Brother Steve and I were just talking about “The Bribe”. Unbelievable. I simply cannot believe this is what the Packers resorted to. The Packers sure better get info out asap as to what conditions were present that made an offer like this reasonable because to those of us not inside the circle, I don’t see how this could be construed as anything other than a desperate bride. Absolutely ridiculous. The Packers may come out and mask this under the guise of future PR engagements etc but come on, that is ridiculous. Considering all that’s been said, I think it may take a while for him to be a credible Packers ambassador anyway. That is clearly not what this is for. The $20 million was simply to coax him into permanent retirement so that the team can move in the direction TT wants the team to move in. I just find this development shocking. I have never heard of a team trying to bribe a player to stay retired.
One important factor here is that despite Favre’s recent detruth problem if you will, the team should have known Favre well enough to know that appeasing him with money wouldn’t work. As Bus Cook has already apparently said (according to Steve from Sirius radio), this offer likely won’t affect Favre much and he will most likely show up in camp on Friday. Offering Favre more money under the veil of PR is like offering me more ants in my den – just not something either of us need right now.
packergeeks 
July 31, 2008 at 1:36 pm |
Can you even do this? Would it count against the salary cap? I would think there would be rules against paying a player to not show up. Since Goodell has been sticking his head into this I can’t imagine they would try something illegal under the table. Regardless, if this is the “right thing” we’ve heard so much about I’m thoroughly unimpressed.
If they’re going to pay him anyway why not let him report, take away his private dressing room and other preferential treatment, and run him out there as the backup? Give him a locker where the #2 or #3 guy would normally be. If he’s going to play games with the Packers they certainly don’t owe him anything more than that. “Welcome back Brett, take a lap.”
July 31, 2008 at 2:39 pm |
I highly suspect that the “bribe” was envisioned a bit differently. I bet management was like “Maybe he’s worried about money. Maybe that’s why he wants to come back.” And then someone said, “maybe we should offer to take care of him for a while, so he doesn’t have to worry about it.” Moronic, yes, but that motive, to me at least, seem about a thousand times more defensible.
That is, “we were worried that he was unretiring because he was concerned about money and we offered to ease his concerns.”
July 31, 2008 at 3:01 pm |
I think it’s premature to assume the Packers even made this offer. Has there been any confirmation (aside from “sources” sure to be Favre’s friends and family) that the offer was made? If so, you guys should link it–and Murphy should be put in a corner to think about it.
But if not, consider the other possibilities. Assume the $20M figure was discussed. Did it originate with Favre/Cook? Did the Packers simply respond to that demand? Not likely, given that Favre wants to play, but still a possibility. Another is that Favre and Cook are just being dicks, using family/friends/whatever to poison the media well–and doing it with falsehoods and half-truths. This has happened often throughout this gay little soap opera.
The reason I think it’s premature to bash the Packers is not only have I seen no confirmation from Packer sources confirming the $20M offer; I haven’t even seen anything directly from Favre or Cook. Given Favre’s very public bellyaching, I would expect him to have confirmed the bribe plot line. The Packers’ sins throughout have primarily been those of naivete and PR malpractice. Whatever valid criticisms can be lodged against the Packers, they still have loads more credibility than Favre and, I think, deserve the benefit of the doubt.
July 31, 2008 at 3:13 pm |
Dave – I too wonder how this would be legal. Perhaps if he is not officially reinstated right this minute leaving him still retired, the Packers simply are offering the equivalent of an office job. Still lame idea.
Not a bad point Mr Man. Steve and I both said that if somehow the team got wind of Favre expressing concerns re money or that Favre may be appeased somewhat by a huge cash windfall, it would be more defensible but as you said, still not a good idea. If they didn’t have this info though and just made the offer, it’s every bit as dumb as it seems.