Sunday begins a new chapter in drama between QB and former team. Andrew Brandt
The saga continues Sunday at Lambeau Field. The storylines are drawn for this drama that’s been building for 16 months: The signature player for one team for a decade and a half returns in the uniform of its rival. Made for television, guaranteed to garner the strongest rating of the 2009 NFL season. High drama indeed.
Having spent nine years in Green Bay, I’ve commented often about both sides of the decision by the Packers to move on without quarterback Brett Favre. I’ll leave out the truly confidential parts of the story, but here’s a look behind the green and gold on some matters.
“We’ve moved on”
As we know, when Brett decided to un-retire last year to reclaim his throne in Green Bay, coach Mike McCarthy informed him, “We’ve moved on,” signaling the end of an era. All events from that point forward were the result of those three words.
In early 2008, there was radio silence between Favre and the Packers. In previous years, McCarthy and GM Ted Thompson had stopped by the Favre compound in Mississippi for a visit when they were at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala. Faced with indifference from his coach and general manager in the months following the 2008 NFC championship game, Brett took the hint. And coincidentally, on the same day Randy Moss re-signed with the Patriots after the Packers had attempted to sign him two years in a row (after much urging from their quarterback), Brett decided to retire.
Even though he cried at his press conference -- and Packer Nation cried with him -- announcing that he had “nothing left to give,” those of us who knew Brett understood this was not a decision he wanted to make (he cried following other seasons, but he wasn’t going anywhere). He was retiring from the Packers because the Packers were indifferent to his decision about playing, something he dearly wanted to continue.
The man behind the curtain
When I started with the Packers in February 1999, Ron Wolf greeted me and placed me in an office with a white-haired personnel director named Ted Thompson. I got to know Ted a bit that year. We shared an office and then worked closely for three years when he returned as general manager of the Packers. There were a few times when I was able to get Ted to open up and actually talk about things other than football players. I was pleasantly surprised to learn there was more to the person than anyone knew.
Ted is a fundamentally good person with exceptional loyalty to a few close friends. He cares about his staff and players and about the history and tradition of the Packers. He is obsessed with the task of looking under every rock to find the best football players for the team.
Like many people, though, Ted is uncomfortable being open with people when the situation may require it. Difficult conversations are just that -- difficult -- yet necessary to clear up ambiguities. Dealing with conflict is part of leadership and management of elite athletes with fragile egos and insecurities. Avoidance is a dangerous option when handling the raw emotion of player-management relations.
I never had a difficult conversation with Ted until our last one, when it became clear we were not going to be able to continue working together. Even in that conversation, Ted acted as if he had a plane to catch. It hurt, but I agreed with him: Although I felt, and still feel, that the Packers are a national treasure, life is short. After a nine-year run through three head coaches, three general managers and countless players, it was time to move on.
It was also time for Brett to go soon after. Ted and Brett never had a cross word with each other; they just had little to no words at all. Brett was used to a certain warm response from the general manager’s office -- through the years of Ron Wolf and Mike Sherman -- and he and his family recoiled at the quiet chill from Thompson’s leadership. Rather than talking about it, both sides just stayed silent rather than face the inevitable conversation.
The successor
A major reason, of course, why the Packers moved on from Brett was Aaron Rodgers. Aaron was special from the day he arrived, exuding high intelligence, natural leadership skills and a wry sense of self and humor. We were friends despite our alma mater rivalry (Cal vs. Stanford).
Brett, as I have often said, has the Wally Pipp syndrome, knowing how he got his job -- replacing the starting quarterback and never giving it back. I saw it first as an agent for Matt Hasselbeck and then with Aaron. I understood Brett’s insecurity about a new potential team leader. Aaron was someone he could not embrace, but I was glad to finally see Brett warm to him in 2007.
On the field, Rodgers displayed in practice and preparation the skills he’s now showing as a starter. And in the 2006 and 2007 offseasons, with Brett at home making his decisions and sitting out the majority of the offseason, Aaron was preparing as if he was the starting quarterback. Ted and Mike certainly liked what they saw. Aaron was going to be fine.
The bitter end
Even upon his retirement, the Packers knew -- or should have known -- that Brett would not stay retired. They knew Brett and knew when the calendar moved closer to training camp, that he would want to play again. At the time of his retirement, as hard a conversation as it would have been, the Packers could have had an open and honest communication that they were moving on with Aaron, someone they had been grooming for three years, and any un-retirement would not be welcome. That conversation, however difficult, would have headed off the enmity to come.
Instead, there was growing distance between the parties, even with an awkward attempt to have Brett stay retired with a marketing deal with the team. Favre and the Packers retreated to their media sources to spin their stories. The Packers even uncharacteristically detailed the sequence of events that showed Brett’s vacillations, incensing Favre and his family.
Mutual mistrust ensued again with Brett’s desire to play for the Vikings and, in the view of the Packers, having extensive communication about doing so. The Packers obviously were not going to let that happen and were exasperated when the NFL dismissed tampering charges despite what they felt was strong evidence against their rival. That episode further enhanced the existing rivalry that continues Sunday.
Once set free from the Jets last winter, Brett was finally was able achieve the result he and the Vikings had pursued for more than a year. Brett now is linked at the hip to offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell, a member of Mike Sherman’s staff in Green Bay that treated Brett and his family the way felt they should be treated given his accomplishments with the team.
Handling the decision
Let me say this: I agree with the decision by my former team to move to the future with Rodgers. It was not like the Packers were moving forward with a stopgap veteran quarterback. I also believe that whatever communication Brett had with the Vikings a year ago complicated matters for all sides and that Brett could have handled himself better at the end of the relationship as well.
The Packers didn’t “owe” Brett Favre anything. He had retired, was paid over $100 million by the team, and he would be a living legend free to return any time with great fanfare. At the end of the story, though, Brett deserved more from the Packers as a person, not as a player. Brett had played through personal tragedy; he had raised the profile, the profit and the asset value of the franchise; he had made the Packers a national, and international, attraction.
How could they have treated Brett better at the end? Simple, open and honest communication, and perhaps a touch of bedside manner and humanity to go along with it. As easy as it sounds, it was very hard to do but needed to be done. That may have gone a long way to making sure the parting of the most famous player on one of the most storied franchises in sports was amicable.
The next chapter – but certainly not the final one -- comes Sunday.
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Much of what you say the Packers admitted when Favre was traded, that the communication needed to be improved. The lack of communication between Thomposn and Favre. Thompson takes his knocks but Favre is a grown man too. If he wanted to play, why not just say so? Or say, I'll give you an answer in late May.
People getting bent out of shape that the Packers wouldn't release him so he could sign with the Vikings defies logic. In other walks of life, you don't allow an individual with specialized skills or knowledge to go without a non-compete clause and a non-disclosure agreement.
I like Mark's comments above and I agree with them.
Good luck to Brett after Sundays game. As for Sunday, I hope Capers has a game plan that will trouble Favre (ie..pressure) this time and knock him on his rear a couple of times and disrupt him often. If not then it is more of the same
Great article. Its about time we all got to hear a little behind the scenes info from a 3rd party. I am a lifetime Packers fan and a Favre fan and I agree both sides could have done more to make this less painful. Your point about TT unwillingness or inability to have a "man to man " discussion with Brett is something I have suspected all along. Ron Wolfe would have handled this much better( in my opinion anyway).
Some of the commentors on this page have accused Brett of Whining because the Management didn't "court" him into playing another year but I think it was much more than that and it didn't happen over night. TT had his guy in Rogers and wanted to build his own legacy and that didn't include Favre and I have no doubt that Favre sensed this for at least a couple of years. After all if they won another SB who would get the credit? Probably Favre.! Not enough room for two egos in Titletown.
Another point I don't quite understand is why they(Packers Management) in order to avoid a media frenzy just let Brett go to the Vikings. Afterall they obviously felt they could be successful after "moving on" without Brett. They didnt want him and we wanted to play...its a business right? I am glad to see both QB are playing well and hopefully after this game the season can get back to normal.May the best TEAM win!
I am looking forward the day when Favre enters the HOF as a Packer, presented by Holmgren and he is welcomed back to GB and treated as the warrior and the Face of the Packers as he was for 16 years.
Vince Lombardi and Brett Favre
Some final thoughts for all the people that are still mad at Brett Favre and his return to the Lambeau field.
When it comes to the Green Bay loyal we all look back at the history that makes our team so special, we have had some of the greatest players and coaches’ walk on our field, heck the Super Bowls trophy is named after one of our own. And when we think of one of the best coaches of all time, who would not mention Vince Lombardi, and this crosses all teams and sports. Lombardi's popularity was so great that Richard Nixon supposedly considered him as a running mate for the 1968 election, only to be reminded by an advisor that Lombardi was a Kennedy Democrat who had campaigned on behalf of a Wisconsin U.S. Senator (although Lombardi's wife, father and brother were Republicans).
Now who cannot forget how popular Brett Favre has been over the years, Favre is the only player to win the AP Most Valuable Player three consecutive times. He led the Packers to seven division championships (1995, 1996, 1997, 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2007), four NFC Championship Games (1995, 1996, 1997, and 2007), winning two (1996 and 1997), and two Super Bowl appearances, winning one (Super Bowl XXXI). He holds many NFL records including: most career touchdown passes, most career passing yards, most career pass completions, most career pass attempts, most career interceptions thrown, most consecutive starts, and most career victories as a starting quarterback.
But there is one thing that Brett and Vince share as we write Packer history; they both retired from the packers and both came out of retirement to play with different teams. Lombardi stepped down as head coach of the Packers following the 1967 NFL season. Lombardi returned to coaching in 1969 with the Washington Redskins, where he broke a string of 14 losing seasons. The 'Skins would finish with a record of 7–5–2. He coaxed former All-Pro linebacker Sam Huff out of retirement. He even changed the team's uniform design to reflect that of the Packers, with gold and white trim along the jersey biceps, and later a gold helmet with an "R" inside a circle, similar to the famous Green Bay "G" monogram. Lombardi had brought a winning attitude to the Nation's Capital, almost like the way Brett has brought a winning attitude to the Minnesota Vikings. The only reason why Lombardi did not lead them to a Super Bowl the following years was he lost his battle with cancer.
I guess all I’m saying is Favre will take his place in Green Bay history as one of the best players to ever play the game, and even if he is coming back to Green Bay as a Viking, he does not deserve all the negativity that the press and the fans of Green Bay are giving him, I think we all need to remember this is a game, and we got to watch one of the best for 16 seasons on our field and this Sunday we get to watch him play one more time at 1265 Lombardi Ave.
favre4ever
Nobody ever said that he was washed up or couldn't play.
You don't allow Favre to walk over to your chief competition and give the the Vikings the player that they needed last year. In the same way that a company does not let a top rain making salesman or executive go with out a non compete clause. If Thompson had done that, Murphy should have fired him
I think it would be great if everyone realized:
Brett Favre = human being (and he wore it on his sleeve for 16+ years)
GB Packers + part of the NFL machine that does not care about the fan
in fact, both favre and the NFL want to take the fans money, but give the fans as little exposure to the players, coaches and the teams (overall) as possible.
Ultimately, the NFL wants to give the fans the right amount of exposure to keep sucking the money from their wallets (do you hear that sound?) and the players have no choice but to live with this the rest of their lives.
Favre should do the right thing and admit he wants to stick it to thompson and not the packers
The packers should do the right thing and open up about the truth of htis situation
and you the fans, should STOP buying hte tickets, jerseys, shoes and get ahold of yourself. What does all this get you in the end? anything? did it make your life better that you were a packer fan or bear fan? did your family love you more because the Jets won the superbowl in 1969 and YOU were a fan ? whoopty doo.
Brett Favre was a great Packer and remains a great football player. But there have been many great Packers: Starr, Hutson, White, Nitschke, Hornung, Wood, Kramer, Sharpe, Taylor, Butler, etc. I don't recall any Packer great who exhibited and cultivated the same sense of self-importance and cult of personality as Favre. The Packer legends routinely show up for games, are proud to be Packers, and understand the significance of the Packers to the State of Wisconsin. Let's face it; the Packers are one of the cultural touchstones of our State; not the Brewers, Bucks, or even Badgers (many people in Milwaukee pull for Marquette). The team is unique in Wisconsin and in the professional sports world. It is the only NFL franchise that is owned by a community. It has a stadium that was financed by the community and is used by the community. To be a Packer means to be a part of a team whose history stretches back 90 years and is an inseparable part of Green Bay and of Wisconsin. Starr gets it. Butler gets it. Favre doesn't get it.
I think that there was a time, when Holmgren was coaching, that Favre's ego was kept in check, both on and off the field. Clearly, though, once Sherman took over, he gave Favre too much leash, both on and off the field. And Brett took it and ran with it. Favre surely gave us a lot as fans: a Super Bowl win, amazing play on the field, and 16 mostly great season. But we gave him an awful lot as well. We supported him when he was addicted to painkillers. Would the press have treated him as kindly had he been in New York, Chicago, or Boston? No way. We supported him when he lost family members, including his father. And look at the massive outpouring of support when his wife was diagnosed with breast cancer. Is there a Packer fan that doesn't own at least one book about Favre? We bought books authored by his mother and his wife. We bought #4 jerseys in record numbers. We named our kids after the guy. My son's bedroom wall was pasted with Favre posters. The people of Green Bay and Wisconsin, and Packer fans everywhere, embraced Favre and his family like no quarterback anywhere ever has been embraced by a community. It was an incredibly special relationship.
All that is prelude to why I think that Brandt's analysis (and those of many other pundits this week) misses the mark; in the end, for many of us fans, this was not about what Brett said or didn't say to the Packers management, or about what Ted Thompson did or didn't say to Brett and his family. It is the way that Brett treated us, as fans, in the end. I know that there are plenty of people who will say that this is professional sports, and that Brett is paid to play the game, and that he doesn't owe the fans a thing. I guess that's true in a strict sense, and it applies to 99% of the players out there. But not to this one, not to the relationship between Brett Favre and Packers fans. After saying in January 2008 how he was having so much fun
Why must everything revolve around Favre's family? I refer specifically to:
___________________________________________________________________________
"Brett was used to a certain warm response from the general manager’s office -- through the years of Ron Wolf and Mike Sherman -- and he and his family recoiled at the quiet chill from Thompson’s leadership."
and
"The Packers even uncharacteristically detailed the sequence of events that showed Brett’s vacillations, incensing Favre and his family."
and
"Once set free from the Jets last winter, Brett was finally was able achieve the result he and the Vikings had pursued for more than a year. Brett now is linked at the hip to offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell, a member of Mike Sherman’s staff in Green Bay that treated Brett and his family the way felt they should be treated given his accomplishments with the team."
________________________________________________________________________
There are over 1695 players in the NFL, obviously they all have families. I think I see why Favre became tiresome to the Packers management - his wife calls the shots, and she is a power-obsessed woman. Great job by the Green Bay management to move on from the constant charade. This is the NFL, not Any Given Sunday. This is real life, not a movie. The only thing that matters is the product on the field. That is paramount to anything else.
You go Tiffysmom!! It's nice to hear some frustration vented in favor of Brett's side of the story. One thing I didn't catch in the article, and something I at least remember to be true, was the team's management pressuring Favre to make a final decision on whether or not he would return prior to the 2008 draft, within 3 months of the disheartening loss in the NFC Championship game. I think this lead to a premature retirement announcement, one that Brett wasn't really ready to make. I also think the token "Sending of the Locker" to the Favre household, was a questionable gesture at best. I think he deserved better, given what he helped the Packers to accomplish during his time in Green Bay, and considering how consistently dreadful our team was before he got here.
Well said RHO1953, and great article Andrew.
Andrew-
Excellent, excellent piece! It is really great to hear your take as true Packer 'insider'.
Your analysis conveys my precise opinion (which I have been championing for the last year and and half) and it goes like this:
Favre was wrong because he SHOULD have handled it better.
Thompson was wrong because he MUST have handled it better.
Long before the Favre crisis, I have been (and remain) HIGHLY critical of Thompson's icy demeanor and secretive nature. Simply put, Thompson has the personality of a hemmorhoid. Sure, most folks wouln't really care about his leadership flaws if he was winning consistently. Not only is his record sub .500 since taking over; he also has a superb knack for alienating nearly all stakeholders: from the fans, to the media, to NFL execs (like you in particular), to ex-players, and on, and on. This represents a potentially HUGE long-term concern for the health of the organization.
Prior to the Ron Wolf era, most NFL players would've rather been sent to Siberia than to our beloved Outpost known as Green Bay. Reggie White was thought to be 'crazy' by everyone outside of Wisconsin when Wolf convinced him to come.
I remember those doom & gloom years all too well. The Green Bay Packers will always be a fragile proposition in the smallest town of all professional sports. Our organization is a going concern that outlasts Favre or Rodgers. It is vital that the 'Football leadership' do 2 things at all times:
1) Win
2) Be a classy organization that builds positive relationships
So far, Thompson has FAILED at both tasks.
When are people going to stop talking about "if the Packers had signed Randy Moss" then Favre would have been happy...
RANDY MOSS DID NOT WANT TO PLAY IN GREEN BAY!! Get over it, it was never going to happen, even if the Packers offered the same draft pick and more money than the Patriots did.
Great web site.
Why couldn't you and Thompson work together?
My one question would be, do you think the Packers would have "moved on" if the team didn't go 13-3 the year before? If the team was 6-10, I think the management would have been less in a hurry to put Rodgers out there. But at 13-3, I think Thompson and McCarthy thought the pieces were in place to move forward.
For those complaining that Brett was somehow a "crybaby" and needed to be coddled, I would say that is not the case. How would you feel if your company hired what could be your replacement, spent a lot of time grooming him, and then stopped talking to you? Would you want to work at that place anymore knowing that they basically wanted you to leave?
In the end, I still think the Packers made the right decision in moving forward. At the time, Brett was maybe going to play another year or two. I agree with Mr. Brandt in that both sides could have handled it better, but the Packers should have worked with Brett if they wanted him to go. Of course he couldn't go to the Vikings but find some place where he would be happy. The 49ers at least had that courtesy for Montana. Carmen Policy said that they did everything they could to put him on a team that would be competitive. He said they owed Montana that much.
Great article. I agree that there wasn't really a question of if it was time for him to be replaced. I shudder to think of what would've happened if Brett had been allowed to come back only to waffle again the next year. Perhaps Rodgers would've ended up in Minn. or Chicago and we would've been the one's with a rookie quarterback.
Lets get 1 thing straight here, most Owners GM's & coaches dont give a damn about a player! they use him for wut he brings 2 the team,u knw marketing/money & wins,all the things that make them look good! when these players start 2 have injuries or show signs of age, Coaches,GM's & Owners have no trouble cutting them at all! there favorite saying,remember,is its a business! well they show the players no loyalty at all so y should players show them any when it comes down it. If a player retires & then changes his mind & wants 2 come back,there should b no big deal made of it! especially if he is wanted! Ive always got the hint that M Mcarthy & T Thompson wanted Favre out from the start cause in GB,he was bigger than they were! & they couldnt stand it! jus think about it,Had 2 chances 2 sign R Moss & didnt! did not resign key off linemen! they had been trying 2 force Favre out of GB!!!
"it's a business, had to move on, had to think towards the future, DIVA!"- it is frustrating to read those shortsighted comments. The packers used to stand out in the league as a proud franchise, with a special air of integrity, that didn't disgrace itself with dubious business practices (Redskins, Raiders). We are distinguished from the average franchises as the only publicly owned team and for our astonishingly small NFL locale. Our kids bike players across the parking lot, our field is a national treasure. We operated at a higher level- we had honor (Pittsburgh seems alone in that category now) and then 3 stooges rolled in and tarnished it all.
Brett Favre gave the Pack everything he had and we fabulously prospered together. He is a living legend, the best QB to play the game, and indeed deserved to be dealt with as such. This was not like dismissing Ahman Green or Jim Kelly or even Joe Montana- Brett is in a class of his own and the proud Packer franchise should have shown patience and risen to the challenge. Ted Thompson should be ashamed of what he started and even more apologetic about his ensuing tactics (PR lies). McCarthy could have showed courage and told TT he wasn't going to participate in the dirty work (he'd have been fired but he'd have gotten plenty of new offers for demonstrating rectitude). Murphy should have appealed for some class and grace to be shown.
Commenter Randal was right- we should have taken some shots and I bet Brett would have delivered (Elway, Broncos?) and even if he hadn’t it would have fun trying. I love Aaron Rodgers, but he was expendable, in the grand scheme. It is not his fault that the team has succumbed into a state of malaise. It could be the sickness of unresolved guilt has spread amongst the staff. It could be lingering depression among players, seeing how the Sportsman of the Year was trashed by Packer management and wondering why they should expect to be treated any better. This could turn into Curse of the Bambino type proportions. It does matter how long you’ve been a fan in the sense that many don’t realize what we’ve lost and how much it hurts.
Excellent insight. While Ted may be able to pick some players, this article makes it clear that being the GM is so much more than looking at talent. If Ted couldn't communicate with Brandt, I wonder how much communication there is at 1265 Lombardi?
Many Packer fans have forgotten what it was like before Brett. This team totally stinked for many years. I'm so sick and tired of hearing the "traitor" remarks. The Packer organization ultimately made the decision to move on, not Brett. I do remember Brett showing up for training camp, however, I believe this whole saga happened within weeks after the nfc championship game between Brett and Ted. Fans always say it was a business decision and if that is true then the head of the Packer business should be fired. How many businesses do you know would take their greatest worker and tell him "we need to know by this date if you are going to keep working or if you are going to retire", even though they already had his replacement hired. It makes no sense. If Brett decided to retire the following year and Rodgers left to free agency big deal, you got all the money from Brett's contract to go out and get almost any starting qb in the nfl. Why do Packer fans worship Rodgers? He hasn't done anything. He inherited a team that made the nfc championship game the year before. Green Bay should have done whatever they had to do to keep Favre. Wake up Packer fans, the 30 year spell has officially begun. I hope the Vikings mudstomp us this weekend and Favre has a record day!
In re: to Tiffysmom:
I too have been a Packer fan for 40+ years and also attended the ICE BOWL. Funny that I did not see you there. Just kidding. Was fortunate enough that my family had season tickets when I was growing up so I too suffered thru the down years in the 70's and 80's.
That is what we have in common.
In terms of the Favre situation I sit on the management side of the fence. I loved Favre while he played for the Packers because I am a Packer fan. I felt he threw my team under the bus last year and put them in an impossible situation. They had moved on and made the correct decision. We have our QB for the next 6-8 years. We won't have to experience the 70's and the 80's all over.
I am surprised you do not appreciate that fact Tiffysmom having suffered thru that period.
I am not a Favre hater I am a PACKER FAN. I have lost a lot of respect for Favre as a person. I am now convinced it was not ALL ABOUT THE PACKERS when he played for us. It was all about him and continues to be.
No one man is above the franchise. Too bad Favre does not realize that. He did great things for us and we paid him accordingly.
My two cents. GO PACK.
The NFC championship game that the Packers lost to the Giants was played on January 20, 2008. The senior bowl was played January 26, 2008. Do you really think that Ted Thompson & McCarthy should have stopped at Favre's house on their way back from the game? Just 6 days after losing that game? I can only imagine the reaction they would have gotten. Favre would have complained that they were pressuring him. Flawed argument to say the least.
Great article. It makes you wonder how much more lack of communication there is at 1265 lombardi
I thought and still think the Packers made the correct decision. Look at how many big games Brett basically lost for the Packers in the last 5 years in big games or playoffs. How many times did Brett hurl the ball up for an interception? Think of the championship game against the Giants. There is absolutely no reason that should have happened. If you remember the camera took numerous shots of him during the game. It looked like he wanted to be somewhere else. How about against the Eagles, Rams, Cowboys? He looked washed up! I think the Packers were exceptionally generous in keeping him as long as they did. As for this year, it's only a matter of time until the meltdown begins.
Andrew, a great and interesting article... Though, I don't know that you shed any light on anything new. I think everyone is well aware it was a communication breakdown on both sides.
Unfortunately, the few "truly confidential parts of the story" is where the real story may lie... I'm guessing most of this revolves around the Packers information on Brett's conversations with the Vikings a year ago and how they got that information (and I may actually know how).
While I find it somewhat pathetic a 39 year-old man needs to be coddled by a professional football frachise to return, I don't fault the Packers for doing what they did, and don't fault Brett for feeling the way he did.
The thing that DID bother me, as a tried and true Packer fan was the fact that Brett had obvious conversations with the Vikings a year ago, which were shortly after his retirment and before he tried coming back. Then he tried to play of all off by saying "Oh, they're just my friends", etc, etc... like we were really supposed to believe you were talking to Bevell and Childress about thier wifes or the weather. Then on top of it the league sweeping it all under the rug because they didn't want to shed a bad light on thier "golden boy". While I too may have wanted to go to another team and show them I still had it... in no way, shape, or form would I turn my back on my most loyal fans and play for the most despised of Packer enemies. As an example, William Henderson had the exact same opportunity and he chose retirement... a class act if there ever was one.
Come to think of it, I'm just as upset about the way that TT handled Andrew Brandt's departure as I am about the Favre fiasco.
Brandt had been a valued executive in GB for 9 years. Although working behind the scenes, Brandt was an integral part of the franchise's success during his run. Keep in mind that he started out as a player's agent. The agent vs. team dynamic is inherently a conflict of interest. Yet, he was so well respected by football execs that he was able to transition from foe to friend. Can anyone name another guy who's successfully done both? He now teaches Sports Business at Wharton, Sports Law at Georgetown Law School, and is President of the NFP - not a bad resume.
Brandt was quite cordial about his own break-up with Thompson, although he did say that TT was rudely brief (after 9 years of service!), that he was hurt and that they have never spoken since.
If I had to judge, I would conclude that Brandt is generally trusted and highly skilled in open communication with expertise in creating 'win-win' situations whenever possible. Thompson is the polar opposite: secretive, mis-trusted, and trying to create 'win-lose' situations with the mis-guided belief that he will gain a competitive advantage.
The problem is that Ted has a huge ego and thinks he's the smartest guy in the room-always. This is only 'OK' on the scouting/evaluation side (if you're good). It is horrible on the free-agent and player retention side. Deals don't get done and people on both sides leave unhappy.
It's not just Favre. Lots of people walk away from TT feeling salty.
TT's alienation of Brandt should be a HUGE red flag for Packer supporters. TT has too many 'bad break-ups' to be a good fit for Green Bay. He also doesn't win much. I still don't get why some fans like him?
To keep allowing Favre to stay home when the other players are attending TOAs and summer sessions got real old. Holding the draft hostage each year became Favre's calling card. What could management do, just allow the "legend" to show up for games and NOTHING else? I got sick of it...... you got sick of it....... the players got sick of it...... and management got sick of it. "We've moved on"........ I loved it. Rodgers is better anyway...... give him time. In the meantime, cheer for YOUR team and move on! I'd say booing anyone in PURPLE is more than fair game for real Packer fans. We are the 12th-man.... Queens on offense should be screamed at WITHOUT MERCY!!!
Minnesota tampers.
Similar powerplays play out in corporate america each and every day.
Great Post, Andrew. Insight about general management skill of conflict avoidance and confrontation gives me a whole new view into the drama that's taken place the last two years. I admit I'm torn about favre - loved knowing from 24 years old to 40 who was going to be leading us. But then - the betrayal....I saw Ted on a flight last night from Detroit back to GB and you can observe all the points you make when you watch him in public out of his element. Reserved, intense, but you can tell he's thinking football. At the end of the day - I'll boo favre's return to lambeau on sunday. Just like I'd boo any vikings team coming into lambeau. And I'll be screaming as loud in support of Rodgers as I ever did supporting favre. But I'll also know when all of this is said and done, that WE had favre through the best years of his career - and he had Green Bay. There's more to be written of this relationship down the line.
There is absolutely no way Packer Management is at fault in this fiasco. Favre waffled for three or four years. He didn't attend off season camps. As a coach it must have been frustrating to work with him, it was all about Brett all the time never about what was good for the Packers. He was the drama king!!! He was good for the Packers and they rewarded him well but at what time does the TEAM take presedence over the individual. For all you Favre worshippers what is Favre playoff record, .56 winning percentage not very good. His QB rating is less than 85 and he has as many interception as touchdowns. I think some of you feel he could play until he is 50. Lastly I find it interesting that Mr. Brandt would side with Favre concidering when he left GB it wasn't neccesary on good terms.
Rodgers finally caught on, he doesn't run unbalanced lines in Green Bay to extent he did at Cal. Does the fact he could not force a run front(Franks departed the same season) lengthen Aaron's adjustment curve?
Green Bay probably couldn't afford the 6th lineman right now.
Zach Strief does wonders for the Saints in helping change things up. Find a way to give back some of the things Rodgers has in his football, things that give him a sense of command for game situations.
Aaron's doing quite well, in essence. Still, he has to take his play up a level. Finding another personel fit or formation matchup might allow him to expand what he brings to the game.
Tiffysmom hit the nail right on the head....Wins and Losses. TT and MM's job is to win a superbowl and put the most talented team on the field that gives the pack the best chance to win it. Although Brett did through the final interception in the NFC championship game, the packers, TT and MM, are learning (the hard way) just how important his leadership and play meant to the overall performance of the team. Right to move on? How can anyone say that when a team goes from one game away from the superbowl to not making the playoffs? Rebuilding?? How long do you as a fan wait to rebuild? What does rebuilding mean or planning for the future with Rodgers? Nothing against, Arod, but why was he given the keys vs earning the top QB spot. Pack will not make the playoffs again this season and packer nation is silly to believe in and support the planning for the future. The future is now, and you must play to win now. BTW - What has MM ever one?
Enough already please! No more! We are sick of the Favre stuff. Who gives a shiny shite?
When I think about what motivates a star athlete, it is something self imposed. As an example, Michael Jordan would use anything that his opponent may say, anything a media report may construe or mis-construe, blow it out of proportion and use it as a motivating factor. Sometimes a change of scenery does much to provide a different window dressing on how motivation is created and perceived. Having been in GB for so long, maybe BF needed a change of scenery to recharge and remotivate himself (and not having to play in cold weather in the latter part of the season also helps an old man). I don't necessarily disagree with the assessment of his selfishness but the change of scenery may go a long ways toward extending his career and remotivating BF. He may well have a great season, especially with a good running game, a great run defense behind him, a decent return game, and quite a few good young players. I'm a GB fan, but want to be realistic on what might happen.
@ Mr. Murder -
What does that mean? Are you on drugs? Your posts are always so freakin wierd. Dude go have another beer.
Ted Thompson's poor communication, icy personality, and lack of leadership skills is why Favre is playing for the Vikings when he should be playing with the Packers. Brett Favre iis much more than a great quarterback; he encourages, praises, and supports his team members throughout the game whether it is going well or not. Favre's face and actions tells the story and promotes the team's success. I can not say the same for Rogers and I do think the packer players are a bit discouraged after seeing how Favre was treated. Yes, we all agree things could have been handled differently on both sides. The thing I must emphasize is Brett is still playing football becasue he loves it inspite of his age and risk for injury not because he wants to beat the team he enjoyed for years. Packer management should feel bad about promoting a new, young quarterback and not supporting one who needed encouragement and support after giving what he has for the organization. I will always support and enjoy the Packers but not like I did with Favre because Rogers does not have the same compassion for the team as Favre did. I hope Brett and the Vikings win on Sunday so TT can see what he did to the Packers and their fans.
Amen Tiffysmom . . . YOU ARE SPOT ON !
( All I see is comments about whiner and Diva...I would say whiner and Diva are closer to a good description of the people commenting. TT has not put a great team on the field, or do you just ignore the win loss records? )
To me , this saga boils down to E - G - O .
Ted Thompson is and was a guy who accomplished a net ZERO in his NFL Career and wanted to prove that HE WAS IN CONTROL ...and could win w/o FAVRE.
Brett Farve is a guy who accomplished EVERYTHING in his NFL Career and in the end -
it still wasn't enough to hang his hat on...He needed MORE .
So MM and TT were convinced that with Favre at QB, they weren't going any farther than in 2007. Rodgers was going into his contract year, and the Packers had to see whether he was the real deal or if they were going to have to let him go and go back to the draft. If Favre wants to play, it's a no-win situation for the Packers' front office. Maybe TT could have been a little more communicative with Favre, but I can't imagine Wolf or Sherman or Bob Harlan or anyone else trying to escort Favre out of town graciously without being tagged as the guy who ran Favre out of town.
My big gripe with how the matter was handled was that they didn't talk trade with Minnesota last summer. Surely they would have been the highest bidder for Favre. There is a tradition of not trading top players within your division, but that generally applies to players in their prime. If the front office was so convinced that the arrow for Favre was pointing downward, they shouldn't have been concerned about the competition in the division. By refusing to talk to the VIkings, not only did the Packers likely leave some money on the table, but the fear of Favre on the Vikings threatened to undermine Rodgers' confidence. TT's mistake wasn't in how he handled Favre, but in not having the courage of his convictions.
Some of you need to wake up and get a good dose of reality. Say whatever you want about Favre retiring and coming back, but blaming Favre for that loss to the Giants in 2007 demonstrates an absolute lack of understanding of football. To begin with, that great defense that someone talked about gave up 380 yards that game, and allowed the Giants offense to stay on the field almost twice as long as the Packers offense. The running game totaled an amazing 29 yards. These two stats add up to one important fact...the Packers had to pass the ball. What's worse, the Giants knew that the Packers had to pass the ball. That means that the advantage was firmly in the hands of the Giants defense, a defense that was able to shut down the Patriots record-breaking offense of 2007. If you ask me, under these circumstances, it was amazing that the Packers were able to even take the game to overtime. Moan and whine about that interception in overtime all you want, but the Packers would never have made it to overtime without Favre. Heck, they never would have even come close to that game without Favre.
I don't fault the Packers organization for going with Rodgers. Aaron has many more seasons left in him than Favre does. At least, he will if they ever learn how to protect him. Favre was, however, and still is a better QB than Rodgers. One of the reasons Rodgers gets sacked so much is that he holds on to the ball too long. He's always looking to make the big play down field. Maybe that's just a carryover from having sat and watched some of the Favre heroics over the years. Trying to bust out of a legend's shadow is quite difficult, and maybe a part of him thinks that if he puts together enough highlight reels of big passes that will do it. All QBs hold on to the ball too long at times, but Favre just seems to have a better feel for when to hold the ball and when to get rid of it. At present, the Packers offense relies too heavily on big plays. That's nice when you play weaker opponents, as it lets you run up the score rather nicely. It tends to leave you at a disadvantage when you play tougher teams, however.
Now, as for Favre being selfish for wanting to play for the Vikings...please grow up. Your rivalries aren't necessarily his rivalries. The Vikings make perfect sense for Favre under the current conditions. He doesn't have enough time left to sign on with a rebuilding team, and the Vikings owner has built his team to win now. The only thing they were missing was a highly-skilled QB. As an Eagles fan, I wasn't happy when Dawkins went to Denver. I wasn't happy, but I understand. Even if he had gone to the Giants, I still would have understood. It would have made perfect sense, seeing as their defense was set up by a former assistant of the late Jim Johnson. When the Broncos come to Philly, I (and most Eagles fans) will cheer like made for Dawkins. Then, we'll cheer for an Eagles victory. But that's just us. Apparently Eagles fan
For those here who ask why Andrew and TT ultimately couldn't work together, it's my opinion the answer is found in Andrew's repeated tone and comments regarding the "treatment" of BF and his family, and their reactions to some of the ongoing circumstances post-2005 draft.
Admittedly this is just speculation, and I mean no disrespect to AB, as I valued his dedication and service to the Packer organization, but it seems very clear to me when I read the article that AB was, and remains, a BF family confidant, who disagreed with the ultimate path and tone of authority that was chosen by his boss to meet the accelerating demands of a very difficult situation (re: the looming end of BFs career and transition to another QB)
Of course, this happens frequently in organizations and is fine ...
up to the point when a boss truly absorbs that an employee is, at least in part, against him/her in spirit. Once that happens, the working relationship is frequently damaged beyond repair.
In fact, one can adjust some of the language slightly (e.g. hear the interviews instead of read the article, etc.) and I think this applies equally to BF as well.
It's sad that the people who are left out in this are the fans. I still will never forget the 93 season with Favre. Every time we were in reach of winning a game, it seemed like Favre found a way to throw an interception or fumble the game away. If Favre were on just about any other team, he would have been benched. The fans would have booed him. Yet, we stuck with the guy. Heck, I was one of the guys who used to cheer when he threw the ball away instead of forcing it on 1st down. Favre eventually became wiser on his decisions, but anyone who has watched him over the years has known that Favre has performed quite poorly in some important games. On any team, if a quarterback killed playoff runs like in the St. Louis, Philadelphia, New York, and Atlanta games, that quarterback would go the way of Rex Grossman. But in Green Bay, we stuck with Favre and just accepted it as Favre's style. In one year, Favre wore out his welcome in New York. One year. So for Favre to lie to his fans over the years, insult the 96 Super Bowl team, and to want revenge on the Packers... is just plain wrong. This is Green Bay. We are the only ones who own our team. If we wanted you back Brett, you'd still be wearing green and gold. If you weren't so indecisive all of the time, we never would have drafter Rodgers in the first place.
We will always love you, but most of us don't sympathize nor owe you anything.
Go Green Bay!!!!!!!!!
It's 2005 in Packerland and you're Brett Favre. You have quarterbacked your team to 3 straight division championships and have never had a losing season in Green Bay. You are adored by your fans and have brought the team back to National prominance. The HOF awaits you. Now arrives Ted Thompson. You know about his reputation as a top talent evaluater and you are eagerly awaiting the NFL draft. You're close, but the team needs some impact players to get over the hump. What does Thompson do? His first move is to draft your replacement and a player who cannot help a team quarterbacked by you one bit. Next he gets rid of 3 of your teammates and Pro Bowlers, Darren Sharper, Marco Rivera, and Mike Wahl and in some of the worst general managing in franchise history replaces them with Marquis Manuel, Adrian Klemm, and Matt O'Dwyer, three total failures. Sure enough, your team goes 4-12. You say to the press "If the team is in a rebuilding mode it would be better for both of us if you moved me to another team that was interested in winning now". Thompson replies in the press that he doesn't feel the Packers (read Thompson) are rebuilding and of course they want to win football games. As Ted Thompson goes about compiling a roster that is the youngest of the 32 NFL teams for three consecutive years the dye is cast. The Favre camp can never forgive this GM and has been angling to leave Green Bay ever since. They feel that Favre has done more for the franchise than this guy could ever do and look how he's being treated. Winning or losing on Sunday aside this season is all about revenge. A Superbowl appearance by the Vikings will be an affirmation that Thompson erred back in 2005 and that he should have begged, borrowed and stolden to surround Farve with talent in his final years instead of building a team for his successor.
The main reason for this "drama" is that the Packers wanted it both ways. They want to move on with Rodgers? Fine. But going to the ends of the earth to keep Favre from playing with the Vikings is what blew this situation up, including the bogus tampering charge.
Other than GB's embarrassment, though, everyone got what they wanted. GB has a good, young nucleus to build with. Favre is playing for a team that fits him well and really wants him. The Vikings have a possible championship team. The NFL has a ratings bonanza. The media has constant stories to write about.
It's October 2009. Favre is a Viking. That is all there is to it. He is neither a God nor the anti-God. He is just a man, and ancient race, and a 40 year old man at that, playing a game that is difficult, violent, taxing and a young man's game at that and one that is incredibly enjoyable for us fans.. Why not just respect what this 40 year old man is doing and let the season play out. If he fails, he fails. All this incessant, non-stop Favre bashing is just emptiness. Favre played hard and well for the Packers for 16 years. Aaron Rodgers is a proven and promising QB who is enjoyable to watch in his own right. Why isn't that enough?
When Tom Watson was gunning for the Brit Open -- that was beautiful. I hope Favre runs the gauntlet and is there in the playoffs and gives everyone of us old farts a reason to grin and hope and just appreciate the game.
Titletown USA, Green Bay, WI in the 1960's. Vince Lombardi, Bart Starr, Paul Hornung, Jim Taylor Willie Wood, etc. 1992 the beginning of the Brett Favre era and the rise of the Packers to a phenominal sports story and franchise. In between in the 1970's and 1980's nothing! Due to ted thompson and the rest of the Packers front office the Packers sure look similar to the Packers of the 1970's and 1980's! What a shame.
Interesting how all of the Ted Thompson "haters" state that he is egotistical and wanted to have it be "My Team". Did you guys not read the article? Brandt states that Thompson is an incredibly private person. There was no statement of his ego and that he wanted Favre gone. From my point of view, Thompson did what any reasonable person would have done in 2005. He drafted Favre's successor. He performed Succession Planning. If Favre got hurt or retired (which was going to happen), where would the Packers have been? Bottom line Thompson was brought in to rebuild and reestablish talent depth in the team. I find it ludicrous when I read that he doesn't go after Free Agents.
Have they won enough? No. However, I believe that is due to young players learning how to play and win in the NFL.
None of this changes what is going to happen on Sunday. And, at this point, nobody knows that.
Go Pack!
This article has certainly hit the "big time", as it should. Traditional media is citing what Andrew has had to say. I am still personally bothered by some of it, not because of what Andrew has said so much as how it is interpreted by so many that bring such extreme bias and preconceived notions to the table.
I am one of those fans (I think there are a lot of us, but we get no mention because it doesn't fit the storyline) that was over Brett Favre and his drama the day after he retired. I embraced Aaron Rodgers 100%, wrote him a letter to that effect, and have not looked back. In other words, I am a Green Bay Packer fan.
I am also a "so what" fan. If Brett is in fact playing to "stick it" to Ted, or to the Packers, or whomever...so what? Kick him and his team's jiggly butt (shoutout to P.P.O. lol) this Sunday.
We have a better quarterback, and that is the bottom line. We also have a better future at quarterback. I think our quarterback needs more time and better protection than our old one, but that being said, he is awfully damn good without that time. Blame Ted Thompson for sticking with the "body-type" that either he or Mike McCarthy are securing to fit the ZBS. That is a failure, imo, coupled with not prioritizing that with high grade draft picks for that O-line.
That being said, I have no evidence that Ted Thompson has ever done anything that he did not think was in the best interests of the Green Bay Packers. Warts and all, we are very, very lucky to have him as our GM. He hits, he misses, he probably relies too much on the draft (to a small degree, relatively speaking) but he is pretty darn good at it.
The number one question that Andrew Brandt could answer that I have not seen definitively laid out is this.
Andrew Brandt, you left the Green Bay Packers after what appears to be a "passover" for promotion.
Do you think that Ted Thompson makes decisions such as this because of an enlarged ego?
Kindly note that this "ego" thing is CONSTANTLY used as THE explanation for his actions by his most hyperbolic critics.
I think Ted (and co.) got tired of Brett and his waffling, had an excellent plan "B", and pulled the trigger through passivity, using Brett's HUGE ego and insecurities to allow the CLASSIEST WAY POSSIBLE for the parting of the ways.
I would have loved for Andrew Brandt to still be with the Pack, but on a selfish note, if he were, we would have no real authority to turn to when questions such as I have posed arise.
An answer to the ego thing would be awesome. I'm sick and tired of hearing it over and over.
and over and over
Why is it this has only happened to the Packers. I can't think of any other sport where one of the premiere players was constantly asked when he was retiring. They would ask Brett that question at the beginning of the season. Why has ths NEVER happened to another star. No one blinkied when Michael Jordon returned,, not even when it was a different sport. I think Ted Thompson and Square head fat pants McCarthy took Green Bay to a new low morally and ethically the Green Bay has never faced. They are now just another business not a national treasure. I personally hope the Packers never have a winning season under these two morns. They wanted to go a different direction, well we have 30 years of memories of that different direction. I hope Aaron Rodgers spends most of Sunday flat on his back looking up at the change in direction they took. May they never win another game not that they are run by low class losers. The new Packers with their new direction SUCK. TT am MM will go down as the worst duo in football history. Go Brett. Make these idiots see what they disgarded like yesterday's news.
I know that this is OUT THERE and may sound very simplistic, but how much of this RETIREMENT talk was just a way of getting out of going to camp?
I agree with the post of "Scott M" . The situation was not started by the three words " We've moved on". Thompson was looking to the future and what was best for the Packer's when Brett decided to come back after the OTA's. He was responsible for the organization as a whole. Brett's decision was about himself. The "himself" part which Packer fans were accustomed to seeing was not being replaced by a "himself" people had seen before. Packer fans were hurt because they had been envisioning a person who cared more about them than "himself". .....I also agrre that communication which is at the heart of every relationship could have been handled better on both sides. The Packer organization as well as Brett Favre and his organization both dropped the ball.
Great insights. I do have to disagree that the enmity could have been avoided by telling Brett at the outset that any un-retirement movement would not be welcomed. That would only have accelerated it.
Once Favre finished his soul searching, his desire was going to come back. That we know, looking back on that time. Had the Green Bay Packers made a statement upfront to Favre that he would not be welcome to un-retire, he would have started demanding his release from the team so he could play for the Vikings. Favre's stated position is, "If you don't want me, then give me my release."
Clearly, Thompson could not just let Brett go to the Vikings. Even the Thompson haters must at least understand that much about the business. Had he let Favre walk to the Vikings for no compensation, as was Brett's demand, the Thompson haters would have burst into flames, along with the rest of Packer Nation.
Moreover, the Packers would not have made a definitive "do not try to un-retire" statement to Brett at the time of his announcement because they themselves were not totally resolute. When Brett did actually change his mind and began making inquiries about coming back, they were receptive, at least to a degree.
My point? This was going to happen, no matter what. The team, like many do, had to make a tough call about moving out a veteran player (who had grown to be an icon) in favor of a now-groomed, highly skilled and valuable replacement at the game's most important position. Favre's position was the opposite: He deserved to continue to be the team's starting QB. It was going to get messy, no matter what. Brett did what he wanted to do, at the moments in time of his choosing. Ted Thompson and the Green Bay Packers did what they had to do, both by design and even more so, in reacition to Brett's moves.
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Oct 30, 2009
04:48 PM
I forgot to add Rogers is a good QB.
Did you check out how many times GB's been sacked? I think it was 16 to 4.