I could not agree more!

I understand your reasoning. However, I keep remembering that, if he had decided at the end of the season to come back, we all would have welcomed him back, because he, right now, is a better quarterback than Aaron Rodgers. His pocket presence and release are perfect matches for an offensive line with suspect guards and a group of receivers that, if given the ball quickly, can make great things happen.

If he wants to play, I want him to. Not because of nostalgia, or respect for the past, but because I think he gives us the best chance to win a Super Bowl. Additionally, cold weather interception or not, we gave away that Giants game in many ways.

True. We don't know for sure. But if forced to make a conclusion (which the Packers are), you have to go with the guy who was the 3rd best QB (statistically) in the league last year. Right?

For me, the best evidence is the 1st Quarter of the Seahawks game. Yeah, Ryan Grant was the hero in the end, but, as you pointed out, he put us in a 14 - 0 hole. That first drive, down by two touchdowns, was all Favre-Driver and Favre-Jennings, and he destroyed that defense. He's a better bet than A-Rodg.

That said, I don't want him unless he's 100% committed, which I don't believe he is right now. So I qualify my argument with the assumption that Brett is, and can prove to TT and MM that he is, prepared to be committed even more than he was last year.

I'm torn. I love Brett and don't want to be seen as a Favre hater but Rodgers is our future. If we don't give him a chance this season I can see him looking for a team that will. Are we willing to risk loosing someone the Packers have invested so much time in just for one more season with Brett? I believe given the chance Rodgers will be great. Will he be great here or somewhere else?

I love Brett. Period. He did wonders for this team and for the prestige of the Packers, and if he says it's a rumor, it's a rumor. People just want to stir up sh**. They should leave him alone.

I agree with your take on the public relations nightmare it would cause if Favre is wearing another uniform this Fall. I just don't see that happening. I think he would alienate a LOT of his fans (me included). Why would he taint his legacy and destroy what he has worked so hard to build? All for 1 more year? I don't think so! That would be a selfish act. I don't see Favre as being that selfish. I hope I'm right!

Mike Smith

Don't understand why people keep refering to Favre as being "selfish" when he's trying to make a difficult dicision. What, nobody has ever regreted a choice they made? Gimme a break, he's a human being too. As far as the Aaron Rogers era? some packer fans must either be to young or spoiled to relize how few and far between great(let alone good) Q-Bs come along. He might end up being alright but who gives this team the best chance to win? no question Favre.

Aaron, while I understand your reasoning, I think your comments in the comment section are slightly ridiculous.

How do we know Brett is a better QB than Rodgers? Uh, the dude would have been the MVP had Tom Brady not had a once a decade season. You point to two games out of 18 where Favre played poorly, and this is your basis for suggesting Rodgers could be better in '08 than Favre was in '07? I say that's a bit strong, don't you think?

Further, if you take a glance around the QB situation for teams around the league, to believe Rodgers is the better QB than Favre is wishful thinking, imo.

I really don't see how fans wouldn't be in favor of one more season. The only argument, imo, is that it is Rodgers' time. Otherwise, the argument for him over Favre outright is based on Rodgers playing half a game and Favre playing poorly in the 3rd coldest game in the history of Lambeau Field.

I will never be a Favre hater but I certianly hope that he stays on his farm. He would be a great asset to a staff somewhere but he needs to keep his word and retire. This is the worst possible situation.

Keith,

Ahh, the perils of posting at work. Both my original post and quick comment response are a product of time restraint. Apologies for that. That said, I only stated that WE DON'T KNOW who the better QB is, not that Rodgers is for-sure better than Favre. But how many more seasons do we put off the future? Favre is now holding the organization hostage, and it's pissing me off.

How is he doing that, if this is all rumor? Sorry, Aaron, but you guys seem to be jumping on the bandwagon here instead of holding back and seeing what Brett really said.

Judgenot really has it pegged. No one's perfect. Although I love Brett, I don't think he is either. He's entitled to change his mind - TT can change his or not. Whatever.

Aaron,

Really? We don't know who the better QB is? Favre was a top 5 QB last year. Do we really expect him to step in and perform at that level?

I'm born and bred in NYC (Staten Island to be specific) and my entire family are Giants fans. Anyway, my dad and I were discussing this and he said this situation kind of reminds him of how the Giants cut ties with Phil Simms in favor of Dave Brown. He made some great points as to how this situation is similar.

1- Like Favre, Simms could still play.

2- Like Rodgers, Brown was a hot young QB of the future who played his college ball in a QB friendly system (Brown for Spurrier at Duke and Rodgers under Tedford at Cal.)

His ultimate point was that you shouldn't push out a still productive QB in favor of the young "QB of the Future" because you just can't be sure what you're going to get from the new guy. For every Chad Pennington there are a ton of Dave Browns, Browning Nagles, David Klingers, etc.

Keith,

Your old man is a smart guy. (as are you, obviously) I agree with his points. However, can you honestly tell me Favre didn't look and play like an old man in the cold last year? I mean, the point is to win championships. We know Favre's upside. He will be great all season and plateau or fade badly down the stretch. It has happened to a larger or lesser extent each of the last three seasons. Why? Because he is old. Yes, no question, he is able to play. But I don't want to get to January again just to have Favre come out in a black ski-mask, looking more interested in the sideline heater than the endzone. It's a young man's game, especially in the cold. And chances are good the Pack will have to win a game or two in freezing temps to get to the Super Bowl. Look, I'm not pretending this is a logical argument. It's more emotional for me, obviously. But after listening to five years of Old Man Favre talk about retirement, I'll be damned if I'm going to listen to five more years of him talking about coming back.

Admittedly, I am quite biased when it comes to Favre. The guy is my favorite athlete of all time, and coming from a guy who is known as a baseball guy (I go to many Mets games every year and used to coach little league while in college) that's saying something.

With that said, I agree with your assessment of Favre in the NFCC game, but he looked awesome the previous week in the snow (granted, it was nowhere near as cold.) However, let's look at some mitigating factors from that game. It was the 3rd coldest game EVER at Lambeau... so that's saying something. Also, Favre went for loooong stretches sitting around doing nothing while Eli and Jacobs churned out first down after first down against our D. I think it would have been tough for me to get warm after sitting for close to a half an hour, and I'm 24. Plus, with the emergence of Grant, and a some reasonable improvement from Jackson (not to mention Wynn returning as well), I think we have the makings of a running game. So Favre won't have to carry the team in the first 6 weeks like he did last year.

Lastly, you say, "I don’t want to get to January again just to have Favre come out in a black ski-mask, looking more interested in the sideline heater than the endzone." Well, you have to get to January first, and objectively looking at the Packers in 2008, you have to admit they have a better chance of having a Championship season with Favre at the helm than with Rodgers. To be fair, neither of us, as Packers fans, can be truly objective, and that's why I brought my dad up previously.

I just see the Packers as a talented team in a winnable division even with the tougher schedule this season. And while I understand your sentiments (I too have grappled with the "should we get the Rodgers era under way or go for one more with Brett" argument myself), I believe we have a better chance at glory with Brett under center than Rodgers.

Keith,

Obviously, this will end with a "we'll agree to disagree" (as we knew it would) I will only add that I thought you were cool before you mentioned the Mets - and now I know you are. ;) Cheers, Aaron

I'm not sick of Favre, I'm sick of the people who continue to report on this even though he's said it is all rumor and that there is no reason for it. Favre's only public statement about this was to respond to the rumors and dispute them. There is no substantiated evidence that he wants to come back. When a supposedly 'impeccable source' can't even identify the person who supposedly asked for Favre to be released I tend not to trust them. Bus Cook as denied that Favre wants to un-retire, Favre has said it is all rumors and there is no reason for the furor and the only people who seem to be making a big deal out of this are journalists who know that an article about Favre is going to generate a lot of hits.

I am sick of the situation but I don't think that this is Favre's fault. He's said it is all rumor and there is no reason for people to be talking about this. So unless he's lying this is all unsubstantiated rumor being reported as news - and he can't stop that.

What a joke, Favre wants to come back now? Didn't he already say his heart wasn't in it anymore? And now all of a sudden it is? I swear I might just sell my stock if he gets his selfish wishes. Favre will definitely crack this season. It's been a long time coming.

Yay PackerBelle!!!

I THINK AARON RODGERS STUCK HIS BROKEN FOOT IN HIS LOUD COCKY-ASS MOUTH...I WILL NEVER, AND I MEAN NEVER BACK AARON RODGERS...TO EVEN SAY HIS NAME IN THE SAME BREATH AS BRETT FAVRE IS A TRAVESTY.YOU HAVE GOT TO BE ON DRUGS TO SAY YOU WOULD CHOOSE RODGERS OVER FAVRE...HE COULD PLAY 3 MORE SEASONS AND STILL OUTPLAY THAT LITTLE BOY WITH THE BIG MOUTH...