There are other issues to worry about

All this quarterback attention has taken away the attention from the rest of the Green Bay Packers and obviously is the biggest distraction of all time. There are plenty of other issues the Packers need to be worried about and it starts with the defensive line. Johnny Jolly may be suspended, Colin Cole is coming off injury, Ryan Pickett is currently hurt, and Ted Thompson’s worst draft pick of all time – Justin Harrell might be out for the year before it even starts. If you can get a defensive lineman for the quarterback you are trying to trade, I would take it. Is The Fridge available?

If it wasn’t for the quarterback controversy that isn’t, things are looking good for the Green Bay Packers. Practices have been sharp and the players seem to be dealing with the distraction as best they can. There has been no divisiveness that has been made public and even the veterans have thrown their support around the new quarterback.

The fact that nine hours of meetings today resulted in no new news is not a good sign that an end is anywhere in sight. There is nothing left to say. What do you want to hear? More BS? I’m sick of it. The Packers should be, too. I can’t see the player coming back to Green Bay.

Merry Christmas Minnesota. Be careful what you wish for.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, July 30th, 2008 at 8:29 pm and is filed under Al Davis. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

  • whodat

    Be careful what you wish for? Um, the Super Bowl? This posting is lame.

  • Laurence

    “the player” ????

  • TRIP

    Sorry Al, this posting was kind of weak, lol.

  • Pete H

    Al, Don’t you remember how irritated I was when they traded Williams for that second round pick that has now turned into Brohm. You were fine with it, but wil now trade Favre for someone worse? I am going to give TT a chance here, but his work here has the real makings of blowing up in his face, and screwing the franchise, long term, in the process. My problem with him is that I just don’t see him trying to win now. Every year he has gotten rid of quality vets, replaced them young “for the future”, and then that becomes our weak spot. You have to plan for the future, but eventually that future has to produce a ring, and if you handicap yourself in some area every year for the future, they won’t come.

  • Larry

    Harrell issue not settled yet. Grant not worth what he’s asking. Brett in Viqueen uniform doesn’t scare me a bit. Jolly situation is scarry, but what if the stuff was just for his own consumption in a different container (Oh, that does sound weird, but who knows?). I’ll tell you for true, I’m very confused at this point. However, we’ve got about 80 other guys working their butts off along with a darned good coaching staff and I for one am very optimistic. Field related stories I get from up there sound very positive. Talk about trust and confidence in “old” veterans I’m more concerned with the DBs than anything else going on.

  • Pete H

    It doesn’t matter why he had it…he’s going to be suspended

  • Reid

    I see a team that was 1 play away from the Super Bowl last year and returned everyone except the guy who bailed out for “retirement” and then he decided to make it a personal mission to ruin Ted Thompson by ruining the Green Bay Packers. Brett Favre should be ashamed of himself, I hope he sleeps well at night. If Favre had not “retired”, there’s no way anyone could talk about Thompson only planning for the future.

    I guess we can look on the bright side, at least the Packers are ranked ahead of the Patriots and Red Sox reports on ESPN these days.

  • Doug R

    Let’s celebrate. A month ago, we had Aaron Rodgers and current team. Now, we may have Aaron Rodgers, the current team, and perhaps a few draft picks (or a hall of fame backup). In any scenario, we are better off than we were a month ago. (trade idea: Favre to Vikings for a 2nd rounder and Chester Taylor or a Williams?)

    Furthermore, if Favre is willing to play for the Vikings it is a slap in the face to every Packer fan that has cheered him on and paid his salary for the past 16 years. He is taking one last shit on the Packer organization and fans all for what – a one year farewell tour? Trade him to the Vikes, get something of value, and let’s move on.

  • Jon

    You’re finally right about something, Al.

    There is another issue to worry about.

    Namely, what is Teddy more interested in: WINNING THE SUPER BOWL, or WINNING THE SUPER BOWL WITH HIS OWN PLAYERS?

    It’s clear the answer is WINNING THE SUPER BOWL WITH HIS OWN PLAYERS.

    How else to explain offering a player $20 million to NOT PLAY, and yet TWICE refusing to offer Randy Moss money to PLAY?

    The only way to explain that is that Teddy had and has no interest in winning the Super Bowl with Ron Wolfe’s quarterback. That’s why he twice refused to give Ron Wolfe’s quarterback one of top receivers in the NFL, who was there for the taking.

    I am indeed convinced that Teddy was GLAD we lost to the Giants – he knew that had we beat the Giants and won the Super Bowl, it would been “all about Favre”; but prissy Teddy wants it to be “all about Teddy”.

    So you’re right, Al. Green Bay has serious issues; at the top.

  • Jon

    Doug writes: “if Favre is willing to play for the Vikings it is a slap in the face to every Packer fan that has cheered him”

    So by your standard, in being unwilling to take Favre back the Packers slapped the face of Favre, the man who brought Green Bay from the laughing stock of the NFL to its first NFL Championship in 30 years. Right?

    Or, do you apply a double standard, one for Favre and one for the Packers?

    By the way, if Favre “slaps the face” of the Packers by playing for another team, did Joe Montana do so, too?

    Or, again, do you apply a double standard here, too?

  • Reid

    Teddy wasn’t interested in going 4-12 again with Ron Wolfe’s QB either. Hence, new coach, new talent via the draft, Pickett, Woodson, require Wolfe’s QB to show up and work out with the team. Anyone who thinks a GM is glad their team didn’t win the Super Bowl, doesn’t know about the incentives that go into a GM’s contract. The conspiracy theory is out of control.

  • Pete H

    First of all Reid and Doug, if you had read my previous posts I have long been questioning TT for his lack of free agency involvement. I was also irritated THE DAY he traded Williams for a draft pick. I questioned the Harrell pick last year as not helping the team, which has now screwed the team because he not only blew a pick on him, but let a good player go in order for Harrell to “play”. so this opinion is not initiated by this fiasco, just confirmed by it! Second cmon man!! Wherever Favre goes…so what….He WANTS to play for the Packers, but apparently this “he would be welcomed back to camp”…”we want what’s best for Brett”..is just banter.

  • Pete H

    Would you at least try to make REAL points!! the guy has done nothing but show up every week and play his hardest, oh ya, and mostly win!!! 1 losing season and you are going to use that to ATTEMPT to validate your brain activity. Do you remember that year??? At all? Walker out for season, Fergason out for season, Green out for season, Davenport out for season, Fischer out for season, Tauscher/Clifton missing several games, Bubba out for season, Flanagan hurt, Martin hurt, Lee hurt…..Carrol…playing, Roman…. playing, Navies….playing. MAKE SOME SENSE!!

  • Pete H

    Ask Jerry Krause about those incentives

  • JeffN

    I’m getting sick of the conspiracy theories. Thompson has extended the contracts that were aquired by previous GMs. He extended contracts for:

    1) Donald Driver
    2) Nick Barnet
    3) Al harris
    4) Cullen Jenkins
    5) Aaron Kampman
    6) Mark Tauscher
    7) Chad Clifton

    So this whole soap opera has nothing to do with TT wanting to get rid of anyone elses draft picks or trades. Conspiracy theory people just enjoy contributing to the soap opera. Some of you people just sound psycho with some of ridiculous things you dream up.

    I’m glad the Randy Moss trade didn’t work out. Having Randy Moss in the starting line up last year would of slowed down the development of Greg Jennings by taking him out of the starting line up and he would of got many fewer touches.

    I would much rather have a Greg Jennings at the point that he has developed to rather than an ageing Randy Moss that couldn’t handle the fact he would of been the number 2 starting out camp last year behind Driver, which is the reason the trade didn’t work out.

  • Pete H

    The reason the trade didn’t work out is because TT wouldn’t pul the F#@$ing trigger on a third round pick!! because he didn’t think they would win that many….Would you rather have Jones or Moss?

  • JeffN

    I would rather have Jones and Jennings as the emerging star. Moss did not agree to come to Green Bay. Moss was never serious about ever wanting to come to Green Bay.

    Besides Moss not wanting to compete for the #1 WR job: If you were an aging WR in the NFL would you rather go to Green Bay or New England? It’s a no brainer.

  • Reid

    Thanks, JeffN. It’s nice to have a does of reality instead of listening to someone who can supposedly read TT’s mind and knows exactly what he is thinking.

  • Larry

    Wow, now I’m more confused than ever with all these expert opinions so divergent. About how BF will be with a new playbook and terminology. Didn’t work for JohnnyU, Montana, or the perineal Vinny. Very nice job rebuilding this team, TT, as far as I’m concerned. Hey, guys, nobody wins the SB every year. Each year yes, but not every.

  • Doug R

    I’ve been sympathetic to TT and the Packer’s position but the rumour (if true) that they offered Favre money to stay retired is an outrage. If anything, Favre should be paying them to buy out his contract. They’d be better off giving that money back to the season ticket holders. Practically anything is better than paying a guy not to play. When I heard that, my faith in the Packer management was definitely shaken.

  • Doug R

    Are we missing something here? How could a team be so desperate to keep a player away that they are willing to pay him not to play? And the theory that TT doesn’t want to win a SB with “Ron Wolf’s QB” is absurd and not worthy of considering. More seriously, do they think it will affect Rodgers contract at year end, i.e., if he sits another year they will have to pay him without knowing what they have? Do they believe that the difference in talent at this point is so marginal that it is worth it to forego a season with a slightly better BF in order to get A-Rod out there for the next 5 years? Are they sick of having an untouchable QB on the team that can make horrific mistakes with impugnity? Do they think Rodgers is hungrier right now and will perform better under pressure? Someone had mentioned that the players related better to Rodgers b/c he is their age and Favre had separate shower, etc. Are they worried that another year will lead to another offseason of waffling and uncertainty about how to draft and approach free agency? All of the above? I’d like to hear some other theories.

  • Reid

    Here’s a theory: Can Brett Favre be trusted?

    Did he throw to the Giants on purpose? Was he tipping the plays so they knew when we were going to run, hence, 29 yards rushing?

    I was at the Steelers game the 4-12 year. I had a perfect view of us on the goal line and a receiver (I think Bubba Franks) breaking wide open and waving his arms at Favre in the end zone. Favre stared at him for what seemed like 10 seconds, he never got covered, so Favre threw the ball into the 4th row of the bleachers. On the next play, Favre gets hit from behind, fumbles, and Troy P runs it back for about a 90 yard touchdown. I was wearing my BF jersey, I am a huge BF fan, but I really thought he gave that play and eventually that game away on purpose.

    If he has such issues with Packers management, how can we trust him as the leader of the team? That’s why he’s getting offered big $$’s just to stay in MS.

  • Pete H

    Look Doug, I agree with some of the principles of your statement. Yes the waffling each year is tiresome, but the press has brought that on as much as anything. Every player at that point in their career contemplates coming back each year, but Favre has had media attention about it unlike any other player. Remember he is not the one who brings it up, or brought it up to begin with. He was asked if he was considering retiring what 4 years ago, and all he said then was “I’m closer to the end than I am to the beginning” from that it has turned into a media circus year after year. Yes Favre does do some enabling of that process, and yes he has a monstrous ego….but as has been said here before, every marquee player does. I have also said that Brett has also handled this situation poorly, but so has management! To offer someone money to stay retired, who just wants to play football, is just ignorant. JeffN, I would rather have as much talent on my team as possible. Its about winning….future, future, future…development, development, development…thats all I hear. They were a play away from the Super Bowl LAST YEAR and all we talk about is down the road. In this league you win while you can. Moss is a Packer last year, instead of Jones..who is going to be the #4 WR this year, that team is in the Super Bowl..no question. Moss did not nix the deal, Thompson did. Also I do not pretend to read his mind. What I said, was that my concern with him is that he is going young over proven too much!! You pointed out some of the extensions he has given, and I can appreciate that. I give much more credit to Mccarthy at this point than TT. I don’t like trading away a proven pro bowl caliber vet..not old..for a pick that has turned into a QB that he really hopes never plays, and all this to make playing time for a 1st round pick that has shown nothing. You can’t tell me that when that pick was made, it wasn’t with the knowledge that Williams was going into free agency and this was his fill for then. He has made some great moves, I’ll give you, but I just think that there have to some moves to upgrade today when you are that close to get over the hump and I just don’t see that. Favre is part of that for me…its that simple..other people have the opinion that Rodgers is better now, and who knows, I guess we’ll see.

  • Pete H

    Cmon Reid, lots and lots of players have issues with management. It happens all the time, every year

  • CheesyD

    No matter what anyone says, none of this current mess would be happening if Favre hadn’t changed his mind… three times. I’ve never seen a divided Packer nation like I’m seeing now. It’s really a sad sight, and there’s only one person to blame in my view… and that’s Brett Favre. I love the guy. I have all the respect in the world for him for what’s he done for the organization. But his flip-flopping on retirement has tainted his image, and that of the Packers. He has no one, NO ONE, to blame but himself.

  • CheesyD

    Oh, and the $20 million offer… I don’t believe it. Some mysterious “source” said the Packers were offering it. I put this right up there with the whole “Favre used a Packer issued phone to call the Vikings” bogus story that was the hit for a day or two.

  • Jon

    If the $20 million story were not true, the Packers would have denied it by now.

    So it looks like the story has legs.

    Which brings up the bloggers here who have said Favre wasn’t worth the millions Green Bay was going to have to pay him to play this year.

    I want all of you to explain to me how it’s not worth it to pay Favre millions to play, but it is worth it to pay him millions NOT to play?

    LOL.

  • Jon

    Redi writes: “Teddy wasn’t interested in going 4-12 again with Ron Wolfe’s QB either”

    We were 13-3 last season. You may be still able to buy DVDs of the games and watch them.

  • Pete H

    There is never 1 person to blame for a mess like this. “Tainted his image”? Oh dear God, the man changed his mind!! We should string him up by his ankles and burn him!! What in the hell! Good God he decided he still wanted to do what it is that he knows how to do….well!! The flip flopping is irritating but for cryin out loud HE CHANGED HIS MIND!! You guys are fucking persecuting him like he kidnapped your child. Have a little perspective!

  • CheesyD

    The Packers didn’t comment on the “Packer issued phone” until after the story was found to be false. Same goes for this $20 million, in my opinion. When it’s proven to be true, I’ll believe it. Until then, it’s a load of crap.

    Yep, one person to blame. If Favre hadn’t changed his mind (three times), there’d be no problem. The Packers had no choice but to move on when Favre retired, and then decided to stay retired. Then Favre talks to Darrell Bevell and lo and behold!… he wants to play again. And I simply cannot understand those who are beyond deliriosuly happy that Favre is yanking the Packers and their fans around. He wants to play for the Vikings people. Get used to that and then tell me how happy you are he’s changed his mind… three times.

  • Larry

    I find it hard to believe that BF would purposely throw an int or fumble, but then the Strahan sack was pretty hard to believe too. Who really knows; I just haven’t trusted him for a couple of years thinking he was more Favre oriented than team oriented. In any case I don’t like the separate locker room either. Don’t give me the “keeping him away from the reporters” either because he sure isn’t doing it now even if through surrogates.

  • Oconomowockid

    This story gets worse every day!! Can a management group handle a situation any worse. Now they are paying Favre to stay retired. I just cannot believe this has gotten to this point. Start the no confidence vote on Packer management.

  • Larry

    Afterthought: I wouldn’t pay him to stay away because I don’t think he can hurt us in another uniform, unless he would sit down w/ an opposing D Coord and give them our terminology and reads.

  • Jon

    Darn, I was right again.

    That the Packers did not deny reports they had offered Favre $20 million to not play means they really made the offer! This story from one of Al’s links confirms the bribe, I mean offer: http://www.madison.com/wsj/home/sports//298859

    Of course, it’s not being presented to the public for what it is – a bribe not to play. Rather, it is being presented comically as a “$20 million personal services contract” or “marketing and licensing agreement”. That’s hysterical. Other than Al, who buys into everything that proceedeth from the mouth of Teddy, I can’t imagine anyone buying into that.

    It’s a bribe not to play, pure and simple. And the way we’ll know that is that the offer won’t be valid if Favre reinstates and plays with Green Bay or anyone else.

    Shame on you, Teddy. You refused to pay Randy Moss millions to play (twice), and now you’re offering Brett Favre millions NOT to play? You’re a disgrace to the Green Bay Packers.

  • JeffN

    Pete H, while I respect your opinion I just disagree. I don’t think having Moss in Green Bay would have put them in the Super Bowl last year. Moss didn’t perform well in the play offs last year, but had a record breaking year in regular season. The perspective here is that Moss awed everyone but didn’t come through in the most important games. Moss is inconsistant and has been throughout his carreer.

  • keith sager

    didn’t farve retire in the 2nd quarter of the NFC Championship game at Lambeau Field, seemed to me he wanted to be anywhere other than GB that day sniffing his hankie and running 3 quick plays so he could back to the sidelines. well welcome back to GB brett. hope you look more enthused this time around.

    GO PACK GO!!!

    whoever our team ends up being