Missing Element-Brett Favre & The Packers (1 Viewer)

[Stinger Ray]

The missing element in this year's Packers compared to last year's is not being able to stop the run this year.

and the fact that Rodgers has yet to lead the team to victory in crunch time.

 

[Stinger Ray]

http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packers/36149509.html

Jacksonville, Fla. - The longer the streak goes, the harder it gets for Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

The Packers' 20-16 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars marked the seventh time this season that Rodgers had the ball in his hands late in the fourth quarter with a chance to beat a team and wasn't able to do it. The defense collapsed at the end of the game, but Rodgers had 1 minute 50 seconds to lead the team to a winning touchdown.

"I get paid to make plays and I need to make plays," Rodgers said. "I haven't been doing that as often as I want to be or should be. I take it upon myself. I'm disappointed. I've got to make the throws. I haven't been making them and I take that right on my shoulders."

Rodgers completed 20 of 32 passes for 278 yards and a touchdown with one interception, so his day wasn't a complete loss.

But the game followed a familiar script, in which Rodgers can't get the Packers into the end zone midway through the fourth quarter, the defense gives up the lead and Rodgers can't pull out a last-minute rally. It's a scene that has been played out numerous times this season.

Whether it all falls on Rodgers' shoulders is a matter of opinion.

"I think it's the whole offense," coach Mike McCarthy said. "The quarterback is a big part of it. The 2-minute drive there at the end, really, without seeing the film as far as the throw and coverage and so forth, I couldn't really answer that accurately without seeing the film."

The sequence of plays starting from the Packers' 16 after the kickoff began with Rodgers trying to go deep to receiver Greg Jennings. Safety Gerald Sensabaugh had a chance to end the game right there when he jumped the route, but he dropped a sure interception.

On the next play, Rodgers had running back Brandon Jackson open on a checkdown that could have gotten a first down, but he threw it low and Jackson couldn't hang on. After completing three passes for 32 yards, Rodgers attempted to go downfield again and this time he overthrew tight end Donald Lee.

Safety Reggie Nelson picked off the ball at the Jacksonville 27 and the game was over.

"We've had our chances," Rodgers said. "We've lost a lot of close games. We just haven't executed when we needed to. It goes back to the same stuff, third-down conversion, red-zone efficiency. We get down to the red zone four times and (we get) three field goals. We've been leaving points out there. I'm disappointed."

Maybe the most frustrating part of the game for Rodgers and the offense occurred late in the fourth quarter after Rodgers hit receiver James Jones for 34 yards on a deep route down the right sideline.

Running back Ryan Grant dropped a pass that could have gotten the Packers inside the 10 or maybe farther. Then on second and 8, Rodgers took a sack by defensive end Reggie Hayward, fumbling the ball back to the 28 where tackle Tony Moll recovered.

Moll allowed Hayward to sack Rodgers after playing as though he had help on the outside when he really didn't.

"It's something I shouldn't have been expecting and I did," Moll said. "It's one of those miscommunications where I thought I should be getting help more than it should just be my man. It's an option. The running back has his people he's looking at and if they don't come then he comes over. I just didn't take the proper (approach)."

Rodgers said he had a chance to deliver the ball and avoid the sack, but waited too long for something to open.

The Packers wound up kicking a field goal that made it 16-14. They were hoping for more.

"I like the calls that we've had down the stretch, guys have been getting open and I haven't been making the throws," Rodgers said. "We put together a good drive, I get stripped, it's third and long and we end up kicking a field goal where we wish we could have had a touchdown.

"It gives us momentum. A two-point conversion puts us up seven. And (instead) we're only up two. They make a play, we have to come back and finish it off and we don't do it. It's kind of been the script. I take as much blame as anybody should."

After it was over, Rodgers' teammates refused to place the loss on his shoulders. There were too many other gaffes that occurred, including the mixup with rookie tight end Jermichael Finley on third down at the Jacksonville 5 in the second quarter and the failed fourth-and-1 play in the fourth quarter in which McCarthy chose to run fullback John Kuhn instead of giving Rodgers the ball on a sneak.

"It's not on him," Grant said. "All of us are adults. We know what it takes to win games. We have enough guys who have been in this situation. Aaron's done a great job for us."

 

[Stinger Ray]

Here is a quote from Michael Hunt from JS Online today...

Outside of the whole Brett Favre argument, Rodgers is going to have to stand up and make a play when it matters one of these days. Outside of what was an aberration against Chicago, Rodgers has done nothing to help win a game since signing that massive contract.

 

[sho nuff]

What are you talking about, sho? Seriously? So if the players on the team "play hard" they will automatically win? There is so much more to winning that you don't seem to understand.

Seriously...just stop talking.If you are not going to read what I wrote...or what I was referencing in the article...just don't try discussing it.Yup...more to winning than playing hard...you are making my point for me. The article mentioned people wanting to play hard for Favre (and I have heard this about the Favre factor before too...that people would play hard for him and they don't seem to be now).My point is...does anyone think those guys were not playing hard or trying hard to win yesterday...and that Favre behind center would have willed them to that key first down?Favre would have been better for this year...I have still not denied that beyond my statements in the other thread with the way Favre was playing earlier in the year.But I don't think he would have been enough to push this team far enough. And seeing that, and people can write all the articles they want, in the end, all that matters is this team, in all liklihood, would not be going anywhere even with Favre.

 

[Ookie Pringle]

If anyone watched the game yesterday I saw a team with no leadership. Players were yelling at each other and that is something you don't see on winning teams.

CB Al Harris and LB Brady Poppinga got into a heated shouting match early in the third quarter. They disagreed on who was going to over the outside receiver. Poppinga waved Harris to go out, Harris waved back, Harris finally went out on the guy and then they got into each other's face during the huddle on the next play.

There was also the yelling that went on on the 3rd and goal play in the first half when the offense didn't line up correctly.

Mike McCarthy has not stepped up this season as a leader to help fill the void with Favre gone.

 

[Stinger Ray]

What are you talking about, sho? Seriously? So if the players on the team "play hard" they will automatically win? There is so much more to winning that you don't seem to understand.

Seriously...just stop talking.

I think someone is getting a bit testy!!

 

[sho nuff]

If anyone watched the game yesterday I saw a team with no leadership. Players were yelling at each other and that is something you don't see on winning teams.CB Al Harris and LB Brady Poppinga got into a heated shouting match early in the third quarter. They disagreed on who was going to over the outside receiver. Poppinga waved Harris to go out, Harris waved back, Harris finally went out on the guy and then they got into each other's face during the huddle on the next play. There was also the yelling that went on on the 3rd and goal play in the first half when the offense didn't line up correctly.Mike McCarthy has not stepped up this season as a leader to help fill the void with Favre gone.

Agreed...and like you said, McCarthy has needed to do something and is failing too.Defense has nobody to step up right now (Kampman is about the only one I think still out there who should do something)Losing will do that too of course.

 

[Man in the yellow hat]

Good article. Can't disagree. I said something similar somewhere around week4/5. The team, while talented, is missing some leadership. People tend to forget this is the youngest team in the league. Any time you turn over the leadership on a team, there's going to be some growing pains.

 

[CletiusMaximus]

I read Silverstein's article yesterday and thought he made some good points, although I disagree with much of it. The dramatic drop in wins this season, with largely the same team, could easily lead one to the conclusion that Favre's absence is the easy explanation for the disappointing performance. I think it is now clear that the change from Favre to Rodgers has not hurt the team in terms of quality play on the field, so many will argue there is an intangible factor that Favre brought that Rodgers can't deliver due to his youth, and that is the big difference (basically, Silverstein's premise). People discuss the vague notions of "leadership" and Favre's "will to win", which are obviously hard to measure, but are a convenient way to explain the poor results this year. I had the opportunity to have a few beers with Cliff Cristl and another former beat writer in Milwaukee a few weeks ago and specifically discussed this issue. Cliff was always a huge Favre supporter and always quick to criticize management (and he hasn't changed - in fact, many will recall that Cliff came out of retirement this summer to write a short piece for NFL.com just to criticize Thompson and take a shot at his former colleague Bob McGinn). We discussed Favre's attitude the past few years - the fact that his locker was back with the trainers and separate from the team, the famous denial of a mentor role for Rodgers, his absence from Green Bay in the offseason, the reports that he no longer had any good friends on the team like in the old days, and the reports from this summer and last regarding Rodgers' cookouts and bonding with his OL and WR's and other teammates. Favre was never a rah-rah guy in the lockerroom. Cliff downplayed the leadership factor, and said something similar to Ruvell's comment at the end of this piece - basically, they are professionals and really all should be leaders. I think the leadership factor is much more important for high school or maybe college athletes. There are plenty of excuses out there that fans are making regarding this team, including injuries, schedule and now this. The fact is that the players aren't playing well and the coaches aren't preparing the team to be competitive. The penalties and late-game defensive collapses show that. I am still hopeful for the future and I think the team is in a good place going forward, but certainly expect Thompson to take a hard look at his staff and his team from top to botton this offseason (as I'm sure he is doing now).

 

[Man in the yellow hat]

I read Silverstein's article yesterday and thought he made some good points, although I disagree with much of it. The dramatic drop in wins this season, with largely the same team, could easily lead one to the conclusion that Favre's absence is the easy explanation for the disappointing performance. I think it is now clear that the change from Favre to Rodgers has not hurt the team in terms of quality play on the field, so many will argue there is an intangible factor that Favre brought that Rodgers can't deliver due to his youth, and that is the big difference (basically, Silverstein's premise). People discuss the vague notions of "leadership" and Favre's "will to win", which are obviously hard to measure, but are a convenient way to explain the poor results this year. I had the opportunity to have a few beers with Cliff Cristl and another former beat writer in Milwaukee a few weeks ago and specifically discussed this issue. Cliff was always a huge Favre supporter and always quick to criticize management (and he hasn't changed - in fact, many will recall that Cliff came out of retirement this summer to write a short piece for NFL.com just to criticize Thompson and take a shot at his former colleague Bob McGinn). We discussed Favre's attitude the past few years - the fact that his locker was back with the trainers and separate from the team, the famous denial of a mentor role for Rodgers, his absence from Green Bay in the offseason, the reports that he no longer had any good friends on the team like in the old days, and the reports from this summer and last regarding Rodgers' cookouts and bonding with his OL and WR's and other teammates. Favre was never a rah-rah guy in the lockerroom. Cliff downplayed the leadership factor, and said something similar to Ruvell's comment at the end of this piece - basically, they are professionals and really all should be leaders. I think the leadership factor is much more important for high school or maybe college athletes. There are plenty of excuses out there that fans are making regarding this team, including injuries, schedule and now this. The fact is that the players aren't playing well and the coaches aren't preparing the team to be competitive. The penalties and late-game defensive collapses show that. I am still hopeful for the future and I think the team is in a good place going forward, but certainly expect Thompson to take a hard look at his staff and his team from top to botton this offseason (as I'm sure he is doing now).

Well done.I'd say Thompson can start by firing Bob Sanders and Mike Stock.

 

[sho nuff]

I read Silverstein's article yesterday and thought he made some good points, although I disagree with much of it. The dramatic drop in wins this season, with largely the same team, could easily lead one to the conclusion that Favre's absence is the easy explanation for the disappointing performance. I think it is now clear that the change from Favre to Rodgers has not hurt the team in terms of quality play on the field, so many will argue there is an intangible factor that Favre brought that Rodgers can't deliver due to his youth, and that is the big difference (basically, Silverstein's premise). People discuss the vague notions of "leadership" and Favre's "will to win", which are obviously hard to measure, but are a convenient way to explain the poor results this year. I had the opportunity to have a few beers with Cliff Cristl and another former beat writer in Milwaukee a few weeks ago and specifically discussed this issue. Cliff was always a huge Favre supporter and always quick to criticize management (and he hasn't changed - in fact, many will recall that Cliff came out of retirement this summer to write a short piece for NFL.com just to criticize Thompson and take a shot at his former colleague Bob McGinn). We discussed Favre's attitude the past few years - the fact that his locker was back with the trainers and separate from the team, the famous denial of a mentor role for Rodgers, his absence from Green Bay in the offseason, the reports that he no longer had any good friends on the team like in the old days, and the reports from this summer and last regarding Rodgers' cookouts and bonding with his OL and WR's and other teammates. Favre was never a rah-rah guy in the lockerroom. Cliff downplayed the leadership factor, and said something similar to Ruvell's comment at the end of this piece - basically, they are professionals and really all should be leaders. I think the leadership factor is much more important for high school or maybe college athletes. There are plenty of excuses out there that fans are making regarding this team, including injuries, schedule and now this. The fact is that the players aren't playing well and the coaches aren't preparing the team to be competitive. The penalties and late-game defensive collapses show that. I am still hopeful for the future and I think the team is in a good place going forward, but certainly expect Thompson to take a hard look at his staff and his team from top to botton this offseason (as I'm sure he is doing now).

Well done.I'd say Thompson can start by firing Bob Sanders and Mike Stock.

Yup...those 2 will be first to go.And McCarthy should be told his job is not all that safe either if he does not get some things under control.At the same time...the exec. committee should also tell Ted the same thing...that he better do something and show improvement or he may be hitting the streets too.Everyone needs to be held accountable.

 

[Anthony Borbely]

Corey Williams left as a free agent, then Cullen Jenkins got hurt and KGB's skills declined so bad that he was released. Nick Barnett was lost for the year. Al Harris missed 4 games. Rouse and Bigby have been injured. The backups are even getting hurt. It is no wonder the defense has went downhill and I hardly fault Thompson for that.

 

[Stinger Ray]

Corey Williams left as a free agent, then Cullen Jenkins got hurt and KGB's skills declined so bad that he was released. Nick Barnett was lost for the year. Al Harris missed 4 games. Rouse and Bigby have been injured. The backups are even getting hurt. It is no wonder the defense has went downhill and I hardly fault Thompson for that.

Williams was traded and Thompson has accepted the blame for how this team has performed. Injuries happen all the time in the NFL and a team must have depth to be ready when those injuries happen.

 

[parasaurolophus]

Corey Williams left as a free agent, then Cullen Jenkins got hurt and KGB's skills declined so bad that he was released. Nick Barnett was lost for the year. Al Harris missed 4 games. Rouse and Bigby have been injured. The backups are even getting hurt. It is no wonder the defense has went downhill and I hardly fault Thompson for that.

TT knew Corey williams was going to be gone before the draft(obviously as he used the pick). KGB skills had declined by week 1 of this season. When Barnett went down I think they were 4-5 already. The early part of the year the secondary was a very strong unit so harris being out really didnt seem to hurt. I would say you could certainly fault TT for the lack of Dline depth.

 

[Da Guru]

It sure was a shame when Favre retired... who knows how this season would have gone if he had simply said "Sure, I'll play another year" to the Packers?

Exactly. All Farve had to say after last year was "We had a great year and I can`t wait to get to camp" The Packers would have welcomed him back.Instead Farve did what he has done the last 3-4 years..and sometimes he did it in season. Saying " I am tired, I am not sure I can prepare like I used to. The game is draining."Is that what you want to hear if you are the Packers?I like Farve, but he was as much or more to blame for this than the Packers.

 

[bcr8f]

Corey Williams left as a free agent, then Cullen Jenkins got hurt and KGB's skills declined so bad that he was released. Nick Barnett was lost for the year. Al Harris missed 4 games. Rouse and Bigby have been injured. The backups are even getting hurt. It is no wonder the defense has went downhill and I hardly fault Thompson for that.

TT knew Corey williams was going to be gone before the draft(obviously as he used the pick). KGB skills had declined by week 1 of this season. When Barnett went down I think they were 4-5 already. The early part of the year the secondary was a very strong unit so harris being out really didnt seem to hurt. I would say you could certainly fault TT for the lack of Dline depth.

Cullen Jenkins was a huge loss.

 

[bcr8f]

But what if the missing ingredient is Brett Favre? Not the touchdown passes, yards and interceptions he contributed; rather the aura, unspoken leadership and broad shoulders he provided for a team learning to win again.

What if? <_< What if this is total bull? Last year Favre said he didn't feel a part of the team because of the age difference. Silverstein is doing what he usually does, stir up controversy to get more readers.

 

[Mr.Pack]

The missing element in this year's Packers compared to last year's is not being able to stop the run this year.

Now why did you have to go and bring facts into the equation?The nerve of some people.

 

[Mr.Pack]

If anyone watched the game yesterday I saw a team with no leadership. Players were yelling at each other and that is something you don't see on winning teams.CB Al Harris and LB Brady Poppinga got into a heated shouting match early in the third quarter. They disagreed on who was going to over the outside receiver. Poppinga waved Harris to go out, Harris waved back, Harris finally went out on the guy and then they got into each other's face during the huddle on the next play. There was also the yelling that went on on the 3rd and goal play in the first half when the offense didn't line up correctly.Mike McCarthy has not stepped up this season as a leader to help fill the void with Favre gone.

That damn Rodgers again.

 

[Yitbos69]

The official o/u on the percentage of total posts in this thread by sho is 27%.

Whats the over under on your posts worrying about how much I post...before I ever do?Do you all not have anything better to do than worry about my post count?Seriously guys...just grow up already.

are you just trying to hit theover?

 

[sho nuff]

Corey Williams left as a free agent, then Cullen Jenkins got hurt and KGB's skills declined so bad that he was released. Nick Barnett was lost for the year. Al Harris missed 4 games. Rouse and Bigby have been injured. The backups are even getting hurt. It is no wonder the defense has went downhill and I hardly fault Thompson for that.

Williams was traded actually.But Thompson does have responsibility in that the backups were not all ready...and even with cap space, (and granted limited help really available during the season) did not use it to fill the spots.I won't put it all on him...as some of that you cannot prepare for...but some of it you can.

 

[iSnitch]

WHO CARES???????The decision was made and it's OVER.

Don't disagree it's over and nothing you can do. But looking at gm move and how they worked out is always going to be a huge part of the talk here.J

Going along with this line of thinking, when can we expect fbg's to start reviewing their preseason predictions?

 

[Ookie Pringle]

It sure was a shame when Favre retired... who knows how this season would have gone if he had simply said "Sure, I'll play another year" to the Packers?

Exactly. All Farve had to say after last year was "We had a great year and I can`t wait to get to camp" The Packers would have welcomed him back.Instead Farve did what he has done the last 3-4 years..and sometimes he did it in season. Saying " I am tired, I am not sure I can prepare like I used to. The game is draining."Is that what you want to hear if you are the Packers?I like Farve, but he was as much or more to blame for this than the Packers.

And all Thompson had to do was tell Brett they wanted him to return. But Thompson had NO CONTACT with Favre prior to his retirement and it is well known Thompson didn't want Favre back.

 

[sho nuff]

It sure was a shame when Favre retired... who knows how this season would have gone if he had simply said "Sure, I'll play another year" to the Packers?

Exactly. All Farve had to say after last year was "We had a great year and I can`t wait to get to camp" The Packers would have welcomed him back.Instead Farve did what he has done the last 3-4 years..and sometimes he did it in season. Saying " I am tired, I am not sure I can prepare like I used to. The game is draining."Is that what you want to hear if you are the Packers?I like Farve, but he was as much or more to blame for this than the Packers.

And all Thompson had to do was tell Brett they wanted him to return. But Thompson had NO CONTACT with Favre prior to his retirement and it is well known Thompson didn't want Favre back.

Do you think its that simple.That Thompson calling him would have made that much of a difference at that point?

 

[Ookie Pringle]

It sure was a shame when Favre retired... who knows how this season would have gone if he had simply said "Sure, I'll play another year" to the Packers?

Exactly. All Farve had to say after last year was "We had a great year and I can`t wait to get to camp" The Packers would have welcomed him back.Instead Farve did what he has done the last 3-4 years..and sometimes he did it in season. Saying " I am tired, I am not sure I can prepare like I used to. The game is draining."Is that what you want to hear if you are the Packers?I like Farve, but he was as much or more to blame for this than the Packers.

And all Thompson had to do was tell Brett they wanted him to return. But Thompson had NO CONTACT with Favre prior to his retirement and it is well known Thompson didn't want Favre back.

Do you think its that simple.That Thompson calling him would have made that much of a difference at that point?

I think it would have made a huge difference. Favre sensed that Thompson didn't want him back and I think that is one of the main reasons that Favre decided to retire. Brett admitted he wasn't ready to announce his retirement when he did. I think some converstations from Ted may have prevented that. just my opinion.

 

[Mr.Pack]

It sure was a shame when Favre retired... who knows how this season would have gone if he had simply said "Sure, I'll play another year" to the Packers?

Exactly. All Farve had to say after last year was "We had a great year and I can`t wait to get to camp" The Packers would have welcomed him back.Instead Farve did what he has done the last 3-4 years..and sometimes he did it in season. Saying " I am tired, I am not sure I can prepare like I used to. The game is draining."Is that what you want to hear if you are the Packers?I like Farve, but he was as much or more to blame for this than the Packers.

These are two damn Everyone wants to blame the Packers, but they DID welcome him back, even after his games. But FAVRE was the one who had his little feelings hurt and told McCarthy he couldn't give it 100% to play for Green Bay. THAT is when they made the decision to trade him.All the detractors in here conveniently forget about this.The Defense (Or lack there of) is the single biggest reason they are 5-9 this year. Rodgers HAS led them to "come from behind" scores, only to have the Defense let their opponents walk right on down the field to score again, making Rodgers have to lead another drive. The people in here conveniently leave that out too. Yes yesterday there was enough time to drive again, and that was a terrible pass. I don't absolve Rodgers of everything, but those in here that place everything on his shoulders, zdragon, springroll, okie pringle, phase of the game......just to name a few, well you guys make yourselves look foolish. try watching a whole season of games, not just what you read. And if you are watching, open your mind, not to mention your eyes.

 

[Mr.Pack]

It sure was a shame when Favre retired... who knows how this season would have gone if he had simply said "Sure, I'll play another year" to the Packers?

Exactly. All Farve had to say after last year was "We had a great year and I can`t wait to get to camp" The Packers would have welcomed him back.Instead Farve did what he has done the last 3-4 years..and sometimes he did it in season. Saying " I am tired, I am not sure I can prepare like I used to. The game is draining."Is that what you want to hear if you are the Packers?I like Farve, but he was as much or more to blame for this than the Packers.

And all Thompson had to do was tell Brett they wanted him to return. But Thompson had NO CONTACT with Favre prior to his retirement and it is well known Thompson didn't want Favre back.

:headinsanderfect for your post here.You make yourself look foolish here because you obviously have no clue what happened. :X

 

[Ookie Pringle]

It sure was a shame when Favre retired... who knows how this season would have gone if he had simply said "Sure, I'll play another year" to the Packers?

Exactly. All Farve had to say after last year was "We had a great year and I can`t wait to get to camp" The Packers would have welcomed him back.Instead Farve did what he has done the last 3-4 years..and sometimes he did it in season. Saying " I am tired, I am not sure I can prepare like I used to. The game is draining."Is that what you want to hear if you are the Packers?I like Farve, but he was as much or more to blame for this than the Packers.

And all Thompson had to do was tell Brett they wanted him to return. But Thompson had NO CONTACT with Favre prior to his retirement and it is well known Thompson didn't want Favre back.

:headinsanderfect for your post here.You make yourself look foolish here because you obviously have no clue what happened.

How so? Ted Thompson didn't have any contact with Favre prior to his announcement and it has been made known that Thompson didn't want Favre back for you years. We all know the Favre detractors want to try and blame this on Favre but that isn't reality.

 

[sho nuff]

It sure was a shame when Favre retired... who knows how this season would have gone if he had simply said "Sure, I'll play another year" to the Packers?

Exactly. All Farve had to say after last year was "We had a great year and I can`t wait to get to camp" The Packers would have welcomed him back.Instead Farve did what he has done the last 3-4 years..and sometimes he did it in season. Saying " I am tired, I am not sure I can prepare like I used to. The game is draining."Is that what you want to hear if you are the Packers?I like Farve, but he was as much or more to blame for this than the Packers.

And all Thompson had to do was tell Brett they wanted him to return. But Thompson had NO CONTACT with Favre prior to his retirement and it is well known Thompson didn't want Favre back.

Do you think its that simple.That Thompson calling him would have made that much of a difference at that point?

I think it would have made a huge difference. Favre sensed that Thompson didn't want him back and I think that is one of the main reasons that Favre decided to retire. Brett admitted he wasn't ready to announce his retirement when he did. I think some converstations from Ted may have prevented that. just my opinion.

Great...Favre sensed that.But again...if Favre was really into it and wanted to play...all he had to do was say the word in March and not retire. Thompson not wanting him back would not have mattered.He admitted it later that he was not ready. I did not see anything where he ever approached McCarthy or Thompson to ask for more time.This is more to the point that Favre's ego needed a bit of stroking too. And he did not get that.

 

[iSnitch]

It sure was a shame when Favre retired... who knows how this season would have gone if he had simply said "Sure, I'll play another year" to the Packers?

Exactly. All Farve had to say after last year was "We had a great year and I can`t wait to get to camp" The Packers would have welcomed him back.Instead Farve did what he has done the last 3-4 years..and sometimes he did it in season. Saying " I am tired, I am not sure I can prepare like I used to. The game is draining."Is that what you want to hear if you are the Packers?I like Farve, but he was as much or more to blame for this than the Packers.

And all Thompson had to do was tell Brett they wanted him to return. But Thompson had NO CONTACT with Favre prior to his retirement and it is well known Thompson didn't want Favre back.

I'm calling shennanigans. The Packers checked with Farve before the draft - all he had to tell them was he wanted to come back...instead he refused to make a decision and kept saying he was going to stay retired. Because of HIS actions they drafted Brohm and moved on. This whole mess is the fault of Farve. That team was held hostage by that primadonna long enough. If he's going to toy with them every single offseason he was bound to have his actions backfire. Again - he could have come back - before the draft all he had to do was tell them he'd love to play again. It's his own fault he's in NY. The fact there is still sympathy for this guy is beyond me.Going with Rodgers was the right decision at the time and it's still the right decision now.

 

[Ookie Pringle]

It sure was a shame when Favre retired... who knows how this season would have gone if he had simply said "Sure, I'll play another year" to the Packers?

Exactly. All Farve had to say after last year was "We had a great year and I can`t wait to get to camp" The Packers would have welcomed him back.Instead Farve did what he has done the last 3-4 years..and sometimes he did it in season. Saying " I am tired, I am not sure I can prepare like I used to. The game is draining."Is that what you want to hear if you are the Packers?I like Farve, but he was as much or more to blame for this than the Packers.

These are two damn Everyone wants to blame the Packers, but they DID welcome him back, even after his games. But FAVRE was the one who had his little feelings hurt and told McCarthy he couldn't give it 100% to play for Green Bay. THAT is when they made the decision to trade him.All the detractors in here conveniently forget about this.The Defense (Or lack there of) is the single biggest reason they are 5-9 this year. Rodgers HAS led them to "come from behind" scores, only to have the Defense let their opponents walk right on down the field to score again, making Rodgers have to lead another drive. The people in here conveniently leave that out too. Yes yesterday there was enough time to drive again, and that was a terrible pass. I don't absolve Rodgers of everything, but those in here that place everything on his shoulders, zdragon, springroll, okie pringle, phase of the game......just to name a few, well you guys make yourselves look foolish. try watching a whole season of games, not just what you read. And if you are watching, open your mind, not to mention your eyes.

The TT supporters aren't looking very good at this point as well. I have watched the whole season of games. You want to blame the defense for all the Packers problems and that isn't the case. The defense has been a part of the problem and Aaron Rodgers inability to win a game in crunch time is also a problem. Ted Thompson is part of the problem. Mike McCarthy's coaching and predictable play calling is part of the problem.

 

[Ookie Pringle]

It sure was a shame when Favre retired... who knows how this season would have gone if he had simply said "Sure, I'll play another year" to the Packers?

Exactly. All Farve had to say after last year was "We had a great year and I can`t wait to get to camp" The Packers would have welcomed him back.Instead Farve did what he has done the last 3-4 years..and sometimes he did it in season. Saying " I am tired, I am not sure I can prepare like I used to. The game is draining."Is that what you want to hear if you are the Packers?I like Farve, but he was as much or more to blame for this than the Packers.

And all Thompson had to do was tell Brett they wanted him to return. But Thompson had NO CONTACT with Favre prior to his retirement and it is well known Thompson didn't want Favre back.

I'm calling shennanigans. The Packers checked with Farve before the draft - all he had to tell them was he wanted to come back...instead he refused to make a decision and kept saying he was going to stay retired. Because of HIS actions they drafted Brohm and moved on. This whole mess is the fault of Farve. That team was held hostage by that primadonna long enough. If he's going to toy with them every single offseason he was bound to have his actions backfire. Again - he could have come back - before the draft all he had to do was tell them he'd love to play again. It's his own fault he's in NY. The fact there is still sympathy for this guy is beyond me.Going with Rodgers was the right decision at the time and it's still the right decision now.

Thompson NEVER checked with Favre prior to his retirement. You can blame Favre all you want but to say "the whole mess is the fault of Favre" is laughable. Ted Thompson is at fault in the mess too!

 

[BeaverCleaver]

It sure was a shame when Favre retired... who knows how this season would have gone if he had simply said "Sure, I'll play another year" to the Packers?

Exactly. All Farve had to say after last year was "We had a great year and I can`t wait to get to camp" The Packers would have welcomed him back.Instead Farve did what he has done the last 3-4 years..and sometimes he did it in season. Saying " I am tired, I am not sure I can prepare like I used to. The game is draining."Is that what you want to hear if you are the Packers?I like Farve, but he was as much or more to blame for this than the Packers.

And all Thompson had to do was tell Brett they wanted him to return. But Thompson had NO CONTACT with Favre prior to his retirement and it is well known Thompson didn't want Favre back.

This whole mess is the fault of Farve.

 

[sho nuff]

It sure was a shame when Favre retired... who knows how this season would have gone if he had simply said "Sure, I'll play another year" to the Packers?

Exactly. All Farve had to say after last year was "We had a great year and I can`t wait to get to camp" The Packers would have welcomed him back.Instead Farve did what he has done the last 3-4 years..and sometimes he did it in season. Saying " I am tired, I am not sure I can prepare like I used to. The game is draining."Is that what you want to hear if you are the Packers?I like Farve, but he was as much or more to blame for this than the Packers.

These are two damn Everyone wants to blame the Packers, but they DID welcome him back, even after his games. But FAVRE was the one who had his little feelings hurt and told McCarthy he couldn't give it 100% to play for Green Bay. THAT is when they made the decision to trade him.All the detractors in here conveniently forget about this.The Defense (Or lack there of) is the single biggest reason they are 5-9 this year. Rodgers HAS led them to "come from behind" scores, only to have the Defense let their opponents walk right on down the field to score again, making Rodgers have to lead another drive. The people in here conveniently leave that out too. Yes yesterday there was enough time to drive again, and that was a terrible pass. I don't absolve Rodgers of everything, but those in here that place everything on his shoulders, zdragon, springroll, okie pringle, phase of the game......just to name a few, well you guys make yourselves look foolish. try watching a whole season of games, not just what you read. And if you are watching, open your mind, not to mention your eyes.

The TT supporters aren't looking very good at this point as well. I have watched the whole season of games. You want to blame the defense for all the Packers problems and that isn't the case. The defense has been a part of the problem and Aaron Rodgers inability to win a game in crunch time is also a problem. Ted Thompson is part of the problem. Mike McCarthy's coaching and predictable play calling is part of the problem.

The problem is...just because I support TT in this decision with Rodgers and think he has done some good things in GB...does not mean I absolve him of all of his mistakes and don't put some of this season on him and McCarthy too.

 

[bcr8f]

Thompson NEVER checked with Favre prior to his retirement. You can blame Favre all you want but to say "the whole mess is the fault of Favre" is laughable. Ted Thompson is at fault in the mess too!

That's not what I heard. I heard he flew down there but while there never asked Favre to come back so Favre thought he was unwanted.

 

[iSnitch]

It sure was a shame when Favre retired... who knows how this season would have gone if he had simply said "Sure, I'll play another year" to the Packers?

Exactly. All Farve had to say after last year was "We had a great year and I can`t wait to get to camp" The Packers would have welcomed him back.Instead Farve did what he has done the last 3-4 years..and sometimes he did it in season. Saying " I am tired, I am not sure I can prepare like I used to. The game is draining."Is that what you want to hear if you are the Packers?I like Farve, but he was as much or more to blame for this than the Packers.

And all Thompson had to do was tell Brett they wanted him to return. But Thompson had NO CONTACT with Favre prior to his retirement and it is well known Thompson didn't want Favre back.

I'm calling shennanigans. The Packers checked with Farve before the draft - all he had to tell them was he wanted to come back...instead he refused to make a decision and kept saying he was going to stay retired. Because of HIS actions they drafted Brohm and moved on. This whole mess is the fault of Farve. That team was held hostage by that primadonna long enough. If he's going to toy with them every single offseason he was bound to have his actions backfire. Again - he could have come back - before the draft all he had to do was tell them he'd love to play again. It's his own fault he's in NY. The fact there is still sympathy for this guy is beyond me.Going with Rodgers was the right decision at the time and it's still the right decision now.

Thompson NEVER checked with Favre prior to his retirement. You can blame Favre all you want but to say "the whole mess is the fault of Favre" is laughable. Ted Thompson is at fault in the mess too!

Favre is supposed to be a grown man. If he wanted to come back he should have said so. The Packers would have brought him back. If he needs to be babied and begged to come back each season it's time to tell the guy to get over himself. If I were in TT's shoes I wouldn't have wanted the guy back either. Not with his annual soap drama of will he or won't he.

 

[Ookie Pringle]

Thompson NEVER checked with Favre prior to his retirement. You can blame Favre all you want but to say "the whole mess is the fault of Favre" is laughable. Ted Thompson is at fault in the mess too!

That's not what I heard. I heard he flew down there but while there never asked Favre to come back so Favre thought he was unwanted.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3561440

Thompson flew to Favre's Mississippi home, and the quarterback thought the general manager was there to ask him to come back. Instead, Thompson told him that the team was going to do something special for him: dismantle his locker and send it to him.

"That was the craziest thing I ever heard of," Favre said. "What the hell am I going to do with a locker anyway? So, I said, 'OK, Ted, that's great.'"

Favre said he spoke to Packers' general manager Ted Thompson only once during the process, the day after the NFL draft in April.

 

[Ookie Pringle]

It sure was a shame when Favre retired... who knows how this season would have gone if he had simply said "Sure, I'll play another year" to the Packers?

Exactly. All Farve had to say after last year was "We had a great year and I can`t wait to get to camp" The Packers would have welcomed him back.Instead Farve did what he has done the last 3-4 years..and sometimes he did it in season. Saying " I am tired, I am not sure I can prepare like I used to. The game is draining."Is that what you want to hear if you are the Packers?I like Farve, but he was as much or more to blame for this than the Packers.

And all Thompson had to do was tell Brett they wanted him to return. But Thompson had NO CONTACT with Favre prior to his retirement and it is well known Thompson didn't want Favre back.

I'm calling shennanigans. The Packers checked with Farve before the draft - all he had to tell them was he wanted to come back...instead he refused to make a decision and kept saying he was going to stay retired. Because of HIS actions they drafted Brohm and moved on. This whole mess is the fault of Farve. That team was held hostage by that primadonna long enough. If he's going to toy with them every single offseason he was bound to have his actions backfire. Again - he could have come back - before the draft all he had to do was tell them he'd love to play again. It's his own fault he's in NY. The fact there is still sympathy for this guy is beyond me.Going with Rodgers was the right decision at the time and it's still the right decision now.

Thompson NEVER checked with Favre prior to his retirement. You can blame Favre all you want but to say "the whole mess is the fault of Favre" is laughable. Ted Thompson is at fault in the mess too!

Favre is supposed to be a grown man. If he wanted to come back he should have said so. The Packers would have brought him back. If he needs to be babied and begged to come back each season it's time to tell the guy to get over himself. If I were in TT's shoes I wouldn't have wanted the guy back either. Not with his annual soap drama of will he or won't he.

Well shall see how that decision will work out for you and Thompson.

 

[bcr8f]

That's not what Favre said in June. His story changes with the tide. In spring Favre said he got a call when he was changing his mind(at the owners meeting). TT and McCarthy were going to fly to see him but he called back and changed his mind.

Even if what Favre now says is true why didn't he say he didn't want the locker. He wants to play?

Too many stories too little time to debunk them all.

 

[iSnitch]

It sure was a shame when Favre retired... who knows how this season would have gone if he had simply said "Sure, I'll play another year" to the Packers?

Exactly. All Farve had to say after last year was "We had a great year and I can`t wait to get to camp" The Packers would have welcomed him back.Instead Farve did what he has done the last 3-4 years..and sometimes he did it in season. Saying " I am tired, I am not sure I can prepare like I used to. The game is draining."Is that what you want to hear if you are the Packers?I like Farve, but he was as much or more to blame for this than the Packers.

And all Thompson had to do was tell Brett they wanted him to return. But Thompson had NO CONTACT with Favre prior to his retirement and it is well known Thompson didn't want Favre back.

I'm calling shennanigans. The Packers checked with Farve before the draft - all he had to tell them was he wanted to come back...instead he refused to make a decision and kept saying he was going to stay retired. Because of HIS actions they drafted Brohm and moved on. This whole mess is the fault of Farve. That team was held hostage by that primadonna long enough. If he's going to toy with them every single offseason he was bound to have his actions backfire. Again - he could have come back - before the draft all he had to do was tell them he'd love to play again. It's his own fault he's in NY. The fact there is still sympathy for this guy is beyond me.Going with Rodgers was the right decision at the time and it's still the right decision now.

Thompson NEVER checked with Favre prior to his retirement. You can blame Favre all you want but to say "the whole mess is the fault of Favre" is laughable. Ted Thompson is at fault in the mess too!

Favre is supposed to be a grown man. If he wanted to come back he should have said so. The Packers would have brought him back. If he needs to be babied and begged to come back each season it's time to tell the guy to get over himself. If I were in TT's shoes I wouldn't have wanted the guy back either. Not with his annual soap drama of will he or won't he.

Well shall see how that decision will work out for you and Thompson.

I don't see how that's possible. There's no way of telling how the Packers would have fared with Farve at the helm. Maybe they would have won the Superbowl.Maybe they would have the same record as the Rodgers team.Maybe they would have a lousier record. As long as Rodgers continues to look good (or even decent), there's really no way to know if this was a good move or not. Anything else is just speculation.

 

[Ookie Pringle]

That's not what Favre said in June. His story changes with the tide. In spring Favre said he got a call when he was changing his mind(at the owners meeting). TT and McCarthy were going to fly to see him but he called back and changed his mind.Even if what Favre now says is true why didn't he say he didn't want the locker. He wants to play?Too many stories too little time to debunk them all.

Sure Thompson wanted Favre back......here is your locker Brett!! Show us where Favre stated he had contact with Thompson prior to his retirement.

Favre shot down reports that Thompson and McCarthy had chartered a flight to Mississippi to talk to the quarterback in late March about finalizing his comeback, only to have Favre back out at the last minute. Favre said McCarthy told him they were heading to Orlando, Fla., for the owners' meetings and wanted to stop by to speak with him."The next day I told him, 'Mike, don't worry about coming down or dropping by. I still can't commit,'" he said. "They made it sound like they had chartered a plane just to see me and I had made a call and said, 'I'm coming back,' which is not true."

 

[Ookie Pringle]

It sure was a shame when Favre retired... who knows how this season would have gone if he had simply said "Sure, I'll play another year" to the Packers?

Exactly. All Farve had to say after last year was "We had a great year and I can`t wait to get to camp" The Packers would have welcomed him back.Instead Farve did what he has done the last 3-4 years..and sometimes he did it in season. Saying " I am tired, I am not sure I can prepare like I used to. The game is draining."Is that what you want to hear if you are the Packers?I like Farve, but he was as much or more to blame for this than the Packers.

And all Thompson had to do was tell Brett they wanted him to return. But Thompson had NO CONTACT with Favre prior to his retirement and it is well known Thompson didn't want Favre back.

I'm calling shennanigans. The Packers checked with Farve before the draft - all he had to tell them was he wanted to come back...instead he refused to make a decision and kept saying he was going to stay retired. Because of HIS actions they drafted Brohm and moved on. This whole mess is the fault of Farve. That team was held hostage by that primadonna long enough. If he's going to toy with them every single offseason he was bound to have his actions backfire. Again - he could have come back - before the draft all he had to do was tell them he'd love to play again. It's his own fault he's in NY. The fact there is still sympathy for this guy is beyond me.Going with Rodgers was the right decision at the time and it's still the right decision now.

Thompson NEVER checked with Favre prior to his retirement. You can blame Favre all you want but to say "the whole mess is the fault of Favre" is laughable. Ted Thompson is at fault in the mess too!

Favre is supposed to be a grown man. If he wanted to come back he should have said so. The Packers would have brought him back. If he needs to be babied and begged to come back each season it's time to tell the guy to get over himself. If I were in TT's shoes I wouldn't have wanted the guy back either. Not with his annual soap drama of will he or won't he.

Well shall see how that decision will work out for you and Thompson.

I don't see how that's possible.

It is very possible to see how it works out. We will see how Rodgers does with the Packers and how long Thompson has a job. If next season goes like this season that may be Thompson's last one with the Packers.

 

[Ookie Pringle]

A good article for those that want to blame Favre for all of this.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/print?id=35...&type=story

Packers make their choice with Favre; now they can wallow in it

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

By Gene Wojciechowski

ESPN.com

From green and gold to green and white. From, "Go, Pack, Go" to "J-E-T-S." From the NFL's smallest market to the league's largest.

Brett Favre's life did a 180 late Wednesday night, and it happened because Green Bay Packers general manager Ted Thompson didn't trust Favre, and Favre didn't trust Thompson.

Drag a razor across this controversy's beard and that's what you'll find under the stubble -- distrust, too much scar tissue and the simple yet mind-boggling fact that Packers management thinks Favre isn't good enough to win. If it thought otherwise, Favre wouldn't be the quarterback of the New York Jets today.

Anyway, so much for the Packers wanting to protect Favre's "legacy." Remember that bit of PR fiction? The benevolent, caring Packers would be there to safeguard all things Brett -- that's what they said often in recent weeks. But the protection broke down when Favre decided to unretire and return to Green Bay.

Favre is a Jet because Thompson didn't want him to be a Packer. Or a Minnesota Viking. And who can forget that heartfelt "crossing the Rubicon" statement by Packers team president Mark Murphy when Favre was reinstated by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. Any icier and you could have played hockey on it.

Brett Favre as he left Green Bay...ultimately for the last time as a Packer.

For all those Favre critics who insist he's a drama queen, remember that he could have stayed in Green Bay, practiced, competed in an open competition with Aaron Rodgers and dared Thompson and coach Mike McCarthy to keep him on the bench. But he didn't. He left after several days because he has more respect for the Packers than the Packers have for him.

Packers management thought Favre wouldn't push for reinstatement and report to camp, but he did. It thought he would take its $25 million of get-lost money, but he didn't. It thought it could break his will by refusing to release him or trade him to the Vikings, but it couldn't.

And nice job on accusing the Vikings of tampering (the Vikes were cleared of any wrongdoing). Plus, wasn't it interesting that someone leaked a story that Favre allegedly called the Vikings on a Packers-issued cell phone (also untrue).

If this were a divorce, then Favre would be the one getting the alimony. The Packers were so eager to ditch the NFL's all-time leader in passing yards, touchdowns and victories by a QB that they reduced the bidding war to two teams (the Jets and Tampa Bay Buccaneers). And they settled for a conditional fourth-round pick, which will bump up to a third-rounder if Favre takes 50 percent of the snaps (duh), and a second-rounder if he takes 70 percent of the snaps and the Jets reach the playoffs.

Instead of Favre -- who earlier last season helped lead the Packers to the NFC Championship Game and finished second in the league's MVP voting -- Thompson would rather have three quarterbacks on his roster with a combined zero NFL starts. He'd rather have Rodgers than the most durable quarterback in the history of the game.

Why? It isn't just because Favre wanted to unretire. It can't be. It has to be something as fundamental as Thompson (and maybe McCarthy, too) having lost faith in Favre's ability to win games. If so, Thompson miscalculated yet again.

Thompson's future now depends on Rodgers. If Rodgers gets hurt, the Packers are done. If Rodgers can't handle the pressure, the Packers are done. And Thompson with them.

Of the two finalists for Favre, the Jets actually made the most sense. The Buccaneers already have Jeff Garcia, who made the Pro Bowl last season. Meanwhile, the Jets are underwhelmed by Chad Pennington, who is minutes away from getting released because of his $6 million salary, and Kellen Clemens.

The Jets spent $140 million during the offseason on players. They upgraded their offensive line by signing guard Alan Faneca, who will fit in nicely on the left side with tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson. They upgraded their defensive line (nose tackle Kris Jenkins). They have Thomas Jones at running back (1,119 yards last season). They have Laveranues Coles at wide receiver.

Yes, they're in the same division as the New England Patriots. But they're also in the same division as the Miami Dolphins and the Buffalo Bills. They play Oakland, Kansas City, St. Louis and San Francisco. A nine-win season, maybe a game better, isn't inconceivable. At least, not any more inconceivable than Favre in New York.

It will be strange to see Favre in a Jets helmet. It would have been strange to see him in any helmet that didn't have the game's best logo -- that classic G -- on the side.

On the Jets' Web site, you can already purchase a Favre replica jersey for $80. There's also a tortured headline that reads, "DO QB-LIEVE IT? BRETT FAVRE IS A JET."

No, I don't believe it. Not because he's a Jet, but because Thompson just traded the best quarterback on his roster.

"It is with some sadness that we make this announcement, but also with the desire for certainty that will allow us to move the team and organization forward in the most positive way possible," Murphy and Thompson said in a joint statement.

Sadness? Thompson never wanted Favre back to begin with. Plus, the Packers got a draft pick out of it, they saved $25 million in bribe money, and they're still selling Favre jerseys for $179.95. So enough already with the fake sadness thing.

But if I'm a Packers fan, I fly my team flag at half-mast today. Or better yet, raise a Jets flag.

They're only $20 at Jets Shop.

 

[iSnitch]

It sure was a shame when Favre retired... who knows how this season would have gone if he had simply said "Sure, I'll play another year" to the Packers?

Exactly. All Farve had to say after last year was "We had a great year and I can`t wait to get to camp" The Packers would have welcomed him back.Instead Farve did what he has done the last 3-4 years..and sometimes he did it in season. Saying " I am tired, I am not sure I can prepare like I used to. The game is draining."Is that what you want to hear if you are the Packers?I like Farve, but he was as much or more to blame for this than the Packers.

And all Thompson had to do was tell Brett they wanted him to return. But Thompson had NO CONTACT with Favre prior to his retirement and it is well known Thompson didn't want Favre back.

I'm calling shennanigans. The Packers checked with Farve before the draft - all he had to tell them was he wanted to come back...instead he refused to make a decision and kept saying he was going to stay retired. Because of HIS actions they drafted Brohm and moved on. This whole mess is the fault of Farve. That team was held hostage by that primadonna long enough. If he's going to toy with them every single offseason he was bound to have his actions backfire. Again - he could have come back - before the draft all he had to do was tell them he'd love to play again. It's his own fault he's in NY. The fact there is still sympathy for this guy is beyond me.Going with Rodgers was the right decision at the time and it's still the right decision now.

Thompson NEVER checked with Favre prior to his retirement. You can blame Favre all you want but to say "the whole mess is the fault of Favre" is laughable. Ted Thompson is at fault in the mess too!

Favre is supposed to be a grown man. If he wanted to come back he should have said so. The Packers would have brought him back. If he needs to be babied and begged to come back each season it's time to tell the guy to get over himself. If I were in TT's shoes I wouldn't have wanted the guy back either. Not with his annual soap drama of will he or won't he.

Well shall see how that decision will work out for you and Thompson.

I don't see how that's possible.

It is very possible to see how it works out. We will see how Rodgers does with the Packers and how long Thompson has a job. If next season goes like this season that may be Thompson's last one with the Packers.

You couldn't copy my whole quote because it didn't go along with your point? C'mon.Just because TT gets let go doesn't mean he screwed up the Farve fiasco. He could be let go for other reasons. As I said before, if Rodgers continues to look good or even decent, I don't think anyone can complain about the decision that was made - you may complain about the way it went down, or his other moves/non-moves but if Rodgers keeps this up, qb will be the one area that cannot be blamed for losses.Rodgers appears to be a very good qb - there are a lot of other teams that would be estatic to land this guy.

 

[Ookie Pringle]

It sure was a shame when Favre retired... who knows how this season would have gone if he had simply said "Sure, I'll play another year" to the Packers?

Exactly. All Farve had to say after last year was "We had a great year and I can`t wait to get to camp" The Packers would have welcomed him back.Instead Farve did what he has done the last 3-4 years..and sometimes he did it in season. Saying " I am tired, I am not sure I can prepare like I used to. The game is draining."Is that what you want to hear if you are the Packers?I like Farve, but he was as much or more to blame for this than the Packers.

And all Thompson had to do was tell Brett they wanted him to return. But Thompson had NO CONTACT with Favre prior to his retirement and it is well known Thompson didn't want Favre back.

I'm calling shennanigans. The Packers checked with Farve before the draft - all he had to tell them was he wanted to come back...instead he refused to make a decision and kept saying he was going to stay retired. Because of HIS actions they drafted Brohm and moved on. This whole mess is the fault of Farve. That team was held hostage by that primadonna long enough. If he's going to toy with them every single offseason he was bound to have his actions backfire. Again - he could have come back - before the draft all he had to do was tell them he'd love to play again. It's his own fault he's in NY. The fact there is still sympathy for this guy is beyond me.Going with Rodgers was the right decision at the time and it's still the right decision now.

Thompson NEVER checked with Favre prior to his retirement. You can blame Favre all you want but to say "the whole mess is the fault of Favre" is laughable. Ted Thompson is at fault in the mess too!

Favre is supposed to be a grown man. If he wanted to come back he should have said so. The Packers would have brought him back. If he needs to be babied and begged to come back each season it's time to tell the guy to get over himself. If I were in TT's shoes I wouldn't have wanted the guy back either. Not with his annual soap drama of will he or won't he.

Well shall see how that decision will work out for you and Thompson.

I don't see how that's possible.

It is very possible to see how it works out. We will see how Rodgers does with the Packers and how long Thompson has a job. If next season goes like this season that may be Thompson's last one with the Packers.

You couldn't copy my whole quote because it didn't go along with your point? C'mon.Just because TT gets let go doesn't mean he screwed up the Farve fiasco. He could be let go for other reasons. As I said before, if Rodgers continues to look good or even decent, I don't think anyone can complain about the decision that was made - you may complain about the way it went down, or his other moves/non-moves but if Rodgers keeps this up, qb will be the one area that cannot be blamed for losses.Rodgers appears to be a very good qb - there are a lot of other teams that would be estatic to land this guy.

There was no need to. This will be very easy to evalutate. We will know in a few years years if Rodgers will be a great QB and how the Packers perform. If things don't go well it will probably cost Thompson his job. If it does work out that will be great!

 

[bcr8f]

Tom Silverstein is one of the best beat writers in the NFL. He has been covering the Packers for over a decade and has a strong understanding of their history and organization. I'm posting this to indicate he isn't a bad writer or someone just writing stuff out of his a**. He knows what he's talking about when it comes to this team. This was a great article. Silverstein makes several points I made in the summer when Thompson ran Favre out of town. He greatly underestimated the importance of the intangibles Favre brings to a team. And the Packers have greatly suffered this season because of it.

This is the funniest thing I have ever read. Sure he's covered them a long time but is dishonest and is always trying make them look bad.He points to times when Favre saved games but completely ignores all the times his interceptions thrown into double coverage has blown chances to win games. Anyone can cherry picks facts to prove points. I prefer reporters that present complete coverage of stories. He doesn't do that.

 

[JamesTheScot]

There is so much more to leadership than players giving effort.

Really? Like what? Specifically please.

 

[Phase of the Game]

There is so much more to leadership than players giving effort.

Really? Like what? Specifically please.

Are you serious? I suggest you google leadership in sports and educate yourself.http://www.money-zine.com/Career-Developme...ship-in-Sports/

 

[teamroc]

There is so much more to leadership than players giving effort.

Really? Like what? Specifically please.

Solve problems. The first step towards becoming a leader is to look around and find ways to make the world a better place. Observe your surroundings and listen to people. How can you help? Discover what your talents are, develop them, and focus on applying them towards making a difference. Think of problems in the broader sense - they're not always easy to define. Look for needs, niches, conflicts, gaps that need to be filled, and inefficiencies. The solutions won't always be creative or cutting edge; sometimes they're the simplest things.Motivate people. Why are the employees there? What keeps them with your organization and stops them from going somewhere else? What makes the good days good? What makes them stick with the organization after a bad day or a bad week? Don't assume it's money--most people aren't that one-dimensional. Ask the employees how they're liking their job on a regular basis. Encourage them to be honest with you. Be a good listener. Then take action based upon what they tell you. If health is important to them, give them time to go to the gym and work out. If their family is important, respect the time they may need to send their kids off to school in the morning or pick them up in the afternoon. Remember, our values are what makes us "tick". If you manage by respecting your team's values, they will give you 110% of their effort. Delegate. You're a manager because you're good at what you do, but that doesn't mean you're supposed to do it ALL. Your job as a manager is to teach other people how to do a good job. If you're uncomfortable with delegating, however, this can be a huge leap of faith for you. One way to overcome this is to start small. Give people tasks that, if performed incorrectly, can be fixed. Take the opportunity to teach and empower your employees. Then gradually give them tasks with greater responsibility as you come to understand their strengths and weaknesses and learn how to anticipate any problems they might have so you can coach them properly before they begin. Keep the door open. Always remind people that if they have any questions or concerns, you're ready and willing to listen. Don't be one of those managers who inadvertently makes an employee feel like they're "bothering" you when they bring up a question or concern. Instead of seeing it as another crisis to manage, look at it as an opportunity to show your employee how much you want this organization to be a fulfilling place to work. Never minimize or dismiss their concerns, and always make sure that you've answered their questions completely. Let people make mistakes. As a manager, you take responsibility for other people's actions, so the last thing you want to do is be responsible for someone else's mistakes. In an attempt to be proactive and prevent mistakes, you might give careful instructions and create clear, strict standards. But are you making people afraid of mistakes? Do they always check with you about every little thing, reluctant to make their own decisions because they might not do it correctly? That ends up making the employees more dependent on you, which makes them less effective and unnecessarily drains a significant portion of your time. In order for people to think for themselves, they need to learn, and in order to learn, sometimes we need to make mistakes. Trust them, and give them a fair margin of error. Learn from your own mistakes. When things don't turn out the way you expected, recognize what you could've done differently and verbalize this realization to your employees. This shows them that you make mistakes, too, and it also shows them how they should handle their own mistakes. Whenever you're doing something correctly after having done it incorrectly in the past, let whoever is watching know. E.g. "The reason I know to press this button is because this happened to me when I first started out, and I made the mistake of pressing the blue button, thinking 'This will shut down the system, which should resolve the issue' and I found out--the hard way--that it makes the issue even worse!" Treat everyone equally. Most of us aren't as egalitarian as we'd like to be. Many times, favoritism happens on a subconscious level. The tendency is to give more positive recognition to the people who remind us of ourselves somehow and who actually like us, rather than to the people who make the biggest contributions to the organization.[1] In the long run, it's people in the latter group who will make the most progress in achieving the organization's goals, so monitor your own behavior carefully and make sure you're not accidentally short-changing them, even if they give you the impression that your positive regard doesn't affect them. Some people are shy away from positive feedback but appreciate it nonetheless. Step up and confess as soon as you realize what went wrong. Waiting to see how things shake out is a bad idea. As soon as a situation starts going south, step up and point out where the problem started - with you, yourself. The sooner the problem is identified, the sooner a resolution is possible, and that minimizes consequences. Don't prevaricate or obfuscate. This means you should state the problem directly, clearly and simply rather than beating around the bush or attempting to confuse the issue in order to make you look less responsible. Again, when problems crop up, the quickest way to the solution is simple, direct identification of the problem's origin and details. Trying to skate around an issue is just frustrating, and in the end the problem takes longer to deal with and becomes more complicated the longer it goes on. Don't try to shift even a part of the blame. This doesn't mean that you should accept blame that you don't deserve. But saying things like, "Well, if he hadn't done this then I wouldn't have done that." is lame. Instead, say, "I am so sorry for this. I had no idea that what I did could cause this type of problem. How can I help fix it?" Realize that the truth will be discovered eventually. It's been said, and is generally true, that "the truth is just a shortcut to what's going to happen anyway." If you're around when the truth does come out, and you haven't confessed your part in the problem, your credibility for all future situations will be compromised terribly. When others realize that you had the last clear chance to step up and own that mistake, but instead you allowed them to share blame with you, they will not appreciate it at all. When your boss realizes that you allowed others to bear responsibility for your mistake, your days will be numbered, or at the very least, your prospects for advancement will be curtailed significantly. Trust the other party to help. Hopefully, you have a decent parent, significant other or manager; or if you're in school, your teacher is fair. Assuming your boss is a good boss (or whatever authority figure is in play) is the smartest assumption to make in this case. The reality is that the person who has authority over you can protect you better than anyone else, but if you don't admit you caused a problem, there will be no shield when the truth eventually comes out. If it's a working situation, and you go to your boss as soon as you realize what's happened, s/he can help you more than you may know. Trusting your boss to help you out of a jam can actually pay big dividends later - by confessing to this problem, you've just shown your boss that if a problem is really your responsibility, you'll step up and say so. When problems crop up later and evidence points to you, if you say, "No, that wasn't me," your boss will believe you - s/he knows that you are mature enough to admit your mistakes, because you've done so in the past. "Thanks for coming forward."Help solve the problem. Once you've caused a problem, don't wait to be forced or pressured to remedy it - volunteer. Don't ask if you can help - ask how you can help. Watch carefully as those who help the most do their work, and take note of the way they resolve the issue. File this information in your memory and have it handy for later use. Think of the big picture. As you're solving problems, you might notice patterns, and wonder if many of those problems are symptoms of a deeper, bigger problem. Thoreau once said, "For every thousand hacking at the leaves of evil, one is hacking at the root." Take a step back and try to find the root. The thing about the deeper problem is that it's not something anybody can solve alone; it'll require a group effort, which is where your role as a leader comes into play. Be proactive. If you've got these ideas in your mind about what the deeper issues are, you can probably predict the problems that'll crop up as a result. Instead of waiting for those problems to appear, take steps to prevent them. If you can't prevent them, then you can at least prepare. That's the core difference between a leader and a manager. A good manager responds well to a variety of situations; a good leader takes effective action to prevent and create situations before they actually happen.Explain yourself. Once the recovery is underway, you should try to explain what your thought process was, so that your boss, significant other or parent can understand what led you to the point where things went pear-shaped. Many times, once you've explained your thinking, others will say, "Well, that does make sense in a way, however..." By doing this, you are allowing them to help correct the way you think about things, and helping yourself for the future.Be careful not to justify the mistake or behavior. Look at the difference in these two statements: "I'm sorry I yelled at you, but I haven't been sleeping well." (justification) versus "I've been on edge because I haven't been getting much sleep lately, but it was wrong of me to yell at you and I'm sorry." Learn how to apologize properly. Accept consequences. There may be some - that's why it's scary to step forward and admit responsibility. But shouldering blame early and helping in the resolution of the problem will make any punishment or penance less harsh. Take your punishment as courageously as possible, and when it's done, it's really over - you'll have learned your lesson and maintained personal integrity in the process. Recover gracefully. It isn't mistakes that should define us - it's recovery. Most clients, when asked, will say that their most trusted contractors and vendors have not been perfect, but that when mistakes were made, the contractor made it up to them by admitting their responsibility and offering either a steep discount or replacement free of charge, or offered discounts on future jobs in exchange for the inconvenience caused by their error. It's not the mistake - it's the way you rebound from it that matters to most people. Hold your head up and move on. Nobody's perfect. We all make mistakes. If we're smart, we learn from those mistakes and take note so that we don't repeat them. Learning experiences that are the most painful are also often the most valuable. Remember that your mistake was just that - it wasn't intentional, you didn't set out to deliberately cause harm or screw someone else up. And as soon as you realized that it was you who caused the problem, you stepped in, ready to help dig everyone out of the hole you put them in. You can hold your head up and feel good knowing that you did your best to help everyone recover with a minimum of pain. Make decisions, and take responsibility for the consequences. In order to exert influence and tackle bigger problems, you're going to need decision-making power, and those decisions will affect the people who grant you that power. This is as much a responsibility as it is an honor. Not only do you need to be able to make sound decisions, but you also need to be willing to be held accountable to them. If things go wrong, people will assume it's your fault (whether it is or not). Think of yourself as the captain of a ship; the fate of the ship is essentially in your hands, and it's up to you to steer everyone in the right direction. So exercise wisdom when calling the shots; hope for the best and prepare for the worst. If you're not prepared to take responsibility for your decisions - if you struggle with hesitation and self-doubt - it might be a good idea to step down. An insecure leader often becomes a tyrant.Share your vision. As a leader, you can see the bigger issues at hand, but you can also see how things could be so much better if we could just remove those obstacles. To get people to help you in changing things, you need to share that positive vision with them. Inspire them. Motivate them. Guide them. Show them how their actions are bringing everyone closer to that dream. "Most important, leaders can conceive and articulate goals that lift people out of their petty preoccupations and unite them in pursuit of objectives worthy of their best efforts."Remember that it's not all about you. The greatest leaders saw their role as a means to an end, and themselves as an instrument of a deeper purpose; any glory, prestige, or wealth was a side effect rather than a motivation. If you want to realize a vision, the most effective way to do it is not with an army of drones; that army will only last as long as you do. For the most long-lasting results, share your vision and let people adopt it as their own, and let it spread like wildfire. Think of yourself as the beginning of a chain reaction--once it's begun, you can step away and it'll continue to happen without any effort on your part. "A leader is best when people barely know he exists, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves."TipsCharisma is certainly helpful, but it's not essential. There have been many admired leaders in the human history who weren't the friendliest, most charming person in the bunch. What was important, however, was that people trusted them, and they were inspired by his or her vision. What you will need is good communication skills (whether it's through speaking, writing, even art) so that you can articulate your vision. Always practice what you preach. There's no better way to lose your credibility as a leader than to be hypocrite. "If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader."[3] Understand why you are hesitant. Hesitance stems from uncertainty. Uncertainty is ... well, it's almost guaranteed, for every situation you will ever face. If you're always certain, you're probably wrong, because none of us knows everything. So hesitance is actually a sort of safety or defense mechanism - in the face of uncertainty, almost everyone hesitates a little. Address your fears. A huge factor in hesitation is fear of doing the wrong thing, or making a mistake. There are two main ways to deal with this.One is to imagine that worst case scenario that's really holding you back (like embarrassing one's self--that's a big one for most of us) and saying to yourself, "So what?" People embarrass themselves all the time; in fact, if you watch popular and charming people, you'll see that they mess up too, but more importantly, they respond gracefully to their own mistakes. They joke around about it, they even make fun of themselves, and they immediately accept that they're human, and mistakes happen. And they move on. You can, too. If you make a mistake, it's NOT the end of the world. Secondly, think of the consequences of inaction. Remember that hesitating means NOT acting, and NOT acting has its own consequences. Don't want to talk to that guy because you're worried you'll put your foot in your mouth and ruin your chances with him? Well, you might, and that's okay - life will go on. Or, you might win him over; you never know! BUT, if you don't act, you guarantee that nothing will ever happen. How can sparks fly when you won't even come face-to-face with him? Do you really want to just wait for him to do everything? Would you be happy with how you handled the situation, in retrospect? Train yourself to think, then act. Overcoming hesitance does not mean you should just start jumping blindly into situations - that could get you into trouble, or worse, be dangerous. But taking a moment to mentally consider the ramifications of Decision A or Decision B - and in rare cases, Decision C - could spare you problems later. Train yourself to think through first one possibility and then one other - and stop there unless a third possibility is glaringly obvious. Don't allow yourself to go off on tangent after tangent, chasing down every possible eventuality. Give yourself a choice between two actions (or that rare third one), and then decide. Give yourself a time limit. To help you avoid "Analysis Paralysis," you should give yourself a defined time limit when considering serious actions such as purchasing a home, accepting a job, or quitting one. Instead of grinding over endless possibilities, and then discovering you've now been chewing this over for a week and it's too late to care any more, give yourself a couple of hours to consider accepting a job. Sleep on it before you act on a decision to quit or make an offer on a house. But once you have reached your time limit, take action. Make the decision. If you find that you are hesitant over simple, every day decisions, like asking that pretty girl out, or whether to go to a company party, or even what to have for lunch, try giving yourself just 30 seconds to decide. In this exercise, you must say "yes" at least 50% of the time (in other words, no fair retreating to the safe "non-action" all the time). This will help you to save your "no" for events or decisions where it matters a lot more - or a lot less - what your answer would be. Next time you're deciding what to do and find yourself cursing your hesitance, look at a clock or watch, and start counting down from 30. By the time you reach 1, you must make a positive decision. Example:Co-worker: "We're having drinks at Jojo's tonight - want to join us?" You: "Uhhhmmmm... I'm not sure... ummm who all is going..." Co-worker: "Everyone from Accounting and that pretty new girl... I know you want to meet her..." You: (really nervous and hesitant now) "Wow. I'm not sure..." Co-worker: (resigned to you just not showing up) "Well, okay. Let us know. You're more than welcome to come, though..." (starts moving away) The New You: "You know what - Yes, I'd love to come. I was just thinking about whether I already had something, but it's not important. Thank you for asking me - I'll see you tonight." Co-worker: (Pleasantly surprised) "Great! We'll see you then! ... uh - Her name is Colleen, just so you know." The New You: "OK. See you then. Mmm. Colleen..." (smiling quietly to yourself) Force yourself to do new things. Having new, different experiences helps you learn to cope with new situations, and it builds your self-confidence, which helps you become a more decisive person. Often, hesitance and indecisive behaviours are caused by having lived a sheltered existence, or not having much experience to draw on. Allowing yourself to go to parties or gatherings, or even just going to meetings, conventions, or the movies with different people, broadens your horizons a little bit every time you do it. You hear the stories others tell, and you soon have some stories of your own to tell. As you become more experienced, you will be more certain of what will happen in different circumstances. Being more certain = being less hesitant.In most areas of life, the "best" at something doesn't make them the "best" leader. Rodgers might be putting up better stats, that doesn't mean he's a better leader then Favre. TO is one of the best WRs in the league, does that make him a great leader? He might be the most phyiscally gifted person on the Cowboys, but he's an awful leader. But he plays great, produces, works hard. But again, horrible leader.

 

[jurrassic]

The biggest issue with this team, is that they have absolutely no pass rush. None. Kampman can only do so much, and as it is the guy has played every snap for the past 3 games.

The Packer's desire to field the youngest team in the league for the 3rd year in a row has led to too many penalties and missed assigments.

Both of these issues fall on Thompson. I am a Thompson fan but I can't argue with these points

The biggest thing that bothers me as a Packer fan is that I think I may have overestimated how much talent is on this team. Besides the qb, wr's, and pk, there aren't any positions that I look at and go "wow" there are a few playmakers in that group. Their secondary has Woodson, and at times Collins but he gives up just as many big plays as he creates.

The o-line is deep but average

The rb's are average

The te's are below average, but there is talent there

The d-line is a mess. Losing jenkins hurt, but there are much bigger issues with a lack of edge rushers, and DT's that give up position way to easily and can't maintain gap control

The linebackers were terribly overrated, before Barnett got hurt he wasn't doing much of anything either

The db's are solid but aging, I still think they need a legitimate strong safety with range. At free-safety, Collins has play-making ability but takes terrible angles to the ball, and alot of chances

Special teams coverage units are pathetic, they should have kept Tracy White

Return game has come on this year with Blackmon

The Punting has been an issue all year

Crosby has quickly turned into one of the top kickers in the game

This team desperately needs playmakers. Outside of Jennings, Woodson, and Collins they don't really have any.