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Cheesehead
By ROB REISCHEL
Special to the Journal Sentinel
Posted: Feb. 21, 2008
Indianapolis - Brett Favre's annual retirement decision is in full swing . . . again. And to Green Bay Packers fans everywhere, it has become a relatively annoying rite of winter.
Favre, who's in his sixth year of playing the "will he or won't he" game, has kept the Packers wondering about his future for 33 days since the season ended on Jan. 20.
During the National Football League scouting combine Thursday, many of the league's powers-that-be were asked their opinions about Favre's yearly dance. The general feeling was that the 38-year-old, three-time most valuable player had earned the right to take his sweet time.
"Veteran guys, especially guys like Brett, they've earned the right to take some time and make a decision about what they want to do," New York Giants general manager Jerry Reese said. "That's just my opinion"
Mike Martz, the offensive coordinator in San Francisco, agreed.
"I'd tell him take whatever time he wants and I'll see you in the fall," Martz said. "And if you want me to go fishing with you, I'd be happy to join you. That's what I'd tell Brett."
Coming off a season in which Favre finished second in the MVP voting, most figured it was a foregone conclusion he'd return.
But Favre's season ended with a thud when his overtime interception helped the Giants defeat the Packers in the NFC Championship Game. And a WISN-TV report earlier this week said Favre - according to a source - was unhappy that Packers general manager Ted Thompson hadn't called to ask him back.
"I think he knows how the organization feels about him," Packers offensive coordinator Joe Philbin said. "I just think he's earned the right to take his time and decide what's best. Everybody has to decide what's in their best interests. He has a lot of factors to weigh, and when he feels comfortable I'm sure he'll let us know."
Favre has left fans wondering about his future each off-season dating to 2002, after the Packers lost in the playoffs to Atlanta. The longest Favre ever took to decide was in 2006, when he waited until late April to say he was returning. Last off-season, Favre announced on Groundhog Day - Feb. 2 - that he'd be coming back.
Favre had indicated near the end of the season that his decision would be quicker this time but that hasn't been the case. Free agency begins next Friday and it's unclear whether Favre will have made up his mind by then.
Most of the NFL's brass, though, insist that Favre's uncertainty isn't a big deal, even if fans think otherwise.
"Here's what I would really feel bad about - and Barry Sanders did this to Bobby Ross two days before training camp (in Detroit) - if he just left and you didn't even have any idea," Redskins coach Jim Zorn said. "So at least you've got a guy saying he needs some time. You can honor that.
"When Barry did it, two days before training camp, he never gave an indication or said, 'I need some time. Can you work with me on this?' That left the whole team in trouble. I mean, how are you going to get a player then?"
The Giants' Reese went through the same thing last year with defensive end Michael Strahan. And Pittsburgh's director of football operations, Kevin Colbert, went through it late during the career of running back Jerome Bettis, a player who then exited after a Super Bowl championship.
One thing that everyone across the league thinks is that if Favre returns, he still will be extremely dangerous.
"I don't think anybody could have predicted how well he'd do (in 2007), especially after some of the turmoil he had, especially in '05," said Zorn, who was Seattle's quarterbacks coach from 2001-'07. "Something happened with how he disciplined himself to not take as many risks. They got some players around him but he made some great decisions, as well."
Special to the Journal Sentinel
Posted: Feb. 21, 2008
Indianapolis - Brett Favre's annual retirement decision is in full swing . . . again. And to Green Bay Packers fans everywhere, it has become a relatively annoying rite of winter.
Favre, who's in his sixth year of playing the "will he or won't he" game, has kept the Packers wondering about his future for 33 days since the season ended on Jan. 20.
During the National Football League scouting combine Thursday, many of the league's powers-that-be were asked their opinions about Favre's yearly dance. The general feeling was that the 38-year-old, three-time most valuable player had earned the right to take his sweet time.
"Veteran guys, especially guys like Brett, they've earned the right to take some time and make a decision about what they want to do," New York Giants general manager Jerry Reese said. "That's just my opinion"
Mike Martz, the offensive coordinator in San Francisco, agreed.
"I'd tell him take whatever time he wants and I'll see you in the fall," Martz said. "And if you want me to go fishing with you, I'd be happy to join you. That's what I'd tell Brett."
Coming off a season in which Favre finished second in the MVP voting, most figured it was a foregone conclusion he'd return.
But Favre's season ended with a thud when his overtime interception helped the Giants defeat the Packers in the NFC Championship Game. And a WISN-TV report earlier this week said Favre - according to a source - was unhappy that Packers general manager Ted Thompson hadn't called to ask him back.
"I think he knows how the organization feels about him," Packers offensive coordinator Joe Philbin said. "I just think he's earned the right to take his time and decide what's best. Everybody has to decide what's in their best interests. He has a lot of factors to weigh, and when he feels comfortable I'm sure he'll let us know."
Favre has left fans wondering about his future each off-season dating to 2002, after the Packers lost in the playoffs to Atlanta. The longest Favre ever took to decide was in 2006, when he waited until late April to say he was returning. Last off-season, Favre announced on Groundhog Day - Feb. 2 - that he'd be coming back.
Favre had indicated near the end of the season that his decision would be quicker this time but that hasn't been the case. Free agency begins next Friday and it's unclear whether Favre will have made up his mind by then.
Most of the NFL's brass, though, insist that Favre's uncertainty isn't a big deal, even if fans think otherwise.
"Here's what I would really feel bad about - and Barry Sanders did this to Bobby Ross two days before training camp (in Detroit) - if he just left and you didn't even have any idea," Redskins coach Jim Zorn said. "So at least you've got a guy saying he needs some time. You can honor that.
"When Barry did it, two days before training camp, he never gave an indication or said, 'I need some time. Can you work with me on this?' That left the whole team in trouble. I mean, how are you going to get a player then?"
The Giants' Reese went through the same thing last year with defensive end Michael Strahan. And Pittsburgh's director of football operations, Kevin Colbert, went through it late during the career of running back Jerome Bettis, a player who then exited after a Super Bowl championship.
One thing that everyone across the league thinks is that if Favre returns, he still will be extremely dangerous.
"I don't think anybody could have predicted how well he'd do (in 2007), especially after some of the turmoil he had, especially in '05," said Zorn, who was Seattle's quarterbacks coach from 2001-'07. "Something happened with how he disciplined himself to not take as many risks. They got some players around him but he made some great decisions, as well."
