That is a very good question.
Alright...well IMO...you treat them as much like any other player as you possibly can and you do your best to ensure that they fit into the lockerroom and buy into the team concept....
Favre has always been thought of as the consumate teammate...And I think on the field thats true. I also think back in his "hayday" thats true....but over the last few years Favre has been anything but the consumate team mate off the field.
When TT came in IMO he and MM decided the lockerroom atmosphere had gotten out of control and that the inmates were running the assylum so to speak. I think every player brought in has first been looked at from the perspective of "how will he fit with this team?" and "how will he affect our lockerroom?".
I think in the end thats why the Moss deal didn't go down. I think TT wanted Moss...under the correct circumstances...but Moss CHOSE not to come here because in his words:
“The Packers were really talking about the wrong things, and not the right things. When they started talking about the wrong things, I just hung up the phone and didn’t want to talk to them anymore.
So what were those "wrong things"...well lets look at the full quote:
“The Packers were really talking about the wrong things, and not the right things. When they started talking about the wrong things, I just hung up the phone and didn’t want to talk to them anymore. I thought at first it was something that could have worked, for the fact that Brett Favre was there, but I think as the conversations occurred throughout the day and the next day, I didn’t really want to go to Green Bay.”
Asked what he meant by the Packers talking about the “wrong things,” Moss said: “They were just talking about their team concept and the wide receivers, and Donald Driver. “It was like they were telling me that they were going to somewhat take a chance on me, but, ‘If you do come here, these are the things you have to watch out for, and be on your best behavior, and Donald Driver is the top receiver here, so don’t come in and try to step on his toes.’"
So those wrong things were simply asking Moss to ensure that when he came in he didn't just run over the other players, that he would be respectful of the current leaders on the team, that he would have to try to fit in to the TEAM...wow, how horrible.
See TT and MM already had one prima donna that he had been bending over backward for since they had been there and they didn't want a second. Thats why they wanted the extra bonus's to be paid WEEKLY...because they new Moss could be a problem in the lockerroom and could destroy what they had been building.
The really sad thing is, TT and MM have accomodated Farve since they have been in town, giving him past the draft and FA to make his decisions every year, not getting on him for not staying in town and participating in the offseason programs, QB schools and even letting him out of some of the OTAs and mini-camps. They have made exceptions for him that they aren't making for their other players. They have handled him with "kid gloves".
This year they asked for an earlier decision and he gave it, then reversed it (which they were fine with) then retired again....at that point, with that player who even NOW is still being wishy washy about whether he'll return or not, how can they not move on. You have to have 100% commitment and Favre has yet to show that this offseason. Even now he has said several times that he just wants his freedom and he doesn't know what he will do...
Personally I think TT has handled this about as well has he could have. I also think Farve is self absorbed and needs someone in his inner circle to slap him upside the head and ask him what the hell he's doing.
His pr spin he's putting out is IMO only making him look bad and if he handled this differently he could be holding all the PR/public sentiment cards.
Its a sad time for GB and for Favre...I wish it was different but I don't see this coming to a "happy" ending and IMO TT is handling this about as well as it could be handled from a TEAM management perspective.
This article from SI pretty much sums it up IMO:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/don_banks/07/17/favre.snaps/index.html?eref=sircrcIMO this is the quote of significance from the article:
But I'd like to ask Favre this: Do you think you'd be the kind of teammate you'd want to have if you walked in and yanked the rug out beneath Rodgers at this point, just days before the start of training camp? Isn't that the kind of me-first stunt that a respected team leader like Favre was never afraid to call out a teammate for? Isn't that right, Javon Walker?
And thats really what it all boils down to...this whole last couple of weeks Favre is not acting like "Favre"...the Favre we've come to know and respect as a great team guy, a great teammate, and a stand up guy...a "Man". This is not the way any of us wanted to see Farve go out...Its sad and its just going to get worse.
