Favre to the Vikings?

[SoxFan01605]

Re: Favre to the Vikings?

The timing of a retirement decision for a starting qb effects the whole team. As far as the last few years, he has left his team hanging out to dry.

This is completely different than any other retirement I have seen from a super star athlete. Jordon didn't insist on playing for the Pistons. Testeverde came back as a backup more than once. None of them retired then tried to force a trade or insist where they go.

As far as his latest "retirement", was it a retirement or a staged situation to get cut?

I do agree this is becoming his legacy.

I agree it's a bit different, but mostly because those I mentioned were'nt under contract. Jordan didn't have to demand which team to play for, as he wasn't under contract. Jordan handled his much better, in that he started signing a series of one year deals. BUT, don' think there weren't demands. Also, don't think for a minute that if he were in the same contractual situation that he wouldn't try to leverage a deal to get him somewhere where he wanted to go.

I just personally find the argument that he "held his team hostage" a bit weak (it's fine that we disagree...just discussing here). Yes, QB effects the whole team, but (in terms of the Packers), they could simply move forward as though he wasn't coming back and then adjust to his returning with nothing to lose. I mean, it's not like they were unfamiliar...lol.

As I said, retirement is NOT about anyone but you. Yes, your teammates should be a consideration, but a small one. We're talking about a life-changing event. It's no different than a FA weighing his options. The loyalty card is played far too often in the Brett Favre scenario, IMO.

I'm also not saying the Packers made the wrong decision either. They decided to move on when he retired. He chose to change his mind and had to deal with the consequences of being late with the decision. Nobody lost from it, in terms of progress. The only things hurt were PR related for both sides. They found something to do with him, the Packers and Jets both got something in the deal...no biggie.

I also agree that his indecisiveness is frustrating, but I just don't understand the overreaction to him making such a decision. As I said, if he wants to play, and there are teams still willing to take him, I see no issue. I just personally have a hard time faulting a guy for not wanting to hang it up.

As for him staging the retirement, I think it's a perfectly plausible thought. He wanted to play for the Vikings from day one in all this. It's the perfect scenario for him. He'd be on a legit playoff team and in able to try and stick it to the team that he feels "wronged" him.

So what!! I want a guy on my team who is motivated to win a championship!! and not just to beat the Packers twice.

lol...I honestly don't think the guy would NOT want to win a championship. He's always been competitive (hence the desire to want to get back at his old team in the first place). I don't think he''ll go all out in his two divisional games and then ask to take the rest of the year off...lol.

I don't see why it should bother you if you're a Vikings fan. If the guy is motivated to beat the Packers twice, that's two more important wins in your playoff run.

I could argue that he'll be a better fit for the Vikings because of this. It can serve as extra incentive...what better way to stick it to the Packers than by winning a SB with their rival. Don't see how it's a bad thing at all. I could care less about what specifically motivates my team's players, as long as they are motivated to win.

[shnuskis]

Re: Favre to the Vikings?

I agree it's a bit different, but mostly because those I mentioned were'nt under contract.

We agree on just about everything here. There is a lot of sides with a lot of grey areas. I don't blame him for wanting to play. As a Packer fan I root for the team, not the player. I am over him leaving and want him to sign with the Vikings. I think it will make for the most anticipated NFC North season I can ever remember(Cutler, Favre, Rodgers, Sanford.) Not to mention the unbelievable party GB will be on Nov. 1.

[roadman]

Re: Favre to the Vikings?

I don't think that's fair. Retirement isn't a "you or your teammates" type decision...it should be personal. It actually should have nothing to do with your teammates. Besides, what teammates? The former Packers ones he clearly can't play with? The Jets one who took an opening to blame their entire season collapse on him? Whether or not to continue playing is up to him...and whatever team wants to give him the opportunity.


What he's doing is not at all uncommon, it's just very public.
If it didn't end up so messy with the Packers front office (BOTH sides completely mishandling the situation and turning to the media to address it) then nobody cares as much. Jordan, "unretired" a couple times. In football, Chris Carter, Vinny Testaverde, Doug Flutie, etc did as well. Those are just a few examples, too. Add in the relentless media coverage ("Breaking news!!! Farve seen stretching at a highschool gym!!!"), and you've got yourself some serious message board fodder...lol

And for those questioning why the Vikes should want a guy seemingly motivated by revenge...so what? I could care less what his motivations are, as long as they lead to him playing hard. And whether or not people think he's washed up, or selfish, or whatever, one thing most can agree on is he plays hard.

I've never been a fan of Favre, but I tend to think his retirement/unretirement saga is overblown. If he desires to still play (whatever you want to speculate the reasoning is) and there's a team that wants him, then what's the problem?

I understand Packers fans being upset about him going to the Vikings, but IMO that should be more an issue of him going to a rival than him wanting to still play. Plus it's his loss if he alienates some fans. Everyone keeps talking about his "legacy", but it's his to make or break. Maybe this IS his legacy...lol.

I wasn't talking about Brett's personal decision vs what his teammates think or care. Based on news accounts, the last few years Favre has separated himself from his teammates. In the last year or two with the Packers and the last one with the Jets, he's had a separate locker area away from the team. He didn't participate until August with the Jet's(part of that was the long drawn out drama) and he's missing a lot of OTA's with the Vikes.

He may play hard and have all the enthusiasm in the world, but in big games since the turn of the century, he has lost those big games with interceptions.

The reason why the Favre retirement saga is overblown is because of Favre and the media. Each year for the last 5 years he's had a media circus on whether he is retiring or not. His decisions have always been after the draft which puts any team he plays on in a tight spot before the draft.

[Herky]

Re: Favre to the Vikings?

Do you really want someone that selfish on your team, just so he can stick it to a GM who told him we moved on from your retirement?

I think the Vikes are letting friendships clouding their visions of a SB. Look at Favre's performances in the playoffs the last decade. Plus, he's never played well in the domes and I know he once said he hated playing in the Metrodome.

Minnesota needs a stadium and Favre will sell tickets. Even if it's only for a year. I'd take him in a heartbeat and it sounds like a lot of the players do as well.

The gamble is a good one I think because QB play has horrible under Childress. Childress also has to win or he's gone.

[roadman]

Re: Favre to the Vikings?

The gamble is a good one I think because QB play has horrible under Childress. Childress also has to win or he's gone.

It is a gamble and you are right, it's probably better than what they have now. It does has it's drawbacks as far as Tj is concerned, but like you said, Childress is in a win now situation.

[dragon4ever]

Re: Favre to the Vikings?

Bret Favre is the most overrated and over hyped QB in the history of the NFL. I never understood how a guy that has a touchdown/interception turnover ratio that is nothing short of abysmal is getting so much praise. Enough with the Bret Favre hype already! This guy should have retired like five years ago.

[mvb34]

Re: Favre to the Vikings?

Minnesota needs a stadium and Favre will sell tickets. Even if it's only for a year. I'd take him in a heartbeat and it sounds like a lot of the players do as well.

The gamble is a good one I think because QB play has horrible under Childress. Childress also has to win or he's gone.

Lot of players like who? Nobody has come out and said yea we want Brett Farve.

[shnuskis]

Re: Favre to the Vikings?

Lot of players like who? Nobody has come out and said yea we want Brett Farve.

Vikings wide receiver Bernard Berrian could barely hide his excitement last week when talking to Chip about the potential of playing with Brett Favre.

http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/05/11/drew-rosenhaus-bernard-berrian-would-be-unstoppable-with-brett/

“I told him if he comes, we will open our arms to you, and if you don’t, we understand,” Williams said. “He’s a Hall of Famer, and no one can take that from him. He’s still one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play.”


"Antoine Winfield said he would be pleased if Favre was on the Vikings team."

http://vikingsfootballhome.blogspot.com/2008/07/brett-favre-saga-continues-at-vikings.html

[mvb34]

Re: Favre to the Vikings?

Vikings wide receiver Bernard Berrian could barely hide his excitement last week when talking to Chip about the potential of playing with Brett Favre.

http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/05/11/drew-rosenhaus-bernard-berrian-would-be-unstoppable-with-brett/

“I told him if he comes, we will open our arms to you, and if you don’t, we understand,” Williams said. “He’s a Hall of Famer, and no one can take that from him. He’s still one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play.”


"Antoine Winfield said he would be pleased if Favre was on the Vikings team."
http://vikingsfootballhome.blogspot....t-vikings.html

Sean Jensen of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports if he does become a Minnesota Viking, future Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre will have to prove his commitment to linebacker Chad Greenway.

While he was complimentary of Favre's credentials and leadership, Greenway was more critical than any of his teammates about the legendary quarterback's waffling ways.

"He's retired a couple of times, so you wonder where his loyalties lie," Greenway said Monday, referring to Favre's retirement from the Green Bay Packers in March 2007, then his un-retirement and eventual trade to the New York Jets. "For us, we're moving forward with what we've got here. We have a team that can obviously win at a high level, and we have a team that, moving forward, we think can really compete for an NFC North title again and get to the championship game and hopefully further. "As good as something may sound, we have a great team to play with right now, and there is no sense in looking outside of what we have."

One outspoken Vikings player, defensive end Ray Edwards, has gone on record of his trepidation of bringing in Favre. Edwards recently said in support of Jackson, “Forget Favre, Forget Rosenfels, too”.

Jared Allen:
(Worried about Favre situation becoming a distraction?) “It’s not a distraction for me. I don’t go home and think about it. Whatever is going to happen is going to happen. I don’t even worry about it. I’ve got more important things to worry about. I’ve got my game to worry about and all I know is I’m going to be here. So I’m going to show up every day, will be here tomorrow and then I’ll be at camp.”
(Do you think chemistry would be an issue here with Favre?) “We’ve got a good locker room. The coaches and staff and organization does a great job of making this a family atmosphere around here. And so that’s the way we keep it. Everything is family-oriented.”
Visanthe Shiancoe:
(How does Favre saga impact the team?) “Well, I mean, it’s kind of over now. We’ve kind of been there, done that. We’re ready to move along. We have two guys here that are working hard. Like I said, if he comes, it would be an asset. It would be exciting to have him here. He’s a Hall of Fame guy. But right now we can just work with what we have right now. So that’s what it is.”
(Do guys just want to know?) “I mean, you want to know. You have it lingering over your head, all day every day. Every time you turn on the TV, you see Favre or you see something about Favre or you see something about his shoulder or you see him working out at the high school in the morning. But you do want it to be finished with and you want to know what’s going on. But at the same time that’s something that we can’t control so we leave it alone.”

[metallicatz]

Re: Favre to the Vikings?

Funny tidbit from a meeting we had at Best Buy yesterday morning (I work a day a week there for the discount). Best Buy always has all these cheesy employee/company videos made that attempt to be humorous while going over company policies and stuff. Well yesterday morning they're showing a new vid, which was actually kinda funny for once, and it's talking about sales models while spoofing on the OxyClean commercials. The guy in the vid is talking about "tools you need" and "tools you don't need" and there was a list that pops up on the screen for each. And for the "tools you don't need" segment the list had Brett Favre's name on it (among others). Only a few of us caught it because it was moving pretty fast but it's funny that Best Buy has pretty much officially labeled Brett Favre a "tool we don't need". I need to get a copy of it.

[shnuskis]

Re: Favre to the Vikings?

T-shirts seen in Wisconsin. A picture of Favre's face and written above it, "We won't forget you Brent.":wink:

[ProfessaPackMan]

Re: Favre to the Vikings?

Anybody plan on watching his interview on Joe Buck Live? BTW, when does that come on and what time as well?

[Herky]

Re: Favre to the Vikings?

Sounds like it's nearly a lock he is a Viking. Here are some of the key quote from Kevin Seifert's blog on ESPN.com.

# 9:18 p.m.: On the deadline issue: He says there was not one. "It's not like I talk to those guys every day," he says of the Vikings. Coach Brad Childress asked him to come to OTAs. Favre said he chose not to. Favre admits that Childress wanted him to be "part of the team" but says "I chose to stay away" because of the likely media frenzy, especially if his arm was not ready. "So why not just have one media frenzy, and that would be later on," he says. It's not because he didn't want to be at OTAs, he says.

# 9:17 p.m.: Favre says it all about the arm. If it's not up to par, "I can't play," he says.

# 9:16 p.m.: Favre: "It makes a lot of sense because the pieces are in place." He mentions the Vikings running game. "If I go there, there's no guarantees," he says. But Favre said "I think every player would like to believe he is a difference-maker." If he goes to Minnesota, he says, "We should be pretty good."

# 9:16 p.m.: Favre says he met with a Vikings trainer on Sunday to work on different exercises. Favre says it makes "perfect sense" to play for the Vikings and he hasn't talked to anyone else. He says, "I could teach the offense" in Minnesota because he knows it so well.

# 9:15 p.m.: He says he has talked to the VIkings, nothing other than "Are you interested?" and vice versa. It's "more or less how my arms feels and we'll go from there," he said.

# 9:14 p.m.: Favre says he had surgery 2 1/2 weeks ago with Dr. Andrews. He says it will be a 4-6 week recovery.

# 9:13 p.m.: Can't make it up. Favre says "maybe" when asked if he will play in 2009.

[ProfessaPackMan]

Re: Favre to the Vikings?

So he's doing the interview online?

[Herky]

Re: Favre to the Vikings?

The interview already happened at 8 central. That was just the live blog from ESPN.

Not sure if there are any replays online.