I hope my column on Friday explaining some of the issues behind the divorce between the Packers and Brett Favre gave insight to readers. After reading the comments, I’m reminded of the intelligence, knowledge and passion of our readers. Through his desire to return to play -- which should have been no surprise to anyone, especially the Packers -- Brett put the team in a difficult position that was exacerbated by his popularity and previous treatment in Green Bay. The Packers handled it in a way that was best for them, leading to a messy divorce. The latest chapter of the story ensued Sunday, with Brett doing an admirable job of maintaining control of his emotions and his game in leading the Vikings to a win.
APBrett Favre led the Vikings to a win in his return to Lambeau Field.
During the Fox telecast, Troy Aikman said with some certainty that perhaps Brett never really wanted to play for the Packers again after his brief retirement last year. That meshes with some of the issues discussed here Friday, knowing the parties involved. Hearing it from Troy gives it added credence. I will explain.
Brett and the TV guys
There’s a reason so many of the national television broadcasters speak in reverential terms about Favre beyond his accomplishments on the field. They’ve come to know him so well from the generous amounts of time they have with him, for reasons that may not appear so obvious.
In my time with the Packers, when we arrived in a city as the visiting team on the afternoon before the game, our public relations staff would immediately meet the crew working the game for Fox, CBS, ESPN, ABC or NBC. Their producers typically gave our staff their list of three or four players they wanted to interview in preparation for the broadcast. The other names on the list would change week to week, but it always included Brett, no matter what our record, where our game was, etc. And Brett was usually the last one to be interviewed by the broadcast team.
While most of the requested players went for their 10-15-minute interviews and were off to do other things, Brett would stay and talk to the analysts sometimes for an hour, or two or three or four, even to the point where the broadcasters would kick him out so they could go get some dinner.
There were a couple of reasons Brett hung around so long. First and foremost, Brett had nowhere to go but back to his hotel room. It’s not like he could walk around the streets of a city and grab dinner somewhere. It’s not like he could hang out in the lobby and chat up memorabilia-toting fans. And after his longtime roommate, Frank Winters, retired, Brett just stayed in a single room (under an alias, of course, and there were some good ones).
The other reason Brett hung out in the broadcast meetings so long is that he just loved talking football with those guys. He especially reveled in sitting back and telling stories with people like John Madden, Matt Millen, Phil Simms and Troy Aikman. Some of the meetings with Madden are legendary for their candor and bawdy humor.
APFavre enjoys a great relationship with the network analysts.
I remember seeing Brett walk out of a meeting three hours after he went in, and he was laughing to himself. I asked what it was about and he said he was just laughing with Madden and telling him about his Uncle Rube (I’ll spare you the details). Sure enough, in the latter stages of the broadcast the next night, there’s Madden talking about how Brett gets some of his toughness from his Uncle Rube.
So if Aikman said something enlightening about Favre, which he did, it came from Favre on Saturday night in the Vikings hotel, with Brett ensconced in a production meeting as always, talking football with the broadcast team.
Didn’t want to be a Packer
Aikman’s comment jibes with the feelings about the discussions with the Vikings that riled Packers management so much. As detailed here Friday, Brett never warmed to the management style of GM Ted Thompson. Beyond the stilted communication, Brett felt he received lip service from Ted about the team making runs at veteran players but didn’t actually pursue them, as that was certainly not his preferred style for building a team.
Brett had no business making personnel decisions for the team but felt his suggestions had merit. He would bend my ear for hours about getting Randy Moss or other veteran players who became available. Whenever Brett would make these comments, I would tell him to trust the young guys we had such as Greg Jennings. Brett replied that he didn’t have time to wait; I would tell him he didn’t have to wait.
After so many tirades about how we weren’t going after this guy or that guy in free agency or trade, I would say to Brett, “What part of Ted Thompson’s philosophy do you not understand?” He would just shrug and walk away.
Brett wanted a ready-made veteran team for the longest time. That’s what the Jets sold him last year, and that’s what the Vikings were selling this (and last?) year. Now he’s where he has wanted to be for 16 months and, at the moment, thriving.
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Brett retired, a few months later, the Packers asked if he was sure. Brett said yes. The Packers had to move on. Plus, Brett was 38 years old, the Pack had a viable replacement option and were mid way through their training camps. The notion that he wanted to leave because the Packers didnt have enough talent is foolish considering they just lost the NFC championship game in OT the previous year. Two years from now, Packer nation is going to be elated with Rogers and Favre will be retired (for sure)
I hated to see him go, but he Packers made the right move. Favre's play has been fantastic this year, but how long will it last? They could just as easily have three loses this season. I dont see them beating the Saints in January.
As far as Ted Thompson, he has made some good moves and some bad moves, like all GMs. Drafting Rogers and Jennings, signing Woodson, letting Ahman Green go, have been a few of the good ones. He has been awful with the O & D Line. I think McCarthy goes before Thompson. He is the real problem. But as he says every week "we will get that cleaned up"
Well then -- Favre uses the retirement card to get out Green Bay and uses it again to get out of NY and somehow comes out the victim. Well done Brett!
Makes me wonder what the Vikings secretly gave NY for releasing him -- how much did it cost and was it subsidized by the NFL itself for ratings/fan interest...
Makes zero sense for NY to just release a player with value no matter what he 'says' about retirement. Someone with access should really investigate this to the core -- smells fishy to me
Over and done........ lets move on with players that do want to play for the Packers. Enough!
Derek your comments make you sound like such a tool for Ted and company. Ted and Mike didn't want Brett after Brett wanted to come back. It was too late remember? They were happy with their boy wonder Rogers. Ted puts in the poison pill with the trade to siberia, i.e. the jets, for Brett and Brett was smart enough to get around it - hurray for him and for real football fans who want to see him play on a competitive team and if it happens to be the Vikes in order to rub it in a bit all the better - screw Ted Thompson - this is America right?. You pathetic little Packer fans are just a bunch of whiny sissy ass babies. You all acuse Favre of wanting it both ways but won't admit that so do you! Look in the mirror you bunch of spoiled hypocrites....
None of this changes the fact he lied to the Jets about retiring and faxed medical documents to Minnesota the next day. He also never let Rodgers get any playing time in Green Bay. Brett is all about Brett not the team.
No surprise here. Who would want to play for someone like Ted Thompson. Ted Thompson thinks he owns the Green Bay Packers. Think again, Ted, no one man owns the Green Bay Packers...we all do. And for the Packer fans who now apparantely hate Brett Favre, there is no logic that they will listen too. No, apparently to them, the super bowl victory was a fluke, the years of winning the division were a fluke...sure, Brett threw some key interceptions, but go watch the tapes...in many of those key games the team was behind because of a flawed game plan, and he was just trying to win the games. Rather than criticize Brett Favre, I choose to salute him and thank him for the years he led us to so many wins. And may he win one more super bowl with the Vikings. He still has the courage to play the game for the love of it!
Well, Johnny S -- Firstly, I'm not whining. However, I would appreciate a little honesty from Mr. Favre.
Remember, that when asked if he'd come out of retirement a second time Favre responded with something along the lines of "No. I wouldn't. I have too much respect for how the Jets ownership and management have treated me." That lasted what? Five minutes after the Sanchez pick when Favre asked for his release for the second time. The flat-out lies are tiresome for some of us fans and I just would like the truth is all.
If he wanted out of GB because the Packers needed to re-tool I'm fine with it -- it's true the Packers are in the midst of an roster overhaul and are a few players away from competing with the NFL's elite teams.
That being said, it can be surmised that Favre did indeed play the one card that could possibly get him out of GB -- retirement. It's not a stretch of the imagination to forsee how the Packers would respond to him showing back up in July. What were his initial words after not being instantly named the starter -- "Just cut me!" Well, his "retirement" worked not once, but twice.
He successfully manipulated two NFL teams so that he could play for his buddies in Minnesota -- which is totally fine with me but please, stop playing the victim Brett -- it's insulting.
Well, Johnny S -- Firstly, I'm not whining. However, I would appreciate a little honesty from Mr. Favre.
Remember, that when asked if he'd come out of retirement a second time Favre responded with something along the lines of "No. I wouldn't. I have too much respect for how the Jets ownership and management have treated me." That lasted what? Five minutes after the Sanchez pick when Favre asked for his release for the second time. The flat-out lies are tiresome for some of us fans and I just would like the truth is all.
If he wanted out of GB because the Packers needed to re-tool I'm fine with it -- it's true the Packers are in the midst of an roster overhaul and are a few players away from competing with the NFL's elite teams.
That being said, it can be surmised that Favre did indeed play the one card that could possibly get him out of GB -- retirement. It's not a stretch of the imagination to forsee how the Packers would respond to him showing back up in July. What were his initial words after not being instantly named the starter -- "Just cut me!" Well, his "retirement" worked not once, but twice.
He successfully manipulated two NFL teams so that he could play for his buddies in Minnesota -- which is totally fine with me but please, stop playing the victim Brett -- it's insulting.
This column confirms what many have believed all along--that Brett Favre staged his retirement press conference in Green Bay in March 2008, in order to part ways with the Packers without alienating his fan base. He didn't care whose reputation he besmirched or what the fallout would be for the Packers organization, which rescued him from obscurity and stood by him through thick and thin (his alcoholism, Vicodin addiction, philandering, boorish public behavior--including the drunken destructive of property in the men's locker room at the Milwaukee Country Club back in the '90s.) The man is a self-serving, narcissistic snake. I look forward to watching his and the Vikings' season implode later this year.
Brett finally said something that made sense (not to mention, something to believe): "Going our separate ways was best for both sides. "
I've never seen Brett so focused as he is now with the Vikings, and that's what's so frustrating. If he could have been that focused in the '07 Championship game, then the Packers would have made it to the Super Bowl. He was more concerned about getting out of the cold in OT than about throwing the ball to someone wearing a green jersey. He didn't care.
I can't understand why some are saying, "the Packers dumped Brett." He Retired!!! The Packers even gave him more than one opportunity to return, but he kept changing his mind.
Go Packers!
Andrew
Great column. The Post continues to have unique content. Would have been fun to watch the Pack-Vikes game in your living room. I am sure you had conflicted emotions.
Andrew,
I hope you find the time to read this as it directly pertains to my experience with the Packers during 2 of my visits with the Green Bay in 2003 and 2004. I went to 2 games, and had the privilage to get a tour through Jethro Franklin who at the time was the Defensive Line Coach with the Packers. My friends and I also were allowed to go a March of Dimes fundraiser at the local bowling alley and the after game meal with the players and coaches. During both of those events Brett never showed up, and in fact, we waited outside the locker room in hopes of getting an autograph, which he bowled right by everyone both years and said nothing to the few that were allowed in the restricted area. After those events, I was more disappointed with Packers quarterback and his lack team involvement because he became too big for his own good. Most people I thought should here about this side of Brett and his selfish attitude which has become more and more relavent since his actions toward the team that gave him a chance to be all he could be, not the other way around. Good ridence and good luck to Minnesota. Thanks
Great article.
Thanks
Interesting and pretty candid stuff.
Above all I get a sense that Favre felt isolated within the Packer organization. Being 15 years older than many of his teammates, and so much more famous, didn't help. But above all Favre had always had a close relationship with his position coaches — Reid, Mariucci, Bevell — in a pretty unique, "coach's son" type way. I wonder how he got on with Tom Clements, and what stance Clements took during the great fallout.
I love annonymous comments from people like "WILSON" who are quick to libel a person with words like "philandering" and others like "JOHN HAUG" who relate an unverifiable "story" to rip a guy who has done so much good in his life. All of us have made mistakes in our lives but not all of us have the entire public to actively judge us. I live in Green Bay and not too long ago witnessed first hand Favre and his wife Deanna privately, without any publicity whatsoever, visit a children's wing in a hospital and spend time with some sick kids without a lot of hope. Later I learned from one of the hospital adminstrators that the Favre's also paid the medical bills annonymously for those family's that were devastated by the costs. I remember too working as a volunteer on the Miracle Baseball Field in Green Bay which allows kids with severe handicaps to participate in our nation's past-time - that field was funded by the Favre's and Deanna spent a good deal of time behind the scenes and at the public dedication. Now all you hear are negative comments about her as well. Our society has a lot of ills and one of them are the short memories most people have of the good that other people do. Forgiveness and mercy go a lot farther in life than petty grievances and perceived slights. Truth be told, it is the Packer "fans" who are the ones that look bad in this whole situation. I wish the Favre's nothing but the best and I wish the "fans" to get past this and move on. There are many more important things in life to focus on.
Great insight. I'm tired of all the media outlets saying Brett saved the Packers franchise. Brett was a third string QB on a crappy team going no where. Yes he had potential, but it took Ron Wolf taking a chance on him and Mike Holmgren molding him. Don't forget Bob Harlan as the master mind. Those three men revived the Packers and Brett Favre!!!
I am a Packers fan...and everyone has their opinion on what was said and done on both sides. Bottomline...NO ONE KNOWS THE TRUTH EXCEPT FOR THOSE INVOLVED IN E V E R Y CONVERSATION!! And that is only a very few people!!! We, as fans, will never know, so don't blame. Let's move on and get back to football. This situation has taken the Packers out of the season. The Vikings are good...they beat us twice!! Let's just fix what we have..and there is alot to fix...and start winning again. Move on...we are becoming a no-class team in the eyes of the NFL and that can only be blamed on ourselves. And can only be fixed by the team, the fans & the organization. Lets Go Packers!!!!
Brett Favre orchrestrated his way out of Green Bay and New York. He probably has had the Vikings playbook for 3 years! When the Packers didn't obtain Moss, Mauricuuci as coach, and let go of Wahle Favre wanted out. He is the biggest fraud around. I think he threw those games in New York so they would release him. I use to be a huge Favre fan. I no longer am. He thought he could run the organization because he was Lord Favre. He held this team hostage for so long. He also has effected many peoples lives. New Jet quarterbacks will never play a down. Got Mangini fired, Travis Jackson, and Rosenfal are put on hold. John Booty is not even in the NFL anymore. It goes on and on. Favre the tornado. All those big games he lost. That list is long too. I wish Troy Akiman would have told more. Thank goodness someone has the guts to tell the truth about this story. Favre is not who he appears to be.
Interesting post, but you're leaving out a big part of the story. Favre loved talking to network people, most of whom are celebrities, not journalists. He was profoundly unavailable to Packers beat writers who are real journalists and are prepared to ask hard questions. It's probably more fun to talk about Uncle Rube than to answer questions about your last game losing interception.
Great story. Packers fans need to take a cue from the title of this column and realize that this is a BUSINESS and players are not necessarily going to be tied to one team for their career.
One other point that tends to underscore Favre's readiness to get out of GB...while people from GB call him a diva and suggest he wasn't a good teammate, there have been nothing but compliments coming from everyone associated with the Vikes. In fact, multiple people associated with the team have said the team w/ Favre has the "best chemistry of any team they have been around."
There's nothing wrong with Favre, he just wanted a new employer.
Of course he is going to be on his best behavior. Not all Jet teammates thought he was the cream of the crop. HE DIDN't GET HIS WAY, THAT IS ONE REASON HE WANTED TO BE A VIKE. He wanted to be a vike for at least two years. He's a sneak and a smoozer.
Andrew, this is a great article and for once I love reading the peoples comments. You have a very smart and insightful following. I'lll be following you from now on.
Every body needs to remember that brett favre is a football player. He wants to play the game because he loves the game. Remember he wanted to play for the Pack, but the Pack could not take him back in fear of loosing aron rodgers. Remember rodgers was on the last year of his contract, and personally as former qb in college when a senior or junior did not go to the draft i would have to sit behind him till he decided to leave. Rodgers would have left the pack if the pack took back favre. It does hurt now trust me i know, i have loved the pack and favre sense i saw him first take the field vs the bengals. Years from now favre and the packers will be back togethe and there will be a half time show commemerating him. Think of it this way once he is done out ther in Minnesotat purple the vikings return to mediocracy and the pack will rise again because by then the packers line will be fixed, rodgers will be getting rid of the ball quicker, and McCheeseburger will not have to worry about rodgers looking better than favre. I also want to thank brett for many years of service to the pack and how much fun it was watching him. Football is a game and buisness and the events leading to this were all in the interest of buisness and what is best for the teams now and for future.
Hey Andrew:
Great insight to the whole Favre fiasco and naturally knowing the organization so well you know the egocentrc personalities you can fill in the blanks.
It has been rumored for quite some time in some small circles of Green Bay (where I reside) that basically Terrific Ted Thompson told Brett the day after the Giant loss that he made the decision that Rodgers would start in 2008 and that Brett needed to retire or ride the pines... Could there possibly be any truth of that meeting?
Also, I am wondering with the mediocrity that the Packers have displayed over the past season and a half, would TT or MM be in danger of losing their jobs at the end of the season if they miss the Playoffs? Can the Packer Executive Board even continue to live under this scrutiny considering the fact their profitability is down along with all the sweeping changes Mark Murphy has made in the front office "restructuring" as he has called it?
Ted Thompson did not cause Brett to lay an egg at the Championship Game against the Giants. Horrible performance by a supposed team leader.
Is it possible that Farve was considered to old by other free agent players that they never seriously considered playing for Green Bay. Just maybe Farve realized this and knew he had to move on to a team loaded with talent except at quarterback to earn his MVP at a super bowl. The same thought for TT. Just as Ron Wolf got his young talented QB to atrack other outstanding players TT has Rodgers.
Vike fans, you are very confused in what you have in BF. If he left because of talent would you really want to leave after a NFC championship game where you lost the game?
He will break your hearts. It took the number one defense in the league to get Brett a Superbowl. It was a complete defense not just a great D-line. Vikes you don't have it and it will cost you. Brett is a playing at a level he never did before but he is still Brett and when it comes to putting the big game on him he will crack. Go back and watch the Packers in the playoffs.
I was never a Brett fan so I did not change, I supported Brett because he was the QB for my team. He is not make the costly mistakes that he did here in GB right now, but you can't change a leopards spots he will slow down the second half of the year. And when you need him the most to provide the come from behind in a BIG GAME your SB dreams will be shattered.
From a business perspective, how can the Packers afford to retain someone with such poor interpersonal skills in a position that includes wide-ranging management responsibilities? Do you keep him because during his career he has generally demonstrated a strong aptitude for assessing football talent? That's understandable with a personnel director, but certainly not a general manager.
What harm, at least in the near term, has been done to the Packer brand by Thompson's various interpersonal and public relations failures? Does this concern Mr. Murphy and the Board like it would a for-profit enterprise?
I have more one business-related observation. As for Favre behaving like a diva, successful executives patiently manage high-producing divas. Sometimes painful, yet highly productive, divas are part of business and success. Executives who jettison them out of frustration or pridefulness fail.
Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.....seriously....
You mean it took all this time to have you finally say something like this? Are you still on Green Bay's payroll?
Thompson has failed in his approach yet he is too stubborn to admit it.
As a GM & as a Coach are suppose to do...put the best players on the field they possible can to take the team towards the prize...the Superbowl.
This has nothappen in Green Bay so it's little wonder a Hall of Fame player like Brett Favre was pushing to get veteran players. The KEY there is...he was pushing to get them... in GREEN BAY.
By having the goofy approach of building through a draft only... the results are being seen....they Packers are losing more games. More mental mistakes, penaties, not enough experience on the field.
If going after one or two ventran players helps the team. Why not?
The Packers do have the money. They are just not spending it. Why? I thought I read that the management gets a percentage of that money they don;t spend. If that is true... shame on them.
The "plan" to build through the draft is not a success. You NEED experience. The coah doesn't do that. McCarthy surely does not do that...he looks more confused every week out there.
IF the plan is to lose games to have higher draft piccks next year. THEN...Teddy Thompson is on track. He NEEDS to be FIRED!
Lets "build" a team of the future after he is gone since he is not able to do it now.
Like the Busine$$ direction of some of the commentary. If one were running the franchise, what would justify letting #4 go? Forbes estimated the Packer franchise was worth upwards of $600 million recently.
Must consider the move to put a new product on the field and the customer reaction to changing the formula. Was the upside of making a change at QB worth the downside? Is immediately fracturing the fan base worth the risk of the potential upside of the unproven Rodgers benefits and(?) removing Favre liabilities? How did the wishes of the football operations people match up against those protecting the brand? Was this a New Coke move or a major capital investment in modernizing the assembly line?
When it was understood that Favre wouldn’t accept the $100 million marketing contract offer (read that, not sure if it was a leak or real) to stay retired, did management consider that the risk of losing Rodgers was worth taking? Seems the bet on Rodgers needs to be considered in context of the offer to Favre- had to calculate that Rodgers was worth at least $100 million plus his salary (minus Brett’s) to the value of the franchise, yes?
Consider execution of the major move- were PR, marketing, finance, coaching staff and key player personnel, etc properly prepared to commit? If not, goodwill, among other areas, would be exposed to big blows against the positive effects of going with Rodgers.
Just parroting “it was a business decision, had to move on” doesn’t seem adequate. The contingency plan(s) for a troubled transition don’t seem apparent yet. Understand instant winning would have gone a long way… In the event of a failure, was the idea that player morale may not be reclaimed valued? Did the idea that top free agents wouldn’t want to risk a move to team in flux- or top coaching or front office talent would shun a the same?
OK, attempted to keep it objective, but I would have voted to keep Favre, but perhaps someone will change my mind? I just sense a quagmire. I understand fans will not learn the confidential, personal, embarrassing blow by blow details until Favre and the powers at the time leave the game, or until Andrew or someone decides enough time has passed to write a book- but as a busine$$ decision, how could the franchise justify letting Favre go?
Let's see, the Packers are now viewed as the least desirable franchise to go to by current players with five or less years of experience. That sounds a lot like pre-Favre days. Good luck on changing that perception, Mr. Thompson.
jblood jblood jblood, you should just change your post to "i know nothing about ted thompson" he builds through the draft NOT free agency. history has shown he'll only bring in an impact player such as woodson through free agency everyone is pretty much was drafted. so players with five or less years of expierence don't really matter. Lets be real here if the packers offer a player the most money it won't matter its green bay... its a lot of green!
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Nov 03, 2009
01:59 PM
Andrew, great article. I still wish you had gotten the job as GM. Perhaps after TT gets canned at the end of next year.