I finally got around to watching “Last Day at Lambeau, the excellent film that chronicles Brett Favre’s painful separation from the Packers. Even though I am probably the last Packers fan on Earth to see it, it still brought back all the memories I thought it would, plus a few more.
There are many things we will never know about the Favre soap opera, but there is one thing in particular I wish I had the answer to: Why didn’t the Packers just trade Favre to the Vikings? I kept asking myself that question as the drama unfolded in real-time back in 2008, and while I was watching “Last Day at Lambeau.”
Apparently the Packers didn’t want to trade Favre within the division, especially to a division rival like the Vikings. That doesn’t make any sense to me. Ted Thompson should have been sitting by the phone, rubbing his hands together and sneering like Mr. Burns on The Simpsons while he waited for the Vikings to call.
It was obvious the Vikings wanted Favre, so much so that they broke league rules and tampered to try and make it happen. The Vikings are the same franchise that traded a billion draft picks for Herschel Walker. It’s also the franchise with a fanbase that hates the Packers more than they love their own team, and would enjoy nothing more than to get Favre on their team simply out of spite.
The Vikings were a team desperate for a quarterback, and drooling at the possibility of that quarterback being Brett Favre.
The Packers ended up trading Favre to the New York Jets for a measly conditional draft pick, which ended up being a third-rounder. Ted Thompson had no leverage in dealing Favre, except with one team: the Vikings. Who knows what Thompson could have extracted out of the Vikings for Favre. One first round pick? Two first round picks? A first and a third? We’ll never know.
The “you can’t trade him within the division, especially to the Vikings” theory doesn’t fly with me. Why? Because if you didn’t think Favre was good enough to help the Packers win a Super Bowl, why would he be good enough to help the Vikings win a Super Bowl?
Why not try and get the upper-hand on your rival by fleecing them in a Favre trade?
Of course, you never know how these what-if scenarios would play out in real-life, but that’s never stopped me before. So, what if the Packers traded Favre to the Vikings for first-round picks in 2009 and 2010?
That would’ve taken away Minnesota’s 2009 first-rounder, robbing them of the chance to take Percy Harvin 22nd overall.
Let’s assume Favre would have improved the Vikings by a win or two and the Packers would be getting Minnesota’s pick in the mid-20s instead of the early 20s in 2009. Maybe that means Thompson doesn’t have to trade into the first round to nab Clay Matthews (he actually used the third-rounder from the Favre deal as part of the package to move up) and just takes him with the pick he got from Minnesota for Favre.
Or maybe Thompson, in a trade-up mood in 2009, takes Matthews, then trades for a third first-round pick and grabs Vontae Davis (No. 25). Hakeem Nicks (No. 29), Louis Delmas (No. 33) or James Laurinatis (No. 35).
Minnesota ended up with the 30th overall pick in the 2010 draft (they traded it to the Lions). The 30th pick would have given the Packers a chance at taking Rob Gronkowski (No. 42).
We could do this all day, but I think you get the picture. Yes, things turned out well for the Packers after Favre’s departure, but I’ll always wonder what the Packers would have done if they sent Favre to Minnesota for a haul of draft picks.
Packers news, notes and links
- Ted Thompson held his pre-draft news conference this week and, predictably, didn’t reveal much. Whenever the tight-lipped Thompson speaks publicly, I always wonder how much money it would take for him to write a book or do a long television interviewing revealing everything that happened behind the scenes during the Favre divorce.
- Most mock drafts are just fodder for us to kill time before the draft. But this Packers-centric mock at Cheesehead TV takes a really deep look at what the Packers might do with their selections. You will be smarter after reading it. Or maybe you won’t. Who knows.
- Here are a few scenarios where the Packers could trade out of pick No. 21 in the first round. In this draft, I can see Thompson trading down and gathering more picks instead of trading up in the first round.
- Thompson has had success in the second round recently. The folks at Lombardi Ave. has prepared a list of possible second-round targets for the Packers.
- Just when you thought the podcasts at PackersTalk.com couldn’t get any better, they book Mike Freeman and Wes Hokiewicz as guests. The nationally-known Freeman appeared on the Out of the Pocket podcast and Holdkiewicz, a local beat writer, shared his knowledge on CheeseHead Radio. Last but not least, Old Bag of Donuts preview secondary prospects in the NFL draft.
- Jay Hodgson is the newest scribe at ALLGBP.com and continues cranking out useful pieces that focus on the X’s and O’s of the Packers and football.
- Aaron Rodgers reported former Packers TE Tom Crabtree to PETA over Twitter this week.
Non-Packers Links and Other Nonsense
We’re only days away from the NFL draft and a temporary reprieve from offseason boredom. Unfortunately, once the draft is over, we still have to wait a long time for training camp to open, then we have to slog through an agonizingly boring preseason before finally getting actual football in September.
You’re going to need something to keep you occupied through these down periods. That something should be Action PC Football (APC).
APC is a single-season replay football simulation game that makes you the head coach of your favorite team(s). Like Out of the Park Baseball (OOTP), which I profiled last week, APC makes you use your brain, not your thumbs, to achieve success.
Unlike OOTP, APC is not a general manager simulation. You don’t progress from season to season and sign free agents, manage a salary cap or draft rookies. Instead, you play individual NFL seasons on a game engine that challenges your football knowledge while generating incredibly realistic results.
Do you think your coaching acumen can take the 2011 Packers to the Super Bowl instead of fizzling out in the divisional round? Are you cocky enough to take one of the lousy Packers teams from the 1970s and 80s and try to make them into Super Bowl champions? You can try it all with this game.
You can also create what-if scenarios (try putting Bart Starr on the 1995 Packers or insert Reggie White onto last year’s Packers) or play games and leagues made up of franchise all-stars or players from different eras. And like OOTP, the game is customizable. You can set up the game exactly how you want to play it.
In other words, this game is a football junkie’s dream.
Oh, and I completely forgot to mention that you can also play college football seasons!
The game comes with the 2013 season and a set of championship teams. Other individual seasons, franchise all-star packs and decade sets are sold separately and are frequently on sale, allowing you to stock up at a reduced rate.
If you need even more of a reason to check this game out, developer Dave Koch is a lifelong Wisconsin resident and Packers fan. If you buy Dave’s game, you’re supporting one of our own. Dave also makes a baseball, basketball, hockey and golf game and has been making these types of games since 1992.
He also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee if you buy the game and aren’t satisfied for whatever reason.
Yes, games like Madden are fun and serve their purpose to meet the football fix for a mainstream and casual audience. If you’re reading ALLGBP.com, there’s a good chance you’re more than just a casual fan. You probably know more about the game than the typical pimply-faced 13 year old who smashes buttons and constantly throws deep post patterns while playing Madden online.
APC is a real football game for diehard football fans. Check it out.
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Adam Czech is a a freelance sports reporter living in the Twin Cities and a proud supporter of American corn farmers. When not working, Adam is usually writing about, thinking about or worrying about the Packers. Follow Adam on Twitter. Twitter .
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Why on Earth would you give your primary division rival the piece they need? Maybe Minnesosta would have paid more…who knows….but you don’t help your opponent.
And of course, it would have been rewarding Minnesota for tampering and Favre for his shenanigans too. Never reward bad behavior.
If the Packers didn’t think Favre could bring them a Super Bowl, why would they think Favre could’ve brought the Vikings a Super Bowl?
You don’t trade Favre to Minnesota to help the Vikings. You do it to try and get the Vikes to vastly overpay and help the Packers.
It’s not only about Super Bowls. Head-to-head matchups and games against other division opponents count, too. Imagine we trade Favre to the Vikings and go 0-4 against them in the next two years. Not the kind of move that helps you keep your job.
Imagine the Vikings without Harvin and a 2010 first-rounder and the Packers beat them all four times.
That’s possible. Hardin did burn us a few times, and creates difficult matchups. However, our 2008 defense probably would have been torched.
Also, maybe the Vikings were thinking they wouldn’t want to give a division rival two extra 1sts!
I disagree with your assertion that the Packers didn’t think Favre could bring them another Superbowl. He was certainly capable of doing so, and I think the organization certainly knew he was capable of doing so. The one aspect to this story that never gets adequate coverage, is how Aaron Rodgers played into all of this. Of all the people frustrated over Favre’s constant indecision, I think Rodgers was probably the most frustrated, and rightfully so. My point here is that I don’t think Green Bay parting ways with Favre had nothing to do with ability or lack thereof. I think it had everything to do with Favre’s indecisiveness coupled with Rodgers’ mounting impatience over the whole affair. At some point something had to give, and Thompson had to make a very difficult decision to move on…
You are correct about Rodgers’ situation pushing the change away from Favre, though I don’t think it was Aaron’s ‘attitude,’ just the fact that you had a rising star at QB who was coming up on a contract year. In 2008 the choice was always Rodgers OR Favre, no way to keep both. Rodgers was younger and had the most upside in the system; Favre had the most immediate trade value, but only after he ‘unretired’ yet again.
Others have commented on Favre’s ‘decision making’ and possible issues with the deep ball (personally I felt he had lost some accuracy, but wonder how much that was wear-and-tear injuries to his shoulder and elbow like the one that eventually affected him in New York. Since ’61 made the point about Favre not being ‘the man’ in cold weather any more.
Its hard for fans to see and then admit that their here of yesteryear has lost a step, but time grinds on us all. It will eventually happen with Rodgers, too, but not for another 6-7 years, we hope.
Favre was a big fish in a little pond or at least he thought he was. He had to go strut his stuff on the big stage. Just like leaving the party with the girl you brought he fizzled in New York. Funny thing about being young in sports you can do more with less. He should have retired in Green Bay but he stayed too long at the dance. He is arrogant and self centered. He should fade into the shadows and stay there.
A Johnny Cash song came on the radio via the computer not an actual radio,so I derived my reply from it…..
If I were to write about a player…I think I’ll pick….Bill or George anyone but Brett!!!
In 5+ years writing for this site, I think this is my first Favre-focused post. I’ve “walked the line” by avoiding Favre talk for this long.
Favre ticked people off so much in 2009, we have a hard time remembering how vicious the sentiment in 2008 against TT was for not immediately benching Rodgers and giving Brett whatever he wanted. 80-90% of the fan base, and all of the media, were like sharks in a harbor. The level of distraction to the team, and especially to Rodgers who at the time was **completely unproven** as a starter was overwhelming, **nobody** outside the Packers coaching staff thought Favre’s skills had deteriorated in any way (at most we had some ‘questions’ based on playoff ints, but be honest with yourself — back then, most of us thought that was just ‘Brett being Brett’), and now you want to add trading Favre to a team a lot of fans consider our biggest rival?
Talk about revisionist history.
Ed – as usual you have made a very good and accurate point. I started my post below before I saw your comment, but you are right on again. Thanks, Since ’61
I don’t know if I’m representative of 80-90% of Packers fans, but my opinion in early 2008 was that Favre’s game by 2007 was definitely not what it used to be. His play had clearly fallen off – though I suspect it had more to do with dedication to such things as film study and too much bodily abuse causing him to be afraid to get hit and sometimes making decisions too quickly (the anti-Rodgers syndrome!), because his arm was still great. But after 5+ years of mediocre play it seemed he had had a career revival of sorts, so I was optimistic that he could return to mid-90s form.
Then he acted as he did and by the time he was with the Jets I didn’t root for him anymore.
Two Bears, I won’t deny anyone’s memory of how they felt, and I’d expect that if you polled the regulars (or went back and surveyed responses) *here* we would find more than 10 or 20% at least “understood” the team’s reasoning in moving on from Brett.
But I think that’s more a result of the quality of discussion on this site (despite some of our trolls) than a reflection of the general fan base and media attitude. I’ll stand by my memory that there was a real change in feeling among the fans once Favre literally stated he would not ever comeback to the NFL, waited for the Jets to void his contract, and then signed with the Vikes for 2009.
I agree with you, Ed. I probably should mention that among friends and family I was probably alone in my feelings. I did think maybe his light had turned back on, but for a few years I had seen through his (parts, at least) of his act. Like most things, I didn’t really have a strong opinion on Favre at the time (wish we’d all kept journals!). But they all wanted Favre back. I had already given my dad my Favre jersey a couple years before, but I’m hardly representative of general Packers fans’ sentiments.
Journals!? Now your making it sound like work! 🙂
Adam – you are correct when you state that we will probably never know everything about the Favre-Packer divorce. As I watched the 2007 NFC title game against the NYG I realized that Favre was no longer effective playing in cold weather. Not good for any GB QB. To me the more interesting alternate scenario is what if the Packers win the NFC championship game against the Giants and go on to the Super Bowl. And beyond that defeat the Patriots and Favre possibly wins a SB MVP award? There is no chance that TT would try to trade him then, or try to push him out in favor of Rodgers. Let’s face it part of the actual divorce scenario has to do with the Packers wanting to make Rodgers the starter, especially in light of Favre’s tendency to throw picks. His overtime pick against the NYG probably sealed his fate. But if GB wins the 2007 Super Bowl that can’t happen. Maybe Favre legitimately retires at the top of the game and all this goes away. In any case, both sides handled Favre’s end in Green Bay badly. We’ll also never know how all of Favre’s untreated concussions affected his decision making ability both on and off the field later his career. He has come out and stated that he is suffering from untreated concussions suffered during his pro-career. In any case his on field career in Green Bay arguably makes him the greatest Packer player of all time. Beyond that he can’t be faulted for other teams throwing $10-20 million dollar contracts at him after he left Green Bay. He still loved to play and he was well paid to stay. He should have his day, retire his number and we can all move on. Thanks, Since ’61
Nice Since 61, couldn’t agree more. To me, Brett Favre helped make the Packers matter again in the NFL, he should be considered one of the greatest Packers of all time. I remember all the Scott Hunters, Jerry Tagges, Rich Campbells, to name a few to play QB for the Packers through the 70’s and 80’s. I remember when players didn’t want to play in Green Bay no matter what. The “Break Up” was ugly, and there’s little doubt Favre wanted to stick it to the Packers organization, but since 1992 the Packers have mattered in the NFL, much of it because of Brett Favre. Retire his number and give him his day, some of us still love Brett Favre the Packer, he’ll always be a Packer to me.
Many people who despise TT have the roots of their dislike in how the Favre situation was handled. In the end, who can reasonably argue that the Packers didn’t make the right decision?
What did the Packers or Thompson handle poorly in the Favre Saga? Only thing Thompson didn’t do was let Favre tell him what to do or do whatever he wanted. Packers never said Favre couldn’t play… Thompson never said anything derogatory or inflammatory towards Favre, he in fact was nothing but complimentary of Favre.
Favre retired/unretired multiple times in just that one offseason. Favre went on Grotequa and bad mouth the Packers and Thompson. Favre manipulated everything to get to Minn.
Packers made the decision to move on after Favre waffled more than once that offseason. Thompson didn’t let Favre influence his personnel decisions (Randy Moss), or his draft strategy (1st pick as GM was Rodgers).
The Packers/Thompson did nothing wrong in handling the entire Favre Saga. They made decisions that were in the Packers best interests, not Favre’s!
Never said the Packers handled it poorly.
I remember having lengthy debates with people over the Favre situation where they felt that the Packers owed Favre all the time in the world to make his decision, and that the QB seat should be held open to him regardless of his waffling. To this day, those people have it in for TT, and it started with Favre.
Yeah sorry, wasn’t implying that you said it. I also remember the debates about Favre and how he “earned” the right to do whatever he wanted, whenever…
I was more than ready to move on after the INT that ended the NFCCG against the NYG. I was among the first to have a Rodgers jersey, which I got early in his first season starting.
I always thought the Packers and Thompson handled it w/ class. Favre certainly didn’t…
Only thing TT has done right was handle the Favre situation relative to showing him the door. Was no secret Favre hated TT (and still does) he was he’ll bent on being a Viking and had a plan in place. TT delayed it one year instead of acquiring valuable draft picks. History lesson…..Pack dominated in the 60’s with a HOF qb surrounded by otter multiple HOF ers on both sides of the ball. Starr goes away and 25 yrs of horrible team after horrible team. Along comes Favre. Wolf recognizes what he’s got and grabs Reggie and many others to take advantage of the window. Team becomes dominate until drafts go bad and Favre becomes Meryl Streep. Now HOF qb #3 arrives. Problem is Thompson is not a student of history. He thinks he’s such a takent evaluator extraordinaire there is no need to go outside his draft and develop philosophy. So….9 years and 5 free agents, 3 of which are trivia questions. No other team has signed less than 13 in that time frame. If you are a historian, pretty simple to see the two eras of HOF Packer qb’s were accompanied by the knowledge holes needed to be filled and impact players added to complete the picture….to take advantage of the fact you’ve been lucky enough to have found another gem. Not TT! His philosophy hasn’t worked because his high draft picks, with two exceptions have been mediocre at best. Add coaches like Slocum, Campen, Capers and the what’s his name the S coach and you find a way to take a backseat in spite of having the best qb in the league on your side. All on TT….going to take a debacle year for the lovers to open their eyes
Hmmmm, while I get frustrated at times with Thompsons reluctance to dive into FA, I look at the Packers record since 2009. The Packers are tied with the Saints for most wins by a NFC team over that time and have as many SB trophies as anyone else since 2009 and 1 more than 27 other teams.
Ask yourself this question. Are the Packers better off rolling the dice on Hyde or a rookie? With Hawk and Jones in the middle or again a rookie? How about assuming Raji will all of a sudden snap out of it moving back to NT. If he was too lazy and unmotivated to give 100% during his contract year, what makes them think he’ll change now. So what then? Boyd? Bring Pickett back? Another rookie? Now tell me your trust in Ted is such that you are pleased he didn’t spend a bit of that cap money on a guy like Ward or another need player. Somewhere between reckless and oblivious is where your boy needs to settle in. And stop with the division wins and record. Clear indicator of the teams overall talent and depth was on display during that 8 week nightmare when 12 went down. Want to settle for divisions? By the way, not going to be automatic anymore. When the Pack play Seattle in week one, doubtful a rookie will be starting. Do u really think that same D from last year matches up? Heyward is not Deion!
I don’t think there’s much rolling the dice w/ Hyde moving to safety. He’s a perfect fit at Safety and now has a year under his belt in the system. He is more than ready… Unless they use a 1st rd pick on Safety, Hyde will be the starter. They should also use a high pick on a Safety.
Raji was a terrible fit at DE. He has NONE of the traits of a 34 DE. He was forced to play out of position and moving him back to NT isn’t a gamble in any way. We saw how he played at NT in ’10! The mistake was in forcing him to play DE in the first place.
ILB, especially the Weak ILB is a position a rookie can excel in as a rookie as much as any position. Its a position where that player is schemed to keep clean. So all the weak ILB has to do is run to the ball and cover.
If they get Shazier at #21 they will be able to be very active as rookies, along w/ Hawk taking the responsibility of calling plays/audibles.
The D was #12 in the NFL in ’12 w/ mostly good health. Every reason to believe it’ll be better than that w/ injured players returning, the development of a couple young players and the addition of Peppers (even if he isn’t great he will only help the Defense).
Do you realize the backlash by the Fans that TT work have gotten if he traded Favre to Minnesota? There was no way TT was going to trade him to the Vikings
He didn’t want that circus following him around.
You po folks are hopeless…..proof will have to be in the pudd’n
Proof? As in another NFCN title? Mark it down… It WILL happen!
The Packers will contend for another SB this year, if they remain relatively healthy.
You’re obviously a troll masquerading as a Packer fan. The Packers will have this division won and home-field wrapped up by early December, and then you’ll have to suffer through watching them bring home another Lombardi Trophy. Sucks to be you! 😀
@Bag… You may be absolutely right and the Proof may very well be in the pudding. I can promise you this, if the Packers could just once get through a season like the 49ers or the Seahawks, starting more less the same 22 that they start the season with, that would be enough to hoist another Lombardi
TT should’ve traded him to the Vikings right away. So we would lose 4 games to the Vikings, big deal. I bet the queens would’ve given their 1st round pick for the next 4 years to get him.
You morons think anyone who exposes TT as an incompetent is a troll . Must suck to be led around on a leash huh?