In true parliamentary style, I will immediately declare an interest. The Green Bay Packers are my NFL team and have been ever since I started watching football 25 years ago. How can you not love a historically great team from a small town in the middle of nowhere that doesn't even have some filthy rich old white guy as an owner?
I also loved Brett Favre, through the MVP seasons, the Super Bowls, the single-handed victories, the starting streak and despite the pain-killer drama, the frustrating picks in crucial games, and the fact that he seems to be friendly with the odious Peter King.
But no man, even Favre, is bigger than the team, particularly a team as important to the NFL as the Green Bay Packers. It was time for Favre to retire and he did so with the best wishes and thanks of everyone in Green Bay and football in general. The team rightly moved on to Aaron Rodgers, who had waited patiently and with grace for his time to come.
Predictably, as all great ones do, Favre quickly wanted to unretire and, without any of the grace Rodgers had shown as his deputy, made a complete fool of himself (as did his wife) in the process. The Favre entourage and a lot of his admirers expected the Packers hierarchy to either trade him to the hated Vikings or welcome him back and dump Rodgers and all in the time it takes to throw an overtime playoff interception. When it didn't happen, they threw a collective hissy fit.
The Packers had no obligation to Brett Favre other than he was contracted to the team (which paid him a handsome salary) and he was theirs to play, trade or bench. Quite rightly, they traded him for a fair return and even found an AFC home for him so he didn't immediately have the opportunity to bite them in the ass.
Favre has revitalized a struggling Jets team and that's a great story. He's put up numbers that put him on the fringes of MVP talk and his team will likely make the playoffs.
None of that makes the decision of Packers GM Ted Thompson to go with Rodgers a mistake. The Packers have almost no hope of making the postseason after their recent collapse, but even that shouldn't throw Thompson's decision into question.
Rodgers has been impressive in his first season as a starter, so much so that he owns a QB rating of 91.2, higher than Favre's 90.4. Not that QB rating is the be-all and end-all of measuring a QB, but it illustrates that Rodgers hasn't been the reason why the Packers couldn't win a mediocre NFC North.
The reasons the Packers likely won't make the post season is that they:
- Can't stop the run (27th in the NFL).
- Can't win close games (three of the last four losses have been by four or less points) because of a porous defense and bad coaching decisions — the decision not to go for it on 4th-and-goal in the Carolina game was mind-numbingly stupid.
- Can't generate a decent pass rush, especially late in games.
- The team is young, without an obvious leader, and is unaccustomed to pressure situations. They will improve, but this year is too soon.
None of these issues reflect badly on Aaron Rodgers, who has had a great year in a difficult position. To say Brett Favre would have given them slightly more at QB might be true, but it's a complete stretch to say he would have taken them into the postseason. Rodgers has years ahead of him as a NFL starter; Favre has until the Jets are eliminated, then the whole will-he-won't-he saga starts again.
Anyone who watched, as I did, the MNF telecast of the Packers/Saints game must have got sick of the sound of squeaky-voiced "analyst" Tony Korn(ball)heiser flogging the "would Green Bay be better with Favre?" dirge until even one of his co-hosts could take no more. At one point, I thought Jaws, who was getting increasingly irritated and letting it show, was going to hang a right hook on Kornheiser's cretinous face.
Here lies the basic problem with NFL broadcasts. Men like Jaworski, who can actually analyze football games for an informed and intelligent audience, are sidelined or crushed into submission until they toe the company line and peddle the "storyline" garbage that no one apart from the likes of David Hill at FOX cares about.
Hence we get the "so-and-so comes from a poor family of 76 children and didn't eat a proper meal until he got to college" or "this guy is dating this Z-list celebrity singer having previously dated another equally dismal reality show contestant" or the "will he retire or won't he?" drivel. Joe Buck has made a lucrative career out of grinding out this crap for FOX.
It's an insult to fans that love (and understand) the game and it's almost unheard of in college football broadcasting, where the standard of analysis is much higher.
I thought MNF couldn't sink any lower than Dennis Miller, but sadly, I was proven wrong. At least Miller approached the job as a comedian and had no pretense to being an analyst, though his style wasn't to everyone's taste, including mine.
Kornheiser's laboring under the illusion that he's a bona-fide expert and twitters on endlessly with his inane "observations" and opinions. He's a low-level talking head that's out of his depth — a bald Jim Rome, an old and white Stephen A.S.S. Smith, Jay Mariotti with a jumper and jacket instead of an Armani suit. It's enough to make you yearn for the days of Dan Dierdorf.
According to nfl.fanhouse.com, Kornheiser mentioned Brett Favre 18 times during the Saints/Packers telecast, compared to 16 times for Rodgers and nine times for one of the NFC's best QBs and a likely MVP candidate, Drew Brees. Ridiculous.
Completely passed by in this Green Bay/Jets/Favre triangle is Chad Pennington, who was unceremoniously dumped by the Jets to make room for Favre.
Pennington had a hard time in New Jersey, but always appeared brave and dignified despite the criticism. He has a better QB rating than either Rodgers or Favre at 92.8, he's only thrown 6 picks, and has fumbled the ball just twice, with neither recovered by the opposition. I don't expect Tony Kornheiser has noticed that.
From a comedy journalist to the greatest living NFL writer, Paul Zimmerman, otherwise known as Dr. Z.
Zimmerman was hospitalized last week after suffering two strokes. He is recovering, but so far hasn't been able to communicate, according to hospital sources.
Dr. Z is the perfect example of how to conduct yourself as a professional sports journalist. He has an encyclopedic knowledge of his subject, laces his articles with wit and amusing anecdotes, respects his colleagues and subjects, and offers forthright opinion backed up by facts. He's also an NFL media dinosaur, in as much as he is prepared to take on the suits in the NFL establishment and call them out on what they do wrong. No other NFL writer can even make a half-hearted claim to that.
It was with great sadness that I read of his illness. If we've seen the last of his work, there will be a gaping hole in sports journalism. I'm sure I'm not alone at Sports Central in wishing him a speedy recovery and praying for his family in difficult times.
December 3, 2008
C.Mayer:
Foolish. One shouldnt be the Pot Calling the Kettle Black. It really is simply put.
The offense cant sustain any consistancy, however have plenty of talent to do so. The numbers are completely tainted. GB scores with long passes typically or special teams play. Rodgers hangs on to the ball WAY TOO LONG and often is giving up sacks because of it. Sure he isnt throwing INTs, but then he isnt really moving the ball either.
Since the offense isnt keeping the ball and controlling the time of possession, the defense ends up playing longer and wearing down as the game goes by. When players are tired, they tend to not protect themselves as well, hence the reason why all the injuries are on defense. For some reason, it doesnt work the same way exactly on offense.
If Favre was on this team, GB could possibly be one or two losses at this point, controlling the NFCN. They probably would be running the table on the next four games and have a first round bye in the playoffs.
Dont get me wrong, Rodgers isnt doing poorly. He just isnt as good as Brett Favre. The Packers expected to be 12-4 this year, will probably be lucky to be .500. The jets expected to be 4-12, will go deep in the playoffs. Whats the difference?
Brett Favre.
Only a person who doesnt understand the game would think otherwise.
DrPacker
December 3, 2008
Wayne:
I agree with above post.
I think the Rodge will be pretty damned good. However, he’ll never be Favre. The packers have much more talent on offense than the Jets do. Keller would start in GB, but other than him, I see nothing. Coles is no Steve Smith or even Donald Driver for that matter. Id take grant and BJax over Jones.
But whats the deal with writing a favre vs rodgers article complaining about how much sports media is focusing on the issue. As a person that likes both of them and Mike McCarthy too, Id just like it to stop.
And for the record, they should’ve/could’ve gotten a 4th/3rd conditional for rodgers and it would have been a smarter move.
Outside of the contradiction, solid article.
December 3, 2008
iowachick:
As the writer pointed out, this young team does not have a leader. That was why they were so great last year—they had Brett Favre who is well known for his leadership abilities.
As for the on again off again retirement issue, I think that is created by the media. They are already asking if he’s coming back and he hasn’t even finished the season. That question should be off limits! We know now he feels depleted at the end of the season and revived after he has had time to regenerate. I say, Media—don’t even start it.
One final comment- I saw nothing that Brett or Deanna Favre did last year as embarrasing to them other than the humiliation with which they were treated by Green Bay management. Management could have flown to Kiln and just said, “Brett, we are not going to play you. Do you want to stay retired or do you want a trade.” Instead Mike Murphy states, “We will always welcome Brett back and we have a place for him.” Misleading at best, as the place they had was out of the back door. No icon like Brett should be treated that way. Brett said on the David Letterman show he had not signed the official retirement papers. It does not take a rocket scientist to figure the high probability of him wanting to come back. Green Bay management needed to be smarter about the whole thing.
My Dad was from Green Bay and I have been a Packer fan since before I could walk. I had to go on sabbatical this year and am enjoying the Jets until Green Bay straightens out their management issues.
December 3, 2008
Larry:
Interesting, Rodgers takes over a team that has all starters back from last year’s youngest team in the NFL and turns it from a 13 - 3 team to one that will be lucky to reach .500. Favre takes his aging body to a team where he knows no one, knows nothing about the offense, coaches or competition and doubles their wins with potential to be in the playoffs.
Oh BTW, the Pack had all strters from last year’s team returning except for Favre, their punter and one defensive lineman, all of who the Pack forced out (got rid of intentianally). With these three positions “upgraded” most expected at least a 14 - 2 season.
But alas, there is this thing called leadership that Thompson doesn’t understand. Favre led a young inexperienced team to play beyond their individual capabilities to be super achievers. Amazing that so many people including Packer fans don’t understand that.
Measure the size of a guy’s heart and maybe Thompson will get it.
I am so enjoying Favre doing his magic with a team (and fans) that appreciate his super talent. Congratulations Jets!
December 4, 2008
Jim:
Rodgers has a bad attitude…he can’t mask it…he’s a prick!
Comparing him to Brett Favre is like comparing Mike Tyson to Ali.
Rodgers will be a footnote in NFL history.
December 4, 2008
Victoria:
I agrees with all of the comment life on the page. You know i was a ig packer fan ut after what they did to brett i HATE the packers now. I am so happy that they are having a losing seasons. The Jets are wining wining and just keep on wining and ted tnompson will be watching brett and the jets in the playoffs!!!!!!!!! packer sucks!
December 4, 2008
lewisk12:
Amen. I am sick of people trying to make this argument. Its not even a close call. Favre is still WAY better than Rodgers and Favre would have given the Pack the best oppertunity to win, hands down. This season is proving that. Favre has thrown 4 more picks, 14 to 10. However, when Favre throws a pick, or makes one mistake, or not everything goes as planned, he doesnt melt. He has the ability to overcome three ints, rally his team, and then lead them down the field for the game winning drive ( a la KC Chfs). Lean Washington said it best when asked after the Jets Patriots game what was going through the players minds in the huddle while they drove down the field the the game winning drive in overtime, his response: “Brett Favre”. I hate that the packers are struggling, but there is a silver lining. It proves the huge mistake Thompson/Murphy/McCarthy made, and hopefully somebody gets axed, preferablly thompson. I am really glad though that Favre is having as much fun as he is, his teamates and coaches love him and their is a lot of mutual respect in that locker room.
December 4, 2008
Doug:
I agree with the above, it’s the intangibles that helped take the Pack to the NFC championship game last year, and those intangibles were primarily the leadership factor and fun factor of Favre, he raised the team to a form greater than the sum of it’s individual parts.
D
December 5, 2008
Mike Round:
In reply to Dr Packer (shouldn’t that be Dr Favre?)
“Since the offense isnt keeping the ball and controlling the time of possession, the defense ends up playing longer and wearing down as the game goes by.” - GB are 7th in TOP in NFL (31:51) The Jets have a better running game than GB as indicated by YPG yet they control the ball only 61 secs per game longer.
“Rodgers hangs on to the ball WAY TOO LONG and often is giving up sacks because of it”
NYJ 23 sacks allowed. GB 25.
“The Packers expected to be 12-4 this year, will probably be lucky to be .500. The jets expected to be 4-12, will go deep in the playoffs. Whats the difference?
Brett Favre.”
Aside from the strange “expectations”, the Jets caught a break when Brady went down and we’ll see if they go deep in the play offs.
In response to the posters who are no longer GB fans because one man has left - you weren’t fans to begin with. I’ll leave you to your hero worship.
And for Jim, surely the most retarded poster ever - Who helped you log on?
December 11, 2008
Andy:
If ever the loss of one man had a huge impact on a team, it was the Packers dumping Favre. I see what they are trying to do. It has merit. Favre is old, with maybe one season ,maybe two, left in him. Rodgers is young and has a lot of potential. But the bottom line is Favre would have given the Packers a greater chance at the Super bowl than Rodgers would. I’m not saying Rodgers wont ever do good. It is basicaly his rookie year. He may win a super bowl in 5 years, but what would have been the harm in keeping Brett for another year maybe two. The worst possible scenario is they don’t win a SB and Rodgers is 2 years older and more experienced. The object of the game is to win the super bowl. Favre would’ve given us a better chance than Rodgers will in the near future.
As for Favre’s reputation deterioration, the media’s job is to produce stories and get viewers and such. Of course they are gunna jump on the story they can spin the most. The only people writing serious news are the ones who don’t write about such trivial matters.
I did lose a lot of respect for the Packers management. I mean, I haven’t been alive when Favre wasn’t a Packer so I’ve also lost some interest in the Packers. For me he was “The Packer”. The most Packerish Packer the Packers have ever seen. I even wanted Rodgers to do terrible this year just to spite the people who ousted Favre. All I know is that being a Packers fan became a lot less enjoyable the day the Packers turned their back on him.
December 11, 2008
kevin:
It’s the same story over and over. Brett of course would have helped the Pack to a better record than what they have. He is a proven leader. AR has a long way to go. Thompson should have been shown the door as soon as he started pushing Brett towards it. If Thompson was shown the door then McCarthy would have had to go to because his heads so far up Thompsons butt it would have been impossible to get it out in time. This year was suppose to be great and what it is is a ‘GREAT” disapointment. I was ashamed when thet forced Brett out and I am happy that he is having success. As far as the Pack goes its on Thompsons shoulders, he should have to pay for it!
December 11, 2008
Kay:
I’m from Green Bay and I can tell you, the majority of the fans have had it with Rodgers and his “blowing buddy”…Teddy Thompson.
What genius rides Brett Favre out of town and pays 65 million for a contract with an unproven QB unless there is something goin’ on that we are supposed to be too stupid to figure out.
Until Teddy is ridden out of town on his famous “train leaving the station,” the Packers face a dismal future for many years to come.