Notes: And Tampa Bay Didn’t Pursue Brett Favre Because…?
August 10, 2008
In Brett Favre, the New York Jets got their man. If they get into the playoffs with Favre at the helm it will also save Eric Mangini’s job.
There’s just one little problem with the whole “Favre comes to Broadway,” well, more accurately, East Rutherford, New Jersey, deal. What happened to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ interest in the legendary QB?
Sure, the Bucs have four-time Pro Bowl quarterback Jeff Garcia on their roster as their starter. But no one ever mistook the plucky Garcia for Brett Favre. But despite the clamor for Favre in Tampa, despite the rumors, despite the talk about how Bucs head coach John Gruden likes to “collect quarterbacks” Gruden, last Friday, said there was no talk of bringing Favre to Tampa.
How could this be? Tampa Bay would be worse for wear with both Favre and Garcia? Was there no reason to elevate the Bucs status from maybe playoff team to dangerous squad with a chance to play in Tampa in the Super Bowl?
However, there were no talks between Bucs management and the Green Bay brain trust. Hmmmm, can you say, “Quiet collusion?”
Yes, collusion. The Packers either had to release the quarterback, put him on their inactive list by claiming that he was undermining the team with his act, a la Philadelphia Eagles-Terrell Owens, play Favre, or trade him. The first three options were closed to GM Ted Thompson and team president, Mark Murphy. So that left a trade.
For most of the, where is Brett Favre going to play next season talk, the Jets were an afterthought. Everyone thought the QB would end up with Minnesota, Chicago, or Tampa Bay. As time went on the Vikings and the Bears were marked off the list because they are teams within the Packers NFL North division, so that left the Bucs.
But when crunch time came, Tampa Bay went silent and suddenly the Jets became players in the Favre sweepstakes. And just as the press was reporting that the Packers were in talks with the Bucs for Favre’s services, the Jets were doing to talking all the while.
Does the press usually miss that badly when it comes to trade talk? Miss so far that no one is getting even an inkling that a team other than Tampa Bay is talking with Murphy and Thompson?
Usually someone gets it right, even if it is a lone voice, someone gets it right. Not this time, though.
So that leaves us with thoughts of being used once again, but by whom? Did the Bucs and Jets management get together and pull off this obfuscation? Was it Roger Goodell? Was it all three with help from reliable members of the press?
We’ll never know for sure. But know that something went down behind the scenes ——– something went down.
Comments
13 Responses to “Notes: And Tampa Bay Didn’t Pursue Brett Favre Because…?”
Got something to say?
Sure SML, something went down. You can trace it back to the signing of Bubba Franks (for all that money, and a washed up TE) to come in as the playbook surrogate/link for both the locker room and the new QB. Don’t get me wrong, this is one case where the script suits Steady just fine. I mean, I remember Walt Michaels, Joe Walton, Rich Kotite and all that losing. I burned my Jet gear in 1984-85. Still steadily Jet Green. Those two cats can’t keep acting like they invented football after the way they dealt with Abraham, Kendall and Vilma. We’re not all stupid in NY.
I go back to Bubba Franks (TE)–you’ve a got a Chris Baker (TE) who’s coming back from a break-out season; you draft a super speedy and serviceable Dustin Keller (TE) who can further stretch the offense; you pick up some other reject wideout from Green Bay who looks like a world beater in the first EX-game; we’ve got the perfect Favre storm.
AT LAST, the parity gods are smiling at us. Thanks Rog. I see that you appreciated our taking it up the poop-shoot from Bill Belicheat and not saying a peep despite the lacerations. Nice doing business with ya. Next time, give ‘em some KY.
I am so glad you called this out brotha. I was telling my wife that the league wouldn’t let him go to Tampa bay. I knew the jets were going to get him. And good point Steady about Bubba Frank. I mean Brett Farve helps the League resurrect a franchise thats been down on their luck. It helps to unseat the Pats who now have a tarnished legacy in the eyes of the american public. And it gives new york the greatest american hero since babe ruth.
Hey remember the story I told about how the teams complained when Joe Montana went to the Chiefs. They complained stating that once the chiefs received Montana. Their OL was allowed to hold on all passing plays. Then you had the NFL NBC crew say something to the fact that it was O.K. if they were allowed to hold. They have to protect Montana.
Anyway I can see the jets making the playoffs. And I can see farve and the jets getting the old Montana and the chiefs calls along with the calls that the post Katrina Saints got in 2006.
Remember earlier this year Dwil I said the NFL wasn’t gonna let the NBA out do them with hankie pankie trades. Like the Gasol to the lakers for a kareem throwback Jersey.
Actually I am surprised the Cowboys haven’t been able to get Chad Johnson or Roy Williams for a food stamp card or something.
In every photo that I’ve seen, Favre sure does look like he is forcing those smiles. He does NOT wanna be in NY or NJ, whereever he is.
Favre doesn’t want to be a Jet, you can tell by his reaction to the stupid press conference where got a “Broadway” street sign and the keychain for a key to the city.
That’s what you’ve got to like about New Yorkers though… everyone up there acts like they’re the top dogs when really they all forget they were 4-12 for a reason and it’s not only because of the quarterback. If Lavernues Coles can’t catch those pillows Pennington throws , then he sure as hell isn’t going to be able to catch Favre’s passes.
You know, I don’t usually wish harm on someone.. but just so everyone would shut the hell up, I hope Jason Taylor gets a free run at Brett in the next preseason game… take him out at his old man knees. Set the Jets back even further than the Knicks!
Origin,
If Matt Millen is still the team’s GM next offseason, he’ll likely trade Williams to the Cowboys for a 6th round pick or something
“You know, I don’t usually wish harm on someone.. but just so everyone would shut the hell up, I hope Jason Taylor gets a free run at Brett in the next preseason game… take him out at his old man knees. Set the Jets back even further than the Knicks!”
BAAAAHAHAHAHA!!!
Boney thats a super duper madden curse.
Not even Matt Millen is crazy enough to trade roy williams for a 6th rounder. Goodell would have to be pulling the strings from behind the seens.
uh oh,
I forgot MODI is even drinking the Favre kool aid now that he’s a Jet.
WTF is the big deal about playing in New York? The appeal of playing there is slowly fading… Yankees are falling into obscurity, Jets are horrible, Knicks, well we all know.
Still doesn’t keep me from wanting to see #4 get London Fletcher’s facemask firmly planted in the middle of his back at the next game, and if I hate anything in this world, I HATE the Redskins. If there’s one thing I hope they do, it’s put Favre out.
Damn Boney…..tell us you really feel…LOL But for real, Favre looks like he’s in hell. He hates it. He hates the whole NYC scene, I will bet he’s about to have one miserable season regardless of if he plays 3 games or 16.
well Miranda, I’m sorry but… not everything revolves New York, Brett Favre or the Boston Red Sox, unlike what New York Fans, ESPN, Cheeseheads, and NESN would have you believe.
Boney, stop chewing on chalk. Your gums are bleeding.
Miranda, smile or not; grin or bear; Jets or out. The latter was Brett’s last and best option. If he choses to “Manny” it and mail in the 08-09 season then that’s on him. He can do whatever the Favre he wants with his legacy and go out a loser who mailed it in after crying to get back into football. (See Larry Brown @ NYK).
Most of us NY and Jets fans are resilient and can handle any hardship a player, a Commissioner, or an opposing cheating coach dishes out. We usually just skip pass hating bloggers. But you had to know what’s good.
I would add that while I’m surprised (and a bit happy, though I’m not expecting that much) that Favre was traded to the Jets, I’m not surprised that the Bucs didn’t get him.
$12 million for Favre, when you already have Garcia, who can and will get you to the playoffs? For what - yeah, Favre can get you to the playoffs, but he’ll get you out of the playoffs quickly, too. The Bucs wisely figured that Garcia can get them to the playoffs, too, and not cost the team $15 million on quarterbacks alone.
There were, however, other teams that I thought could have made a play. The Bears would have been the best fit, but the Packers wouldn’t allow that - the trade to the Jets includes a nice clause that says if the Jets trade Favre to the Bears or Vikings, they owe the Packers three - 3! - number one draft picks in a row, starting in 2008.
Other teams that might have been interested? Baltimore? The Redskins? I actually can’t think of any other good teams that need a quarterback. There are some bad teams - Dolphins, Chiefs, et al - that need a QB, but not any decent teams.
On the other hand, the case can be made that the Jets are no better than the Chiefs or Dolphins….
“Most of us NY and Jets fans are resilient and can handle any hardship a player, a Commissioner, or an opposing cheating coach dishes out. We usually just skip pass hating bloggers. But you had to know what’s good.”
Man.. you New York fans know how to play it up big with the drama don’t you?
I guess this opposing cheating coach is the reason why your team went 4-10 against the rest of the league last year?
I guess this player hardship would cause you to give your championship rings back after Roger Steroids is eventually proved to be a liar.
So while you stand in the concourse areas and yell “T… I…. T…. S… TITS TITS TITS”, just remember, you tried to tell some adults “what’s good”
SML: I agree that TB did not have the same impetus as the Jets to make such a deal. Garcia is a pro-bowl caliber QB that already lead the Bucs to the playoffs. Would Favre have made that much of a difference? I doubt it.
Here is the misperception of the deal though. Contrary to speculation and reports, the Packers did in fact offer to trade Favre to the teams in their division, including the Vikings. Here’s the rub: Any deal to a division foe would require greater compensation. The Packers wanted 2 picks, one of which was a first-day pick. The offer was a 2 and a 5. Now, you would think that teams like the Vikings or the Bears would jump at that, but the thought process was that a first-day pick and another pick is not worth it for a guy who is year to year. The Vikings could not get Favre to commit to playing beyond this year so in their minds the price was too great. The logic is debatable for a team that is supposedly on the verge and needs a QB, but NFL teams value draft picks like gold.
Conversely, the Jets have taken a myopic approach to this offseason so a one-year commitment in exchange for a potential playoff birth is no big deal for Mangenius and Mr. T. There’s really no downside to the deal for the Jets unless you consider delaying the Kellen Clemens era a setback. The Jets were a playoff team 2 years ago and have attempted to address all of their weaknesses in the offseason. Remember, the NFL is year to year. There is no reason why they should not contend for the playoffs.