OFFICIAL BRETT THE LIVING LEGEND THREAD

[Scott Campbell]

[Scott Campbell]

Woodbuck, not to be rude, I consider you a friend in life, but not a fellow Packer fan.

The way you support Favre, honestly, makes me lose respect for you. What he did I cannot respect. The fact that you admire/honor that man disgusts me.

[gbgary]

it will be a disaster, a boo-fest. everyone will leave shaking their heads. let the nfl put him in the hof and forget about it.

[Scott Campbell]

J

You've called me out... thus I'm placed in a position where my integrity demands a response to you JH.

I try my damnest not to judge any person. I constantly struggle with that conviction. I try to like all people including members here. Just as members here judge and dislike me. I try to ignore that in terms of 'again'... who I feel I must be. See JH....I have to live with me.

Your not 'only' out to lunch man. Your obsessed with your needs to hate Brett Favre. To characterize your feeling as anything less that that negative emotion, is to delude yourself. Your hatred is so very slanted that you extend that hatred to me. A five decade plus Green Bay Packer fan. For that you as the man you are 'only' deserve one clear and succinct rebuttal and not all I've written to this point in this post:

JH....FUCK OFF 'with the creepy nonsense'. Please.

GO PACK GO!

[PaCkFan_n_MD]

I've often wondered how much they regret having announced it so soon after he retired the first time. I think it was probably done to "seal" the retirement, thinking the announcement of a date certain would nail the door shut on a possible reconsideration on his part. Of course, it didn't do that, and now it is an awkward commitment that will continually be asked about until it finally occurs.

Yeah I have thought about that as well. The packers went through his will he/won’t he retire saga for so many years before and needed to know what direction they were going in the upcoming season with Rodgers on deck. Setting a date to retire his number so soon was probably the organizations way of trying to cement his decision.

Also, unfortunately the packers were kind of at his mercy and he knew that. He knew he could leverage his status and love fans had of him and I’m sure the packers knew this as well and were worried about the fall out that ensued. So the number retirement and future position with the team offer was probably a way of hoping to avoid a potential mess.

[PaCkFan_n_MD]

I wonder if his willingness to blandly be welcoming to the prospect of the jersey retirement helps or hurts the process.

One the one hand it is clear he is leaving the door open. On the other hand it looks like he is talking to someone who has already hung up the phone AND it just gives everyone a chance to rehash the distance between the two parties.

Plus, when its time to actually start to discuss the event, he has one less reason to talk to Favre directly.

I think the team is worried about sending out an offer and having him reject it. Mark Murphy coming out saying that it needs to happen soon is like dipping your toes in the water before you jump in. They want to hear him say something to show he is still not bitter over what happened. Sadly, he still seems like he is acting like a child and if he is not careful he might alienate more fans (well maybe not WB lol).

[pbmax]

Nah. It will be easier than everyone imagines to let bygones be bygones. In one of his statements, woodbuck made an oblique mention to the number of Hall of Famers who ended their career elsewhere, which is entirely true. Favre is not in an entirely unique position.

Favre has some explaining to do about a few negative comments (the Millen deal is the toughest nut to crack) but many of the others can be brushed aside easily. An athlete wanting desperately to prove himself against his old team (move to Vikings) is not hard to understand. Jordan hated his GM in Chicago, went on to play and own in the NBA elsewhere, and still has a relationship with the Bulls. Disliking Thompson, or being mad at him is not a disqualification.

No one is Green Bay is going to get more up in arms over texting Sterger. Their hands are all dirty since they have for years refused to put rumor to ink (or bits) about the 5,000 other ladies he was seen with in WI bars during his 16 years.

Tampering could be dicey but legal tampering happens all the time and he can just spend that time making fun of Childress and recalling his friendship with Bevell.

Multiple dalliances with retirement has been done to death and is not going to generate headlines or boos unless he says something noteworthy.

Wishing the Bears to beat the Packers and knock them out of the playoffs can be explained as still being mad OR just kind words to Urlacher.

Most Packer fans I know (outside of here) make fun of him but in the same breath say they could never really hold anything against him as he was greatly responsible for the Packers' resurgence.

The biggest hurdle to Favre's re-acceptance among fans might be Favre. Put aside proud and insistent and even enmity toward Thompson/McCarthy, Favre now knows he was treated very kindly in Green Bay by locals and the press (outside of his last summer). He also knows that halo has been knocked off for many. And he may be hesitant to jump back into public life here not knowing what his footing will be like. Not only might fans seem unpredictable for him, he also knows he spent the last decade ignoring the local beat guys.

He does have some fences to mend. But its not anything insurmountable.

[PaCkFan_n_MD]

In fairness to Favre, it may be he is reluctant to return to Green Bay because he is afraid of what the fan reaction would be. He might think more time is needed to let time heal wounds. We just don't know, but it is one possibility.

Maybe, but I seriously doubt it. If he were worried about the fans you would hear him says things like "I miss the fans in GB" not "yes Greg you should go play for the Vikings."

[woodbuck27]

I've never been a big fan of the whole number retirement thing. To me, if done at all, it should be an extremely rare occurrence, reserved for individuals who show a commitment and dedication to the team that goes far beyond their athletic performance. It should be awarded to those who truly became Packers for life, and aided the organization beyond their performances on the field. I recognize that in today's "it's all about business" environment for pro sports it will be hard to develop that relationship, but so be it, in my opinion.

I went on record here as disagreeing with the retirement of #92.

Considering his venomous attack on the organization, his attempts to undermine the organization, his continued cold shoulder toward the organization and the exposure of the person he was while a player, I am no more interested in the retirement of #4 than I was #92.

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/blog/eye-on-football/22306963/mike-ditkas-retired-jersey-will-be-the-last-for-the-bears

Mike Ditka's retired jersey will be the last for the Bears

By Josh Katzowitz | NFL Writer ... May 26, 2013 11:49 am ET

" When the Bears last week announced they will retire the No. 89 jersey of Mike Ditka, it was a long time coming for the iconic coach and former tight end who dominated his position when he was in Chicago from 1961-66.

And for those great Bears players whose numbers haven't yet been retired, the wait for them to be honored in this fashion will be even longer. That's because the team has said it will not retire any other numbers.


Ditka is the 14th former Bears player to have his number retired. And unless the team is going to begin issuing triple-digit numbers, Chicago -- which has retired more than any other team in the league -- risks running out of numbers if it keeps plastering old-time jerseys on the wall and taking them out of stock.

But Ditka certainly is worthy to be honored in this way, and now he joins players like Walter Payton, Dick Butkus and Gale Sayers to have his number taken out of circulation.

"When you think of all the great Bears players who have had their jerseys retired, I can't say that there's any greater honor," Ditka said. ..." Fr. LINK

[woodbuck27]

If the league frowns on retiring numbers and every time we discuss Favre a civil war breaks out I think it would be wise to shelve this entire number retirement issue and move on. I suspect nobody will ever wear #4 again if we don't officially retire it anyway.

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/9304432/aaron-rodgers-wants-green-bay-packers-retire-no-4-brett-favre

** "Aaron Rodgers said Wednesday that it's time for the "healing process to begin" between the Green Bay Packers and Brett Favre, adding that he hopes the quarterback's No. 4 can be retired by the team before he is inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame." Fr. LINK

"I was totally OK with being out front of that, and I'm very secure of the things I've been able to accomplish with the team and individually here in Green Bay, and excited about the chance to see him again and get his number retired here before he goes into Canton," Aaron Rodgers

Packers president and CEO Mark Murphy said earlier this month during the team's Tailgate Tour that he wanted Favre "back involved in the organization soon" and expressed his desire to retire Favre's number at "*** the right time for him and us." ..." FR. LINK

*** the right time for him (Brett Favre) and us (the Green Bay Packers).

If I'm having a party I may invite you to my party. I shouldn't necessarily EXPECT you to show up.

The party we're disgissing here is huge. The Green Bay Packers realize the importance of retiring Brett Favre's number; as well as inductioning this Green Bay Packer LEGEND into the Green Bay Packers HOF.

Posters here can speculate any negative and that will NOT wash with me. It's all 'moot' noise to me.

Better to simply get used to this fact Packerrats (like Favre on your own time or not) and whatever it's not changing the water on the beans:

When Brett Favre decides that such a ceremony at Lambeau field is appropriate and in consideration of all matters:

a) Brett Favre's number will be retired.

b) Brett Favre will be inducted into the Packer Hall of Fame.

I make this prediction when that huge day for the Green Bay Packers arrives:

Brett Favre will also as a part of his acceptance of this honor. Receive a resounding applause of approval for his outstanding contributions as a Green Bay Packer player of extreme positive distinction. I'll be such a proud Packer fan on Brett Favre's 'SPECIAL DAY again at Lambeau Field'. Just another of so many SPECIAL Day's that Green Bay Packer experienced at Lambeau Field.

That day will be a moment, in my five decades plus as a proud GREEN BAY PACKER fan.

I sure look forward to that.

GO PACKERS !

[RashanGary]

I don't know if it will happen. Favre pulled himself away from the team and into his own rare-air slowly but surely over many years. He's painting himself in a corner I don't know that he'll ever have the courage to get out of. He's going to take some boos, some anger, some things he never had in 15 years in GB. But if he takes them with grace, they will go away and he'd be a better person for the experience. He'd be right back in with the fans and people would love him for who he is, for what he's been through, even though he can't play a lick of football anymore.

Nothing he's done is so awful, people can't connect to him. Everyone has said/done things out of hurt/anger they regret. If he stood up and talked about how hard it was to no longer be needed like he once was, to let go of the things that he had in Green Bay, he'd be accepted almost immediately. He doesn't see it that way though. He sees it like he was attacked, spit on, abandoned by the team he gave everything too. NFL teams have immense pressure to win. The Packers stayed with Favre because it benefited them. That's the cold, hard truth. If he wasn't a great player, he would have been gone a long time before he was. It had nothing to do with Favre the person, only Favre the player.

I imagine leaving football is a hard thing to do. So much of what these players have in their lives (especially the star players) is had only because they perform. Imagine the pressure. Imagine how it must feel when it all ends, when the money, fame, glory disappears and the NFL goes on without you, like you were never there. Imagine all you have are records, that are bound to fall some day. Imagine what it must be like to watch the team you believed needed you goes on and wins a SB while you're still barely hanging on in the league. Imagine enough people can't stand you that it fills a stadium with relentless boos when you step on the field. Imagine this was the same stadium that loved you, seemingly unconditionally, through drug addiction and affairs. They loved you no matter how big the interception or how uncommitted the offseason. Imagine what it must be like to realize you were only there because you were good at football and that it's gone now. Imagine what it must be like to be unable to do anything else well enough to ever have that kind of attention again. I suppose it's not as hard for us, we'll never have any of it. But if you had it, I'll bet losing it would be very hard.

Favre has a lot of things to come to grips with and you hope it happens. Who the hell knows though, he hasn't shown a sign (so far) that he can accept his place in the world. He hasn't shown the ability to move on from football and grow as a person. I wish him the best, but the rest of his life is looking like a big train-wreck of bitterness and isolation. I hope not, but fuck, as fun as it was to watch him play football, it's equally tragic to watch him move on from football.

I know he used to travel with his own personal priest. Hopefully he's still working with people like that to heal and grow. Back then, I think it was because the pressure he put on himself was so great, he needed it just to get by. Now, I think he's going to need help to adjust to life, and to get out of life everything he deserves. He deserves to let go of whatever he's hanging onto. He deserves to be with the teammates he won the SB with and played with for so many years. He deserves everything life has to offer still. I hope he sees what he's missing because he has a great life in front of him.

[woodbuck27]

http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcnorth/post/_/id/56706/green-bay-packers-brett-favre-have-reconciled-indirectly

Packers, Favre have reconciled indirectly

May, 23, 2013 ... 2:20 PM ET By Kevin Seifert | ESPN.com

Comment woodbuck27:

For any Packerrats that may be still confused:

Pretend that that confusion is a mild to severe headache. Normally the cure is simple. You take a Tylenol or two for any such headache.

Here's an article that 'let's just pretend' is the equivalent of 2 + 1 Tylenol. Read this article and search somewhere inside of yourself for 'a real positive'. That positive being like the dissipation of your headache after reading the Good News (Your Tylenol)....the Green Bay Packers and Brett Favre Final Re-Union ... a STAY TUNED proposition.

" This is the story driven by corrupted memories. In the event that you are among those who have forgotten, Favre said in September that he was over any grudge he might have held against the franchise.

In February, Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers invited Favre to a joint appearance that made clear they have moved past the tension in their relationship.

Two months ago, Packers president Mark Murphy said that Rodgers had taken "a good first step" on behalf of the franchise and pledged that the reunion "is going to happen."

The ball is and will remain in the Packers' court. At some point, presumably before Favre is eligible for enshrinement into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2016, Murphy and the rest of the Packers' leadership will reach out and schedule an event. Really, the fact everyone appears to be on board -- Favre's grudge is gone, Rodgers and Favre cleared the air and Murphy promised an appropriate event -- suggests an indirect reconciliation in itself." Fr. LINK ... Please CLICK on the LINK for the entire story.

GO PACK GO !

[RashanGary]

When Brett Favre decides that such a ceremony at Lambeau field is appropriate and in consideration of all matters:

a) Brett Favre's number will be retired.

b) Brett Favre will be inducted into the Packer Hall of Fame.

I make this prediction when that huge day for the Green Bay Packers arrives:

Brett Favre will also as a part of his acceptance of this honor. Receive a resounding applause of approval for his outstanding contributions as a Green Bay Packer player of extreme positive distinction. I'll be such a proud Packer fan on Brett Favre's 'SPECIAL DAY again at Lambeau Field' day. Just another of so many SPECIAL Day's that Green Bay Packer experienced at Lambeay Field.

I know it probably doesn't seem that way, but woody, I'll bet you anything if the day comes, we'll be happy for him WITH you. There are very smart PR people who know the challenges of the whole situation, and they will handle it well. Favre will handle it well. Time, even though it doesn't seem like it to me now, will probably heal the wounds.

Him connecting back with Green Bay would be huge for everyone. I don't think it would bother me so much if it wasn't a big deal to me.

I'm as passionate of a fan of the Packers as there is, I think. My dad was a really hurtful guy. Lifetime movies have been made with softer hearted villains than my dad. One of the things my dad did with me was watch/play football. He left when I was 8 years old. Anyway, I've put more into football than is healthy, I'm sure. I get emotional about football, and the Packers. I'm definitely on the high-side of how much these things affect fans, because in ways, where a dad should have been, was football for me. And for me, it was the Packers (Sharpe, Majkowski, Bennett, Ed West, Paup, etc. . .) I think I'll stay loyal to the Packers even when they're wrong more than most, just as some were loyal to Brett even when he was wrong more than most. That's because it affects me more.

So yeah, I might over-react from time to time. I know it. But at the end of the day, I do think my passion is shared with a lot of people and founded too. I'd like to see a day when Green Bay is back to how it used to be. This feud still creates tension in Green Bay. I'll be happy when that day ends and I truly hope the best for Favre even if I get really, really pissed off at him from time to time.

[pbmax]

" This is the story driven by corrupted memories. In the event that you are among those who have forgotten, Favre said in September that he was over any grudge he might have held against the franchise.

In February, Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers invited Favre to a joint appearance that made clear they have moved past the tension in their relationship.

Two months ago, Packers president Mark Murphy said that Rodgers had taken "a good first step" on behalf of the franchise and pledged that the reunion "is going to happen."

Rodgers did not invite Favre according to his version of events. The NFL invited him to the banquet and asked Rodgers if he would present an award with him. They presumably asked Favre the same thing.

Murphy, minus the acknowledgement of Rodgers/Favre joint appearance, has been making the same gesture to Favre for 3 years running, if not longer. In fact, he makes is annually during the tailgate tour.

And Favre is not a reliable narrator in this instance. He formerly said he didn't harbor a grudge and it was just business between he and the Packer. Admitting a grudge existed might be evidence of his being more truthful publicly, but its certainly not determinative.

[woodbuck27]

I don't know if it will happen. Favre pulled himself away from the team and into his own rare-air slowly but surely over many years. He's painting himself in a corner I don't know that he'll ever have the courage to get out of. He's going to take some boos, some anger, some things he never had in 15 years in GB. But if he takes them with grace, they will go away and he'd be a better person for the experience. He'd be right back in with the fans and people would love him for who he is, for what he's been through, even though he can't play a lick of football anymore.

Nothing he's done is so awful, people can't connect to him. Everyone has said/done things out of hurt/anger they regret. If he stood up and talked about how hard it was to no longer be needed like he once was, to let go of the things that he had in Green Bay, he'd be accepted almost immediately. He doesn't see it that way though. He sees it like he was attacked, spit on, abandoned by the team he gave everything too. NFL teams have immense pressure to win. The Packers stayed with Favre because it benefited them. That's the cold, hard truth. If he wasn't a great player, he would have been gone a long time before he was. It had nothing to do with Favre the person, only Favre the player.

I imagine leaving football is a hard thing to do. So much of what these players have in their lives (especially the star players) is had only because they perform. Imagine the pressure. Imagine how it must feel when it all ends, when the money, fame, glory disappears and the NFL goes on without you, like you were never there. Imagine all you have are records, that are bound to fall some day. Imagine what it must be like to watch the team you believed needed you goes on and wins a SB while you're still barely hanging on in the league. Imagine enough people can't stand you that it fills a stadium with relentless boos when you step on the field. Imagine this was the same stadium that loved you, seemingly unconditionally, through drug addiction and affairs. They loved you no matter how big the interception or how uncommitted the offseason. Imagine what it must be like to realize you were only there because you were good at football and that it's gone now. Imagine what it must be like to be unable to do anything else well enough to ever have that kind of attention again. I suppose it's not as hard for us, we'll never have any of it. But if you had it, I'll bet losing it would be very hard.

Favre has a lot of things to come to grips with and you hope it happens. Who the hell knows though, he hasn't shown a sign (so far) that he can accept his place in the world. He hasn't shown the ability to move on from football and grow as a person. I wish him the best, but the rest of his life is looking like a big train-wreck of bitterness and isolation. I hope not, but fuck, as fun as it was to watch him play football, it's equally tragic to watch him move on from football.

I know he used to travel with his own personal priest. Hopefully he's still working with people like that to heal and grow. Back then, I think it was because the pressure he put on himself was so great, he needed it just to get by. Now, I think he's going to need help to adjust to life, and to get out of life everything he deserves. He deserves to let go of whatever he's hanging onto. He deserves to be with the teammates he won the SB with and played with for so many years. He deserves everything life has to offer still. I hope he sees what he's missing because he has a great life in front of him.

This is a post with a good deal of empathy for Favre or anyone that retires from a Professional sport.

Brett Favre has said that ... 'retirement is difficult'... in terms of missing his teammates and the fans. He misses Lambeau Field. He miss's the people of Wisconsin. Did you read his comments during the Frank Winters Packers HOF induction? I could supply you with a LINK.

I feel that it's better if you search for that yourself JH. In that process you might be enlightened by a lot that Brett Favre has said after he was traded by the Green Bay Packers. In my view it's almost overkill the degree he's gone to explain so much that he felt needed such. Most people would respond with 'a just screw it' attitude. Brett Favre always cared a lot too maybe too much.

JH.... You may be aware of this, yet in any case:

ESPN has a raft of articles that tell a rather complete story from the (Brett Favre's) perspective. If you go forward in life on and on imagining that Favre is the bad man in this divorce. Your simply wrong JH.

There are always two sides to a story and in Favre's case and Packers. It's not 'ALL WHITE Green Bay Packers' and all black - brett favre. I'm sorry for the bad or disturbing revelation there JH. See I might claim that (again) we see the little man get screwed but this is BRETT FAVRE.

Did Favre get screwed?

Not in the end as he was able to go on playing as he desired. He had to fight damn hard for that right and he might have handled some of that better, in final analysis; but who am I to declare any of that !? If we really tried to get down to the brass tacks of this mess...that...would be impossible. All that remains is what to believe or not and otherwise merely pure speculation.

I'm positive there was a lot of emotion involved on both sides. Ted Thompson declared as much....that Brett Favre's wanting to play in 2008 was truly 'gut wrenching stuff'. Emotion clouds anything even in terms of the most accurate portrayal of a matter or issue.

Sure it was gut wrenching. It's isn't often that an NFL team trades it's past season's MVP and offensive leader. The runner-up NFL MVP and past 3 time NFL MVP. Traded a NO. 1 QB that owns every conceivable team and most NFL passing records. trades that man to one of the worst teams in the other conference ..... for a draft pick.

Maybe Brett Favre deserved to feel hurt. I cannot even marginally come close to the reasons for any such hurt. I'm not Brett Favre.

Ted Thompson says that it was: Gut wrenching !?

I'd use a different term....BRUTAL.

'JUST' .... BRUTAL STUFF to witness for this Packer fan. I 'only' desired for Brett Favre to be set free.

PACKERS !