Zero2Cool
15 years ago
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I hope my column on Friday explaining some of the issues behind the divorce between the Packers and Brett Favre gave insight to readers. After reading the comments, Im reminded of the intelligence, knowledge and passion of our readers. Through his desire to return to play -- which should have been no surprise to anyone, especially the Packers -- Brett put the team in a difficult position that was exacerbated by his popularity and previous treatment in Green Bay. The Packers handled it in a way that was best for them, leading to a messy divorce. The latest chapter of the story ensued Sunday, with Brett doing an admirable job of maintaining control of his emotions and his game in leading the Vikings to a win.

During the Fox telecast, Troy Aikman said with some certainty that perhaps Brett never really wanted to play for the Packers again after his brief retirement last year. That meshes with some of the issues discussed here Friday, knowing the parties involved. Hearing it from Troy gives it added credence. I will explain.

Brett and the TV guys

Theres a reason so many of the national television broadcasters speak in reverential terms about Favre beyond his accomplishments on the field. Theyve come to know him so well from the generous amounts of time they have with him, for reasons that may not appear so obvious.

In my time with the Packers, when we arrived in a city as the visiting team on the afternoon before the game, our public relations staff would immediately meet the crew working the game for Fox, CBS, ESPN, ABC or NBC. Their producers typically gave our staff their list of three or four players they wanted to interview in preparation for the broadcast. The other names on the list would change week to week, but it always included Brett, no matter what our record, where our game was, etc. And Brett was usually the last one to be interviewed by the broadcast team.

While most of the requested players went for their 10-15-minute interviews and were off to do other things, Brett would stay and talk to the analysts sometimes for an hour, or two or three or four, even to the point where the broadcasters would kick him out so they could go get some dinner.

There were a couple of reasons Brett hung around so long. First and foremost, Brett had nowhere to go but back to his hotel room. Its not like he could walk around the streets of a city and grab dinner somewhere. Its not like he could hang out in the lobby and chat up memorabilia-toting fans. And after his longtime roommate, Frank Winters, retired, Brett just stayed in a single room (under an alias, of course, and there were some good ones).

The other reason Brett hung out in the broadcast meetings so long is that he just loved talking football with those guys. He especially reveled in sitting back and telling stories with people like John Madden, Matt Millen, Phil Simms and Troy Aikman. Some of the meetings with Madden are legendary for their candor and bawdy humor.

I remember seeing Brett walk out of a meeting three hours after he went in, and he was laughing to himself. I asked what it was about and he said he was just laughing with Madden and telling him about his Uncle Rube (Ill spare you the details). Sure enough, in the latter stages of the broadcast the next night, theres Madden talking about how Brett gets some of his toughness from his Uncle Rube.

So if Aikman said something enlightening about Favre, which he did, it came from Favre on Saturday night in the Vikings hotel, with Brett ensconced in a production meeting as always, talking football with the broadcast team.

Didnt want to be a Packer

Aikmans comment jibes with the feelings about the discussions with the Vikings that riled Packers management so much. As detailed here Friday, Brett never warmed to the management style of GM Ted Thompson. Beyond the stilted communication, Brett felt he received lip service from Ted about the team making runs at veteran players but didnt actually pursue them, as that was certainly not his preferred style for building a team.

Brett had no business making personnel decisions for the team but felt his suggestions had merit. He would bend my ear for hours about getting Randy Moss or other veteran players who became available. Whenever Brett would make these comments, I would tell him to trust the young guys we had such as Greg Jennings. Brett replied that he didnt have time to wait; I would tell him he didnt have to wait.

After so many tirades about how we werent going after this guy or that guy in free agency or trade, I would say to Brett, What part of Ted Thompsons philosophy do you not understand? He would just shrug and walk away.

Brett wanted a ready-made veteran team for the longest time. Thats what the Jets sold him last year, and thats what the Vikings were selling this (and last?) year. Now hes where he has wanted to be for 16 months and, at the moment, thriving.


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dfosterf (18m) : The white background beta was hard to read, especially the quotes
dfosterf (33m) : Hopefully the color scheme remains the same
dfosterf (40m) : *Friday*
dfosterf (43m) : 100 million would be 539 million as of Fridsy
dfosterf (44m) : Heck, they could have taken a hundred milliion and invested in DAVE inc. last year (semi random, humor, but real)
dfosterf (55m) : Beer brat and ticket is where the money comes from
dfosterf (1h) : The 40th is Titletown Tech itself. This is a pet project of both Ed Policy and Mark Murphy
Zero2Cool (1h) : New site coming along nicely. The editor is better than what we have here. Oh yeah!
dfosterf (1h) : No profit that I know of. 0 for 40
dfosterf (1h) : The woke reference has to do with the makeup and oftentimes objectives of the companies they invested in
packerfanoutwest (1h) : beer and brats woke? say whom?
beast (1h) : I don't want to get into politics, but how is, beers and brats considered to be "woke"? Food is food...
beast (1h) : That being said, I'm not saying all 100% should be that way, but not surprised if majority are Wisconsin based
beast (1h) : And if everyone has heard of them, then it it probably has less growth potential and less community based
beast (1h) : Well isn't the investing person supposed to invest the money?
dfosterf (1h) : I swear if I were to discover that one of them has invented a virtue signalling transmitter I will not be surprised, lol
dfosterf (1h) : 39 companies so far that I bet no one has ever heard of.
dfosterf (1h) : -Not saying woke, but should- borderline philanthopist venture capital excercise
dfosterf (1h) : Well for one, they are pouring resources into Title Town Tech. Investing beer, brat, hot dog, ticket money into what is pretty much...
beast (8h) : Wow, 95% drop in investment revenue? Would be interesting to hear the details of why...
dfosterf (25-Jul) : It's my one day deal complaint dept. on shareholder meeting day
dfosterf (25-Jul) : Probably a homer access credential intimidation kinda thing
dfosterf (25-Jul) : Meathead "journalists" skip this, concentrating on operational revenue when convenient. They switch when net revenue is more favorable.
dfosterf (25-Jul) : Resulting in an actual drop of net revenue of 12.5%. She is from Minnesota. Just sayin'
dfosterf (25-Jul) : Any plans to hold Maureen Smith (CFO) accountable for a 95% drop in investment revenue?
Mucky Tundra (25-Jul) : In your face, HBO!
Mucky Tundra (25-Jul) : @ByRyanWood Mark Murphy: “A great source of pride of mine is that we were never on Hard Knocks.”
Mucky Tundra (25-Jul) : *years
Mucky Tundra (25-Jul) : @mattschneidman Mark Murphy says he anticipates “many Packers games” being played in Germany, Ireland and/or the U.K. over the next 5-10 yea
dfosterf (25-Jul) : *cafeteria* I have hit my head also, so I sympathize
dfosterf (25-Jul) : Possibly hit his head leaning into the glass protecting the food in the cafateria
dfosterf (25-Jul) : Maybe a low flying drone
dfosterf (25-Jul) : Did Savion Williams run into a goalpost or something?
Mucky Tundra (25-Jul) : also, no bueno when a guy starts getting concussions right off the bat in his career
Zero2Cool (25-Jul) : Concussion is worse. Banks probably vet off day via back booboo claim
Mucky Tundra (25-Jul) : @AndyHermanNFL Jordy Nelson out at camp today. No word if he’s in play for one of the two open roster spots ; )
dfosterf (25-Jul) : Is that better or worse than Banks bad back?
Zero2Cool (25-Jul) : Savion concussion ... not good.
packerfanoutwest (24-Jul) : Aaron Rodgers’s first pass of first team period was picked off
Mucky Tundra (24-Jul) : tbh I didn't hear of his passing
Zero2Cool (24-Jul) : Cosby Show. Malcom Jamal Warner I think is real name
Mucky Tundra (24-Jul) : I was thinking of Ozzy and Hulk
Mucky Tundra (24-Jul) : Who's Theo?
Zero2Cool (24-Jul) : How is Theo alliteration?
Mucky Tundra (24-Jul) : Bad week for people whose names are alliterations
Zero2Cool (24-Jul) : Hulk Hogan gone too.
Zero2Cool (24-Jul) : Oh, it's toe injury
Zero2Cool (24-Jul) : Hope it's not serious. that would stink
dfosterf (24-Jul) : Sounds like an ankle not a knee for Fields
dfosterf (24-Jul) : Ya Flaccp on Browns
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