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Oates: Favre era has feel of bad ending
TOM OATES
608-252-6172
[email protected]
As the national voices continue to squawk about how Brett Favre is holding the Green Bay Packers hostage, it is obvious they are watching Wisconsin's longest-running soap opera quite closely.
Just not close enough.
With a little more diligence, they would know that Favre isn't holding the Packers hostage because it has become even more apparent that general manager Ted Thompson and coach Mike McCarthy won't allow themselves to be held hostage by anyone, not even the greatest player in Packers history.
Favre has his wishes - to play a 15th season in Green Bay and do it for a Super Bowl contender - and Thompson and McCarthy have theirs - to rebuild the Packers from the ground up through the next couple of drafts.
With the new regime and the old quarterback pushing conflicting agendas, it has created the greatest stalemate in Green Bay since general manager Tom Braatz and coach Lindy Infante were given 50-50 say in all football decisions back in the 1980s.
Thompson and McCarthy seem like they don't care whether Favre retires or returns, but have made it clear through their actions - or lack thereof - that if he does return he's going to have to play on whatever team they put together.
Favre wants only to play on a team capable of contending after last year's 4-12 train wreck and is clearly trying to, uh, encourage Thompson and McCarthy to throw him a bone - or, more accurately, a starting guard or two.
The most telling comment from Favre's most recent non-press conference showed just how far apart he and the Packers brass are on their thinking about next season.
"I'm not the GM, I'm not the head coach," Favre said. "I don't make those decisions. Never asked to. But I know when we signed Reggie White (in 1993) we knew we were going to be better right away. I think people associated with the Packers said, 'Now there's a signing that will make us better.'
"I think that's what we have to do. We have to make a statement again. You have to stay up with the NFL and teams are making statements. Sometimes you hit on them, sometimes you don't. I think we have to do that."
Thompson and McCarthy obviously don't agree. If they really wanted to make a statement and placate Favre, free agent defensive players Charles Woodson and LaVar Arrington would be apartment hunting in Green Bay by now. The Packers would have already used some of their $19 million in salary cap room (second-most in the NFL) and given Woodson and Arrington the mega-contracts they are seeking.
Instead, the Packers are waiting for the price tag on one or both to come down before they write a check, an approach that will probably drive them to sign elsewhere.
With Favre admitting that the free-agency window is virtually closed and this year's draft picks won't make much of an impact until next season, there no longer seems to be any way Thompson and McCarthy can make their quarterback happy.
And since stalemates seldom end well, it is beginning to look like the Favre era in Green Bay is going to end badly - just like the Braatz-Infante era before it.
TOM OATES
608-252-6172
[email protected]
As the national voices continue to squawk about how Brett Favre is holding the Green Bay Packers hostage, it is obvious they are watching Wisconsin's longest-running soap opera quite closely.
Just not close enough.
With a little more diligence, they would know that Favre isn't holding the Packers hostage because it has become even more apparent that general manager Ted Thompson and coach Mike McCarthy won't allow themselves to be held hostage by anyone, not even the greatest player in Packers history.
Favre has his wishes - to play a 15th season in Green Bay and do it for a Super Bowl contender - and Thompson and McCarthy have theirs - to rebuild the Packers from the ground up through the next couple of drafts.
With the new regime and the old quarterback pushing conflicting agendas, it has created the greatest stalemate in Green Bay since general manager Tom Braatz and coach Lindy Infante were given 50-50 say in all football decisions back in the 1980s.
Thompson and McCarthy seem like they don't care whether Favre retires or returns, but have made it clear through their actions - or lack thereof - that if he does return he's going to have to play on whatever team they put together.
Favre wants only to play on a team capable of contending after last year's 4-12 train wreck and is clearly trying to, uh, encourage Thompson and McCarthy to throw him a bone - or, more accurately, a starting guard or two.
The most telling comment from Favre's most recent non-press conference showed just how far apart he and the Packers brass are on their thinking about next season.
"I'm not the GM, I'm not the head coach," Favre said. "I don't make those decisions. Never asked to. But I know when we signed Reggie White (in 1993) we knew we were going to be better right away. I think people associated with the Packers said, 'Now there's a signing that will make us better.'
"I think that's what we have to do. We have to make a statement again. You have to stay up with the NFL and teams are making statements. Sometimes you hit on them, sometimes you don't. I think we have to do that."
Thompson and McCarthy obviously don't agree. If they really wanted to make a statement and placate Favre, free agent defensive players Charles Woodson and LaVar Arrington would be apartment hunting in Green Bay by now. The Packers would have already used some of their $19 million in salary cap room (second-most in the NFL) and given Woodson and Arrington the mega-contracts they are seeking.
Instead, the Packers are waiting for the price tag on one or both to come down before they write a check, an approach that will probably drive them to sign elsewhere.
With Favre admitting that the free-agency window is virtually closed and this year's draft picks won't make much of an impact until next season, there no longer seems to be any way Thompson and McCarthy can make their quarterback happy.
And since stalemates seldom end well, it is beginning to look like the Favre era in Green Bay is going to end badly - just like the Braatz-Infante era before it.
