I can't help but wonder...

Do Cowboys fans hate Deion Sanders? After all, he came out of retirement to play for their arch-rivals - the Redskins...

Or is this something limited to Packers fans and their attachment to Brett? Remember - he hasn't even signed a contract with the Vikings (yet?) and he is already getting so much hatred around here and other places...




Remember - when he decided he still wanted to play, the Packers said it was not an option in Green Bay. How can you be mad at him for looking elsewhere to play? As much as I would hate to see him in purple, it makes sense - they are a team that has the chance to be a contender - especially with the right QB. Of course, if he were to sign with them and IF they were to make the Super Bowl, my head might explode over the dilemma of Brett going out on top versus the Vikings never winning a Super Bowl!

Don't get me wrong - I am happy with Aaron Rodgers as the Packers QB now. Heck, I might even buy a Rodgers jersey the day he leads the Packers from behind for a victory! And, in my honest opinion, I'd rather see Brett stay retired - especially considering the bicep injury he suffered on his throwing arm last season.

Just my opinion and just trying to stay level-headed about all this...

Very few maybe have hatred. You are overstating this thing over and over. Another poor old Brett thread. This belongs with the other thread.

This isn't a 'poor Brett' thread - read it again with blinders off. I believe it is simply a less emotionally-driven thread.

When did I overstate anything over and over?

It sure sounds like 'hatred' when I hear what Packer fans have to say about the current situation. But maybe it's just pain lashing out like hatred - it is a common defense mechanism.

Deion Sanders played 5 seasons for Dallas. He had already been in Atlanta and SF. He was not a long time Cowboy, he was not an emotional leader of that team, he was nowhere near the heart and soul of that team. He was a hired gun who went to the highest bidder.

Sanders was a great player for Dallas but that's it. The comparison to Favre's situation in GB is ludicrous. No offense.

The far better comparison would be if Charles Woodson signed with the Vikings after the next year or so. That's an almost perfect comparison. Top CB's playing about 5 years with one team, then signing for a year with an arch rival. And the answer would be no, GB fans would not hate Woodson, just like Dallas fans couldn't care less about Deion going to the Skins for a year.

He would have a had a few 'come from behind' victories last year if someone makes a stop at the end of a game. It's a team game.

As to the post.....Sanders ties to the Cowboys aren't in the same neighborhood when you compare the kind of ties Favre had to Green Bay. Not even close. It's an emotional thing, and i'm not sure why one would be surprised at the reaction.

You beat me to it, good post. Woodson switching teams would be a much better comparison.

Different situation.

Deion played for a number of teams. 4 years in Atlanta, 1 year in San Francisco, 3 years in Dallas, 1 year in Washington and 1 year in Baltimore.

Favre was only known with one team: the Packers. He spent 1 year in Atlanta, but never started a game. He went on to spend 15+ years in Green Bay.

Completely, completely different situations. Not even remotely similar.

BTW, I'm not mad at Favre for wanting to play. A bit weary maybe, but not mad. The reason I'm mad is because of the fact that he practically demanded to be traded to one of our most hated rivals, the Vikings. How can you spend 15+ years as the star of a team, and then demand to be traded to a rival so that you can stick it to your old team? That's just pathetic. And that's the reason I despise Favre now. If he said "Look guys, I just want to play - trade me to some AFC team" then that'd be a different story. But he didn't. He wanted to go to a team that is arguably our most hated rival.

That's unforgivable, imo.

I'm pretty sure the comparison is what the two have done on the back end of their careers.........

Exactly - how do people remember Deion? As a Cowboy...

I know it isn't a perfect analogy - but it makes the point that - regardless of what Brett does this year - he was a Packer the majority of his career - the important part of his career. Nothing can change that...

Everything else is Brett deciding if he is done or not - and people as fans being able to accept the difference between Brett as a Packer and Brett as a person. His personal decisions to play or not shouldn't matter as much as it seems to to so many Packer fans.

Again - for personal reasons - I hope he stays retired and does not don that ugly purple....

True - but even when the defense let us down, there were some times he still had the ball in his hands with a chance to win. I just look forward to seeing him take the game on his shoulders in a march to victory as time winds down. It should be fun! It will also show him evolving as a QB.

I think the back end of one's career depends greatly on what happened during the front end of one's career. Favre spent 16 years as the face of one franchise. Deion spent 5 years in Dallas after spending time with two other teams.

I get the point about how their careers ended, but it's simply not the same.

ajg, I understand what you're saying about how Favre will be remembered. Yes, he will be remembered as a Green Bay Packer. But many people will remember him as a great Packer who, for no other reason than vengeance, came out of retirement to play for the Packer's arch rival.

Legends are supposed to be larger than life. Far as I'm concerned, this move would make him stand knee high to the smallest flea on Ragnar's hairy behind.

He was given a chance to come back; but he did not want to be a backup... he then talked to the coach and the coach said his head wasn't right to play football for the Green Bay Packers. HE even admitted that a reason he came back to play again was to "stick it" to Ted. Ya; it does sound like his head is screwed up, and obviously is still screwed up. The only reason he would want to play again is to try get the best of TT... sounds to me that he is still trying to pull Green Bay fans on his side still.... IMO this is not the way to do it. He obviously thinks he is bigger than Green Bay and wants to attempt to prove it. Revenge-lidden decisions like this are usually poor ones because they are based only on emotion, and I have a feeling Brett will destroy all credibility he had built.

If Childress has any brains; he will see through this, and take cross him off as an option.

I hope he comes back, because it's gonna tear up the Vikings organization.

Those bolded statements seem to contradict each other. McCarthy decided he wasn't in the right mindset to play football for the Packers - he didn't say Brett didn't want to be a backup...

I think many forget that this is a person we're talking about - not just a legend. Hasn't anyone here wanted to prove something after you were told - you're not good enough for us anymore? I'm not saying it's the best reason to come back - and I hope he does stay retired - but I can understand the mentality to some extent...

That's actually a really good point that made me stop and think. I know personally, if I was let go from my current employer for performance issues or a perceived upgrade, I would most certainly go to one of my rival companies and just CRUSH my former company. I'm a self-motivated person but if something like this were to take place my motivation and competitiveness would be ratcheted up a couple of notches, that's for sure!

You need to ask 49ers fans how they would have felt about Montana leaving KC to play for the Rams.

I sorta get what your saying but project that scenario out to the end of your career. You are at the end, maybe a year left.....oh and you quit, twice. If Brett is so hell bent on playing then dont retire.

He has become the epitome of a child. Look at every two year old in the world. When they have a toy they get tired of it, but as soon as another kid picks it up they become aggressive and snatch it back. This is his career. He was done with it and put it down. Someone else picked it up (Aaron) and he thought he could just take it back. However when he did TT played the role of good father and told him no.....as he should have. Instead of sharing nice he took his ball and went home...or to NY and maybe Minny.

Which thread is this??? I thought the comparison to a player for hire vs a legend that had spent all but his first year with one team before 2008 and was the icon for that team. I understand the stretch, but Deon was never an icon for his team. If anything maybe the Falcons, but that is still a stretch. He was a phenominal player for the Cowboys, but he never really became the face. You had to scheme around him and when he was returning punts, you would be better off kickking the ball out of bounds, but I don't see the comparison to Deon going to Washington. It was just the next stop. If Favre played for Atlanta for 5 years, then GB for 8 and then Jets for 3 before Minny, then ok.

You are right. When Brett decided to come back, he expected that he would be given his starting job back, no questions. When GB balked at him be "handed" the starting QB job, then Brett whined about it. Finally, he stated that he would like to compete for the job, but that was much, much later.

The Packers TRADED Favre. If the Pack traded Driver today and he played this season would we call him a traitor and hate on him as well?

Seriously don't waste your time, you're not gonna change anyone's mind anyway. Common sense logic and reasoning doesn't apply here.

Yep, we're all blind Ted Thompson worshipers here....

Why did the Packers trade Favre? Because he RETIRED and the Packers moved on.... That little piece of logic and reasoning get's left out so conveniently.

Where is any indication that I don't like Brett. No where did call him a traitor. Guess you need womething to say. I am responding to posts. Favre has been traded it it over and done. He gets no free pass and revisionist history does not change the facts. He changed his mind time and again. His perogative and he will live with it. He required his starting job. Only after that he was willing to compete for the job. Too late,IMO. - now gettingback to the thread, Deon v Favre. Lol

Completely opposite...but spin it any way that makes you feel good.

A better comparison would be Roger Staubach leaving the Cowboys to play for the Redskins...

...because he wanted to stick it to Tom Landry.

Too many differences between the two players/situations to make an well defined comparison, IMO.

Look folks, I'm sick and tired of this weak insane argument being brought up. Did you forget to include in your analogy that Favre RETIRED!!! Do you think in the real world you can quit your job and then just decide to come back in a few months and everything will be just fine? It doesn't work that way. I really hate this argument and I see it brought up in all kinds of different blogs. Expecting a place of business to keep your job several months after YOU QUIT is simply unreasonable. I would not be upset if I quit a job then had second thoughts and found out that the company had moved on. If you would then you're a completely childish and unreasonable human being. Seriously.

Now Chad Pennington on the other hand. He had a right to be upset about what the Jets did to him. That is a more reasonable comparison to what you're suggesting. The Packers didn't get rid of Favre because they wanted to replace him. He retired then waited until a month before preseason to come back. They had already moved on. It would be a completely insane world if all employers would hold jobs for people who quit. The Packers had every right to move on after Favre retired. Favre needs to grow up and understand that the NFL is a business.

Wow, bitter, party of one!!! I don't disagree with you that Pennington should have been pissed. The Packers traded Brett Favre away, that is a fact. I don't understand why everyone is so bitter, including yourself in your own way. I don't care who BF plays for, he doesn't play for the Packers anymore. Like I said in another post that you obviously didn't read, we need to worry about our own team and not care about any other team. We only can control what we can control. This all makes Brett look terrible and I have a feeling it's going to get worse. Can you imagine him playing for the Vikes and being awful and then relegated to backup duty to TJack? Now that would be a real capper to his legacy.

Who's bitter? What you said in your post is patently false. Favre was not fired. He was traded after he retired and wanted to come back a month before the start of the season. The key to understand is that the fact that Favre retired precipitated the Packers moving on. I was simply playing that your analogy was a weak one and that I've seen it brought up in just about every sports blog under the sun. Spare me the sympathy, in this world of 10% unemployment, for a millionare crying about losing his job after he retired in the first place. In the real world nobody would be upset with an employer after they quit and tried to come back several months later. I'm just trying to keep things in perspective. Favre has no cause to be upset with the Packers. That is unless he has the maturity of a 6 year old. I've never heard of a 40 year old more childish than Brett Favre.

The point was that clearly BF feels he was slighted and because of this he's holding a grudge against TT and the Packers, right, wrong, or indifferent. What you or I believe doesn't mean squat. All I was saying is that if I felt the same way about my employer I would stick it to them as well. I'm in now way sticking up for Brett Favre, I was merely responding to another post, and believe he brought this all on himself. You say Favre has no cause to be upset with the Packers, well that's your opinion, but he is, and that's all that matters in this situation. Again, I don't care who BF plays for, he doesn't play for the Packers anymore, simple as that.

I could not agree more. Seems thatmany posters will never get over it. Most of the other side is not bashing the guy. We are responding to inaccurate info.

Brett Favre discussions are a waste of time because they are any thing but discussions. People get way too emotional and dig in to their positions as if they are the TRUTH, and there is very little listening or consideration of others points of view unless they fit one's preconceived notion of the situation IMO.

For example, the way I understand it:

Yes, Brett held a news conference saying he was retiring. But by NFL contract he was still employed by the Green Bay Packers. To retire one must file papers with the NFL. In Brett Favre's case he never did so, he was still an employee of the Green Bay Packers, still drawing a salary and still under an exclusive rights contract to the Green Bay Packers.

I don't need to add my 2 cents to the endless side taking and speculation about who did what to whom next.

Suffice it to say IMO things got emotional and neither side handled the situation well. Cook, Thompson, Favre, McCarthy all had parts in the subsequent unraveling. It is and remains a damned shame, again IMO.

Some guys need to hate their ex-wife's and/or ex-girl friends in order to cope with the loss of the relationship too. Others can remember what they once loved and were attracted to and can still be friends.

Some will think this analogy is insane, for others it will make perfect sense... like I said Brett Favre discussions are (at least for now) a wast of time...

Well done Bruce!!!

Great post Bruce... You are saying pretty much what I was trying to say from the start. I'm sure someone will be along to bash you for it...

For me, the big difference between Sanders and Favre is the multiple retirements. The first retirement IMO was genuine but the second just seems like an orchestrated sham to get out of NY for an opportunity to stick it to Green Bay. Of coarse I can't prove that but this is how it comes across to me. If Favre had played out his contract and became a Free Agent or if he had not retired and the Jets cut him - my attitude would be completely different.

Interesting quote from Favre's mouth:



http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writ...avre/index.html

This was back on Feb 16th of this year.

Also, this time he actually filed his retirement paperwork, unlike last time.

Maybe he is telling the truth and is done, but he has already gone against what he said back in Feb. and asked twice for the Jets to release him.

Its not a matter of belief. A place of business is NOT required to hold a spot for an employee several months after they quit. Its not a matter of opinion. My problem is not even with what Favre did. Its with people trying to draw a parallel to someone being fired and wanting to stick it to their employee. I'm a manager at a manufacturing company. I am not required to hold a job for somebody that quits and its as simple as that. Now if the individual wanted to come back and I had yet to fill the position then I would certainly be open to bringing the person back. I would also ask similar questions to what McCarthy asked Favre. Are you sure you really want to come back? Why did you quit in the first place? I just have no sympathy for Favre.

Favre's salary was off the books until he asked for reinstatement. Do you really expect a team to pay a guy $12 Million for sitting at home? The Packers put Favre on the retired/reserce list which cleared up a spot on the roster and took his salary off the books. This was done in April of 2008.

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/31927794.html

Favre sucks because he wanted to go to the Vikings. That's it. That's the reason I want to see his number go to the punter. I don't mind that he wanted to come back and play - I do care that he demanded to go specificaly to our archrival. Last year, he made the foolish demand for the Packers to trade him to the Vikings. Now, he's orchestrated events so that he has the opportunity to sign there. Even if he never sees it through, the fact is he wanted to be with the Vikings. Icons don't go to archrivals. There are 28 teams that aren't in the NFC North that he could have asked to go to. You think it's happenstance that he wanted to go to the Vikings? No, he hand-picked them for optimal backstabbing effect.

Personally, I'd love to see how Favre would react that first time he steps onto Lambeau field in a purplse jersey and gets greeted by the deafeaning boos of the Packer faithful. I fully believe that he actually believes the entire Packer fanbase supports what he's doing. I can't wait to see his world shattered when he finds out that's just a ridiculous facade that all the sycophants around him filled his head with. Favre feeds off of being loved.

To get boo'd by the green and gold faithful...it'll screw with his head more than the 3-4 defense did.

It's one thing for your wife/girlfriend to leave you and go see other people. But that's not really what happened here. If Favre's the dame in that illustration, then it'd be like (s)he dumped you, went and hooked up with that guy at work that you always hated, parked in front of your house, and then climbed into the backseat with him and drunk-dialed you all night.

See if that doesn't get you a little hot under the hood.

From the talented journalist Monica Hesse:

"People have always struggled with perceptions of truth, which ultimately come down to this general rule: We believe what we want to believe.

Two researchers who studied this in the 1960s learned that, when listening to debates on the risks of smoking, nonsmokers tuned in to the parts of the speeches that linked cigarettes to cancer. Smokers, on the other hand, paid closer attention to the parts that denied a health risk.

Rather than use the speeches as an opportunity to better educate themselves, subjects used them as an opportunity to reinforce their own beliefs.

The latter sentence (if you take out "speeches" and replace it with "posts") epitomizes the discussions on this board too frequently.

Thanks for the dose of reality. It's really easy to fall into that trap.

BINGO!!!!!