Didnt see this posted....

Rodgers says he's ready to lead Packers

They had been teammates for a full year before Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers started talking the same language.

It was sometime in minicamp or training camp of 2006 when Favre reached out to the man he knew would someday replace him as quarterback of the Green Bay Packers.

After a long wait, Aaron Rodgers is looking forward to taking over as the Packers' starting quarterback.

"That's when Brett came to me and he really encouraged me in a couple areas where I could improve my mental toughness and the way I would deal with adversity,'' Rodgers said Wednesday by telephone from California. "He told me it was important to think about body language and attitude all the time because everybody's watching you at all times.''

That's even truer now than it was then. With Favre's retirement Tuesday, Rodgers suddenly is the king of the cheeseheads. His every move will be scrutinized by just about everyone in Wisconsin. Come September, he'll become the first player to start at quarterback for Green Bay since Favre took over in 1992.

"You can't replace a legend and I know that going in,'' Rodgers said. "All I can do is try to be the best quarterback I can be. I'm not going to let anyone outwork me and I'm going to be accountable to my coaches and teammates. I know it's a challenge, but I've got a good team around me and I had three years to learn from Brett, who is the greatest quarterback ever.''

But Rodgers said he and Favre weren't always so close. Drafted in the first round (24th overall) in 2005, Rodgers said he felt tension early on.

"Obviously, when a team drafts a quarterback in the first round, that's a pretty big statement,'' Rodgers said. "At that time, Brett felt like he still had plenty left in his tank and those are some pretty difficult terms to come in under. That first year, we were just teammates.''



But the relationship began thawing in 2006, after Favre flirted with retirement. With Favre at home in Mississippi for a good chunk of the offseason, Rodgers got most of the first-team work as the Packers installed a new system with new coach Mike McCarthy. When Favre returned for minicamp, Rodgers helped translate the new offense.

A bond started forming and the talks grew longer and more in-depth.

"We went from being just teammates that first year to being pretty close friends,'' Rodgers said. "As we got to know each other and he saw my work ethic, a level of trust developed. It got to a point where Brett didn't mind me being his little shadow and that was pretty amazing for me because I grew up watching and admiring Brett Favre.''

Shadowing Favre was about all Rodgers could do for his first three NFL seasons. He's attempted only 59 career passes and thrown for just one touchdown. His most extensive playing time came last season after Favre was injured in a prime-time game at Dallas. Although the Packers lost, Rodgers played well, completing 18 of 26 passes for 201 yards and one touchdown.

There's been no formal passing of the torch, but it's been assumed for three years that Rodgers would ascend to the throne when Favre retired. McCarthy called Rodgers on Tuesday, but the conversation was brief.

When news of Favre's retirement first broke Tuesday, it was about 6:30 a.m. in California. Rodgers was sleeping when his cell phone started ringing.

"After about the eighth call, I knew there was either an emergency or Brett had retired,'' Rodgers said. "I got up and checked the messages and then I went back to bed.''

Did sleep come easily because the moment Rodgers had been waiting for finally arrived?

"No, I was just tired,'' Rodgers said.

But the slumber of the offseason will end in less than two weeks and Rodgers is ready to get to work and take on his new role. The 24-year-old said he believes sitting for three years might have been the perfect preparation for what he faces.

"It was tough at times, not getting to really play for three years, but I look at that as a positive,'' Rodgers said. "I was allowed to come along at my own pace without the weight of a franchise on me because Brett had that. I think that will go a long way toward my development. But, on the flip side now, I've been in the league for three years, so there's no grace period now. I've got to go out there and be consistent and accountable to my coaches and my teammates.''

The expectations from fans, naturally, will be high and Rodgers knows he can't be exactly like Favre. He won't even try to do that, but he will carry some of the lessons he learned from his mentor.

"I think the greatest thing I learned from Brett was just watching him in practice,'' Rodgers said. "There would be days late in the season where he'd be dragging in the locker room and didn't really want to go out to practice. But, we'd get out there and the whistle would blow and he'd be going 100 miles an hour and be full of energy and enthusiasm because that's what the job demands. I got a firsthand look at what greatness is all about. Now, I've got to take advantage of that.''

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/story?columnist=yasinskas_pat&id=3278137

He went back to bed? Love it.

This is dedicated to all the great mustaches in history, like Ron Burgundy, and Jesus.

quote:

Originally posted by packerboi:

"No, I was just tired,'' Rodgers said.

Favre's Voice-Mail to Chris Mortenson

"I'm just tired"

Coincidence? Nope.

Love Rodgers sense of humor

He is a bit of a smart ass, isn't he?

He'd probably fit in pretty good around here.

quote:

Originally posted by MsPacman:
He is a bit of a smart ass, isn't he?

He'd probably fit in pretty good around here.

Hmmmmm, I'm not sure anyone around here fits that description.

You have to like the guy. He didn't want to say anything until Brett had his time to say what he wanted to say. I just hope he can take Brett's advice and be himself. He needs to ignore the media and the fans who expect him to be someone other than himself.
He is not Brett Favre and never will be.

quote:

Originally posted by GBFanForLife:
He needs to ignore the media

Probably the best of all possible advice.

I think Aaron has already grown some as a NFL QB.......great article.

quote:

Originally posted by Herschel:

quote:

Originally posted by MsPacman:
He is a bit of a smart ass, isn't he?

He'd probably fit in pretty good around here.

Hmmmmm, I'm not sure anyone around here fits that description.

My name is David Schwartz and I am offended by your location.

quote:

You have to like the guy. He didn't want to say anything until Brett had his time to say what he wanted to say. I just hope he can take Brett's advice and be himself. He needs to ignore the media and the fans who expect him to be someone other than himself.
He is not Brett Favre and never will be.

I feel bad for the guy because he's in am impossible position. Judging by the posts in this forum, the majority of Packers fans expect the team to be every bit as good with him as with Brett (or maybe this forum is just overly-optimistic). And I think they're setting themselves up for a disappointment if the team doesn't at lesat reach the NFCC game, and if they don't, the blame will likely fall on Rodgers.

IMHO - It kind of ruins the sarcarm when you follow it with the big banner.

quote:

Originally posted by southOfTheLine:
And I think they're setting themselves up for a disappointment if the team doesn't at lesat reach the NFCC game, and if they don't, the blame will likely fall on Rodgers.

They are setting themselves up for failure? How many times have the Packer's reached the NFCC under Brett? 4!!! And if it does not happen under Rodgers watch it is disappointing? There are plenty of reasons that scenario (not making the NFCC) would happen. Rdogers might only be one of them.

Regardless of what many think here, I think most people expect Rodgers to fail. I don't know about Packers fans, but I'd say most NFL fans expect the QB who follows a legend to flop -- because they usually do.

quote:

Originally posted by Max:
Regardless of what many think here, I think most people expect Rodgers to fail. I don't know about Packers fans, but I'd say most NFL fans expect the QB who follows a legend to flop -- because they usually do.

Adam Schefter spoke about the QB's that followed a HOF QB. It took most teams 20+ years to get back to the top of the mountain.

Green Bay (Bart Starr)
Pittsburgh (Bradshaw)
Dallas (Staubach)
Miami (Marino) STILL looking
Denver (Elway)

The 1 team that was fortunate was the Niners (Montana/Young)

The great news for Rodgers is the fact he has an excellent team around him. whereas most young QB's are burdened with carrying a team that pretty much sucks.

Rodgers has every opportunity to succeed. He has had 3 years to study and learn how to be a professional QB behind one of the very best. Now it's all on him.

One player that comes to mind is Steve McNair. He also didn't play for the first 3 years.

If Rodgers plays well, the Niner fans will be pulling their hair out that they picked the wrong QB in 2005.

quote:

Originally posted by Max:
Regardless of what many think here, I think most people expect Rodgers to fail. I don't know about Packers fans, but I'd say most NFL fans expect the QB who follows a legend to flop -- because they usually do.

And that's likely because teams that have had a legend at QB for a lot of years tend to become complacent on planning for the inevitable. At the time I wasn't thrilled with the pick but in retrospect I think Thompson was smart to grab Rodgers when he did. Maybe (hoping) that the trend of the QB-following-the-legend-flop syndrome doesn't become reality in GB.

I don't expect him to be as great as Brett but I am looking for around another 441 TD's.

quote:

Originally posted by FRZ:
If Rodgers plays well, the Niner fans will be pulling their hair out that they picked the wrong QB in 2005.

Niner fans should be pulling their hair out anyway. Alex Smith is a bust already.

quote:

Originally posted by Max:
Regardless of what many think here, I think most people expect Rodgers to fail. I don't know about Packers fans, but I'd say most NFL fans expect the QB who follows a legend to flop -- because they usually do.

I hope fans and the state keep things in perspective and rally around him. I don't expect him to fail and I also recognize that he is not Brett Favre, and he is not the reason Brett Favre retired. I'll give him a couple/few years of starts. Favre got as much early in his career. Frankly, I think he's going to be fine.

quote:

Originally posted by FANtastic:

quote:

Originally posted by Max:
Regardless of what many think here, I think most people expect Rodgers to fail. I don't know about Packers fans, but I'd say most NFL fans expect the QB who follows a legend to flop -- because they usually do.

And that's likely because teams that have had a legend at QB for a lot of years tend to become complacent on planning for the inevitable. At the time I wasn't thrilled with the pick but in retrospect I think Thompson was smart to grab Rodgers when he did. Maybe (hoping) that the trend of the QB-following-the-legend-flop syndrome doesn't become reality in GB.

I like Ted Thompson but really, when Rodgers fell to 24 it would have taken a lot to not pick him. That probably became one of those "why shouldn't we take him" instead of "why should we take him" discussions.

In truth, it's probably an overrated statistic. What's the track record of quarterbacks who follow flops? Probably not much better than guys who follow legends. If Rodgers flops, the guy after him doesn't suddenly become more likely to succeed.

Most NFL quarterbacks -- ones who follow legends, first-round picks, etc. -- fail. Law of averages might hit the guys who have followed Marino, Elway, etc., as much as anything.

I don't have an opinion on whether Rodgers will succeed or fail. Merely stating that the odds are against him isn't an indictment. It's just the nature and history of the position.

Packers fans have had it good. Some don't know how good they've had it. It might be comforting to say how foolish organizations like the Bears and Lions, who annually struggle at quarterback, are, but some of the guys they've failed with (Grossman, for example) might have been on our radar too, who knows.

Probably the only thing that really hurts QBs following legends is expectations and the fact that fans and media (and maybe teams) have less patience and are quicker to give up on somebody, because they've been spoiled by the previous guy. That might not be true anymore, though. At least, teams don't have any less patience with young QBs following legends than they do with any young QBs.

If McCarthy is as good as we believe him to be and if Rodgers is as good as many believe him to be, then following Lord Favre should have little to no bearing on his success.