Favre considering money-for-nothing deal

[IlliniVikeFan23]

FAVRE CONSIDERING MONEY-FOR-NOTHING DEAL

http://www.profootballtalk.com/category/rumor-mill/

As the Packers and Brett Favre continue their impasse regarding whether and where he’ll play in 2008, reports are surfacing that Favre is seriously considering the team’s shameful (in our view) bribe offer to keep Favre from playing football again.

Per Newsday, among others, Favre is contemplating “a marketing deal with the team that could be worth as much as $20 million.”

So Favre wanted to play again for reasons other than money, but he’ll take the money to no longer play football? This guy has done more damage to his legacy by not playing than any aging athlete ever sustained by hanging around the game for too long.

[IlliniVikeFan23]

Favre: Packers' $20M offer to stay retired may be best

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3514071

Brett Favre, convinced that Green Bay will never permit him to compete to be its starting quarterback and recognizing its unwillingness to ship him to an NFC North rival, is actively considering an offer from the Packers that would provide the quarterback a paid lifetime role with the franchise that would not involve playing.

"There isn't a perfect solution to this, but [Packers president] Mark Murphy is at least trying," Favre told ESPN's Ed Werder via text message on Thursday night. "We know what they want and where I stand. His solution, although awkward and unsettling for most, may be the best in the end.''

Favre could be forced to report to camp unless the Packers reach agreement with him on a non-playing role before commissioner Roger Goodell reinstates him. He has at least until Friday to resolve this standoff after Goodell opted earlier on Thursday to delay granting the quarterback his reinstatement one day.

"Once he's reinstated, Brett's going in, and once that happens Packerland becomes Disneyland -- although that's not what Brett wants for his teammates,'' Favre's agent, James "Bus" Cook, told ESPN. "He wants them to be successful and do well. But that's what happens if this thing doesn't get resolved, and he decides to report."

While Favre had a lengthy discussion with Goodell on Thursday, a source close to the quarterback told ESPN there was no dialogue with the Packers. The New York Jets and Tampa Bay Buccaneers are the only teams that have made direct inquiries about trading for Favre.

Favre had reserved a charter plane to fly him to Green Bay Thursday so he could report if he had been reinstated by Goodell. When that did not occur, Favre postponed the trip to remain in Hattiesburg, Miss., while awaiting Goodell's approval.

"He's ready to go report, but you have to understand he's been told the job is not open to competition,'' Cook said. "He's been told, 'If you come up here, it's not going to be like it was. You are going to be holding clipboard. You're going to be the backup.' Given those things, would he rather decide to just stay at home and be affiliated with a team he loves with his whole heart and soul rather than go play someplace they tell him to go?''

Favre's first choice is to play for the Packers, a team for which he has started an NFL record 275 consecutive games. Once the Packers refused to accomodate him, Favre informed the team he wanted to play for another team in the division -- believed to be the Minnesota Vikings -- because he is familiar with Brad Childress' coaching staff and would be able to play against opponents he is comfortable competing against.

"My intentions have been to play, and with Green Bay," Favre told Werder. "They say no, so I still want to play in this division for obvious reasons, which I made clear to management. If they won't let me play in Green Bay, let me play against you. That's where I am.''

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported Thursday that Packers officials have had internal discussions about trading Favre to the Minnesota Vikings or Chicago Bears as a "last resort" to resolve the smoldering controversy.

But Packers general manager Ted Thompson said earlier this week that he would not consider trading Favre to one of Green Bay's NFC North division rivals. Then on Wednesday night, multiple reports surfaced that the team had offered to pay Favre up to $20 million to stay retired.

Cook described Favre as mystified by the team's stance.

"It's painfully clear the Packers do not want Brett back, but they will take him back once they have no choice,'' Cook said. "If the commissioner reinstates him, they have to take him back but they've said, 'Brett your job is to sit on this bench.' And that's where we are unless we make other arrangements that Brett would be involved with the Packers from now on but not as a player."

ESPN NFL reporter Ed Werder and The Associated Press contributed to this report

[Matt McGuire]

Damage to his legacy?

Anyone that says they wouldn't take $20M to stay retired is full of ****. If I was Favre, I won a Super Bowl, won MVPs, Hall of Fame bound, why would I want to risk my health?

If he wants to be in the game, you don't have to play. You can coach or analyze. If it is what Favre loves to do, he can coach at that Mississippi HS for free and then get paid $20M.

If Favre doesn't accept this deal, I think he is stupid, and I don't think the Packers doing this bad either. They are really smart. They bought themselves into the best possible situation: Favre stays retired.

[Walter]

The Packers just look really dumb here.

[Matt McGuire]

The Packers just look really dumb here.

Why do they look dumb? The alternative is Favre plays somewhere else, possibly Minnesota.

I think the Packers are quite geniuses with this offer.

[NoNonsenseCoach]

I think it makes the Packers look desperate. If Favre wants to play he should play. 20mil is great, but that's one of us getting $5,000 to not watch or talk about football for a year or something.

[Matt McGuire]

I think it makes the Packers look desperate. If Favre wants to play he should play. 20mil is great, but that's one of us getting $5,000 to not watch or talk about football for a year or something.

It makes the Packers look desperate...LOL HOW ARE THEY NOT DESPERATE?

It's a Lose situation for the Packers if they don't make this move.

I mean please explain to me how the Packers are not desperate. I'd like to hear this.

I guess it is worth it to "appear desperate" (lol what a joke) to get rid of the situation (Favre).

[NoNonsenseCoach]

It makes the Packers look desperate...LOL HOW ARE THEY NOT DESPERATE?

When did I say they weren't desperate?

[Matt McGuire]

You say it makes them look desperate.

I'm saying, it is what it is (one of my favorite quotes fwiw). Of course they are desperate. They don't have much of a choice other than to be desperate.

[NoNonsenseCoach]

Saying they look desperate isn't anything close to saying they aren't desperate...

Anyways, so you still think Favre will be in Tampa or is he going to stay retired?

[Matt McGuire]

Saying they look desperate isn't anything close to saying they aren't desperate...

Anyways, so you still think Favre will be in Tampa or is he going to stay retired?

I think Favre is an idiot if he would rather play in Chicago rather than Tampa. He sent Ed Werder a txt recently that says he wants to play against the Packers, which is really dumb imo.

It's not looking like he is coming to Tampa, which doesn't make sense. I have no idea why he would want to play for the Jets, Lions, or Bears.

[NoNonsenseCoach]

I still think he goes Jets with a trade, but with the Packers looking more and more desperate, if he gets released I'd obviously predict the Vikings.

[ZN0rseman]

More on this...

http://www.startribune.com/sports/vi...lightModules:1

The assumption was that Childress was enjoying the fact that the Vikings' archrival had a major distraction on its hands. It turns out that might only have been a small part of Childress' satisfaction. Three weeks and one tampering charge later, we know far more about the Favre situation ... including the fact Favre appears to have little interest in playing for any team other than the Vikings. Favre admitted as much late Thursday night in a text message to ESPN's Ed Werder. "My intentions have been to play, and with Green Bay," Favre wrote. "They say no, so I still want to play in this division for obvious reasons, which I made clear to management. If they won't let me play in Green Bay, let me play against you. That's where I am."


http://www.profootballtalk.com/category/rumor-mill/

It appears to us that the Packers are putting out bogus facts about the marketing deal, in order to avoid the negative P.R. hit that surely would come from the perception that they are buying Favre off. Indeed, the Journal-Sentinel article includes an express acknowledgement that ”[a]n NFL source who wanted the Packers’ side to be explained said Murphy’s financial offer was wrongly being portrayed as a bribe.”

If Favre takes the money and doesn’t play, it’s being accurately portrayed as a bribe. Because it is a bribe.

Do the Packers think we’re all stupid?

If this was a deal that the team first proposed in March, why did it take five months for the team to attempt to finalize the thing? And why were the efforts to do so made on the eve of Favre forcing the team’s hand by returning to the field?

Clearly and obviously, the Packers are caught in a bad situation. And they’re trying to buy their way out of it. And Favre apparently is preparing to let them do it.

God, I hope Favre is playing for the Vikes this season. Oh please, oh please, oh please...

I think Favre is an idiot if he would rather play in Chicago rather than Tampa.

I don't think there is any way Favre would wind up in Chicago. He'll either play for Minnesota, or Green Bay, or nowhere.

[Walter]

Why do they look dumb? The alternative is Favre plays somewhere else, possibly Minnesota.

I think the Packers are quite geniuses with this offer.

It makes them look like scumbags actually... they're so desperate to get rid of their icon that they're willing to pay him off?

[ZN0rseman]

It makes them look like scumbags actually... they're so desperate to get rid of their icon that they're willing to pay him off?

In my opinion the Packers front office has been extremely shady when dealing with Favre for the last couple of years. There have been rumblings about them edging him to retire since the end of the 2006 season. They finally got their wish. Yet, when they heard Favre was thinking about coming back, Ted Thompson fired the first shot across Favre's bow by drafting 2 solid QB's in the draft... leaving no room on the roster for a 4th QB. Next they declared Rogers their starter regardless of whether Favre comes back or not. Then we all saw their front office flat out lie when they said things like "Favre is welcome to come back as a backup" and "We'll welcome Favre back to training camp with open arms." Plus their fabrications in the media like "Packers and Jets close to a deal on Favre". None of these things turned out to be true, and it makes them look extremely bad.

My opinion, the Packers front office is playing hardball and has been acting very sleasy when dealing with one of the greatest legends in the history of the game of football. The activity is really just dispicable. So, I can't blame Favre for wanting to come back and play against them. I like the Packers organization, but I think they've dealt with his situation in a very disrespectful manner and I think it would be sweet, sweet, poetic justic for him to come back for another team and beat their sorry arses on Monday Night Football on the night the team publically declared they were going to retire his number and enshrine his jersey at halftime.