Brett Favre

[ItalianStallion]

Unless I've missed it, there's no thread so far talking about the whole Brett Favre debacle. Considering this is a football based discussion board, I know you guys have something to say about it. I personally don't think I will ever be able to have much respect for Brett Favre again after all of his whiny shenanigans.

[queviva]

I think Favre's conduct throughout this whole saga has been nothing short of disgraceful. This absolutely tarnishes his legacy, regardless of whether he goes on to have another good season for the Bucs/Ravens/whoever if he plays again. I know he's a competitor to the core and his annual late-spring press conferences about his non-retirement have become an annual ritual in Wisconsin, but his handling of his "itch" to play again has been frankly awful. There's no excuse for him dicking over one of, if not the most dedicated fanbase in American sports like this and breaking the hearts of a group of people who worshipped and supported him throughout his career in Green Bay which has spanned a generation. My level of respect for Favre has certainly gone down throughout this soap opera because I think he retired at just the right time and in the right way back in March. Now Ted Thompson and the front office face a PR disaster and a no-win situation and Aaron Rodgers, whose job is tough enough being "the guy after Favre" already, has an ever more difficult set of circumstances to deal with as a new starter.

[cashpath]

I think the Packers front office told Favre they needed the decision early this time.. and basically forced him to make a decision he wasn't ready to make. For the past few years at the end of the season he has felt like quiting as many people do after something as long a grueling not to mention disapointing as football can be.

The packers brought this on themselves for not giving him more time.

[queviva]

While I've heard the angle you've mentioned, cash, that the Packers "rushed" Favre into a decision and because of this are partly to blame for this whole mess, I completely disagree.

Ted Thompson and the Packers front office, as a competent and efficient front office, knew that their plans for the offseason would drastically change were Favre to retire and that his retirement would need to be addressed during the free agency period and draft.

Because the draft and free agent signing period occur in March and April, the Packers could scarcely afford to sit around waiting with bated breath for Favre to make up his mind once again. Favre has been dawdling like this for years now and the Packers, due to his special legacy with the club, agreed to leave a seat open for him in past years, but decided that this year, with all the progress they'd made, needed to be prepared for life without Favre. I realize not even a month passed between the Super Bowl and Favre's tearful retirement press conference, but Favre needed to be thinking about this as the season ended out of respect for his franchise rather than expecting them to put their offseason plans on hold for him like they'd so patiently done in the past.

[gopackgo160]

I just want this to end well for everyone. The best way for this to end is for Brett to stay retiried. It never really hit me until about a week after he retired, and it really hurts for me to say that. I can't count the number of times that I've probably posted this, but Brett has been my hero for my whole life. I've got his posters all over my walls, pictures of him, and of course my most prized possesion in the whole world, my jersey autographed by him. I remember whenever I played football in my back garden with my little brother, I always pretended to be Brett (he was always Vick after they beat the Pack in the playoffs). And when I was little and hurt my fingers playing in goal in a game of soccer, I was whining to my parents about it, but then i watched Brett play with a broken thumb, and I didn't say a word about it about my fingers after that. Turned out when I did get them x-rayed, they were quite badly fractured. But what he's done now really hurts. Ted Thompson put it right when he said it wasn't physical pain, but just gut-retching. Sometimes I wonder if he has ever really been thinking about fans that are like me, the ones that have supported him through thick and thin, and wanted him to keep playing until the day he died.
Saying that though, I don't like the way the Packers have handeled it either. The way they said that they didn't want to take him back because he said he wasn't 100% commited, just sounds fishy. Oh, how I long for Ron Wolf to be back at the helm, he would've had none of this, and welcomed Brett back with open arms.
I hope that if Brett does come back, that he comes to Packers training camp, as a 'Back Up' and wins back his place, which he's more than capable of doing. And if the managment doesn't give him the job, then the fans will make sure he will get it. But really, I wish he would just stay retired. I like the way its all gone quite on the Favre front over the last couple days, that means that there may be some talking happening.

[cashpath]

How is Favre stayign retired best for "everyone"?

If he wants to play.. how is that best for HIM?

[gopackgo160]

I think that playing another year can only hurt him, not help him out. He's accomplished so much, but what he's doing now is hurting so many people. Mark my words, if he comes back in another uniform next year, it will not be a year to remember. Thats just a gut feeling.

[cashpath]

Doesn't matter whether it is or not.. if he WANTS to play.. then not playing hurts him and playing doesn't.

The truth is you are only thinking of yourself. As most fans do. As I said before this is the front offices fault. If the fans want to blame someone.. blame them not Favre.

[gopackgo160]

Originally Posted by cashpath

The truth is you are only thinking of yourself. As most fans do.

Yeah, I've noticed that lately, I am a bit of a selfish person, have been all my life. I'm trying to change that, but I've noticed more and more lately that I come across as very selfish

Originally Posted by cashpath

As I said before this is the front offices fault. If the fans want to blame someone.. blame them not Favre.

Originally Posted by gopackgo160

Saying that though, I don't like the way the Packers have handeled it either. The way they said that they didn't want to take him back because he said he wasn't 100% commited, just sounds fishy.

I don't think I got my reasons correct here, but never have I placed the blame 100% on Brett's shoulders. I think the Packers are just as much, if not more, at fault.

[queviva]

I don't doubt for a minute that Favre could start training today, put on an NFL uniform (Packers or otherwise) and continue to play at the high level he did last season- that is not my issue here. Whether or not Favre returns as a Packer, his status as a demi-god in Cheesehead Nation loses some of its luster, for even if he comes back as a Packer, I don't think every Packers fan will welcome him back with open arms after seeing what he's put this venerable franchise through over the past few weeks. Additionally, the touching, emotional press conference on March 4th during which Favre poured out his love for the game and his thanks to the fans for their undying support and adoration over the years is now rendered meaningless.

Maybe it's selfish for me as a fan to want to see Favre gracefully ride off into the sunset after an excellent season. I haven't always been a Favre fan and was one of the many who thought he'd lost his touch, but I respect what he's accomplished a hell of a lot and wanted to see him go out at the top of his game, but more importantly, as a Packer.

Sure, cash, you can call it selfish for sports fans and media types alike to criticize Favre for the ugly saga his potential unretirement has created, but surely it can't be more selfish than Favre himself expecting the franchise to make its decisions specifically with him in mind?

[cashpath]

With Favre the packers are super bowl contenders. Without him they wont make the playoffs.. so.. yeah, I do.

[Chaos6]

Originally Posted by queviva

Ted Thompson and the Packers front office, as a competent and efficient front office, knew that their plans for the offseason would drastically change were Favre to retire and that his retirement would need to be addressed during the free agency period and draft.

Because the draft and free agent signing period occur in March and April, the Packers could scarcely afford to sit around waiting with bated breath for Favre to make up his mind once again.

There is a huge flaw in this statement.

Arron Rogers was on the roster last season. The Packers already have what they feel to be Favre's replacement on their roster. The rest of the roster was in the NFC championship game last season. Its not like they needed to know if they had to draft a starting quality QB or sign one in Free Agency. Its not like they needed to know if they needed to sign some free agents for one last shot at the big one before a re-build or to start the re-build now.

Favre's answer had little to no impact on what the Packers needed to do in the draft or Free Agency in March and April.

If your going to make the argument that the Packers needed an answer sooner rather then later then make the argument that the team needed to know who their QB was going to be, if it was going to be Rogers then they needed to start working with him ASAP and accepting him as their leader. Make your argument in that direction, not that the front office needed to know what direction they were going to go if they didn't have Favre, they already knew that.