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Has Favre lost his marbles?
The Green Bay Packers quarterback actually said this on Monday, during his first press conference of training camp:
"I really feel like this is the most talented team that I've been a part of."
To paraphrase Gary Coleman's Arnold, "Whatchu talkin' 'bout, Brett?"
Most talented? This team? More talented than the 1995 team that lost the NFC championship game to Dallas? More talented than the 1996 team that won Super Bowl XXXI? More talented than the 1997 team that lost Super Bowl XXXII to Denver? More talented than the 2003 team that was a fourth-and-26 away from the NFC title game?
Apparently so.
In fairness to Favre, he did immediately add a caveat to his pronouncement, that the Packers are also "the most unproven, inexperienced team that I've ever played on,'' too, but he stood by his initial statement even after practice, when I casually asked him as he walked by if he was serious.
"The most talented team you've been on?" I said.
"Yep," came the reply.
"You really think so?" I said.
"Yeah, I really think so," he said.
And then he walked away.
Sorry, but I'm not buying it. To me, there are only two possibilities: Favre either has deluded himself into believing that this incredibly young team really is going to be good, or after going all-in and postponing retirement for another year to return for his 15th season as the Packers' quarterback, he's trying to convince himself that it won't be as bad as many others think it will.
I'm guessing option No. 2. Either way, though, what he said Monday was laughable. When he called the 2004 season a "Super Bowl or bust" year at his first press conference of camp, at least you could see why he might think that; I still believe that had they won at Philadelphia in the divisional round, the Packers would have steamrolled the Carolina Panthers on the road in the NFC title game and wound up in Super Bowl XXXVIII.
This year, what reason is there to believe they're going to be .500, much less a playoff team?
Apparently, at least in Favre's opinion, because this is the most talented team he's been associated with.
Jason Wilde covers the Packers for the Wisconsin State Journal. You can read his stories at the newspaper Web site -- www.madison.com/wsj/home/sports.
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OMCreader | Aug. 5, 2006 at 8:25 a.m. (report)
Mike said: Brett Favre is 289 completions and 25 Touchdown Passes away from being the NFL's ALL TIME LEADER. Not only that, but despite his streak of starts, he'll probably do BOTH in FEWER attempts than did Marino. He may even break the yardage record to complete the trifecta. In 1997, a group of top sports writers decided that Charles Woodson could do more help for a team than could Peyton Manning. To this day, every time I try to challenge their decision, I am shot down, not only about who was more valuable in 1997, but about over the last 9 years, and even TODAY. Charles Woodson is a 4-time pro-bowler, and he did play in a Super Bowl and on numerous playoff teams. Ahman Green was injued last year, but he now seems better. Ever since Sterling Sharpe, The Packers seem to have had at least one 1,000-yard receiver.
Yes, this team was 4-12 last year, but it also finished 9-2 in 2004. They also had 13 consecutive non-losing seasons from 1992 to 2004. In fact, the one time they finished 8-8, it was grounds for firing the coach. Maybe Favre shouldn't have compared to other Packer teams he'd been on. Instead, he should have simply compared it to the other NFL teams they'll be playing against. If that's the case, I'd agree. This is one of the most talented teams...
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OMCreader | Aug. 3, 2006 at 7:38 a.m. (report)
Cozen Beguile said: Maybe we should insist Farve wears a thicker helmet this season. PEACE!
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OMCreader | Aug. 1, 2006 at 10:20 a.m. (report)
mr john said: he'll be gone midseason. just a hunch. not a wish.
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