Packers G.M. Ted Thompson might have been feeling neglected while he watched on Monday night Part One of the Brett Favre interview. After all, it was coach Mike McCarthy and not Thompson who was mentioned most often by Brett, primarily with respect to the perceived effort to force him to decide whether to retire in March and then with respect to the attempt to persuade him not to press for a chance to return with another team in June.
But Thompson gets his share of attention, in Part Two.
According to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, Favre slams Thompson in the segment that will air Tuesday night on Fox News, and Favre points to three incidents that caused him to not trust Thompson.
First was Favre’s desire that the team add receiver Randy Moss in 2007. We reported, numerous times, that Favre was actively lobbying the team to acquire Moss after two failed seasons with the Raiders. There was also a rumor that the team’s failure to try to land the star receiver, who revived his career in a big way with the Patriots last season, prompted Favre to make noise about leaving the team. Though it’s still unclear whether the latter proposition is accurate, it’s now obvious that Favre wanted Moss — and that Favre didn’t appreciate Thompson’s decision not to be honest about that fact with the public.
“I worked my butt off . . . to try to get them to sign Randy Moss,” Favre told Fox News.
Second, Favre says he tried to get Thompson to re-sign guards Marco Rivera and Mike Wahle, both of whom left via free agency.
Third, Favre pushed hard for Thompson to consider hiring former 49ers and Lions coach Steve Mariucci, but Thompson rebuffed Brett, hiring Mike McCarthy instead.
“[N]one of those had anything to do with me retiring once again,” Favre says, “but, you know, it’s hard for me to trust, you know, this guy when I — either I’m told one thing and everyone else is told another, or he’s telling the public one thing and telling me another. And so — and that’s part of the reason for the [request for a] release.”
So Favre didn’t retire from the Packers because of mistrust for Thompson, but now Favre wants out in part because he doesn’t trust Thompson.
But, Brett, didn’t you say you want out because the Packers told you that they don’t want you to play?
More importantly, Brett, when did you become the quarterback/General Manager of the Packers?
Maybe we finally understand why Favre kept quiet for so long on this topic. Now that he’s opening his mouth, he’s sounding like an idiot.
Regarding this apparent effort to smear Thompson by dredging up outdated and irrelevant pisses and/or moans, Favre needs to realize that he hasn’t always been truthful, either. On July 2, for example, he said that the talk of his desire to return is “rumor” and that there’s “[n]o reason for it.”
So before Brett says “you know, it’s hard for me to trust, you know, this guy when I — either I’m told one thing and everyone else is told another, or he’s telling the public one thing and telling me another,” Favre should ask “this guy” in the mirror whether he has been doing the very same thing.
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July 15th, 2008 at 10:58 am
Apparently he DOES think he is the GM of this team. Who the hell is he to tell the team who to sign. What a freaking ego this guy has. Please Mr. Favre, go away already.
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Rating: 3.3 / 5 with 14 rating(s)
July 15th, 2008 at 10:58 am
The more this guy talks the more he sounds like a scumpale. He doesn’t decide what the team does. The GM does. If he doesn’t like it he can retire or play out his contract and go somewhere else. Retiring and then whining like a 4 year old and changing his story as he goes along just makes him sound like a moron.
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Rating: 3.6 / 5 with 10 rating(s)
July 15th, 2008 at 10:59 am
No wonder Favre’s pissed. Tom Brady says, “Hey, I could use some help here”. Voila’! Team Pats buys him Randy Moss. Not only does team Pack pass on Moss after Favre’s lobbying, they push Brett into the pasture.
Which business model is showing more success?
Go Pats!
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Rating: 2.55 / 5 with 15 rating(s)
July 15th, 2008 at 10:59 am
Amen Florio.
As a Packer fan and huge Favre fan…this is getting ridiculous.
Favre is digging himself a huge hole and this interview is not helping himself at all.
The reason why TT stated to the public that Brett wasn’t trying to get Moss was to save face for the organization AND Brett. Brett isn’t the GM so Brett should not be trying to make personnel decisions.
Brett is looking more and more like the bad guy and it is just sad.
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Rating: 3.75 / 5 with 11 rating(s)
July 15th, 2008 at 11:01 am
So he points out 3 issues - 2 of which Thompson was right on and the Packers are better off because.
Look, I’m a Packer fan and I loved watching Brett play, but he is getting into the T.O./Ocho Stinko area of the cess pool now. And he’s running a line of doublespeak most guys on Capitol Hill would be proud of.
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Rating: 3.15 / 5 with 11 rating(s)
July 15th, 2008 at 11:04 am
I’m a diehard Packer fan, and as long as I can remember, Favre has been the starting QB of the Green Bay Packers.
But what the hell is he blabbering about?
Sure, the Packers should have signed Moss. But its been well documented that Ted Thompson went after Moss, and simply didn’t get him. There were rumors floating around for a while that TT wanted Moss to sign a 2-year deal, and Moss was only willing to sign a 1-year deal, and that’s what rebuffed the trade.
But Steve Marriuci? Come on. Thompson signed McCarthy, who has turned out to be fantastic for the Packers–and Favre is criticizing him because Thompson didn’t sign his buddy? Unfortunately for Brett, Ted Thompson has to make his hirings in whats in the best interest for his team, not Brett Favre.
And you can say the same about Mike Wahle and Marco Rivera. They’re Guards! And the Packers were in Salary Cap hell. Had the Packers re-signed Wahle and Rivera, sure, they would have a decent interior, but they probably also wouldn’t have Ryan Pickett, nor Charles Woodson, as well as a few Vets they may have had to cut to make the cap figures work.
This is where the Favre fight is going to get ugly in Wisconsin, because there are still people that love Favre enough to support him no matter what–and a lot of them–and still people who will support the organization no matter what. People say TT could lose his job if Favre goes elsewhere and plays badly, but if TT brings Favre back because the fans are clamoring for it and Favre does badly, there’s an equal amount of fans that would be calling for his head.
Wisconsin is split on this issue, and Brett Favre is now making himself out to be a dick. I used to love Brett Favre. Now I’m not so sure.
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Rating: 4 / 5 with 12 rating(s)
July 15th, 2008 at 11:06 am
Favre has proven himself to be among the biggest tools in the NFL. Florio is correct with his GM comment. Guess what Favre? You don’t get to pick who the team signs. Randy Moss CHOSE to sign w/ New England. This guy’s ego is beyond comprehension. I used to like Favre, but now I’m taking glee in his public humbling and shaming. LOL.
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Rating: 2.9 / 5 with 8 rating(s)
July 15th, 2008 at 11:06 am
Gee…Mike Florio rips Brett Favre. How refreshing!
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Rating: 2 / 5 with 10 rating(s)
July 15th, 2008 at 11:06 am
Right on, Florio!
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Rating: 2.35 / 5 with 3 rating(s)
July 15th, 2008 at 11:07 am
Favre’s iron-man streak is really starting to take its toll.
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Rating: 3 / 5 with 4 rating(s)
July 15th, 2008 at 11:07 am
And another thing…
Why the hell would you blast TT for not signing Wahle and Rivera. Rivera is now out of the league after an incredibly disappointing end to his career in Dallas. Wahle has been ok, but he wasn’t the force he used to be on the Packers’ line.
And now he’s complaining about the McCarthy hiring over his friend Mariucci? Are you freakin’ kidding me? McCarthy was obviously the right choice and TT made the decision. I’m guessing Brett just wanted another one of his friends as the coach so Brett could do whatever the hell he wanted (like throwing into triple coverage).
The whining has to stop. We need to trade him.
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Rating: 4.1 / 5 with 11 rating(s)
July 15th, 2008 at 11:11 am
Brett,
Just shut up!!! People are finally beginning to realize that you were always about yourself and your image. You held the Pack hostage a number of seasons while contemplating your retirement. Just fade away…while there are still a few that are fooled by your act.
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Rating: 2.9 / 5 with 10 rating(s)
July 15th, 2008 at 11:11 am
Very nice article Florio.
Brett’s got cojones the size of basketballs. He’s upset that Thompson didn’t listen to him on personnel moves for both a player and a head coach? Wow, I’m beginning to think this guy actually needs some medication (besides Vicodin).
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Rating: 3.7 / 5 with 10 rating(s)
July 15th, 2008 at 11:13 am
Cue ‘the Britney guy’: Leave Brett alone!
Note: Go to youtube and search for ‘the britney guy’.
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Rating: 1 / 5 with 4 rating(s)
July 15th, 2008 at 11:13 am
Florio, the more you rip on Farve the more YOU look like an idiot.
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Rating: 1.65 / 5 with 20 rating(s)
July 15th, 2008 at 11:15 am
You’re on a roll this morning Mike… question… is there any GM foolish, I mean motivated enough to trade for Favre?
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Rating: 1 / 5 with 3 rating(s)
July 15th, 2008 at 11:16 am
AND another thing..
Way to throw MM to the bus by saying TT should have hired Mooch. They man helped resurrect your career and this is how you repay him? MM built an offense that made you great. What a class act.
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Rating: 4.1 / 5 with 10 rating(s)
July 15th, 2008 at 11:16 am
Favre shows how little he knows about running a franchise with his comments. It’s impossible to say how Moss would’ve worked out in Green Bay, but the other two points show that Thompson was right in his decisions. McCarthy was clearly a better choice than Mariucci and the timing was right to let Wahle and Rivera go.
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Rating: 3.65 / 5 with 6 rating(s)
July 15th, 2008 at 11:16 am
omg Favre. I’ve always been your fan but you’re just burning the bridge with this idiotic interview of yours. Stop moaning and pretend you’re the GM please….
There might not be a right way to go about negotiating with the Packers, but this is definitely the wrong way. You will not get any closer to your goals this way without damaging your public opinion futher.
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Rating: 3.15 / 5 with 6 rating(s)
July 15th, 2008 at 11:17 am
I didn’t know Favre was a GM in waiting.
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Rating: 3 / 5 with 4 rating(s)
July 15th, 2008 at 11:18 am
Great quarterbacks are harder to find than GMs or coaches. As much as working guys like you and me like to uphold the idea of a command hierarchy, the fact is that, when you have a great quarterback they become a “partner” in the power structure.
What’s wrong with Brett lobbying the team to resign his offensive line and upgrade his targets? Here’s a guy who’s made a career of making average receivers look like All Pros. No one’s saving a corner of the Hall of Fame for Antonio Freeman, Donald Driver or Javon Walker. Has there ever been an NFL quarterback who’s done more with less?
The only surprising thing here is how quickly Packers fans are willing to kick Brett Favre to the curb. Ask a Bears fan how easy it is to with WITHOUT a great quarterback.
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Rating: 2.65 / 5 with 24 rating(s)
July 15th, 2008 at 11:18 am
The Randy Moss thing may have been a mistake by Thompson, but it wasn’t like every team was knocking down the door for the guy. Also, GB has a very nice staple of WRs.
As for Rivera, didn’t he pretty much fall apart after leaving GB? I would score that one in TT’s favor. Wahle played okay after leaving, but he was cut recently as well (i.e. wasn’t worth his contract). Plus the Packers have drafted a lot of interior lineman.
I have no loyalties to either side, but GB seems to be doing pretty well in the GM department. Obviously some decisions haven’t panned out, but the track record appears better than average to me.
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Rating: 2.8 / 5 with 5 rating(s)
July 15th, 2008 at 11:18 am
I could never picture Tom Brady or Peyton Manning acting like such a jackass at the end of their careers or “first” retirements as this guy. Some guys build up so much goodwill during their careers only to flush most of it away at the end.
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Rating: 3 / 5 with 6 rating(s)
July 15th, 2008 at 11:19 am
We need to just fire TT and Mike McCarthy. Ron wolf is moving back to greenbay so we can hire him as the GM again, and call up Mooch and get him as a head coach. Ask brett back, trade rodgers and when brett is finally done move ahead with a new guy named brohm. If this would happen then all would be right in the originator TITLE TOWN( low blow shot at espn for trying to change the name.)
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Rating: 2.4 / 5 with 11 rating(s)
July 15th, 2008 at 11:21 am
Wow, Favre has become the #1 Diva/Prima Donna in the NFL.
I think he just stripped TO of the “I love me some me.” moniker.
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Rating: 3.9 / 5 with 11 rating(s)