We’ll See

“We’ll see”. I was so despondent when I heard the news that the Packers would allow the over-the-hill-diva quarterback Brett Favre back to compete for a starting job that I had to call my Mom and Pops for their guidance. When I said it appeared that the Packers gave in to Favre, my mom said it best – “We’ll see”. She sounds like the Zen master if you ask me. We will see. In the end Aaron Rodgers gives the Packers the best chance of winning the Super Bowl not only this year, but in future years. We’ll see.

One thing is sure, however, with Favre in camp I have nothing to blog about. There will be only one subject in Green Bay and it is a big distraction. Thanks Brett for ruining the Packers’ 2008 season. Hope you are happy with 4-12.

Then again. We’ll see. Either way, I’ll talk to you in January.

This entry was posted on Sunday, August 3rd, 2008 at 6:04 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.

  • Michael Legat

    He’s getting traded ASAP.

  • jonnyfootballhero

    I can’t understand for the life of me how you think Aaron Rodgers gives the Packers the best chance to win the Super Bowl this year. Please explain.

  • http://www.packernet.com admin

    Well, the Packers obviously can’t win another one with Favre. Certainly not at soon to be age 39. The Packers coaches know from practice which players give them the best chance to win, and if they don’t play them they lose the respect of the rest of the team. The Packers made the decision to go with Rodgers. If they back down now they are cowards and the Packers future in the NFL is in serious doubt.

  • Jimm G

    Who knows what is going to happen with this competition. If Favre doesn’t win then what, the Favre fans will tear the place down. Favre has but the organization in one hell of a predicament; let’s just hope that things work out for the best of the team. I think Favre gives us the best shot at the Super Bowl but the future is bleak should he stay and Rodgers goes. If Brett doesn’t get traded then he should commit now to two more years so that Brohm can be “groomed”. What a mess.

  • Jon

    No one believes Ted and Mike are going to give Favre a fair shot at competing for the quarterback job. Ted and Mike simply have too much to lose if Favre beats out Rodgers.

    Think about it. If Favre beats out Rodgers, Ted and Mike will look like absolute nincompoops: the guy they told to stay retired; the guy they didn’t want; they guy they said would not be allowed to compete for the starting job; well, if that guy beats out Ted and Mike’s quarterback, Ted and Mike will be confirmed idiots.

    They can’t take that risk. So if Favre is not traded pronto (I think he will be), watch for Ted and Mike to “stack the deck” against Favre in the “competition”. They gave to, because if Favre beats out Rodgers – which on a level playing field would be no contest – Ted and Mike will go down as the dumbest manager-coach combo in history!

    So Thompson will NEVER allow that. He’ll either trade Favre or instruct McCarthy, “Hey Mike, guess what? I already held the competition and Rodgers barely edged out Favre!”

    And, the wise in the sports world think as I do. Here’s what ESPN says:

    “We just wonder if they’ll give Favre a real chance to win the job after feuding with him all summer and all but begging him to remain in retirement” – http://myespn.go.com/blogs/nfcnorth/0-3-16/Will-this-be-a-fair-fight-.html

  • whodat

    I especially like how you draw a line from Brett Favre returning ALL THE WAY to the future of the NFL is in serious doubt. I’d like to suggest a large dose of ‘adult calm’ for you young man, although it sounds as if you’ve already spoken to Mommy and she’s calmed you down.

    I don’t know whether or not Aaron Rodgers gives the Packers the best chance at the SB or not, and neither do you. WHEN he’s the starting QB for GB, I will support him 100% and I really hope that he’s everything you somehow ‘know’ he is already. In the meantime, let the best QB play. If you hold it against Brett that he wants to keep playing, then you should feel the same level of angst for about half of the names attached to the retired GB jersey numbers.

    IF the Packers trade BF and Rodgers can’t win or can’t stay healthy, I bet your Mom changes her number to an unlisted one.

  • Zach

    Unbelievable……If Favre runs out of the tunnel on opening day, I will never step foot in Lambeau again.

  • Jahman

    Zach, I’ll be happy to take those tickets off your hands.

  • Jimm G

    I don’t understand those of you that say you are Packer fans but continue to bash Thompson and McCarthy. None of this has been pleasant and neither side has handled this correctly but hey, we went 13-3 with the team these two built out of a 4-12 team. Maybe I don’t get the loathing because I don’t live in Wisconsin anymore, but I am a Packer fan who wants to not only win now but be competitive in the future. Favre helps us now and next year at least, Rodgers probably won’t develop into a consistent starter for until next year, if he does at all, and no one, including myself, can tell if he will secure the future or not. Bottom line is I will support this team regardless of what happens with Favre, I’m not going to chuck any of his memorabilia and I’m damn sure not going to find another team. If I’m wrong in my thinking I would like to know what I’ve missed in the media that you all are privy to.

  • Jimm G

    And if anyone wants to give me their tickets… I’ll take them!!!

  • http://n/a Packerpete

    To Al and all who agree with his opinion concerning Favre.

    ARE YOU RETARDED?

    How can you hate this man so much after all he has provided to OUR favorite franchise?

    Think about it…

    How many other veteran pro football players get badgered concerning their retirement the second the season ends?

    Hint… NONE, ZERO, ZIP, NADA… except for ONE… Brett Lorenzo Favre

    Why is this you might ask…

    Think about it…

    I have heard that BF tries to run the team by asking for players to be retained or signed as FA. He gets roundly criticized for this with claims that he IS NOT the GM.

    I agree, he is not the GM and should simply do his own job and stay out of the GM duties. That said, consider this… It is the job of the GM to build a team that wins today and stays competitive for the future. This includes providing for the time when veterans retire. By badgering BF as soon as a season ends and laying the entire off-season FA and Draft strategies at his decision, the GM is abdicating his responsibility in favor of designating a scapegoat, namely BF. The knife cuts both ways, let the GM handle his responsibilities and leave BF alone until it is time for him to fulfill his contractual obligations by reporting to mandatory camps. Any decision requests before that time is simply unfair to the player, and makes the player the defacto decision maker for the GM.

    In a nutshell, TT precipitated this whole goddam thing by facilitating the press’s facination with the annual off-season BF inquisition concerning retirement.

    Brett is Brett, he will ALWAYS answer a question as honestly as he can AT THE TIME. By asking him if he can commit 100% before he really has to, TT got the answer he wanted from BF in March, NO. This gave TT license to jump the gun and install AR as his BOY, which he has wanted to do since he drafted him. So… Brett is guilty of being truthful, nothing more. Once the offseason wore on and he decompressed, he realized he could play and was ready to do so, by then the drama had been pre-installed by TT and MM, leading us to where we are today.

    I saw this before this in past off-seasons, I saw this during the beginning of this off-season and I see this now.

    I, for one, refuse to villify BF for TT’s puppeteering of MM and his quest to install his own guys wherever possible, consequences be damned.

    I know who is to blame.

  • Jon

    It’s not only Jon and ESPN raising the question whether Thompson will rig the competition. The Chicago Sun-Times is, too. Read this:

    “Assuming it’s a fair competition that won’t be rigged for Rodgers, expect Favre behind center on the first Monday night when his jersey is retired at Lambeau Field and the foes are the Minnesota Vikings.” http://www.suntimes.com/sports/1089065,mariotti080408.article

    LOL. It seems like Thompson is so highly regarded that no one has any trouble seeing him stoop so low as to rig the “competition.”

  • CheesyD

    I guess you have a built in excuse if Rodgers does beat out Favre, assuming Favre passes his physical.

    If Favre wins back the starting job, I wonder if he’ll change his mind (yet again) half way through the season and quit again.

  • Oconomowockid

    Al,
    Give us your assessment of how the offense looked tonight. It did not look very good to me, but you normally have a different perspective than I do. I am looking for your thoughts. I don’t see Favre coming back to play for Green Bay, so I don’t think you have to worry about selling your tickets.

  • Jon

    It’s not an “excuse”. It’s a matter of fact that Ted and Mike simply CANNOT allow Favre to beat out Rodgers. There are two compelling reasons for this:

    1. After the way they have Ted and Mike have built up Rodgers and trashed Favre, if Favre were to beat out Rodgers – and no one doubts Favre would in a fair competition – Ted and Mike would be seen as incompetent, nincompoop judges of talent, and properly should be asked to resign. They’re not going to let that happen.

    2. In addition to not wanting to be seen as incompetent, nincompoop judges of talent, another incentive to rig the competition is in the belief that Favre will not want to hold a clipboard and will retire.

    That’s why you’ll never see Favre beat out Rodgers. Either Favre will be traded, or the “competition” will be rigged.

  • Jon

    Cheesy,

    It’s not an “excuse”. It’s a matter of fact that Ted and Mike simply CANNOT allow Favre to beat out Rodgers. There are two compelling reasons for this:

    1. After the way Ted and Mike have built up Rodgers and trashed Favre, if Favre were to beat out Rodgers – and no one doubts Favre would in a fair competition – Ted and Mike would be seen as incompetent, nincompoop judges of talent, and properly should be asked to resign. They’re not going to let that happen.

    2. In addition to not wanting to be seen as incompetent, nincompoop judges of talent, another incentive to rig the competition is in the belief that Favre will not want to hold a clipboard and will retire.

    That’s why you’ll never see Favre beat out Rodgers. Either Favre will be traded, or the “competition” will be rigged.

  • Michael Legat

    God you are a troll. We get it. You like Brett Favre, Ted Thompson is a “nincompoop”. Why don’t you explain one more time why it won’t be a fair competition, oh wise douche?

  • Michael Legat

    And can we stop with the “Brett is too honest” crap? Brett is too honest like OJ loved Nicole too much.

  • Jon

    Michael Legay,

    Name one lie Favre has said in this entire ordeal.

    None.

    That’s why the liar is Ted, not Brett.

  • Michael Legat
  • Michael Legat
  • Michael Legat

    VAN SUSTEREN: The Packers — have they told you that you can come back, and not that you want to, but sit on the bench?

    FAVRE: That’s all I’ve been hearing, yes. Yes.

    VAN SUSTEREN: Is that unacceptable to you?

    FAVRE: I think so. A lot of people — and you’ve mentioned that — Why not go back and hold them to it? You know, I don’t — you know, I don’t — I don’t see it that way. It’s tempting just to — because everyone’s saying, you know, Call their bluff, or whatever. I think it’s going to be a circus in itself already, whether I go there, whatever.

    And I like my teammates. I had a lot of fun with them. I have talked to numerous guys throughout this whole ordeal. I wish them the best. I really do. I hold nothing against those guys. We had a lot of fun together. We had — you know, it was an amazing year, last year. I don’t — I don’t want to make it any worse than it is.

    I mean, I’ve always been a Packer. I always will be a Packer. Do I play somewhere else? That remains to be seen. But I don’t want to go back there just to stick it to them.

  • Michael Legat

    There’s three. Piss off, troll.

  • Oconomowockid

    Michael,
    You are starting to sound like you work in the PR department at the Packers headquarters. I respect your opinion, but your starting to sound like Al’s cousin down the block. Jon maybe working out of Brett’s house but your definitely living in Ted’s guest house.

  • cdk4205

    Guys – you are taking this stuff way too serious.

    If Favre wants to play, he should have to win the job back after the flip flopping that he did. But I’ll tell you, if he wins the job back, MM will play him! Murphy made the trip and made the offer to emphasize that Brett should be forever associated with the Packers. You can bet TT / MM and Murphy are all on the same page. I think the marketing deal really forced Brett to decide if he wanted to be a Packer or not, at least they can all now believe his heart is really in it (and I don’t care what anybody says, his heart was not in it at Chicago and against NY last winter!).

    I don’t think TT will trade him …. Brett will either start or backup with Brohm #3…. and Flynn will spend the year on the practice squad. Rodgers will be the guy at some point this year (and certainly next year) — more so than just one game I’m betting, but I do think Brett will win the job back to start the year….I’m guessing 10-6 for a record which should make the playoffs and if Brett is still healthy, GB will go deep (probably lose in the Super Bowl unless there is some Elway style mojo for Brett to win one on the way out). If not, its probably a loss in the divisional round….without the Brett comeback, I’m guessing the record would have been 11-5 with AR losing in the champ game against Dallas.

    I think TT followed the only path he had before him and then he forced the issue to ensure Brett really was serious. Remember he changed his mind at least three times he has admitted to. I don’t think this changes the forward path that has been set, just makes the path less steep for another year!

    Al – I understand your frustration, and all the discussion above is fruitless….yes Brett sees things his own way and TT / MM are better at thinking through the choices and would prefer a calmer, more measured approach….however, if Brett plays at the level of early in the year last year (and that is a big if) he gives GB a better chance to go longer in the playoffs….if his play reverts to the two/three years ago Brett, MM will be forced to pull him, insert AR, and we will be worse off than if AR had gotten the ball at the start of the year.

  • Michael Legat

    Oconomowockid, I see how it may appear, but I’ve made all sorts of concessions, and I want the best for the team – if the scenario plays out in #4′s favor, I look forward to seeing him extend his legacy. I try to shoot down absolutists like our boy Jon, but I see how that may paint me as an absolutist on the other side. Plus, apparently I’m gay.

  • Steve

    Al,

    Boy 7-20 sure looked good tonight…

    Does Ted come to your house or do you sleep at his?

  • Larry

    Some of us think Brett has been somewhat reckless with the football over his career. And, it has been quite a career! If you (as I do) think he has made dumb throws before, wait until he goes out there and trys to prove how great he is now. I shudder to think how he’s going to prove to all of us he still has it. Its in his nature and he will always do it. Jon, forget the stats, lets not go there again. Wether its for the Packers or some other team he will play this year I guess, but its obvious he’s playing for Favre and not the team he will be on. I hate to say it but I think he finally gets clobbered because of those 39 year old legs.

  • Larry

    Al, cheer up, dont get so discouraged. Im not sure if TT is the best GM in the league or not, but I dont see a line at his door of GMs willing to shell out 12mil for his 39 yr old QB. If the QB was worth it to any other team it wouldnt matter if it cost them a high draft choice or not if the QB filled the stadium, SB or not. If reports are true and the Viqueens are the only ones interested Id let him go. I dont think Brett is committed enough to any other team to go through the mental aspects of leading another team. He had enough trouble “studying” and watching film last year. I can imagine what this is doing to the locker room. There is no way that the players are not taking sides in this matter no matter what they say. If you were in that locker room you couldnt help it. These guys are all playing for $ and every move taken by TT, MM, BF, and AR affects every one of them. No matter who starts even if they win (and I really dont see how they can with this going on) this team will be split.

  • TRIP

    All this Favre-Rodgers competition for the starting job is straight bologna. It will NEVER happen. That would be a TOTAL loss for TT and MM. And a total win for BF. A-rod can’t beat BF out, YET. I give it about a week before he’s traded. I think TT will come to terms that he’s not going to get much for Favre. A 1st, 2nd, 3rd round pick will play for you 6 years and beyond and could be the next Favre, or Manning, or the other Manning, or Brady. Favre will put in, at most, 2 years. A 2nd round pick (where the Falcons got Favre) would not be worth 2 years of service from a QB that MIGHT be able to replicate success he had with a highly talented young Packers team, whereas he’d have to learn a completely different system, yadda yadda. Besides, only a winning team could get to the SB in 2 years with a little help from Favre. And Favre really only wants to go to a winning team, he retired with a 13-3 one. Only problem is, no winning team needs him.

    Just expect one of 2 things.

    1) Favre is gone to another non-NFC North team in less than 10 days. Packers get a middle round pick, at best, 3rd.

    2) Favre takes the money and losses all credibility, staying retired.

    3) Yes, I said 2 things. That’s because the Packers losing all credibility is not going to happen. If the Packers were ever going to take Favre back, it would have happened a month ago.

  • Jon

    Mikey Legay,

    Those aren’t “lies”.

    1. Favre intended to retire at the time, so his retirement speech wasn’t a “lie”. He wasn’t thinking, “I want to play, but I’m going to give a retirement speech!” In fact his retirement was very much limited to the present, and left the future open, which is why talk started immediately about whether he would stay retired!

    2. Saying talk of his return was a “rumor” was true – it was a rumor!

    3. The interview with Greta contains absolutely no false statements.

    So we’re back to Teddy lying about Favre competing for the starting job, Favre taking Teddy to the woodshed, and Mikey Legay being pithed off!

    Now you go pith off!

  • Pete H

    Everyone here knows my opinion of Brett. do I think he has been reckless with the ball too often. Absolutely! Watch the games. Sure, but I also know that in spite of that, and in spite of having zero defense for several years, and having to throw occaisionally to guys like Schroeder, Fergason, Chatman, Thurman..was that his name..the teams he has played on have been consistent winners. should the Pack have won more titles..probably, but he does not hold sole responsibility for that. He has made some idiotic throws in some big games, but he has also come up huge in some big games…..SF 98′ (fucked by the refs) the second Super Bowl…MVP if they could ever stop TD. Seattle last year…Seattle couple years ago, SF year before that. Even the Philly game was good until the 1..ONE …UNO throw …last year he made good throws in save 1 ONE UNO. I will support whatever team goes out there come Sept. What I can’t believe is how those on here who have defended every TT move, and say “just trust the man”…”look at the success”…now are throwing him under the bus. so he is great until he does something you disagree with? Where’s your trust? I still have my concerns with TT..I have voiced them here often, and either way it works out he handled this like a first grader…as did Favre. I also can’t believe that all of the sudden people like Al think this is going to be a 4-12 team. You yourself Al said Favre probably gives this team the best chance this year, but your concern was the future….fine, but talk about waffling….KETTLE BLACK

  • CheesyD
  • Pete H

    Who cares what anyone in the media says……Sell papers, attract viewers, blah blah blah…..controversial dribble is all they do.

  • Samuel T.

    Something does indeed smell fishy.

    If the Packers are sincere in holding an open competition, then they lose all credibility. To be so set one way and then suddenly do a 180-degree turn is rare, if unheard of in big time sports management.

    Two possibilities exist here:

    1) Under pressure from Goodell and corporate sponsors, the Packers saw that they would lose more than just Favre if they didn’t come around. So they returned from the “Rubicon” and decided to capitulate.

    2) A division existed all along between General Manager Thompson and Head Coach McCarthy on the Favre issue and the “open competition” has now been dictated by McCarthy with the blessing of team President Mark Murphy. In fact, Thompson and his ego surely are what has been driving the adamant opposition to Brett’s return and the push of Aaron Rodgers. If so, it may play out that Brett Favre is the starting QB, Thompson is going to be gone as Packer GM, and Rodgers will be traded to avoid conflict, and the future will be put in Brian Brohm’s hands under Brett’s tutelage.

    Either way, Brett Favre will win this competition. It will be up to the Packers then to decide if they want to utilize him or trade him away. If the Packers are being disingenuous about the “competition”, they will take a terrible PR beating.

  • Dan

    Time will tell.

    Remember the first few year’s Sherman was here, everyone was jumping for joy because we returned to the playoffs and looked like a sure Super Bowl contender. We even applauded Sherman when he retooled the WRs after they couldn’t catch in the St Louis playoff loss. After the 4th and 26 fiasco, everyone wanted Sherman gone.
    Time told us Sherman didn’t have what it takes in the big game.

    Time will tell…and of course, we’ll all be claiming we were right.

  • Jon

    LOL.

    Now even veteran Packer journalist Tom Silverstein acknowledges the possibility that “The competition is a sham, and Rodgers will be given the job no matter how Favre performs”. http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=779415

  • Michael Legat

    There are a million shades of grey to everything Favre says and the other side is black and white. That’s LOL, douche.

  • Jon

    Favre is a quarterback, not an orator. Conversely, the General Manager of a multi-million-dollar corporation needs to be precise with his words and not lie. Ted lied; Ted needs to go.

  • Miles Dibble

    Have enjoyed your website for along time.
    Couldn’t agree more with y0ur opinion here.
    Keep up the good work.

  • CheesyD

    There’s all kinds of possibilities, and no one knows what will happen or what has really happened behind the scenes. I love how all those with #4 knee pads on are already calling the competition for starting QB a sham, even though they have absolutely zero evidence to back it up.

    The good news about Favre forcing his way back onto the team is that he can no longer refuse a trade. Send him back to Atlanta where his NFL career began. We’ll see how long he sticks around before he retires yet again.

  • Pete H

    So if nobody knows what really happened…including you…whats your need to send him to Atl… again KETTLE BLACK

  • Dan

    NFL.com reporting the NFL has dismissed the Packers tampering charge against the Vikings.

  • CheesyD

    Pete, I want Rodgers as the starting QB. No need for a bloated $12 million salary for a bench warmer. So I guess you know what you can do with your kettle.

  • Oconomowockid

    When the Packers need a former presidential Press spokesman,the commissioner, the local media blast their message 24/7 something is terribly wrong at Lambeau. What a long drawn out disaster. Thomponiacs lets at least start by admitting your boy really could have done a better job.

  • Roy Jamison

    Good bye Brett. Now you won’t have to move your locker back into the Packer locker room. Feel free to move it to New York or Tampa. Good luck.