Fans of the Green Bay Packers have had their qualms with Ted Thompson for some time now. The general manager has made head-scratching decisions at times and has always trusted NFL draft picks over free agents, rarely signing anyone of significance and letting veterans go.
Apparently, Brett Favre was (and is) frustrated with Thompson because of this. According to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, Brett Favre will go on record tonight in part two of his Fox News interview to detail three incidents involving Ted Thompson that bothered him to the point of mistrust.
“I worked my butt off two years ago to try to get them to sign Randy Moss,” the frustrated quarterback told Fox News’ Greta Van Susteran. Favre was bothered that the team didn’t make any real effort to acquire Randy Moss, despite the well-known fact that Favre was lobbying for it. He also told the interviewer that he tried to convince Thompson to re-sign guard Mike Wahle and Marco Rivera, two offensive linemen who were a key component in one of the league’s most dominant veteran groups. Finally, Favre tried to convince the general manager to hire Steve Mariucci, a long-time friend of the quarterback, but Thompson, as we know, opted instead for Mike McCarthy.
“And none of those had anything to do with me retiring once again 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 release,” Favre said of his request to be released by the Packers.
Sounds like Favre and Thompson weren’t exactly on the same page. It also sounds as if Favre contradicted himself in that sentence, saying that “none of those” incidents which made it hard for him to trust Thompson had anything to do with his retirement, but mistrust is “part of the reason” he’d like to be released. Huh?
The truth is, if Favre was really bothered by these things the quarterback is coming off as just another arrogant, selfish athlete. It almost sounds as if he’s buying into the media hype that he can do whatever he wants because he was a great quarterback for so many seasons. Nonsense. No player is above the team, not even Brett Favre.
And maybe there would be reason for him to mistrust Thompson and his ability to operate the franchise, but the Packers have improved every season he’s been the general manager, peaking last season with a 13-3 record and NFC Championship game appearance. The Packers are winning now, thanks to the influx of young talent and outstanding coaching. And, to be fair, there’s no reason the Packers or fans should ever trust Favre, who publicly retired just four months ago, giving the Packers enough time to move on without him, before asking the team to either bring him back or release him.
Favre is merely making it easier and easier for Green Bay to justify its decision to bring him back if he wants to hold a clipboard on the sideline, and he’s making it easier for cheeseheads to collectively turn their backs on the future hall of fame quarterback … something most would have never considered before he opened his mouth in this series of interviews.
3 comments ↓
You know how I feel about this situation. I like how the double-talk was pointed out too. Favre isn’t fooling me. I’d be willing to bet he planned this whole thing.
He’s a media (insert not so friendly word for lady of the evening).
Looks like he just got reinstated. The drama queen stays in the spotlight for at least another week.
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