massive public goodwill he's built over the years, but he has willingly hurt the franchise and made it difficult for them to move forward in the most effective way possible - all because he wants to play for another team - the most logical being the Vikings. And he wants Ted Thompson to take the blame for it all. Better have his loyal fans who have helped make him the most marketable player in the history of the league think Thompson pushed him out than to have them know he would quit on them.

This is a real shitty way to see this, but it makes more sense than any other possibility.

I'd like to add this to the timeline above...

April 4: Less than a week after Favre tells the Packers he has reached "closure," Sam Farmer of the LA Times reports that: "According to NFL sources, Favre’s agent has quietly inquired with teams about their interest in trading for the three-time NFL most valuable player." When questioned about the veracity of the story, Farmer stands firmly behind it.

http://articles.latimes.com/2008/apr/04/sports/sp-favre4