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In Sports Commentary

By Dave Begel Special to OnMilwaukee.com E-mail author | Author bio More articles by Dave Begel

Published Oct. 28, 2008 at 5:20 a.m.

Tags: favre, green bay, packers, millen, tony romo

For the life of me, even after hours of soul searching, I can't figure out why so many people are so willing, even eager, to believe the worst about Brett Favre.

All you need to do is have some reporter or some source somewhere say something that is critical of Favre, and, in Wisconsin at least, you might get trampled in the rush to jump on the bandwagon.

The latest about Favre, of course, could easily be called the Ma Bell scandal. I know there isn't a Ma Bell anymore, but you get the idea. It's all about the telephone.

First, we had Brett calling Tony Romo to give him advice on how to cope with his broken thumb. People were upset because Brett didn't call Aaron Rodgers to console him for having a sore shoulder.

Then, we had Brett calling Matt Millen to give him secrets about the Packers before they played Millen's Detroit Lions.

Let's start with the easy one.

Tony Romo called Favre. He was very concerned about his hand and, recalling that Favre had played with a bad hand, placed the call. Favre said that and sources in Dallas confirmed it.

Now, for this second story, that was broken by Jay Glazer of Fox Sports and fed and fueled by radio guys, television guys and print and online guys.

The secret story.

Favre denied it. And he gave a very logical explanation of what actually happened.

But one thing that is critically important here, and Favre probably knows this better than anyone:

THERE ARE NO SECRETS!!

For all those grassy knoll conspiracy theorists, it's important that you know something.

Under NFL rules, every team tapes each of its games from cameras located above the sideline and end zone. When a game ends, video crews record offensive, defensive and special-teams plays on separate tapes. Each play is shown from each angle, in sequential order. Plays are indexed for easier entry into team computer systems. A few hours after each game, the home team overnights copies to its next three opponents.

The video can be sorted by quarter, series, down, distance, field position, 2-minute situations, short-yardage situations, goal-line situations, passes, runs, completions, incompletions, scrambles, dropped balls, runner, receiver, penalty information, how the possession ended, personnel groups, shifts, formations, motions, audibles, coverages, fronts, stunts, twists and anything else a staff might consider important.

Every team has more information than it could possibly use.

Hell, even some reporters know more about schemes and execution than some coaches. Everyone knows what everyone else knows.

And we are supposed to believe that Favre had some other secrets that he wanted to tell the Lions so he called Millen?

This story is ridiculous on the face of it. Guys who I know and respect have been quick to jump on it and get on the Favre-bashing bandwagon.

And as I say, I can't figure it out.

Here's a guy who gave everything he had to give to a football team and its fans for 16 years. He never sat down. He showed up every time they blew a whistle. He played hurt, sad and dispirited.

He doesn't hate the Packers. He loves the Packers. And he loves those players on the team. He's a loyalist. He's proven over the years how loyal he is. Actions speak a lot louder than words.

And still, so many people are so disappointed in him or angry with him or hurt by him that they are ready to believe even the most absurd of claims.

I don't know why. Some of the possibilities are mild, some are sinister. Whatever it is, I think it's unseemly for Packers fans to act like this.

Did Favre talk to Millen? Sure. Were other people listening? Who knows and who cares? Did he give Millen Packers secrets?

I'm going to say it again, as loud as I can.

THERE AIN'T NO DAMN SECRETS!!!!

16 comments about this article. Post a comment / write a review.

Recent Talkbacks ...

Posted by sandstorm on Oct. 29, 2008 at 12:03 p.m. (report)

so you didn't see the press conference where Favre cried and quit? and if you say his hand was forced then you're admitting Favre is more weak willed than anyone wants to admit. possibly Favre has lied about so many things over his career(alcohol and drug abuse, extra-marital dalliances), it is very easy to believe he lies about everything. look, i am honestly not angry or mad at favre. i simply find the story fairly interesting. however, what i do find VERY interesting are Favre supporters, suck-ups and enablers so quick to believe hear-say and rumor when it seems to support what a good 'ole boy favre is but outright dismiss it if suggests otherwise. the truth is sonny, you or i or iowachick have no idea what he is really like and can only judge the man on what is reported from other sources. he might be a complete dickhead playing you supporters for fools or he might be a complete stand-up guy that's just misunderstood, and you don't know any better than i do. as someone said to me-maybe Favre told Millen everything or maybe he didn't, but doesn't the fact that it's easy to believe it's something he's capable of speak volumes?

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Posted by SonnyCrockett on Oct. 29, 2008 at 11:05 a.m. (report)

Saying Favre quit on the Packers is like saying the sun rises in the west. They didn't want him from the begining and had the balls not to let him into the locker-room during a scrimmage. Favre wasn't perfect in all this BUT.....when the stories came out about: Favre's "authorized" Packer-issued cellphone, that never existed.the "How Come He Didn't Call aaron But Called Romo" nonsense when it was Romo who called him.and now the Millen nonsense. Millen called him and Favre did (probably less) what goes on the NFL EVERY day. Someone out there has nothing better to do than go for the guy's credibility factor. I wonder who?

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Posted by sandstorm on Oct. 29, 2008 at 9:59 a.m. (report)

"I always wanted to be a Green Bay Packer and I will probably always be one" Whether he is or not he will be is probably up to the fans--" he's a Jet now iowachick. it's been in all the papers. and i'm sorry if you think everyone else is dropping the ball on this one. if it's ok with you that Favre has so little respect for those that elevated him to idol status, so be it, but i don't think it's ok for you tell any fans "they're not doing a good job". it's arrogant, and immature...just like a certain ex-packer QB i know of.

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Posted by iowachick on Oct. 28, 2008 at 4:33 p.m. (report)

I don't get these folks who think, after 16 years under all kinds of pressure, that Brett is finally "showing his true self." As fans, we read all kinds of motivations into what we hear our icon has done. What's happened with Brett is that most of what we hear is not accurate. Brett has not done anything to hurt Green Bay. In fact, when he was introduced as a Jet he said, "I'm not a traiter. I always wanted to be a Green Bay Packer and I will probably always be one" Whether he is or not he will be is probably up to the fans--and you're not doing so well right now.........

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Posted by iowachick on Oct. 28, 2008 at 4:18 p.m. (report)

I'm with you--I don't understand the sheer hatred some Packer fans have for Brett. Seems to me Brett is a fairly simple person to understand. He loves playing football, he loved playing Packer football and would have gone on, and he pretty much is what you see. He loves Packer fans, too. Its a shock to me when I read the sheer visciousness in some posts about completely false or inconsequential information (Romo calls about his finger? What's the bad news about Brett?) Also, people call Brett all kinds of things he clearly is not, given he's played every game, he's played hurt, he's loyal... They call him "girlyman, crybaby, and worse" when he really is the true Ironman. Can they not forgive him for wanting to play football even though Green Bay would not play him? Do they not forgive him for changing his mind? (I heard he never turned in resignation papers--as a CEO of a corporation no papers means no retirement.) Maybe they hate him when he shows that he's human (not being able to make up his mind, wanting to play with a team that can win?) I say we should be forever grateful for what Brett Favre gave us in Green Bay -- and Grateful the man is alive and and still lovin' to play. Green Bay could have had him, but they didn't want him so he moved on--but with Green Bay in his heart. Aaron is turning out to be pretty darn good--so what is the issue. Give Brett some Love, like he gave to Green Bay football for 16 years!! He will come back to his first love--Green Bay--if we have not driven him away--and for what???

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