BRETT FAVRE AND HIS FUTURE

[Bretsky]

I really don't see how Favre can come back.

Does anbody think this team can compete for the NFC North title?
With or without Favre.

The team is so clearly rebuilding.

Yes it is; Ted Thompson crucified my company called the Shore Patrol and told me he's going to take his sweet f@ckin time to build the ship; he's still out decidiing what nails he wants to use.

[Fritz]

Excellent, thoughtful posts, Nick and Shamrock, and kudos to Bretsky, who disagrees with some of it, for acknowledging the same.

This is one tough spot. Having hindsight, it's clear that if there'd been some way to keep Wahle, that would have made much of this easier. The Pack still would have sucked last year, but it might have convinced Favre that two positions - center and right guard - were more fixable via developing current players. Still, my sense at the time was that no one thought the Packers could afford to keep Wahle. It seemed pretty inevitable, even to us posters.

You cannot - cannot - make draft day choices based on what you think Favre needs in order to be convinced to come back. You love Vince Young and think he's the next superstar QB, you take him. You think you can trade down and get extra picks that will turn into above average starters? You do it. Bottom line. If Favre really wants to play, he will. If it's truly dependent on his opinion as to the team's talent level, then maybe he really doesn't want to play that badly. And maybe Bretsky's right - maybe, if Favre would like to play but only for a contender - a trade would be in order. I bet a team like Tampa would be mightily interested.

[Partial]

This is a moot point, he wouldn't be criticizing management if he wasn't coming back. Then he is no better than the guys he has spoke out against.

[Fritz]

I disagree Partial. Perhaps he is criticizing management in an attempt to justify his retirement. Maybe he's concerned on some level about his reputation and by focusing on the team's shortcomings as his reason for retiring he can make it seem like it's all TT's fault.

[Bretsky]

This is a moot point, he wouldn't be criticizing management if he wasn't coming back. Then he is no better than the guys he has spoke out against.

He speaks pretty nicely of the way Ted Thompson used the 35 Million compared to me.

[MJZiggy]

This is not a criticism of Favre, it is my attempt at a dispassionate analysis of what has gone on with him.

For the last three months Favre has told the 21 other starters that essentially many of them are not "good enough" to play with him. In a somewhat round about way he has blamed 4-12 on others, and has never once since the end of the season (that I have seen) even hinted that his poor play last year may have contributed to 4-12. Those comments sound like the comments of a self-important egotist, not the team player that Brett Favre has always been.

But he did say that flat-out in this last press conference. He said that there were several games that he should have been able to pull us out of and he "failed to do it." and that's a big part of why his confidence is shaken.

I sincerely don't know what he's going to do. TT says the offseason's not over and he's not done, but I don't see what more he can do besides the draft and picking up some June 1 rejects.

Would't that suck if Favre retires and TT manages to put together an incredible o-line. I wonder if that's going through his mind as well. Perhaps TT told him he could do it?

[Patler]

.....

[GBRulz]

I'm not sure if this has already been mentioned in of the of 50 favre threads out there, but last night they had Scott Favre on TV and he thinks Brett will retire. Unless of course the Packers get some FA's in there that can make an immediate contribution.

I don't really pay much attention when any of the media gives their 2 cents on what they think, but coming from Scott, it's a little different.

[woodbuck27]

OK . Let's PLEASE try to keep the facts as straight as we can.

I worked out and posted this statistic after week seven last Season:

Brett Favre had thrown for 14 TD's and 8 Picks through 6 Games and the Packer Record was 1W - 5L .

Favre Passing - 148 / 222 or 66.67% for 1577 Yard's and a QB Rating of 93.24 .

I feel so busted over all the Favre will or won't he play in 2006, that I had to summon up all my strength to post after reading this thread. There have been so many Articles on what stance he's in or not ; what Favre said or didn't say, that it's even becoming confusing to me. The propaganda is front and center. Even what he's shown us after all these year's is being misconstrued to - he's selfish and an egoist.

Give it a darn break, please.

Most of you if not all, have followed this man's entire career, and suddenly he's becoming the bad guy. Darn it , we all have to straighten up. There is one thing any dedicated Packer Fan should agree with. That is that Brett Favre is a fierce competitor and took the wins as they came, and the loss's terribly hard.

He never - never blamed his teammates and there is a distinction between the reality of who he is, and condemnation of him for things reported in the media. When he says that players like William Whitticker and Wells and Coston will be starting all over again, with the zone blocking system, he is merely stating a fact. Some misconstrue that as criticism of players? Favre never got to be who he is just because he has an amazing arm. He isn't stupid !

Brett Favre asked the Packers for support to avoid another 4-12 Season. He is a QB not the GM or Head Coach. He can only do his part. To make a statement, that he hoped that the Packers would attain a difference maker with the available salary cap isn't strange nor improper. He's saying simply nothing ventured nothing gained.

So what is going on ? Favre came into TC last Season and he had no idea of what he was in for. Losing two starting guards, meant getting in maximum shape, as he knew that he would face more pressure but surely the Packers would fill the gap somewhat. He did his part but despite that, it never happened. It never happened, because of too many QB pressures due to a poor OL ,and the fact that Favre never got comfortable with an Offence that became riddled with injury. Not enough weapons.

Do you re-call that next game after we blew it against the vikings? The game in Cinnci and the Fan on the field debaucle near games end. We lost by a TD, but there was Favre, still trying to get it done. He had Five (5) picks in that game and he almost got us in for the win still. He busted his ass.

Those two loss's would tear the heart out of most QB's ,and yes nmaybe we can speculate that Brett Favre began to say what the heck. We're now 1W and 6L and it's gone (over). He and Donald Driver couldn't do it by themselves. The only distraction from the Favre adversity was the play of Samkon Gado. When Gado went out what was left for us?

One ugly - ugly Season and 1/3 of Packer fans are all over Brett Favre. The " Packer Fans " remain in touch with reality. Brett Favre is really simple. He wants to play again. He wants to win.

So we hear statements by people like Doug Pederson and Scott Favre that they feel he will call it a career. Do they know that or feel that? Feel it would be best for Brett to let go?

Last week that is where I was, and I was there two weeks before that and a long time before that. I believe that Brett was absolutely screwed. He wasn't supported in the end of his career, and that is the way the history books will write the story.

I am sick at what has happened regarding Brett Favre. He is the last person this should have happened to. Why? Because he has always given the best he could, win or loose.

Too bad that the Packers forgot that.

Should he be traded? Why allow that and cover up this travesty? " Oh! We should get something for him, maybe even a fourth." Good Gracious but that is so sick !

[Fosco33]

The thing I appreciate most about Brett is his honesty and integrity - above all else. Throughout his career, Brett put the team above himself and his family - whether playing through injuries, restructuring his contract or making difficult decisions on whether or not to return (brother-in-law/father/wife issues).

And right now, Brett is saying what a lot of us have been saying/feeling for the past year - that a team w/ Brett at the helm shouldn't be in a 'rebuilding' mode. For all those people who think we'd be better off with AR or a draft prospect - consider Woody's post above. I recall this post (fondly) back at JSO and really consider the last half of last season as a fluke. The best athletes at every level have faltered at times OR retired before their peak passed (less Lance Armstrong).

If Brett were inhuman, his confidence wouldn't have been weakened after last year - but he is human. Brett is doing exactly what he should be as a HOF QB and defacto player rep of the Pack - asking for some help so the team can be successful. If he retires, people won't remember the retirement questions or certain out of context comments - they'll remember a guy who always overcame adversity to become the most hallowed QB in Packer history. If he comes back, he should commit to two years - that way TT gets a little time with this draft to pan out and to see if next year's FA is more worth spending the cash to get over the mediocre hump and on to the SB.

[Bretsky]

Would't that suck if Favre retires and TT manages to put together an incredible o-line. I wonder if that's going through his mind as well. Perhaps TT told him he could do it?

I'm sure that is one of the issues that is making this so hard for Favre. He probably knows he would prefer to retire than relive last year. He probably also knows that if the injured all heal, an O-line comes together, and the Packers have a winning record he will regret if he retires and doesn't play.

Last year I figured they could only keep one of two between Wahle and Rivera. Then it became apparent that they would and probably should let both go.

I was wrong, and so was TT. The Packers could, and should have found a way to keep Mike Wahle, an excelling guard still entering the prime of his career. Cliff Cristl was about the only one I know that really pushed that point. Even if it meat letting go of a guy like Bubba, or restructuring others, GB could have and should have down that.

But it would have had to be finished before free agency because once Wahle hit the open market he was out the door.

[MJZiggy]

B, he was a cap cut. All he had to do was come up with 6 million dollars of cap space because Wahle was still under contract. Who was it that thought TT was thinking he could cut Wahle and then resign him and move the money, but Wahle wouldn't resign.

[Bretsky]

Woody and Fosco,

Great posts and my portrayal of a Hall of Fame QB who might be best off looking at other opportunities is not an indictment of Brett Favre, the player or the person. He is my favorite football player of all time, and I want to see him win. Just read another post where Favre reportedly asked MM if they can win this year....that's why I think his head is swinging back and forth. I wish TT would have shored our depth and talent up better so his decision to come back would have already been made.

[MJZiggy]

I wonder what Lombardi would have said to him?

[swede]

Woodbuck: Do you re-call that next game after we blew it against the vikings? The game in Cinnci and the Fan on the field debaucle near games end. We lost by a TD, but there was Favre, still trying to get it done. He had Five (5) picks in that game and he almost got us in for the win still. He busted his ass.


Five picks. Gee I wonder how we managed to lose that game?

Oh yeah...TT!