[Msguy]

I'm sick of hearing about the Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers situation. If Favre wanted to continue to play he shouldn't have called it quits. I don't blame the Packers one bit for not wanting to grant him his unconditional release and I say if he wants to come back he should have to stand on the sidelines and compete for the Quarterback position. I wish this guy could just go away already. I've lost all of what little respect I had for Favre. There comes a time to step away and i think he needs to stay away from football now and do some commentary with Bradshaw and the guys over at Fox. Or maybe since John Madden Loves Favre so much maybe he can go to the broadcast booth with Madden and Micheals on Sunday Night Football or something. Frank Caliendo can do little skits of him and Madden on Sundays during Fox NFL Sunday

 

[spartanstew]

I think your anger should be directed at the media for talking about it non-stop.

If Favre wants to play again, that's his decision. I'll never begrudge someone for wanting to do something that makes them happy.

 

[hdtvfan0001]

I guess when you decide to retire, then unretire, then retire again, then unretire again,...it might just lead to some confusion, not to mention bad feelings.

The media has indeed milked this cow waaaaaaay to long and too much. ESPN is beginning to sound like the National Enquirer of sports. They actually helped fuel the fire with their "unconfirmed rumors".

As much as I have loved watching and following Brett all these years, and respected his "class act" leadership - he's plain wrong on this one. He's played his "the sky is falling" routine one too many times.

Brett - there's no "I" in team.

Go cut your lawn and enjoy it as much as you say you always have.

 

[RobertE]

How many interceptions do you think he could throw in the first quarter of the first game before he gets benched? :lol:

 

[hdtvfan0001]

How many interceptions do you think he could throw in the first quarter of the first game before he gets benched? :lol:

Oh boy....here we go...

I guess we could also perhaps say "how many TDs would he have to throw in the first game to take away the starting job from Aaron"?

 

[spartanstew]

I guess when you decide to retire, then unretire, then retire again, then unretire again,...it might just lead to some confusion, not to mention bad feelings.

Except for Brett's never done that. The last couple of years he didn't know whether or not he wanted to retire. Everyone kept asking him and it became a story (again the media). This is the first time he's ever retired and therefore the first time he's ever wanted to un-retire.

Many other athletes have unretired. Especially when they retire right after the previous season.

Now, do I think Brett has handled this well? Absolutely not. But, if he thinks he can play well and still has the urge to play, let him play (somewhere). I just don't see the big deal. He'll play or he won't. For the Packers or not. I'm fine either way.

 

[hdtvfan0001]

Except for Brett's never done that. The last couple of years he didn't know whether or not he wanted to retire. Everyone kept asking him and it became a story (again the media). This is the first time he's ever retired and therefore the first time he's ever wanted to un-retire.

Uh....yes...he has...and just since January this year.

Not only do I read the Milwaukee news daily....I am from there originally...and I still have family who also follows this all closely.

I also have 2 shares of Packers stock and follow the team events beyond what the general public sees. I go to the games periodically as well when I can, and also attend the stockholders meetings about every other year. I also attended their 1996 and 1997 Superbowls. My Brett Favre signed picture and helmet sit 2 feet away as I type this. Trust me - I'm a fan.

But in this case, I can also see both sides, and Brett screwed up.

It has been verified that he waffled on his decision (more than twice), and now expects everyone to forget he ever said anything. The team was supposed to sit on hold, just in case he would change his mind. In fact, they gave him the chance to do just that right before the NFL draft. He then reversed his decision yet again. Things don't work out well that way.

Unfortunately for him, for the fans, and for alot of other folks - he's burned some bridges that cannot be crossed again.

Unless he eats humble pie, fesses up, and comes back as a backup in the beginning...which I highly doubt...he's going to be retired for real.

 

[JM Anthony]

With everything else going on around us, you'd think everyone would have bigger fish to fry than to worry about some jerk jock who can't make up his mind about his future. I think he's a classless punk for the way he's handled this whole situation. What an egomaniac!

John

 

[spartanstew]

Uh....yes...he has...and just since January this year.

I didn't realize he retired in January. I would have thought he would have at least waited until after the Superbowl.

But regardless, it makes no difference to me how many time he's retired or not retired. IMO, if someone/anyone changes their mind and wants to do something that they enjoy, I don't see why anyone would mind or get upset. If he plays for them, he plays for them. If he doesn't, he doesn't. Either way, the Packers will survive and he'll survive. The "fanatics" (your admitted fandom actually harms your viewpoint here, as most fans can't see things clearly - their emotion gets in the way) are the only ones that are loyal to a team. Players just want to play. Let 'em if they want. As I said before, should he have handled it different? Absolutely. But that doesn't matter. For whatever reason, he wants to play now. The Packers just need to let him or move him. Simple.

And I doubt his ego or class has anything to do with it. He didn't want to play and now he does. It's not that complicated.

 

[Tom Robertson]

Source after source, interview after invterview, and mutual friends (yes, I've met some Packers) all say basically the same thing. Brett is a very, very nice person.

Yes, Brett has a strong ego; you have to have one to be QB. But that doesn't make one an egotist, egomanic, or a bad person at all. He doesn't go that far with his ego.

He also has one of the most competitive drives in all of professional sports. All QBs feel the pressure of the offense on their shoulders. That isn't ego either. It is competitive drive.

After Brett retired, we found out why he did so well this past season over previous ones. He studied film. All the time. Like never, ever before. He finally was playing smart along with his normal awesome skills. (Or finally playing up the level of his skills.)

So I understood why he wanted to retire. That is a LOT of very hard work and time away from the family--even when they live in Green Bay together.

I also understood exactly what he said. That he could play the game still--if he could commit to it. (And I also knew he'd come back at this time of year, but so would I if I could do half of what he does.)

Is this a huge mess? Absolutely!!! Did Brett handle some parts badly? OMGosh yes! Did the Packers likewise? OMGosh yes!

What will happen? My dad in Green Bay isn't sure yet. My personal guess is trade, but that is so weak a guess I won't be surprised by much of anything.

I know it won't be a complete release.

I'm pretty sure it won't be automatic starter.

I'm pretty sure Brett won't take backup with Rodgers as automatic starter.

It might be a shootout for starter. It might end up Brett benched. (Ouch!)

Now, time to go back to reading the Milwaukee Journal/Sentinel online.

Cheers,
Tom

 

[smiddy]

I think after watching Brett's face grimace during the playoff game in Green Bay due to the cold weather I had to say he was feeling pain. I think he'd do a lot better somewhere else. Though his age will get him...

 

[hdtvfan0001]

The Packers just need to let him (go) or move him. Simple.

And I doubt his ego or class has anything to do with it. He didn't want to play and now he does. It's not that complicated.

Actually its very complicated...since we're talking about more than just Brett's position with the team, let alone the team's future plans as a whole.

His waffling is what made this all complicated.

Source after source, interview after invterview, and mutual friends (yes, I've met some Packers) all say basically the same thing. Brett is a very, very nice person.

Yes, Brett has a strong ego; you have to have one to be QB. But that doesn't make one an egotist, egomanic, or a bad person at all. He doesn't go that far with his ego.

He also has one of the most competitive drives in all of professional sports. All QBs feel the pressure of the offense on their shoulders. That isn't ego either. It is competitive drive.

After Brett retired, we found out why he did so well this past season over previous ones. He studied film. All the time. Like never, ever before. He finally was playing smart along with his normal awesome skills. (Or finally playing up the level of his skills.)

So I understood why he wanted to retire. That is a LOT of very hard work and time away from the family--even when they live in Green Bay together.

I also understood exactly what he said. That he could play the game still--if he could commit to it. (And I also knew he'd come back at this time of year, but so would I if I could do half of what he does.)

Is this a huge mess? Absolutely!!! Did Brett handle some parts badly? OMGosh yes! Did the Packers likewise? OMGosh yes!

What will happen? My dad in Green Bay isn't sure yet. My personal guess is trade, but that is so weak a guess I won't be surprised by much of anything.

I know it won't be a complete release.

I'm pretty sure it won't be automatic starter.

I'm pretty sure Brett won't take backup with Rodgers as automatic starter.

It might be a shootout for starter. It might end up Brett benched. (Ouch!)
Now, time to go back to reading the Milwaukee Journal/Sentinel online.

Cheers,
Tom

As Tom correctly pointed out....Brett is known as a very nice guy. But if you keep tabs on the local feedback on all this, including about 12 polls the past few days along on local TV and radio (as well as the local paper in Milwaukee) its almost 50-50 in terms of those supporting him now and those who just want him to hang up the cleats and be quiet.

Tom's summation in blue above (I highlighted this) is dead on, and points out just how complicated this has all become. We now have breakdowns in the communication channels, hurt feelings, and the like on both sides. Even Brett himself admits how "tough things must be for Aaron (Rodgers) with all this going on".

In any case....it would be easy to play Monday quarterback and say Brett should have made up his mind and stuck with it, or else changed his mind and stuck with it...unfortunately...neither happened....so here we are.

Tom and I happened to share our passion for the Green and Gold, and I suspect we share out need for a few extra Tums these days about all this.

It kinda reminds me of the dilemma over Joe Montana getting traded after all those glory years in S.F. to the Chiefs. Perhaps that may happen in the end with Brett (some team anyway via a trade). The idea of him in another uniform makes me ill. That comes from any fan and about any player they have supported for 15+ years.

The only good is that one way or another, we'll know what's up in less than 2 weeks when team camp starts....rosters have to start to be reviewed for trimming soon thereafter.

If there's any way to make Brett and the Pack whole in all this, that's the path I'd like to see.

 

[RAD]

What always bugs me are the athletes that sign multi million dollar contracts and then when they want to change the terms mid contract they make a big stink about how the owners are unfair. They signed the deal, took the money and need to live by the contract and if it says Green Bay has the rights for Brett then he needs to just live with it.

 

[Jhorwitz]

Couldn't agree more. Great to see him doing more to hurt the Packers than the Bears have done since his arrival (the last few years excepted, of course).

 

[dbconsultant]

I'm not sick of Favre and I was disappointed when he decided to retire. But, when he made that decision, his team moved forward bringing the next guy in line up to start as QB. Now, he's having second thoughts (again) but the team has already moved on. And, fortunately or unfortunately, the Packers aren't going to release him or trade him because he's still good enough that they don't want to have to play against him.

As much as I'd like to see him play again, he made a decision at the end of last season with which he'll have to live.

 

[bigwad]

Packer fan first, Favre second. I don't like the way he's handled this and the Packers are showing a lot of class in my opinion by not throwing the sentimental crap out there for the media to rehash over and over. The pack has to protect its interest. Minnesota would love to have him, but that ain't gonna happen, I hope! I would love to see Rogers get a fair shot with Favre there in case, but that ain't gonna happen either. Favre was given ample opportunity to return or not, in most of our cases, if you retire or quit your job, that's it!

 

[steve053]

From what I've heard and read the Packers board of directors is not very happy w/ Brett and they are standing behind Thompson (fyi - there is no single owner of the Packers, and the board of directors act on behalf of the shareholders). Thompson's current stance is we're not trading Brett and he can return as a backup to Rodgers.

Brett's stated that he wants to start for the Packers, but I'm guessing that he would rather start for another team that has a legit chance at post season play. He definitely won't be traded to a team that doesn't have that chance.

Part of Brett's problem is his current contract. He's due over $11M, and there aren't many teams with that much cap room. The Packers are in a unique position that they could reabsorb his contract and still field basically the same team.

I think there are only 4 possible outcomes:

1 - Brett comes back as a Packer starter and Rogers sits the pine.
2 - Brett comes back as a Packer starter, Rogers is traded, Brian Brohm is the new heir apparent.
3 - Brett comes back to training camp, the Packers hold firm w/ Rodgers and insist that Brett is the backup. Brett retires.
4 - At some point Buss Cook works a deal w/ another team for a trade. The Packers trade Brett. The Packers end up w/ 2-3 draft picks as compensation. Tampa and Gruden might be a fit.

I'm thinking that 2 and 4 are the most likely scenarios, with #4 being my guess as of today.

 

[spartanstew]

in most of our cases, if you retire or quit your job, that's it!

I don't think that's actually true. Most of the people I know that have retired would have been welcomed back to their former companies if they had wanted to. Now, quitting could be different, depending on the circumstances.

 

[hdtvfan0001]

From what I've heard and read the Packers board of directors is not very happy w/ Brett and they are standing behind Thompson (fyi - there is no single owner of the Packers, and the board of directors act on behalf of the shareholders). Thompson's current stance is we're not trading Brett and he can return as a backup to Rodgers.

We'll know more after the next stockholders meeting, which is at Lambeau Field (again) this year next week on July 24th (I don't think I'll make it this year, but did the past 2 of them) -- interesting enough - that meeting is just before the team camp opens a few days later...all of this will sort itself out one way or the other quite soon.

 

[Stewart Vernon]

I don't think that's actually true. Most of the people I know that have retired would have been welcomed back to their former companies if they had wanted to. Now, quitting could be different, depending on the circumstances.

Welcomed back, perhaps... but not at the position you retired from. I posted in another thread about this. If your boss retires, then you are trained and promoted to manager... if your boss decided to un-retire they couldn't just put him back in place and demote you again.

I think in Favre's case, it would be fine if he and the team can work a trade that he is happy with... but otherwise, he is pretty much stuck with his retirement and being backup to Aaron Rogers IF he decides to return and stays with Green Bay. That would still put some unfair pressure on Rogers, but at least his success/failure will be in his own hands as long as the team doesn't put him on a short leash with Favre looking over his shoulder.

Bottom line for me... I wish Favre hadn't retired... but he did, and not only that but was pretty clear that his heart wasn't in it 100% anymore... and that was something I could respect. But if he now has 2nd thoughts, that may be understandable but he has to live with the consequences of his actions.