NAIL IS IN THE COFFIN

[Harlan Huckleby]

Favre is really losing this battle with the media. I don't think any of us here question his ability to still play the game

I think he also is ruining his chances with other teams.

Ya, Favre has a chance of reappearing in 2008 at the same high level he performed in 2007. But GMs are first of all very risk averse. Favre is 39 years old, that is one risk factor, but also he has shown himself to be a little unbalanced this offseason. If I'm a GM, I'm wondering where his head is at.

[cpk1994]

Favre is really losing this battle with the media.

You don't watch ESPN, do you? I have never seen so much ass-kissing in my life.

[Gunakor]

Too bad for Ted Thompson as he can't win. Favre outplayed him and we'll all see this sooner or later.

I can't agree with that.

Thompson can easily win if he goes on to win a Super Bowl with Rodgers or Brohm in a few years. He can also lose if Rodgers turns out to be a dud. However, he can still go either way at this point.

Favre is the one who can't win. The guy has been pushed away from the team where he is a legend, and has no real chance of playing anywhere else either...even though he wants to.

Favre wasn't pushed away from the team that made him a legend. He walked away on his own. And M3 filled the starting QB position that he vacated, after giving Favre ample opportunity to think about it. If Favre had until FA and the draft to make a decision, then he made his decision a month and a half earlier than he had to. So he can't claim that he was pressured into making a decision. And the notion that he should be allowed until TC to make a decision is absolutely obsurd. Suppose Green Bay had allowed that, and prepared for the season with Favre at QB assuming he'd come back, but then in late July Favre said he couldn't do it. Then Green Bay has ONE MONTH to prepare for the new season with a brand new starting QB. That's not fair to the Packers, is it? Hindsight is wonderful, and if we had known he'd want to come back way back in March then I'm sure we'd have allowed Brett all the time he needed. But we didn't have the luxury of hindsight back in March. There was no telling what his decision would have been. So what was TT supposed to do?

Here's the bottom line. Aaron Rodgers has been 100% committed to being the starting QB since March, and the team has been 100% committed to Aaron Rodgers. Favre has not been 100% committed, so the team could not commit 100% to him. And yes, enough work has been done over the last couple months that it IS too late to just welcome him back as the starter with no strings attached. It's not too late to welcome him back as the starter, but it's only fair to make him compete for that job with the person who actually IS the starter. Right now, that person is Aaron Rodgers. If Favre is really a top 5 QB in the league then he should not have any problems beating out a guy who hasn't started a game yet for the starting job. So I really don't see what the problem is here. If Favre won that competiton then yes I'd welcome him back and cheer him on just as I always have. So would MM and TT and the entire Packer Nation. But I want to see that competition first.

[The Leaper]

Then Green Bay has ONE MONTH to prepare for the new season with a brand new starting QB. That's not fair to the Packers, is it?

So is it equally fair to give a guy who has given his all to your team for 16 years roughly the same amount of time to make a career ending decision?

The Packers already had plan B...his name is Aaron Rodgers. He already knows the system. He already knows the players. One month is PLENTY of time for him to get up to speed. Numerous QBs have made due with a lot less with success.

I could see your argument if Green Bay had no one immediately available on the roster to replace Favre...but that was not the case.

[The Leaper]

And yes, enough work has been done over the last couple months that it IS too late to just welcome him back as the starter with no strings attached.

Like what? Having a few practices in shorts? Holding a few meetings?

Peyton Manning is missing an entire preseason. I'm guessing it won't slow the Colts down one bit. Care to wager?

[Pacopete4]

And yes, enough work has been done over the last couple months that it IS too late to just welcome him back as the starter with no strings attached.

Like what? Having a few practices in shorts? Holding a few meetings?

Peyton Manning is missing an entire preseason. I'm guessing it won't slow the Colts down one bit. Care to wager?

The Leaper!!! YOU JUST MADE MY DAY!!... ya, I guess the Colts should move on with Sorgi now that Manning cant play for 6 weeks

[BallHawk]

Haven't been around much, but here's my take on the situation.
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If Brett just said "You know, I thought I was ready to retire, but I was wrong. If the Packers would be in a position to let me compete for a job, I would be willing to do that. If not, maybe we could work something out where I play for another team."

If he said that this situation wouldn't be the bombshell it is now.

Brett is being confrontational for no good reason. Coming out with these claims about TT not doing what he says are laughable. Does Brett think he should have a major influence on personel decisions? Favre is friends with Mooch, does that mean he should be hired as coach? Re-sign Wahle and Rivera. Looking at what happened to those two players after they left Green Bay, TT made the right decision.

IMO, deep down, Brett is angry at himself for making this decision to retire early. He realizes that he didn't make the right choice. But instead of being diplomatic about it he's going around making accusations and smears as a way to comfort himself into that it isn't his fault.

I love Brett, he is one of the greatest players the NFL has even seen. And that's why it pains me so to see this charade keep on going. I thought he had the will power to be one of the few guys to walk away from the game on their own accord. But he, somewhat understandably, doesn't have it. Ok, I accept that, but he's handled this in completely the wrong way. TT hasn't handled it as well as he could of.

Through all of this, Aaron Rodgers is the one looking like the gentleman. A-Rod is saying all the right things, or rather, not saying much about it all. Aaron is talking about the team, the season, what HE can do to help the team. That's what you want out of a QB.

I don't think we'll see Brett in a Green Bay uniform again. Whether we see him in another NFL uniform, I think it's more than likely he'll play somewhere else. If TT holds Brett in Green Bay against his will it would be the biggest mistake he can make. Don't try and mold Brett's legacy, let Brett mold it himself. He's being doing it since September of 1992. If Brett desires to play for another team, let him. Whether it be through release or trade, let Brett do what he pleases. He's the main character in this play, not TT.

This is an ugly event for both Brett and the Packers orginization. I sincerely hope this can be cleaned up quickly and as painlessly as possible, for both parties involved.

[bobblehead]

Favre is really losing this battle with the media. I don't think any of us here question his ability to still play the game

I think he also is ruining his chances with other teams.

Ya, Favre has a chance of reappearing in 2008 at the same high level he performed in 2007. But GMs are first of all very risk averse. Favre is 39 years old, that is one risk factor, but also he has shown himself to be a little unbalanced this offseason. If I'm a GM, I'm wondering where his head is at.

I disagree, GM's and fans always think they are ONE PLAYER AWAY and it is often a QB. If we shop him we will get something for him. I wouldn't even be shocked if Vick gets another chance.

[dissident94]

you guys are putting way too much in offseason work. A few months of work. Not a big deal.
People have no concept of how bad we could possibly be without Favre. Just look at Miami after Marino left.

Have a great QB doesn't happen in the offseason

[cpk1994]

you guys are putting way too much in offseason work. A few months of work. Not a big deal.
People have no concept of how bad we could possibly be without Favre. Just look at Miami after Marino left.

Have a great QB doesn't happen in the offseason

But they could possibly be very good too. Look at Steve Young and the 49ers. That works both ways.

[mngolf19]

Only way a trade happens is if a contender has their QB go down in preseason. Could happen. Otherwise the limited number of teams that have interest in him and could take him salary wise and are competitive this year is very few. And those teams would wait for the situation to get worse (Brett showing up at camp)

[Carolina_Packer]

It's a little complicated when it takes someone so long to make up their minds, and backs out after brief talks of unretirement. The Packers weren't flush with options at QB, so they had to know in or out and plan for Favre not to be there or be left holding the bag if he retired after having enough time (in his book) to decide.

I can't agree with this statement.

First, it isn't complicated at all. The Packers likely did put pressure on Favre to make a decision...so Favre made the only decision he could in March. I don't necessarily fault Green Bay for pressing Favre on the issue, but they can't sit back now and plead ignorance.

If you were going to pressure Favre to make a decision, the kind of scenario we are currently witnessing was certainly going to be a logical end game. Favre has earned the right to go out on HIS terms, at least IMO. Thompson, a guy who never had that right as a player and is so open about it publically (when he isn't open about anything else) that you can tell it eats him up day and night, apparently doesn't understand that.

Leaper, what are those terms? Are they retirement March 6th, reconsideration of retirement at the end of March? Re-re-consideration of having considered unretirement? So, which is it? You give the organization the OK to press Favre for an answer, but then you give Brett wide lattitude on his time-table for possible return. He did kick the tires on possibly returning.

If the Packers are so confident about Rodgers, then pressuring Favre wasn't neccessary. In your previous statement, you said it was OK for management to press Favre for an answer. If Favre came back, they had 2 great QBs. If Favre didn't come back, they had a guy ready who has been groomed and made ready. The position wasn't at all lacking in options, as you suggest. It would've been fine either way. I disagree. If they wait until Favre makes up his mind on his own time-table, and DON'T draft for depth, then they would have only had Rodgers and camp arms at QB, if Brett's decision at long last (assuming the scenario where the team says take all the time you need) was to retire. If that would have come to pass, we'd be killing TT for leaving things so up in the air. Are you saying that they should have drafted QB no matter when Brett made his decision? That I could agree with.

If the team is talking about having him back to compete for the starting job, why should Brett be concerned.

Because he is a HOF QB who is coming off an MVP caliber season. Why the hell should he have to prove ANYTHING? When the team could not get an acccurate read on his level of commitment to football (and fine if you don't feel like playing), and when he wavered a few times, I think they wondered if he was really done and if it was time to move on. Now that he's decided it's time to come back, you seem to be saying that the team should drop everything and make him the starter again without having to prove a level of commitment? I'm not suggesting competition where they line up and both throw passes through tires, but just one where the best man wins. If Favre outperforms Rodgers in practice, give him his job back. I believe it's about wins, despite some of annoyances/hesitancies of Favre.
If you were an MVP worker at your company coming off a great year and sparkling review, and they decided to open up your job to competition with a recent college grad with great potential but little proven capability, you'd be a little pissed off. Sure, the company has the right to do whatever they want...but you also have the right to your own displeasure and frustration. That is precisely where Favre is right now. If the MVP worker was taking liberties and not showing a high level of commitment to the company, then he'd be resting on his laurels, with somewhat of a sense of entitlement as if he could just walk back in and assume the same role without having to answer for his indecision, or the company wanting someone they knew would be there. Perhaps the organization just took the MVP worker at his word and didn't want to wait on him anymore. People do retire and lose their desire at some point. Is a company supposed to guess when that desire might change or move on? I don't think they expected Favre back, and why should they have?

If he can't beat out Rodgers fair and square then perhaps he is done.

That is just a dumb comment. After all Favre has given the organization...and what he accomplished LAST SEASON...he shouldn't have to sit here and prove himself as being better than a kid with no NFL starts on his resume. So, he should be given the starters job back just like that, after he retires and then finally decides to come back? I love Brett and I think he's a proven winner, but isn't that enabling someone to just do whatever/however they want irrespective of the team's needs? Again, the point is, if he's still got it and it's better than Rodgers, a little healthy competition never hurt anyone. You don't think Rodgers was trying to win the starters job for three years? You don't think Favre was trying to keep the starters job? If he's better, no competition, A-Rod sits.
What the Packers are doing to Favre is being noticed by every player and future player in the league. The Packers are getting a black eye right now because of their lack of loyalty to Favre...even if their decision to "move on" is a practical one. It will only make it more difficult for the Packers to acquire free agent talent. What role does Favre and his indecision play in this? Not everything has to be malice of forethought. Brett was not wavering to piss the team off, and the team didn't move on to squeeze Brett out. Sometimes people really do retire and lose their desire to play and as an organization you have to be ready, not just hoping for Brett to change his mind.

[Harlan Huckleby]

Ya, Favre has a chance of reappearing in 2008 at the same high level he performed in 2007. But GMs are first of all very risk averse. Favre is 39 years old, that is one risk factor, but also he has shown himself to be a little unbalanced this offseason. If I'm a GM, I'm wondering where his head is at.

I disagree, GM's and fans always think they are ONE PLAYER AWAY and it is often a QB. If we shop him we will get something for him. I wouldn't even be shocked if Vick gets another chance.

Ya, I too would think many teams would have interest in Favre. I'm just reacting to John Claytons analysis that no AFC team has interest in Favre, and the Packers statement that they have had no trade inquiries.

[Gunakor]

Then Green Bay has ONE MONTH to prepare for the new season with a brand new starting QB. That's not fair to the Packers, is it?

So is it equally fair to give a guy who has given his all to your team for 16 years roughly the same amount of time to make a career ending decision?

The Packers already had plan B...his name is Aaron Rodgers. He already knows the system. He already knows the players. One month is PLENTY of time for him to get up to speed. Numerous QBs have made due with a lot less with success.

I could see your argument if Green Bay had no one immediately available on the roster to replace Favre...but that was not the case.

Favre had been given more than a month. He had been given three, he only used one. Watch the interview again Leap. He said that the Packers wanted to know by the draft. Favre announced his retirement in early march, the draft is in late april. He had more time if he wanted.

[Gunakor]

And yes, enough work has been done over the last couple months that it IS too late to just welcome him back as the starter with no strings attached.

Like what? Having a few practices in shorts? Holding a few meetings?

Peyton Manning is missing an entire preseason. I'm guessing it won't slow the Colts down one bit. Care to wager?

Well, the Colts didn't draft 2 new quarterbacks in the draft. The Colts have not tailored thier offense to a new quarterback. The Colts have not made decisions all offseason figuring that Jim Sorgi would be thier starter this year. You can't compare what Favre has done to what Manning is doing. They are two completely different situations.