Tag: Green Bay Packers (Page 57 of 57)

      Best all-time franchise players for all 32 NFL teams

      August 18, 2008 /

      ESPN.com did a cool feature recently when they asked SportsNation to select an all-time player for each NFL team. Some players were obvious choices for teams, including Brett Favre for the Packers and Barry Sanders for the Lions, but there were some question picks, as well.

      The site added links to video of each player, as well as a chance to debate each choice.

      Here were some of the more obvious selections:

      49ers: Joe Montana, QB
      Packers: Brett Favre, QB
      Lions: Barry Sanders, RB
      Browns: Jim Brown, RB
      Dolphins: Dan Marino, QB
      Patriots: Tom Brady, QB
      Broncos: John Elway, QB
      Chargers: LaDainian Tomlinson, RB
      Colts: Peyton Manning, QB

      And some of the more questionable choices:

      Ravens: Matt Stover, K
      Saints: Bobby Hebert, QB

      As a colleague pointed out, it’s hard to argue with any of these picks because they were chosen by fans. But Matt Stover over Ray Lewis? Bobby Hebert over Archie Manning?

      Lewis has been the face of Baltimore’s franchise for almost a decade and Stover is a kicker (albeit a very good kicker) for Jonathan Ogden’s sake. And I know Hebert was a fan favorite that led the team to the playoffs in 1988, but if Manning had a better team around him, he might have led the Saints to their first ever Super Bowl. I thought Pat Swilling would have gotten more love, too. (Swilling only got 2.4% of votes.)

      Cool feature, though.

      General Sports, NFL

      Brett Favre to be a Buccaneer by the end of the day?

      August 6, 2008 /

      The Tampa Tribune is reporting that Brett Favre could become a Tampa Bay Buccaneer within the next 24 hours.

      The Tribune has learned Favre will not stand in the way of a trade from Green Bay to Tampa Bay and the deal is likely to be finalized within 24 hours.

      The chances of the trade unraveling are remote and Favre has indicated to the Bucs directly that he is willing to change teams after 16 years of growing his legend in Green Bay.

      The Packers, unwilling to deal the 3-time league MVP to an NFC North rival, view the Bucs as a compromise in this ugly impasse. The Bucs view Favre as an upgrade on QB Jeff Garcia, who made the Pro Bowl in 2007 while leading Tampa Bay to an NFC South title.

      Once it became clear to Favre that he wasn’t welcome back in Green Bay, he became more flexible in terms of accepting a trade to clubs outside the division. The Bucs have been interested in Favre since last month, when he announced he wanted to play again.

      As I’ve written before, I think Favre and Tampa make a great fit. The only issue is whether or not the Packers feel they can get proper compensation and if Favre doesn’t change his mind again. Read between the lines and it seems apparent that he wants to stay in the NFC North. With Tampa residing in the NFC South, what if he gets to the land of pirate ships and wants to back out?

      The Bucs better get some insurance on this deal.

      NFL

      Brett Favre to compete for job?

      August 3, 2008 /

      Wow. A source close to the Packers has revealed that the team is going to allow Favre to compete for the starting job.

      Another source close to the club, said that the Packers have agreed to allow Favre to compete with Aaron Rodgers for the starting job and he won’t necessarily be the backup this season. Trade talks with Favre have not advanced and coach Mike McCarthy is expected to come up with a plan that will split the practice repetitions with Rodgers.

      This is a huge shift from the Packers’ perspective. All along, they’ve been saying that they were going to move on with Aaron Rodgers as their quarterback, but evidently Favre’s (understandable) stubbornness, along with the prospect of the media circus that would ensue once he got to camp, has convinced the team to allow him to try to win his job back.

      Regular readers know I am a die-hard Packers fan, and this shift in policy only seems fair. Other than having to deal with the uncertainty each offseason, the Packers’ resistance to Favre’s return never made a whole lot of sense. Cutting him wasn’t an option, as he could go and play for the Vikings. Trading him turned out not to be an option, because Favre wouldn’t meet with the Bucs or the Jets. This is the only fair and equitable course of action.

      So now we’ll have a camp battle between a future Hall of Famer (and runner-up in the 2007 MVP voting) versus… Aaron Rodgers. I wonder who is going to win…

      By all accounts, Rodgers has looked pretty sharp in camp, though one has to wonder how he’s going to play under this kind of pressure. Favre, assuming he hasn’t lost “it,” should be able to seize his old job back.

      Unless, of course, this whole competition is just a farce and the team is planning on giving the job to Rodgers regardless of how either QB plays. Obviously, the preseason games will be vitally important to the public’s perception of the QB battle.

      From the POV of a Packer fan, this situation just went from frustrating to interesting in the blink of an eye.

      Monday morning update (8/4): The Milwaukee-Journal Sentinel is reporting that the Packers have contacted the Vikings about a potential trade. Just when I thought this was over…

      Fantasy Football, NFL, Rumors & Gossip

      Did the Packers try to bribe Brett Favre to stay retired?

      July 31, 2008 /

      WTMJ-TV in Milwaukee is reporting that the Packers are willing to bribe Brett Favre to stay retired.

      WTMJ-TV Channel 4 in Milwaukee, citing two sources, reported Wednesday that Packers president Mark Murphy at least floated the idea to Favre of paying him a package in the neighborhood of $20 million over 10 years to remain retired. Murphy met most of Wednesday with Favre and his agent, Bus Cook, in Hattiesburg, Miss.

      A source subsequently confirmed that the Packers have discussed monetary compensation with Favre and Cook.

      Murphy arrived back in Green Bay at approximately 9 p.m. and did not stop to talk to reporters as he was driven from the airport. A few minutes later, the Packers released this statement from Murphy:

      “I was in Hattiesburg today and had a nice visit with Brett Favre. We discussed a number of topics not related to football, including Brett’s long-term relationship with the Packers. I consider our conversation to be confidential and am going to be respectful of Brett and his family and keep the details private.”

      When asked if the Packers had a specific comment on WTMJ’s report, Murphy’s spokesman, Aaron Popkey, said no further comment would be coming from the Packers this evening.

      Obviously, this doesn’t look good for the Packers. It appears to be a desperate attempt to keep the Favre circus from making a stop in Green Bay. Given their obvious (yet bizarre) distaste for bringing Favre back as the starter, coupled with their inability to agree on the appropriate compensation for a potential trade package, the Packers have grossly mishandled the situation.

      If this report is true, the leak clearly came from Favre’s camp. I highly doubt that anyone loyal to the Green Bay Packers would reveal that the team president tried to buy off the franchise’s most beloved player (of the modern era, anyway). This news will only serve to poison a difficult situation even further. For that, Favre (or his camp) is to blame.

      I still believe that Favre gives the Packers the best chance to win a title this season. Pundits across the country continue to debate about which team is the “best fit” for Favre. They talk about how he should go to a team that would be a contender if only it didn’t have an unsettled quarterback situation. Isn’t the “best fit” the Green Bay Packers?

      But if the team is 100% committed to moving on with Aaron Rodgers, then they should trade Favre for whatever they can get, whether it be a second- or a third-round pick.

      This ordeal needs to end, and not with a bribe.

      NFL, Rumors & Gossip

      The Packers should bring back Brett Favre

      July 9, 2008 /

      I know Brett Favre’s “will he or won’t he” act is getting tiresome.

      I know it’s not fair to Aaron Rodgers.

      I know this might make the Packers worse off in two or three years.

      But if Brett Favre really wants to return to football, the Packers should take him back. There’s no other reasonable choice. Favre holds the keys. He can un-retire whenever he wants to. If/when he does, then the Packers either have to play him, trade him or release him, and those last two options aren’t really options.

      This is a guy who threw for 4155 yards and 28 touchdowns, and had a quarterback rating of 95.7, which was the sixth best in the league last season. If not for Tom Brady’s insane year, Favre probably would have been the front runner to win the MVP award, which would have been the fourth of his career. Despite the fact that his interception in overtime against the Giants ended the Packers season, Favre had the highest QB rating of any signal caller in the playoffs (99.0).

      Clearly, the guy can still play. I was absolutely stunned when he decided to hang ’em up with the Packers this close to the Super Bowl.

      He gives the Packers the best chance to win now. Rodgers may or may not be a good quarterback. Favre proved in 2007 that he’s still a great one. Life isn’t fair, and Rodgers hasn’t been dealt the best hand. If I’m Mike McCarthy, I just shrug my shoulders and say, “Them’s the breaks, kid. Keep your dobber up.”

      I don’t buy the secondhand reports that Green Bay GM Ted Thompson forced Favre out. Everything he said after the season implied that it was Favre’s decision, and with the way he played all year, there was no reason for Thompson to force him out. And there was no reason for Favre to allow himself to be forced out. The entire Packer Nation wanted him to return for another season and I’d bet that a majority would love to see #4 under center come September.

      But only if he’s wearing the green and gold.

      And, assuming he actually wants to play, that’s why the Packers have to take him back.

      Update: I changed my mind later that season when I found out that Favre actually unretired twice in the spring/summer of 2008.

      Fantasy Football, NFL, Rumors & Gossip, Super Bowl

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