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DIARY OF A FANTASY GEEK: Saying no to a legend, you crazy? Print E-mail
Written by Johnny Ballgame - Argonaut   
Tuesday, 22 July 2008

The Packers — or anyone who agrees with them regarding the Brett Favre situation — are crazy. It’s a debacle.

Am I following this story correctly?

To my knowledge, Favre has basically told the Packers, or anyone who will listen, that he now wants to un-retire and continue his hall of fame career.

To his defense, he’s not even really retired yet. He hasn’t missed a single game since the last time the Packers took the field during the 2007 NFC championship game. It’s not like he’s been gone a couple of years. All he’s missed is a couple of organized team activities and mini-camp. Essentially nothing for a veteran of his caliber.

Why the Green Bay Packers don’t want him to return makes me question their sanity. Do they want to return to the Lynn Dickey or Don Majkowski era?

FYI — Dickey and Majkowski were the Packers’ two best quarterbacks before Favre. And I use the word “best” with discretion.
Packers General Manager Ted Thompson has made it clear that the Packers don’t want Favre playing for them or any other team this season.

Favre is still under contract with Green Bay, which means he can’t sign with another team until the Packers trade or release him.  Both options are unlikely to occur.

If they released him, Favre could sign with division rivals Minnesota, Chicago and possibly Detroit. We all know Green Bay will never let that happen.

The Packers are holding Favre in limbo. They don’t want him, but they especially do not want to see him sport another uniform.
Favre sent the Packers a letter asking for an outright release of his contract, which is scheduled to pay him $10 million this season. By requesting that the team release him, it’s obvious that he could care less about the money. He wouldn’t be able to make that much cheese for any other club. No pun intended, Wisconsin.

What I don’t understand is why they don’t want him back.

They don’t want to be one of the top Super Bowl contenders in the NFC.

They don’t want a living legend, who is by far the most popular player in the history of the NFL, playing for them for at least another season.
Favre is the Packers to this generation of football fans. When you think Green Bay, you think of Favre running around tackling a teammate after a nice play.

The Packers want to move ahead to the Aaron Rodgers era? I can’t even believe I’m writing this. Aaron Rodgers over Brett Favre? You’ve got to be kidding me.

If you’re one of the people taking the “poor Rodgers” stand on this situation, I question your football IQ. Sure, Rodgers wants to play and thought this season would be his first as the starter.

Sorry, pal. Favre has changed his mind.

This isn’t just any other player. It’s a member of the Mt. Rushmore of NFL signal callers. Rodgers should again wait his turn. They never should have drafted him in the first place. Please blame Ted Thompson on that one, too.

You don’t think they could have drafted someone else in the first round that season who mayfirst round that season who may have helped the team since then.

Rodgers was a first-round draft pick in 2005 and has sat the bench for three seasons. Please don’t “poor Aaron Rodgers” me. He’s making first-round money. In fact, he’s one of the highest-paid backups in the league despite his career 329 yards passing. His life is better than yours and certainly mine. Don’t feel sorry for him. He’ll be OK.

My biggest beef is that we don’t even know if Rodgers is good. We know that Favre is great and shows no sign of slowing down.
Favre’s 2007 statistics: 4,155 passing yards, 28 TDs, 95.7 QB rating.

Green Bay is at a Super Bowl level with Favre behind center. With Rodgers at QB this season, I expect the Packers to be 8-8 to 9-7 or maybe worse. Maybe Rodgers stinks like every other QB Jeff Tedford coached.

In case you weren’t aware, Rodgers played his college ball at UC Berkeley. Tedford has a history of coaching very successful college players who stink up the NFL after being drafted.

Here’s a list of QBs drafted in the first round who were coached-up by Tedford in college:

Trent Dilfer: solid Super Bowl winning QB and a great guy. Nothing special, though.

Akili Smith: the biggest bust in draft history whose name isn’t Ryan Leaf.

Joey Harrington: a career 69.4 QB Rating in 76 starts. He’s the definition of a career backup.

Kyle Boller: Honestly, one of the worst QBs in NFL history with more than 50 career starts. Although Harrington might have beef with me there.

That isn’t exactly good news for Rodgers fans. Packer fans, too.

You really think Rodgers can come even close to where Favre left this team last year?

If I was a Packers fan I would be going crazy right now. Rodgers may be the guy for this team two years from now.

Currently Green Bay has an opportunity to have Favre play another year or two.

As a fan, I’d like to see Favre back. It would be better for the NFL as a whole. It’s crazy that Favre wants to return, and the team he built over the last 15 seasons would rather go in a different direction.

I guess it’s a good time to be a Bears, Vikings or Lions fan. Well, maybe not a Lions fan.

Listen to The Johnny Ballgame Show on 89.3 FM or www.kuoi.org each Thursday from 6:30-8:30 p.m. and Sunday from 3 to 5:30 p.m.


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