OFFICIAL BRETT THE LIVING LEGEND THREAD

[falco]

No offense...but you'd have to be blind and deaf to not know he retired.

You'd have to be blind and deaf to believe him.

[Brando19]

No offense...but you'd have to be blind and deaf to not know he retired.

You'd have to be blind and deaf to believe him.

That's an entirely different discussion, Falco. My point...as we were discussing...is he retired.

[pbmax]

I used to hope that one day I would understand while old QBs like Dan Marino (or Montana, Unitas, Namath, etc.) would seem to come to an inglorious end *. Some (not all) fighting with management, seeming petty and hypersensitive and behaving as if the tenets they formerly believed no longer applied. I was curious why sports writers would just shrug and say "here we go again" like it was inevitable instead of telling the reader why it commonly seemed to go this way. Now I understand and do not want to hear any more complaints or updates.

The only question I wish answered now is how much of training camp and preseason could be avoided by vets and thus help extend careers. Because whatever else Brett may stand for, he made a heck of a case for training camp being too long last year. And to think they USED to run 6 weeks and start earlier in July.

I think its still possible he is not in as good a shape as he could be with a full offseason and I still believe that affects him in games late in the season. But the only part of the missed training camp that seemed to affect him early last year was being in sync with his receivers, which seemed to happen in Game 4 for them.


* This does not excuse writers who cite Willie Mays as embarrassing himself simply for continuing to play while their skills had declined. Most of the dopes who write this now did not witness it. And I could not care less if the player stays and continues their career even in somewhat diminished fashion.

[Pugger]

I don't think he ever did really retire. I suspect he asked TT for his release or trade him after that teary PC and TT declined believing the motive behind this request was to join MN. I'd wager this is the true reason for the bitter divorce and why #4 went on Greta's show. After TT traded His Highness to NY and after the 2008 season BF faked another retirement. He waited until Sanchez was drafted before he asked for his release and NY gave it to him. I say faked because a retired player does not ask for his release.

Please watch that press conference. No offense...but you'd have to be blind and deaf to not know he retired. He said he has nothing left to give and he's retiring from the Green Bay Packers and the National Football League. He didn't say I want out of Green Bay or I want released. He retired...or lied to the fans.

If he had nothing left to give to the Packers or the NFL he changed his tune pretty quick. It didn't take many weeks before we started to hear hints "that something's bound to happen" in various interviews. Do you think he'd say in that PC he wanted out of town or to be released? Not likely. Maybe he didn't feel the love any longer in GB. We'll never know unless someone writes a tell-all book someday but the hard look on his wife's face when the camera turned to her during that PC is telling. She looked pissed. You'd think she would have a softer look of compassion and/or support as her husband is crying like a baby to all the world. His play in the first half of 2008 and last season in MN is proof he had plenty left to give to the NFL, just not to the Green Bay Packers.

[Gunakor]

His play in the first half of 2008 and last season in MN is proof he had plenty left to give to the NFL, just not to the Green Bay Packers.

If that were true, I wonder what caused him to be so spiteful of the fact that the Green Bay Packers had nothing left to give to him either. I don't think this is reality. I think he had made up his mind, then was overcome with regret after the fact and tried to force his way back in. Honestly, I think Favre is 100% committed to whatever he's saying at the time. But only at the time he says it.

[RashanGary]

I used to hope that one day I would understand while old QBs like Dan Marino (or Montana, Unitas, Namath, etc.) would seem to come to an inglorious end *. Some (not all) fighting with management, seeming petty and hypersensitive and behaving as if the tenets they formerly believed no longer applied. I was curious why sports writers would just shrug and say "here we go again" like it was inevitable instead of telling the reader why it commonly seemed to go this way. Now I understand and do not want to hear any more complaints or updates.

I'm still curious. The only situation I watched up close was Favre's. I thought it was because he was so used to being needed and treated like royalty from his team, so used to being told, "yes" to any question. . . When the Packers got to that point where they didn't care if he came back, he felt horrible, choosing to retire rather than play when he knew the team he played for didn't really care if they had him or not. He got the hint, there was somehting different, he knew MM was ready to move on. When he retired, then got over that feeling and tried to come back, they told him, "no". And now a whole new set of feelings came up. Not being needed was bad enough. Being told, "no" in favor of a younger QB was a reason to go.

And here we are, the chip still on his shoulder. He's at the only team in the league that needs him the way he wants to be needed, slowly declining, but doing most of the things he felt he was too good to do in his last situation (protecting the ball, playing within himself and the system). I'd be interested to hear your theory because I'm not so sure mine is right. . .

[Fritz]

Two things: first, it's apparent that when Favre says something, he believes it to be true. I think when he had the presser for his first retirement he truly believed that was it for him. It's just that he changes his mind a lot.

Also I agree with PB's point - training camp is too long. It's unnecessary, caused by coaches who are hyper anal and owners who want to milk the fans for preseason games. Vets don't need that much camp. They train year round now. They are in fine shape and to get into 'football shape' don't need all that time.

[pbmax]

He's at the only team in the league that needs him the way he wants to be needed, slowly declining, but doing most of the things he felt he was too good to do in his last situation (protecting the ball, playing within himself and the system).

I think the first part is correct. Veteran QBs have very firm ideas about what they can and cannot do anymore and they are going to be less likely to listen to their coaches about what needs to be changed. So its natural for a vet to seek a specific team out, rather than just hope for a big FA contract. In this way the Vikings are a natural fit. Veteran and built for now.

I don't know that I agree with your latter two statements, except that I suspect that Favre feels he doesn't need to do it alone in Minnesota and in Green Bay, he felt that the supporting cast was lacking. But Favre as GM has always been attracted to names (Peterson, Allen, Williamses) and needs rather than a longer term approach to building a team. Its a natural evolution and the reason why so many vet relationships go sour.

[pbmax]

Also I agree with PB's point - training camp is too long. It's unnecessary, caused by coaches who are hyper anal and owners who want to milk the fans for preseason games. Vets don't need that much camp. They train year round now. They are in fine shape and to get into 'football shape' don't need all that time.

And its easy to see the coach's point of view. Does anyone know how long a vet needs to train in camp to be ready? Rather than face that uncertainty, the coach would rather get everyone under one roof and control reps and training themselves. And that would only go for certain vets, everyone else would fall under the "we do this as a team" rubric.

Younger players probably do need to reps.

[RashanGary]

PB,

I'd like to hear your theory on why so many big name QB's go out with drama? I know this isn't a "brent" thing. It's probably a human nature thing. What is it though? I've only seen Brett's up close, hard for me to get a good read on why this happened.

[pbmax]

PB,

I'd like to hear your theory on why so many big name QB's go out with drama? I know this isn't a "brent" thing. It's probably a human nature thing. What is it though? I've only seen Brett's up close, hard for me to get a good read on why this happened.

Veteran QBs have very firm ideas about what they can and cannot do anymore and they are going to be less likely to listen to their coaches about what needs to be changed. So its natural for a vet to seek a specific team out, rather than just hope for a big FA contract.

They are no longer looking to make a team. They are looking for somewhere to fit. Ask any businessman about long term employees, and it would go double for those with a hard to find talent or skill. Eventually, they begin to believe they have some claim on what company policy should be. And they, of course, would like it to align with their interests.

Happens to message boards too.

[Scott Campbell]

Per Greg Beddard:

"Favre's photo is still on outside of Metrodome. Under his picture it says 'Fueled by Dedication.' Seriously. "




That's going to make for some terrific irony when training camp starts and Bert's home mowing the grass.

[RashanGary]

PB,

That makes a lot of sense. A bunch of other things went into the cauldron, but it makes a lot of sense that, that is where the tension begins. IMO it's udnerstood that organizations should and do always make decisions in the best interest of the team, and I consider it each teammates reponsibility to give thier best to their teammates, regardless of how that fits in with them. I hold Brett almost completely responsible for what happened, even though I understand how and why it happened. I don't think the team owed him anything more than to pay him the contract they agreed to, trade him if they wanted or cut him. I do think he owed it to his teammates to give his best and buy into the program. If no teammates were involved, fine fight with management and try to get what you want. When other people are involved, I think there is a responsibility to the team to do things the right way. That's why i think it's a joke to say he cares about the team. He'll bounce from team to team to team, not knowing a guy in the room if he thinks it will give him the best chance.

[vince]

Favre's photo is still on outside of Metrodome.

[RashanGary]

Below it, it should say, "entitlement."