The G Spot

Finley has to keep quiet

Last year, rookie tight end Jermichael Finley let his mouth get the best of him last year.

He criticized Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers after the Tamp Bay Buccaneers game when the two were on different wavelengths and the ball never claim close to ending up in Finley's arms.

It didn't take long befor Finley found himself in coach Mike McCarthy's doghouse. McCarthy gave the 6-foot-4, 240-pounder a severe tongue lashing and made it clear that kind of behavior wouldn't be tolerated.

A year after that debacle, the former University of Texas standout has realized his mistakes. During the first week of the Packers' organized training activities, FInley made sure that he wouldn't sounding off to the media. 

What's even more interesting is that Finley admitted to not knowing all of Green Bay's plays. That I think is beyond sad. Finley saw limited action the way it was last year, but he did start one game. There is no reason that someone should even be able to suit up let alone enter a huddle without knowledge of what's going to occur. That's like letting a teenager get behind the wheel without knowing what street signs mean.

As long as Finley keeps his mouth buttoned up and studies his X's and O's, he's got a pretty good chance to be a solid tight end. He's got the physical tools and his athletic enough to last in the NFL, it's up to him how long he wants that to be. 

It's now or never for Harrell

Consider this season Justin Harrell's final exam.

The burly 6-foot-4, 320-pound defensive lineman has had enough time to study, but he's got to perform.

Ever since his name was called as the 16th overall selection of the 2007 NFL Draft, Packers fans have showered the former University of Tennessee standout with boos.

In two years, Harrell has only played in 13 games and started just two. He's been a mainstay on the injured list and has proven that he's overmatched at this level. However, Harrell signed a five-year contract worth nearly $15 million when he was drafted, so the Packers are hoping their investment can at least turn the corner.

And with the transition to a new 3-4 defensive scheme, Harrell's time is now. He can play a big factor in clogging up the line and be the player that general manager Ted Thompson envisioned he would become.

Since the defensive line is the impetus for success in the 3-4, Harrell's job will be even more magnified. He has shied away from accepting responsibility for his mistakes or for his lack his lack of production in the past, but he needs to own those things now, mainly because a misstep by him on the defensive line puts more pressure on the linebackers, which could result in a big play.

Harrell, 25, will no longer get the benefit of the doubt because he's young. After two years of seasoning, whether that be on the field or in the film room, each player should know what it takes to be successful at their respective position.

Hopefully Harrell has his No. 2 pencils sharpened, because he's going to need them this season.

Driver doesn't need any more money

Are you serious?

That was the likely reaction from the Packers brass when they saw that the veteran wideout Donald Driver decided not to show up for the organized team activities because he wants his contract redone yet again.

Now there's nothing wrong with a player wanting what he's worth but the 34-year-old is due $3.9 million this year and $4 million next year in base salary and wants more dough on top of that.

It's obvious that the three-time Pro Bowler -- that the fans adore -- knows his window for earning a paycheck is slamming shut and he wants to get all the money he can from his slim frame.

However, the Packers shouldn't even consider this. Offering more money for a player that has seen his numbers dip considerably after posting a career-high 1,295 yards in 2006. In 2007, he registered his lowest yardage total since 2002 with just 1,048 with just two touchdowns. And last year, it was evident that he has lost a step with only 74 catches and just five touchdowns.

With the receiving corps the Packers have now with the future muliple Pro Bowler in Greg Jennings and up-and-comers in James Jones and Jordy Nelson, not to mention the possibility of a rookie like Patrick Williams having a breakout season.

As long as Driver remains a Packer, his opportunities are going to go exponentially downhill. This isn't a Brett Favre-led team anymore where No. 4 honed in on his favorite target. Second-year quarterback Aaron Rodgers has firmly established Greg Jennings as his go-to-guy, and for good reason.

His actions aren't just making the Packers shake their heads, though.

“I don’t know what he’s doing,” an NFL source said. “It makes no sense.”

Driver did the same thing before the 2006 season and the Packers gladly responded by adding a couple years to his contract, which beefed up his deal to $17 million over four years through the 2009 season. And after Driver made his second Pro Bowl in 2006, Green Bay got the white-out again to add another year to the deal, increasing the deal by $10 million.

If the Packers do this, it will mark the third time in six years that Driver will get a contract revision. And what's even more stunning is that if anyone should be sitting out of OTAs, it's Jennings, who is scheduled to make $535,000 -- the minimum for a player with three years of experience -- and is on par to make his first Pro Bowl this year.

Driver has to get over himself and be comfortable handing over the receiving reins to someone else, or he may find himself finishing his career somewhere else.  

The Thorn In The Packers Side

There's no question that two teams will be playing in Los Angeles in 2012.  But who?

The candidates are slim.

The Raiders are in as one of the teams. Their lease is up next year. Al Davis owns the L.A. market.

Davis is not giving it up. Los Angeles leaders along with the NFL want two teams to relocate as early as 2010.

The Rose Bowl and the L.A. Coliseum are offering their services to any NFL team. Why would the Packers care?

It's simple.

There are only three NFC teams that are in need of a new Stadium.

The 49ers, Rams and Vikings are in need.

St. Louis has announced they will put 30 million into the Edward Jones Dome.

With the Raiders leaving the Bay Area, the 49ers would own the number five market. The 49ers could take residence at McAfee Coliseum solving all Stadium issues.

That leaves the Minnesota Vikings.

The Vikings want a new Stadium. The odds are very grim.

Owner  Zygi Wilf  has a golden opportunity to move the Vikings to the number two market.

The revenue alone would put the Viking franchise at the top.

What about the Vikings playing in the NFC North? You cannot have a team from Los Angeles playing in the North Division.

It's very clear. You simply switch the Rams and the Vikings.  St. Louis in the North and the Vikings in the West.

Minnesota has always had a tremendous amount of Packer Fans. The Packers even have a radio station in the state.

Thus leaving the Packers to fully rule the Gopher State. 

Depression sets in as the season closes

If you do not like the NBA or Baseball, this is a painful time of the year.

Football will not be back for another 7 months. What do hardcore Football fans do?  Besides take Prozac.

Let's take a look at what NFL Fans can do until the season begins.

5. Fans can buy several DVD videos on the NFL. What is great about living in 2009 is there are DVD's featuring every NFL team and Super Bowl. One can play a DVD featuring the NFL for 24 hours a day.

4.Watch American Idol. With American Idol this show will last until Summer. American Idol drains every moment of TV time.

If you can take Simon Cow ell's accent and bleached teeth, you could use up time and months watching this show.

3. The Arena Football League. In case you are wondering why the League hasn't started yet. It has been can celled.

 The AFL and it's dozen Fans are still in shock.

Football will not be played until August in America. There literally is no league play until late summer.

Not even the XFL will make a comeback. The league's biggest star "He Hate Me" was seen working at Chuck E. Cheese.

2. Watch the history of the Detroit Lions DVD. This will produce laughter.  Also it will take many months to get through viewing this.

 One would not need to take medication when watching this.

1. Go down to the local Junior High School and watch Pee Wee Football.  Pee Wee Football season last's several months.

There is nothing like watching the Travis Teletubbies vs the Pitts field Chimps.

Robert McGlinchey

Mr. Rodgers Neighborhood

Aaron Rodgers doesn't wear sweaters or part his hair to the side, Rodgers service to the Packers is under a microscope.

 

Anytime a new  Quarterback takes over for a legend, the pressure can be tormenting. Rodgers does well in handling pressure.

 

I am for Rodgers not against. Many fans of the Packers have the "I told you so attitude' after this season.

I see a maturing Rodgers ahead in the future. I see a Rodgers fulfilling his role and making Packer fans comfortable.

The Packers also need a little tune up on offense themselves. There is an abundance of free agents this season.

Dominic Rhodes and Brandon Jacobs are two awesome backs that could help fire up the Packers running game.

Bobby Engram and T.J. Houshmandzadeh  also free agents could help on the receiving end.

Also, Coach Jon Gruden an Offensive assistant and receivers coach in the early 90's for the Packers is looking for work.

With Qb Kurt Warner becoming a free agent after this year's Super Bowl, the Chicago Bears have a serious interest in him.

If the Bears would move in this direction, Warner would put Chicago in instant contention for the Super Bowl. 

This would add more misery  to this rivarly in which the Packers have been chasing the Bears of late.

The Packers will need all the weapons they can get.

Maybe will see Chucky dolls in green and gold colors.  A milder Chucky in a suit would be sufficent.

Robert McGlinchey

 

Writer Wanted

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Are you a Green Bay Packers fan that loves their team? Have you always wanted your own blog? Now is your chance! MyTeamRivals is looking for someone to write on this Packers blog. There is no charge and a chance for revenue opportunity.

What's the catch? Only that you write regularly on the blog and keep your readers informed of all things Packers. Get in on the fun of blogging, email us for more information today at Bill@myteamrivals.com.

Shutting down

I am dropping off this site because of my personal belief that I have nothing to add to the conversation. I appreciate the owners' help in getting re-set here from my old blog - which will also be going away - but I have realized I have nothing more to say about the Packers or football in general. Thank you all for reading.

Where have they gone - Scott Hunter

With the post-Brett Favre era beginning, the Los Angeles Times goes back to when the Packers last had to replace a legendary QB - Scott Hunter, in for Bart Starr.

As the column makes clear, Starr left voluntarily, and clearly in declining form, unlike Favre. Probably a better comparison could have been made with Jim Carter, who was thrown in to replace Ray Nitschke. Nitschke wanted to hang on, but with no free agency in those days, was exiled to the bench while Carter played, to the disdain of the fans.

Also notable - Hunter feels he was dropped by the Packers because he didn't cross the picket lines in the 1974 player strike, rather than a relative lack of a passing arm.

Cut Day I: No real surprises

The Green Bay Packers reached the 75-man limit for this week by cutting running backs DeShawn Wynn and Ryan Powdrell, wide receiver Chris Francies and offensive lineman Ryan Considine. Additionally, defensive tackle Justin Harrell has been placed on the reserve/physically unable to perform list.

Players on the reserve/PUP list cannot be placed on the active roster during the first six weeks of the season. After that time, they are eligible to practice with the club for up to three weeks. If a player is activated from the reserve/PUP list to the active roster, a subsequent roster move must be made to maintain the 53-man active roster limit.

No surprises therein - any chance Wynn would stay ended with the return of Ryan Grant to active duty.

Packers-Broncos Halftime Report

All in all - if we can forget the touchdown pass by Denver at the half because of the pass interference penalty cancelling the Green Bay interception - not a bad half, especially after last week. The Packers' running game still leaves a lot to be desired, but part of that is the weaknesses of the offensive line because of injury.

Injury has also hurt the defense, and if that is still the case in two weeks, this team will be in some trouble.

But after last week, the Rodgers-haters can shut up for a bit.

The Jets were...maybe, desperate

Say this for Andy Brandt; his posts at the National Football Post aren't holding much back.

He notes that Brett Favre's contract with the Jets is basically the same one he had in Green Bay, money wise. But the contract dropped two key items:

1. Favre can retire at any time without having to give back any of his bonus.

2. Clauses requiring some off field promotional work - gone. As Brandt noted: "When I negotiated this 10-year, 101M contract in 2001, it required, as all Packer contracts do, a number of appearances on behalf of the club, some worker’s compensation guidelines, and bonus recovery provisions in case of immoral behavior or retirement." Those are all gone.

In short, the Jets were so desperate to get Favre, they threw out some key components of the contract. Brandt argues it could affect future deals for superstars.

I just find it interesting, especially since one of the reasons for the Jets getting Favre was to hype sales going into the new Meadowlands stadium. Now, Favre won't have to do any promotion for that venture.

Then again, the Packers were offering $20 million to do all that - AFTER he retired.

The difference of values, I guess

Looking for a running mate in Denver

No, not that big convention next week. It's the Packers' third exhibition game as the face the Broncos.

The Packers, however, are falling in confidence faster than a scandal-riddled pol. That loss at San Francisco has shaken a lot of people - and given confidence to those who think Brett Favre would have saved us all.

It's the third mock game, and one that will see the veterans play the most. They've done well veteran-on-veteran; it was later in both games that things got out of hand. So there's a point to start with.

Preview from the Journal No Hyphen Sentinel.

More from Mark Murphy and Roger Goodell on the Favre aftermath.

Practice swap and Upshaw

It looks like future Packers training camp sessions will be held on the Ray Nitschke Field, east of the Don Hutson Center. The idea is to get the crowds off Oneida Street and into a safer area, among other things. The field will be moved closer to the Hutson building, extra bleachers put up (with fewer lawn chairs needed, the Packers claim) and the parking lot that was used for Resch Center events will be moved.

I think part of the problem was solved earlier when Brett Favre was traded, although you'll still see crowds. But you'll still have problems crossing Oneida Street from the Lambeau lots.

If nothing else, maybe they'll take that tacky mini-golf course off of the Veterans Memorial area...

---

Say this for Gene Upshaw; he was the most intimidating-looking union leader you'll ever see. Marvin Miller of baseball never looked like he could tear you in half.

But whether Upshaw was a fighter for his troops can be debated. There are plenty of people who say he was weak in not fighting for full free agency, leaving some things on the table. Other point to the solid financial success of the players.

I think he did well. There' s nothing wrong with compromise.

Packers fans are wonderful and dedicated, BUT...

God, they can be stupid sometimes.

Sunday's comments in the Press-Gannett after Saturday's ugly performance against San Francisco included these gems:

The Favre Curse is now 2-0. It is only a 100 year curse, so do not get any hopes up of things getting better. Look for a 0-4 preseason and after the Vikes destroy GB on Monday night, their only win will be Atlanta in the first regular season games. Ted Thompson will be forced out and Mike McCarthy will lose this team enroute to a 3-13 season. Let the Curse reign true!

and

I think DD is dropping passes on purpose to make AR look bad, cuz he mad the Packers got rid of his friend and best qb we had. {THIS IN TONGUE AND CHEEK BUT THE COMING ARGUMENTS OF THE THE 3 STOOGES BACKERS!}

Exactly... And the line is not blocking to get the stooges fired. I think Bush was in on it too. He is not going to cover the receivers until the Stooges are gone and BF is back.....

I mean, really, curses? There are no such things. Players "dumping" passes to get the GM fired?

Folks, this is the second game of the preseason with a quarterback who is still working on his rhythms and offensive and defensive lines with injury problems. Stop sounding like idiots! I know you're still not over losing Favre, but you're just going to drive yourself crazy. If you haven't already reached that level.

Green Bay: STILL a drinking town with a football problem.

Packers-49ers Halftime Report

Or: Only Michael Phelps is getting dunked more than Aaron Rodgers.

Four sacks allowed tongiht; the offensive line is having problems, but so are the backs, and Rodgers is being a bit slow getting some of his passes off. His passing has been OK, but the timing is still off with veteran receivers such as Driver and Lee just dropping passes they would normally catch.

Which is why we're seeing two quarters worth of Rodgers tonight.

The starting defense looked good - admittedly, the 49ers offense is NOT an unstoppable force - but things got weaker as the reserves came in. The Packers will have to hope for a light injury year on the defense.

More tomorrow. Sleep well, America.

That Favre deal

The Sporting News has details of the $20 million "PR" contract offered to Brett Favre.

According to an Associated Press summary, it includes:

a line of clothing, merchandise and collectibles. The Packers Pro Shop would have become the exclusive distributor of autographed Favre memorabilia, and Favre would sign 300 items a year for the team's use.

Favre also would have been required to make 10 personal appearances each year — including two private hunting or golfing trips — and a blog would have been created for Favre on the team's Web site.

I still wonder if any other Packers have similar deals...

Passer interference?

An interesting post by former Packers cap maven Andy Brandt, left, in the new National Football Post says the Packers-Brett Favre negotiaons were mishandled. But not in the same way most of us think.

He says team president Mark Murphy probably should have been more involved, but wasn't due to his just-hired status. Most NFL teams, he notes, have strong owners who do get involved.

One wonders if Brandt learned anything from his time in Green Bay. There is a reason the team president - equal in NFl status to a team owner - doesn't get involved, and neither does the exec committee. It goes back to the 50s and the really dark era of the Packers, when the team kept going through coaches and losing teams - and the exec committee was Monday-morning the coaches' decisions every week.

From that came Vince Lombardi's dictator role, and you know the rest. Right now, the Packers' operations have settled into a proper form. Murphy and the EC work on keeping the franchise viable and profitable, with input only on such football decisions that may impact the bottom line - say, a huge free agent signing of the Reggie White level.

Murphy did get involved with Favre over the $20 mill services contract - more on that in another post - but in large part that was because camp was underway, occupying both Ted Thompson and Mike McCarthy's time.

-----

Speaking of Favre, the publisher of the Lakeland Times in northern Wisconsin - who apparently does not force himself to write short - basically calls both the coach and GM "nuts" over Favre's departure. It's a good example of the Brett uber alles mentality that a lot of fans have.

Well, THAT'S a surprise

Don Walker in the Journal No Hyphen Sentinel says a consumer survey shows Brett Favre's image has dropped recently

According to the most recent edition of the Davie-Brown Index (is that Bob Davie and Gilbert Brown?), Favre's appeal dropped nine points among U.S. consumers between May 5 and August 13.  His "trust" rating also declined, falling nearly eight points.

Gee, I can't imagine why...

The preview...really. I think.

Paul Noonan of The Wisconsin Sports Bar had the honor, if you think so, of writing Deadspin's Packer Preview. It's fair but funny.

Yup, it's easy when you're Miss Venezuela

Peter King, in his Tuesday mailbag, answers how he gets all those athletes (hey, Brett Favre!) to text and phone him:

I just try to be honest. I've lost relationships with some players over the years -- Deion Sanders and Bruce Smith come to mind -- because I pointed out some of their failings late in their careers and they didn't like it. The biggest thing I hear, occasionally, from players or their wives is, "I thought you were our friend.'' Well, I might do friendly things, because I'm a friendly, accommodating and positive guy. But at the end of the day, Player A is not paying me. Sports Illustrated and NBC are paying me (and lately, Sirius Radio).

My responsibility is to try to get as close to players as I can while reminding them my obligation is to my employers and the public. I'm not sure it's that much different that others in the media, but I have been covering the league for 25 years now. I should have some idea how to build relationships and nurture them.

   

Well, that and that you work for NBC (a network which sends the NFL money, so players are told to cooperate or face fines) and Sports Illustrated (a major national publication that isn't in the athlete's face every day, unlike the local reporters). Try showing up as the representative from the Daily Podunk, and see how many exclusives you get.

I will give Peter this - he's been on the beat for a long while, and does have some long-term relationships with players and coaches who trust him.

Ari Fleischer's role

On Green Bay station WGEE's "Fifth Quarter" show Monday, Green Bay Packers president Mark Murphy described Ari Fleischer's role with the Packers.

He said the Packers first heard Fleischer when the former press secretary to President Bush spoke at a league meeting in March. The Packers invited him in to speak to players and coaches abuot dealing with the meida, and were so impressed that Murphy offered him a consulting contract.

"It's something we do with a lot of people," he said.

Well, I guess if you're looking for a liar, it might as well be a professional. It also makes one wonder who else is under a "consulting" contract to the team.

Our National Nightmare is Over

A Greenfield fan who lowered his Packers flag to half-staff upon Brett Favre's exit has raised it back to the top of the pole after Aaron Rodgers looked good Monday night.

Not that he's totally convinced.

Packers lose opener, but...

...IT"S AN EXHIBITION! It doesn't count!

Well, it counts for the players who may lose their job, but that would have happened even if the Packers won.

All it means is that the Packers, thanks to injuries, etc., are undermanned on defense (especially the line) and our likely-to-be-cut players are a bit worse than their likely-to-be-cut players.

But Matt Flynn did lead the team to a late touchdown, and that was a good thing in the second half.

Packers-Bengals Halftime Report

So far...

Aaron Rodgers - Good. About all you can expect. Of 9-for 15, there were two drops, two throw aways, one overthrow and one interception that the receiver couldn't control. Good plays by both Donald Driver and James Jones helped.

The big question is the backup. So far, Brian Brohm hasn't been impressive; some throws were off the mark. We'll see how Matt Flynn is in the second half.

The main concern for the Green Bay Packers may be the reserves on defense. The starters had a good first quarter in a 10-0 lead, but the Bengals managed to run on them in the second half, opening up the passing game.

Just a reminder; it's all exhibition, nothing counts, and you'll see a lot of guys in the second half who may have fine careers in Arena Football next spring.

Countdown to mock warfare

A couple of items as tomorrows exhibition - that's right EXHIBITION, ignore what the NFL tries to tell you - opener looms.

The Journal No Hyphen Sentinel has a long interview with Ted Thompson by my old cohort Bob McGinn, easily the best reporter on the beat. Among the results:

• Thompson still isn't saying just why he traded Favre from a football standpoint.
• He thinks that even if Johnny Jolly is suspended, the team is still OK at defensive tackle.
• Asked if he thought 16 starts and a passer rating of at least 80 would be OK for Aaron Rodgers, Thompson says he expects more.
• Ari Fleischer did nothing more than talk to the team - once. Thompson doesn't even see him in the building any more.

And the Green Bay Press-Gannett has Mike McCarthy saying Monday's opener would be "traditional," which probably means Aaron Rodgers for a quarter and a slow start to the season.

Oh, and the weather for tomorrow night: clear, low 70s at kickoff going into the high 60s after sunset.

And here we are...

After Bill was nice enough to move a bunch of posts over from the old place, it's time to kick in and get some work done here. If you're familiar with the old Packerama site, expect more of the same. If not, welcome! We'll have a unique view of Packers news from somebody who is old enough to remember the Lombardi days, was close to the team during the bad years and who lives about a mile from Lambeau Field. In short, I'm an outsider and proud of it, but I've had some contact with the inside, enough to, I hope, separate fact from fiction.

It's a new era for the Packers - and for me. Welcome! And feel free to e-mail me if you have any comments or questions. Or just comment here!

Derrick Mayes Remembers

Former Packer Derrick Mayes wishes Favre well in this blog post.

Channel WFaRVe

WFRV-TV said today that because of fan requests, it will show as many Jets games as it can for the Brett Favre-deprived in Green Bay.

Just wait until the howling if some big AFC game is dropped to show Brett vs., say, Miami.

Rating the Survivors

A good piece at ESPN about the post-Favre Packers that indicates they'll be OK, even without Favre.

His view: the Green Bay Packers have been built to last.

And It's Over: Repost

Brett Favre held up the Jets jersey. He said all the right things about Packer fans and his old teammates. He didn't say much about the leadership but did say that he agreed it was time to move on and that both sides made mistakes. And he now wants to concentrate on football.

So do we all, mister. So do we all.

A FarveTV Update: Repost

Green Bay fans won't be able to see the two times the Jets and Brett Favre play on Fox, as those games are on at the same time as Packer games scheduled on Fox.

But a friend of mine in the local TV biz is betting the CBS station in town has already fired off a memo asking for Jets coverage in Green Bay.

The Day After: Repost

 

The Packers gave their side of things this noon; the Favre will do so after this post goes up.

There is a lot of bitterness among the fans - just read the summary, then the fan comments from the Journal No Hyphen Sentinel.

And, frankly, the ruling troika did not help with vague answers. McCarthy, asked point blank why the Packers would want to keep Favre from going to certain other teams (read: the Vikings) if they felt he wasn't good enough to play, said "it never got to that point." What point?

All I heard is that the Packers were apparently willing to bring Favre on board when he was reinstated had he indicated he was in the right frame of mind to play, and he never apparently showed that. At least, not to Green Bay.

My summary: Favre wasn't paying attention if he thought he could waltz in and get his old job back, and the Packers paid for taking a hard stand with the loss of Favre in a trade. Nobody won here. Except maybe the Jets souvenir department, which will sell a lot of jerseys.

Other notes:

The Milwaukee CBS outlet has asked for as many New York Jets games as it can get. No word on if WFRV, the Green Bay CBS station, will do the same.

The Green Bay Press-Gannett has a collection of front pages reporting the news. The NY tabs all went with "Jet Favre." They can do better - I submit "Leaving on a Jet plane" from Wigderson Library and Pub, or my personal favorite, The New York Bretts.

A round up of fan reaction, from half-mast flags to stunned Aussies, from the PG.

One Last Comment

I mostly agree with John Clayton at ESPN.com: the Packers did what they have to do, it won't necessarily put the Jets in the playoffs, and Mike McCarthy came out looking much better after this weekend.

When You're a Brett, You're a Brett all the way: Repost

So it's the New York Jets, who undoubtedly will welcome Favre for more reasons than his passing ability and leadership. From the New York Times:

He will be a huge draw for the Jets, who will move to their new training complex in New Jersey at the end of training camp, and he gives the Jets a face as they begin a campaign centered around the eventual opening of the stadium they will share with the Giants. Favre had to be persuaded to join the Jets only in the last 48 hours after declining for weeks to even speak with them.

The new stadium, by the way, opens in 2009, and who knows if Brett will be there then. Not that it's going to be a good fit. The Jets had been an outsider in the who-gets-Brett race. Again, the Times:

Favre has no prior relationship with Coach Eric Mangini and the offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer, and he will be forced to learn an unfamiliar offense on the fly, while surrounded by unfamiliar faces even as he tries to find his comfort zone.

Well, if anybody can adapt, it's Favre. But what of the Green Bay Packers?

The report is that it's a "conditional" draft pick, probably to be settled after the season on a how-many-games, where'd ya finish formula. At least they got something, and managed to steer him out of the NFC. According to the NFL Network, if Favre takes 50 percent of total snaps with the Jets in 2008, the fourth rounder becomes a third-round pick. If he gets 70 percent of the snaps and the Jets make the playoffs, it becomes a second-round pick; and if he gets 80 percent of snaps and the Jets make the Super Bowl, it becomes a first-round pick. The second of those two is most likely. Especially with news that Chad Pennington is out in New York.

Even if it's a first draft pick, there will be those who say it isn't enough. But it seems fair. I'd bet the Packers end up with a third, maybe a second if the Jets reach the playoffs.

Other than that...well, good luck Aaron Rodgers. Shame you can't get a chance to talk to Richard Todd, Phil Bengtson, Mike Davis, Drew Carey and Harry Truman. They might give you some advice on how to replace a legend.

The basic advice: you can't. Nobody can. Just concentrate, do your job the best you can, and ignore those who are heartbroken and blaming it on you.

As for the front office - well, dealing with Favre like this wasn't as bad as, say, hiring professional liar Ari Fleischer. This is rare for Green Bay - a deal that has fans up in arms. I don't think trading Bart Starr in 1970 would have aroused this much passion.

But the Packers were forced to do something.

Here's a hint - next time you have a longtime hero retiring, make it clear that you're taking him seriously and he won't be welcomed back if he changes his mind.