Packers, Favre likely to split

[Brando19]

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/8414518/Solution-remains-elusive-for-Favre,-Packers

Brett Favre's Packers career appears exactly as it has over the last several months, at best in limbo, at worst over. After hours of meetings and few if any details emerging, it now seems less and less likely that Favre will be back on the playing field for the Packers, FOXSports.com has learned.

The two sides are expected to meet again in the morning as they try to work toward a solution palatable to both sides. However, one detail FOXSports.com gathered from the meeting was Favre's insistence that he did not want his presence to destroy the team's chemistry. In fact, Favre was adamant that he wanted to do what was in the best interest of the locker room and admitted this distraction was not what his teammates needed.

Another agreement from the meeting was that, despite reports to the contrary, there would not be an open quarterback competition as even Favre felt this would not be in the best interests of the locker room. Thus, Aaron Rodgers is the team's starting quarterback.

As Favre met with head coach Mike McCarthy and GM Ted Thompson late Monday, the sides were moving toward an agreement to end this circus, but uncertainty remained about what that agreement ultimately will be.

Favre and the team continued to hold the same viewpoints they've held for weeks but rather than continuing their stalemate, they have joined in pursuit of a mutually agreeable solution. Whether that solution will entail a trade, a release or another option was not determined in the meeting.

Favre, however, stood to his long-standing desire to stay within the division. But the Packers were still hoping to find another option.

Favre now has to truly decide if he wants to play football for one of the two teams that have shown interest — the Jets and the Bucs — or continue to push for a solution that does not appear to be viable to the Packers.

The two sides aired grievances and actually had amicable talks. In fact, McCarthy and Favre met for so long the coach was unable to attend his scheduled team meeting and chose to cancel his press conference rather than address the media before having an opportunity to meet with his players.

Thompson and Favre then met at about 11 p.m. local time as the two tried to come to determine what their next step would be.

While they did not find an answer to a situation that has become stressful to all involved, at least all parties now appear to agree that this situation must soon come to a workable conclusion.

[cpk1994]

Yes. Maybe McCarthy has a spine after all. We'll see.

[Patler]

Re: Packers, Favre likely to split

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/8414518/Solution-remains-elusive-for-Favre,-Packers

The two sides are expected to meet again in the morning as they try to work toward a solution palatable to both sides. However, one detail FOXSports.com gathered from the meeting was Favre's insistence that he did not want his presence to destroy the team's chemistry. In fact, Favre was adamant that he wanted to do what was in the best interest of the locker room and admitted this distraction was not what his teammates needed.

Favre seems to say the right thing, but to me his actions show he does not really mean it. If he really cared about the impact he was having on the team, he would at least talk to the potential trade partners the Packers have identified, and would provide the Packers with a list of acceptable trade destinations. If the reports are true that he has done neither of these, he really does not care how this fiasco affects the team.

I'm not saying he has to agree to anything the Packers line up, but so far he seems to be totally uncooperative in exploring possible options.

[packrulz]

Favre holds all the cards now that the tampering charges are dismissed, if he won't be traded to the Jets or Bucs, the Packers will have to release him, they owe him that much.

[mission]

Re: Packers, Favre likely to split

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/8414518/Solution-remains-elusive-for-Favre,-Packers

The two sides are expected to meet again in the morning as they try to work toward a solution palatable to both sides. However, one detail FOXSports.com gathered from the meeting was Favre's insistence that he did not want his presence to destroy the team's chemistry. In fact, Favre was adamant that he wanted to do what was in the best interest of the locker room and admitted this distraction was not what his teammates needed.

Favre seems to say the right thing, but to me his actions show he does not really mean it. If he really cared about the impact he was having on the team, he would at least talk to the potential trade partners the Packers have identified, and would provide the Packers with a list of acceptable trade destinations. If the reports are true that he has done neither of these, he really does not care how this fiasco affects the team.

I'm not sure it's really as cut and dry as that.

I've made the decision to break up with a few girls that I've loved and a couple of the times I actually went out of my way (way out of my way) to make the transition easier for the girls because I knew our relationship as it had existed was no longer, i still wanted to do what i could do, within the realm of my own benefit, because i sincerely had no desire to create additional stress on the person.

same thing...

look, he has a lot of real friends on that team. call them what you will - or not, chewy -- but he wants the outcome he wants, with it impacting the team as little as possible.

so to say he really does not care how this fiasco affects the team, while it may (deep down) be true, it just logically doesn't hold a lot of water based on the semblance of cooperation we've witnessed so far from favre.

he essential could tare apart the team and force release if he wanted... if he really fuckin wanted... to get the best result possible for him, today.

but i dunno ...

i hate this topic so much right now ... it's so tired.

[digitaldean]

If he cares about the rest of the team, great.

They do have a game coming up in less than a week. Even though it's only pre-season, this is an unneeded distraction.

Releasing him so he can go to Minny for nothing is out. Unless Minny offers a king's ransom is out.

Favre forced the reinstatement, he waived his leverage on where he can go. If the Pack sends him somewhere other than Minny, then he has to retire for good or accept the trade. If they find no suitable trade partners, then #4 has to deal with the coach's decision.

If this is true, then McCarthy is the opposite of how he was portrayed yesterday in the GB sports talk shows - spineless and not a man of his word.

They need to resolve this NOW.

[packrulz]

If he cares about the rest of the team, great.

They do have a game coming up in less than a week. Even though it's only pre-season, this is an unneeded distraction.

Releasing him so he can go to Minny for nothing is out. Unless Minny offers a king's ransom is out.

Favre forced the reinstatement, he waived his leverage on where he can go. If the Pack sends him somewhere other than Minny, then he has to retire for good or accept the trade. If they find no suitable trade partners, then #4 has to deal with the coach's decision.

If this is true, then McCarthy is the opposite of how he was portrayed yesterday in the GB sports talk shows - spineless and not a man of his word.

They need to resolve this NOW.

The queens aren't stupid, why give up a draft pick if they can get him for free? The Pack will have to release him, it would be too much of a circus if they didn't, just like the Chargers cut Drew Brees. They might give up a 6th rounder just to ensure they, and not some other team, can claim him.

[Lurker64]

I wonder if it's possible that Favre and McCarthy could come to an agreement whereby Favre is excused from training camp, and he goes home while he waits for the Packers to trade him somewhere. If such a trade can be made soon or really any time before the season starts, great. Otherwise, they could use a roster spot on Favre (while he stays in Miss.) and wait to see if any team suffers an injury to their starting QB and would be willing to pay handsomely for Favre.

I think, right now, that would be the best possible solution for everybody.

[Patler]

Re: Packers, Favre likely to split

so to say he really does not care how this fiasco affects the team, while it may (deep down) be true, it just logically doesn't hold a lot of water based on the semblance of cooperation we've witnessed so far from favre.

I don't know, I've seen little to no cooperation from Favre. Just my impression, others may feel differently.

To me, the refusal to even talk to the Jets or Bucs is ridiculous. If nothing else he would at least look like he is considering alternatives if he would talk to them, and he may even decide one would be OK. At this late stage, to continue insisting on the one option he wants is showing no cooperation on his side. It's childish, in my opinion.

[RashanGary]

Brett signed a contract that guarateed him a lot of money. Right now his rights belong to the Packers. The Packers have been good enough to seach out just about every team in the league and give Favre his choice. Contractually they don't have to do that so they are flexing for him.


Favre is not honoring his contract or his word that he doesn't want to effect his teammates. He seems to know it's over here but he's still here wanting to fight the organization with the teammates in the middle. If he really just wanted to play football he would go to the Bucs, where they run a similar offense, and be done with it. Favre is intentially putting this team in a bad spot to release him from a contract he signed. Remember what he said when people didn't honor their contracts?

[Bretsky]

Yes. Maybe McCarthy has a spine after all. We'll see.

He's gotta be pretty hurt from you throwing him under the bus so many times yesterday

[cpk1994]

Brett signed a contract that guarateed him a lot of money. Right now his rights belong to the Packers. The Packers have been good enough to seach out just about every team in the league and give Favre his choice. Contractually they don't have to do that.


Favre is not honoring his contract or his word that he doesn't want to effect his teammates. He seems to know it's over here but he's still here wanting to fight the organization with the teammates in the middle. If he really just wanted to play football he would go to the Bucs, where they run a similar offense, and be done with it. Favre is intentially putting this team in a bad spot to release him from a contract he signed. Remember what he said when people didn't honor their contracts?

JH, the calling of every team was an effort to mock Goodell, nothing more, nothing less.

[cpk1994]

Yes. Maybe McCarthy has a spine after all. We'll see.

He's gotta be pretty hurt from you throwing him under the bus so many times yesterday

It was a steamroller, get it straight.

[pbmax]

There are two competing misconception out there that I think need to be looked closely at.

One is Favre's trade veto leverage. People keep reporting he has lost it, but as a practical matter he has not. He simply can refuse to report or to redo the contract. At that point, depending on the terms of the trade, his rights could belong to either team and he may be subject to fines. He can avoid that by reretiring. He has very little, if any remaining signing bonus that could be recovered, so a team would have little leverage to get him to show up.

Second, leverage over the tampering. Maybe I am missing something, but the fact that the Packer's do not have that to hold over the Vikings makes that trade easier, though it may mean a lesser pick. So Favre might have a greater chance to go to his preferred team, the Packer's odds of getting something in return increase as well.

[RashanGary]

There are two competing misconception out there that I think need to be looked closely at.

One is Favre's trade veto leverage. People keep reporting he has lost it, but as a practical matter he has not. He simply can refuse to report or to redo the contract. At that point, depending on the terms of the trade, his rights could belong to either team and he may be subject to fines. He can avoid that by reretiring. He has very little, if any remaining signing bonus that could be recovered, so a team would have little leverage to get him to show up.

Second, leverage over the tampering. Maybe I am missing something, but the fact that the Packer's do not have that to hold over the Vikings makes that trade easier, though it may mean a lesser pick. So Favre might have a greater chance to go to his preferred team, the Packer's odds of getting something in return increase as well.

Right. He has leverage. If he wants to try to force himself out of his contract, the one he signed and tried to hold other teammates to, then he still has a ton of leverage to effect his teammates and coaches to the point where they may just release him. He has leverage, but all of it involves dragging this team (coaches and teammated) through this drama.