Apparently Peyton Manning writes letters to recently retired players telling them how much he enjoyed watching their careers, etc. He has written his letter to Steve McNair but is holding off on Favre:

http://www.nfl.com/videos?videoId=09000d5d8085c070

I wish Favre would just put an end to this, one way or the other.

Umm, didn't Favre hold a press conference and put "an end to this" a couple months ago?

quote:

Originally posted by Snorton:
Umm, didn't Favre hold a press conference and put "an end to this" a couple months ago?

Yeah he did, but some here (and elsewhere) seem to think Brett can control what everyone and anyone is saying regarding him.

I just wish people would put an end to telling Brett to put an end to it!! Like it's his fault

How is he suposed to put an end to it other than what he did by retiring? Do you expect him to make a comment every time someone brings it up? The man is retired and, for the most part, is hiding in the Mississippi backwaters

Doesn't he still need to complete his retirement papers?

I agree that he can't control what other people think or say about him. But he can control what HE says. And just like when he was playing, he adds fuel to the fire sometimes with his candidness. For years he spoke about the possibilities of "not knowing if he would play" the following year, only to make some announcement he was "in for another season". Well, even though he made his retirement official, he still leaves the door open in interviews that he "could play again".

I thought he did complete his retirement papers last month????

How many times does this need to be said? The retirement papers are meaningless. It's clerical which only impacts him getting a pension. Filing them won't stop him from coming back just as easily if he so chooses. Not filing them doesn't mean he wants to come back. The Packers still own his rights whether he files the papers or not. It doesn't mean anything.

Last month the Packers placed him on the reserve/retired list, which has the sole impact of giving them an extra spot on the 80-man roster. That's it. They still own his rights. Apparently he hasn't yet filed the papers -- and it doesn't mean a damn thing even if he does. The speculation won't end, except from the uninformed I guess who think that filing retirement papers has some impact on whether he could come out of retirement or not, besides I guess signing another piece of paper that says he's unretired. Whoo.

I heard the Pack put him n the "retired list" but I haven't heard anything about him filing for retirement benefits. Even if he did, he could still make a comeback. But filing would just be one step closer.

It's one step closer to him being eligible for a pension he doesn't need. It gives the league paperwork which would take his agent 5 minutes to reverse if he so chooses. If anyone actually were to say, "Oh, NOW he's definitely going to stay retired -- he filed the paperwork with the league!" they'd be an idiot.

You're right, Max. But it's also one more checked box in his "to do" list to officially retire. Because he WILL file the papers at some point in his life. And most likely it will be when he's done.

this is funny. i never was sure about this until i knew what peyton manning thought about it. now i am in limbo. does anybody know tom brady has to say?

quote:

Originally posted by chickenboy:
this is funny. i never was sure about this until i knew what peyton manning thought about it. now i am in limbo. does anybody know tom brady has to say?

Has Oprah weighed in on it yet?

quote:

Originally posted by PackLandVA:
Doesn't he still need to complete his retirement papers?

Doesn't matter if he completes retirement papers or not.

Being the truthful sort that he is, I would suspect that the door still IS open and he MAY come back. What else can he say? didn't Reggie retire and come back? didn't others? My guess is that now he isn't sure, so just how, one way or the other can he end this stuff? If he isn't sure, he couldn't honestly say one way or the other.

quote:

Originally posted by Hauser:

quote:

Originally posted by PackLandVA:
Doesn't he still need to complete his retirement papers?

Doesn't matter if he completes retirement papers or not.

Being the truthful sort that he is, I would suspect that the door still IS open and he MAY come back. What else can he say? didn't Reggie retire and come back? didn't others? My guess is that now he isn't sure, so just how, one way or the other can he end this stuff? If he isn't sure, he couldn't honestly say one way or the other.

He won't be coming back to play with the Packers ... they have moved on based on all of their actions since Favre's retirement announcement. If he comes back he'll be playing for someone else.

quote:

Originally posted by grbaypack:
He won't be coming back to play with the Packers ... they have moved on based on all of their actions since Favre's retirement announcement. If he comes back he'll be playing for someone else.

Sure.

quote:

Originally posted by Max:
How many times does this need to be said? The retirement papers are meaningless. It's clerical which only impacts him getting a pension. Filing them won't stop him from coming back just as easily if he so chooses. Not filing them doesn't mean he wants to come back. The Packers still own his rights whether he files the papers or not. It doesn't mean anything.

While I think most are aware the act of filing is functionally meaningless that doesn't mean there wouldn't be some symbolic value to the gesture.

The mere action would be at least a modicum MORE indicative of a player likely to remain retired IMO. This as opposed to working the TV/interview circuits conceding he's essentially "mostly retired" or something to that effect.

As stated by others it's no different than how he was as an active player...and regardless the Packers' actions make their intentions pretty clear. Agreed, though, anything could happen.

Looking forward to seeing what Rodgers can do...

Are "most aware"? There are people here who have posted thinking Favre could retire and then come out of retirement before the season and sign with the Bears or Vikings, and the Packers couldn't do anything about it. So clearly there's at least some confusion.

I think Favre's agreeing to a retirement ceremony at Lambeau Field in week 1 is a lot more significant than him filing papers. If he were actually waffling, it would have been easy to stall the Packers on that one.

As for the Packers' actions, they're making actions based on Favre being retired. As they should. To look at those actions and say they're meaningful as to what they'd do if he weren't retired, though, doesn't make sense.

As I understand it, putting Favre on the retired list removes his salary from the cap. As far as the Packers are concerned that is all that is important.

As for Favre himself, we will see what happens when Parcell's calls at about mid season.

The Packers gain an extra $600,000 in cap space if Favre files the retirement papers after June 1st.

quote:

Originally posted by Ghost of Lambeau:
As for Favre himself, we will see what happens when Parcell's calls at about mid season.

Because Favre would think he'd have a better chance of getting another Super Bowl ring with a team coming off a 1-15 season in the AFC than one coming off a 14-4 season in which they hosted the NFC's conference championship game?

Because Parcells thinks a 39-year-old quarterback is going to put the 1-15 Dolphins over the hump in terms of Super Bowl contention?

Just doesn't make any sense.

Favre has not yet signed with Fox to do pre-games = Sure sign he is unretiring

Favre has not publicly endorsed a political candidate yet = sure sign he is a communist

Favre has not been seen between the hours of 8 am and 8 pm in my back yard = sure sign he is a vampire

connect the dots people!

If Favre isn't playing for the Packers then he isn't playing. The end.

I hope...

quote:

Originally posted by grbaypack:

quote:

Originally posted by Hauser:

quote:

Originally posted by PackLandVA:
Doesn't he still need to complete his retirement papers?

Doesn't matter if he completes retirement papers or not.

Being the truthful sort that he is, I would suspect that the door still IS open and he MAY come back. What else can he say? didn't Reggie retire and come back? didn't others? My guess is that now he isn't sure, so just how, one way or the other can he end this stuff? If he isn't sure, he couldn't honestly say one way or the other.

He won't be coming back to play with the Packers ... they have moved on based on all of their actions since Favre's retirement announcement. If he comes back he'll be playing for someone else.

Yeah, and, in my opinion, if he can't come back and play for the Pack, he won't come back. I think any thoughts that he would come back still revolve around something happening in TC (injury wise) and the Pack asking him to come back. If he isn't asked to come play for the Packers, he won't be back.

quote:

Originally posted by Max:
Are "most aware"? There are people here who have posted thinking Favre could retire and then come out of retirement before the season and sign with the Bears or Vikings, and the Packers couldn't do anything about it. So clearly there's at least some confusion.

I think Favre's agreeing to a retirement ceremony at Lambeau Field in week 1 is a lot more significant than him filing papers. If he were actually waffling, it would have been easy to stall the Packers on that one.

I honestly don't really KNOW who's aware of what...which is why I stated "I think" most are aware. I'm not reading what people post enough here to analyze a lot of your assertions...

Your contention as I understand it is that filing paperwork is totally meaningless...and I disagree. IMO it'd at least HELP decrease the perpetuation of this BS.

quote:

To look at those actions and say they're meaningful as to what they'd do if he weren't retired, though, doesn't make sense.

I don't know who stated/insinuated that...if anyone...and certainly not me. Yeah, GB's functioning as if Favre were no longer on the roster - since he isn't.
There are a lot of things Favre could be doing differently to minimize this crap but I truly believe he probably likes the attention/fuss...but so what? Either way I believe he's done and whatever he does now I wish him the best.

quote:

Originally posted by LSU4GB:

quote:

Originally posted by Max:
To look at those actions and say they're meaningful as to what they'd do if he weren't retired, though, doesn't make sense.

I don't know who stated/insinuated that...if anyone...and certainly not me.

grbaypack said specifically that if Favre comes back he'd be playing for someone else, because the Packers have moved on. So, that clearly is saying what he thinks they would do if he came back.

You then said the Packers' actions make their intentions pretty clear. If you only meant their intentions are perfectly clear as long as he stays retired, well then yeah, of course I agree with that. The Packers are doing what they should be doing: adding players to compete for a hole left by a retired veteran. grbaypack, though, took that one step further by saying that those actions mean that if he DID come back, the Packers wouldn't want him in Green Bay. That wasn't your intent, which is fine.

I think it's a moot point because he's not coming back, but clearly at least one person in this thread thinks even if he did it would only be for another team.

I disagree that him filing his retirement papers would actually minimize this kind of talk, however. Right now it's actually pretty mild anyway, compared to what it will be in July if Rodgers tweaks a hamstring.