2009 NFL Off Season Thread

[FurnaceFace]

Originally Posted by howard_the_duck

How is this indecisiveness not tarnishing his legacy as a great athlete?

Because personality and athelicism are not related. His indecision on when he's really retiring has nothing to do with how well he did on the field. It doesn't detract from his place in the record book and the awards he's won. It does - for some - detract from his persona and possibly detracts on how some people may look at him as a leader and a role model.

Similarily I don't think anyone would say Michael Jordan's accomplishments were tarnished by his numerous un-retirings. They stand on their own and are seperate from his personality and personal decisions.

I think the lesson to other athletes who are at the denouement of their career is instead of saying "I retire" to first say something like "I'm taking a break from playing. I don't know if I'm really done or not, but right now I have let the team know my plan is not to play the upcoming season. I might feel differently after a break, but that's how I feel right now."

Had he done something like this would there be less flack?

[OILFAN #81]

Originally Posted by Pagal4321

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/44604992.html

I think I speak on behalf on 90% of NFL fans when I say...."GO AWAY BRETT FAVRE!!"

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by FurnaceFace

It doesn't detract from his place in the record book and the awards he's won.

No, the last five years of his career, save for 2007 have done enough of that.

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by howard_the_duck

Holy smokes Favre apologist. Whether it's media fabrication or not, you have to admit that Favre invites this sort of attention. For a low key guy who wanted nothing to do with the media for the most part of his career, he sure has made things more difficult on himself by holding these offseason press conferences to announce his retirement, etc. It's tiring as a fan to have to hear this every offseason.

How is this indecisiveness not tarnishing his legacy as a great athlete?

Exactly WHAT press conferences has he held this year?

This is my point...i dont know where people get this stuff.

The man has given ONE interview since the season ended...in february and it was a one on one with ESPN. How does this "tire" you out? The guy is one of the best players to ever pad up on Sundays, and somehow the media talking to him once is too much?

So yeah...call me an apologist all you like if it makes you feel better, but im also telling the truth.

Now I agree the MEDIA talks about him a lot, but HE doesn't talk to them much at all. How is this then part of his fault?

No, the last five years of his career, save for 2007 have done enough of that.

Funny. He was 8-3 at one point last year (in the AFC) and then got injured and couldnt throw as well. How horrible!!

The year before he was in OT to go to the Super Bowl.

The 2 years before that he was on a really bad GB team that lost 4 of their O linemen to FA. Yet he still kept the team somewhat competitive. I will be the firs to say that he isnt what he once was....like anyone who plays football for over a decade and a half. Doesnt mean he still isnt really good at what he does though.

The hate for him is laughable...even if you are a division rival's fan, can you not objectively look at what his accomplishments are?

And for the record...even though he has been linked to retirement for 3 seasons straight now...he still hasnt missed a game in 15 years.

[Pagal4321]

My dislike for Favre is laughable? Explain to me why....
I hate him like Flames fans hate on Hemsky and the Sedin sisters, are they good at hockey, sure the are, do I wish them nothing but failure. You bet your ass. Do I like them? Hell no.

Favre is sensationalized in the media which makes fans of the NFL annoyed. I'm sure those same people were annoyed at Michael Vick, when he too, was in the media 24/7.

Us fans also take what is reported in the media as the truth, since it's the closest thing to the truth we will ever get regarding NFL players. In which case Brett Favre has, in a 4 day span, set up a meeting with the Vikings, cancelled the meeting, sent the team x-rays and will play for the Vikings if his injury does not require surgery.
Problem is a month ago he said he was retired and not coming back....
So, once you are retired, one would assume you bow out of the game gracefully instead of playing the media and the fans with all this b/s.

[iggnuef]

Also greatness breeds haters!!!

I hate him cause I'm a Falcons fan and we shoulda kept him origianlly. Not his fault tho....

[burn_baby_burn]

Originally Posted by iggnuef

Also greatness breeds haters!!!

I hate him cause I'm a Falcons fan and we shoulda kept him origianlly. Not his fault tho....

"Hey Mississippi? You throwin spirals today?".

[howard_the_duck]

Originally Posted by transplant99

Exactly WHAT press conferences has he held this year?

This is my point...i dont know where people get this stuff.

The man has given ONE interview since the season ended...in february and it was a one on one with ESPN. How does this "tire" you out? The guy is one of the best players to ever pad up on Sundays, and somehow the media talking to him once is too much?

So yeah...call me an apologist all you like if it makes you feel better, but im also telling the truth.

Now I agree the MEDIA talks about him a lot, but HE doesn't talk to them much at all. How is this then part of his fault?



Funny. He was 8-3 at one point last year (in the AFC) and then got injured and couldnt throw as well. How horrible!!

The year before he was in OT to go to the Super Bowl.

The 2 years before that he was on a really bad GB team that lost 4 of their O linemen to FA. Yet he still kept the team somewhat competitive. I will be the firs to say that he isnt what he once was....like anyone who plays football for over a decade and a half. Doesnt mean he still isnt really good at what he does though.

The hate for him is laughable...even if you are a division rival's fan, can you not objectively look at what his accomplishments are?

And for the record...even though he has been linked to retirement for 3 seasons straight now...he still hasnt missed a game in 15 years.

I didn't necessarily mean just this year, but ok. Brett's been around long enough that he knows what moves will put him in the spotlight, and what moves will keep him out of it. The magnifying of everything he does is not his fault, but surely he knows what will keep him in or out of the public eye.

I guess what I'm saying is if he really didn't want this attention it wouldn't find him. Simple as that.

[KTown]

Jason Taylor signs with Miami for 1.1 million, walkiing away from 8.5 million with the Redskins becasue he didn't want to stay in Washington during the offseason away from his family.

This is true loyalty you do not see anymore, playing for the organization that gave you a chance early on and then taking less money because that is where you belonw.

You do not see this in pro sports anymore, this is great stuff.

[FlamingLonghorn]

Originally Posted by KTown

Jason Taylor signs with Miami for 1.1 million, walkiing away from 8.5 million with the Redskins becasue he didn't want to stay in Washington during the offseason away from his family.

This is true loyalty you do not see anymore, playing for the organization that gave you a chance early on and then taking less money because that is where you belonw.

You do not see this in pro sports anymore, this is great stuff.

I guess if you leave out the whole part that he left Miami for money.

[Swayze11]

I just want to thank Jason Taylor for giving us news to talk about that doesnt have Favre involved.

[KTown]

Originally Posted by Sowa

I guess if you leave out the whole part that he left Miami for money.

Well Miami didn't want to pay him the 8.5 million why should they have he is past his prime, further to that when you think about it. He also wanted to play on a contendor last year and lets face it after a 1-15 year the year before last, you couldn't have blamed him. Now Miami is on a turnaround and it is his home.

He did Miami a favour, saved them 7 million a year and got them a second round pick in 09 (Pat White) and a 6th round pick in 10.

What did Washington get an injury riddled season last year.

[mykalberta]

I applaud him although he has lost a step. Do we think he walked away from Washington or do we think they were about to cut him?

It looks good on the outside, but the truth is likely somewhat different.

[KTown]

Originally Posted by mykalberta

I applaud him although he has lost a step. Do we think he walked away from Washington or do we think they were about to cut him?

It looks good on the outside, but the truth is likely somewhat different.

I don't care what it is the guy could have got more money to play for NE which is one of the best places to play to have a shot at a ring and instead he took less money to play in Miami a team he's always loved playing for. Winning is secondary to him is what seems like to me, family and loyalty is hit number one choice is my guess. I am guessing though one of the contract stipulations will be that he has to come to offseason training programs, which he wasn't willing to do last year.

I still love his best line though and you would never see this in hockey or other pro sports. The NFL has real rivalries.

"I would rather retire, than play for the stinking Jets"

[rubecube]

Ocho Cinco jerseys now available.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story?id=090...s&confirm=true

[iggnuef]

Originally Posted by KTown

I don't care what it is the guy could have got more money to play for NE which is one of the best places to play to have a shot at a ring and instead he took less money to play in Miami a team he's always loved playing for. Winning is secondary to him is what seems like to me, family and loyalty is hit number one choice is my guess. I am guessing though one of the contract stipulations will be that he has to come to offseason training programs, which he wasn't willing to do last year.

I still love his best line though and you would never see this in hockey or other pro sports. The NFL has real rivalries.

"I would rather retire, than play for the stinking Jets"

That would piss me off as a fan IMO.....why leave just to come back when we are "good enough". Oh now we are "good enough" for you??? Kinda like an ex-girlfriend comes back to you cause you won the lottery......kind of a bad example, oh well.

[Displaced Flames fan]

Originally Posted by KTown

I don't care what it is the guy could have got more money to play for NE which is one of the best places to play to have a shot at a ring and instead he took less money to play in Miami a team he's always loved playing for. Winning is secondary to him is what seems like to me, family and loyalty is hit number one choice is my guess. I am guessing though one of the contract stipulations will be that he has to come to offseason training programs, which he wasn't willing to do last year.

I still love his best line though and you would never see this in hockey or other pro sports. The NFL has real rivalries.

"I would rather retire, than play for the stinking Jets"

I think leadership is the most underappreciated aspect of building a defense there is. Taylor, whether his play has eroded or not, will be the leader on that defense.

Denver's defense has sucked balls since Al Wilson was injured late in the 2006 season. Extremely underrated as a linebacker, but the guy was the heart and soul of the Denver Broncos. His leadership was never replaced and they regressed even more when Shanahan decided he didn't need Lynch last year.

I actually think Ray Lewis is a much better leader than he is a linebacker (not that he sucks). His leadership on that defense has been more crucial to the Ravens success than his play, IMO.

[burn_baby_burn]

Originally Posted by Displaced Flames fan

I actually think Ray Lewis is a much better leader than he is a linebacker (not that he sucks). His leadership on that defense has been more crucial to the Ravens success than his play, IMO.

Holy Cow! DFF giving some props to Ray Lewis. I think I saw a pig fly by my office window.

I agree. NFL Films is in love with Ray Lewis. So I see a lot of micked up on and off the field stuff with him. He is the heart and soul of that team and one heck of a motivator. The guy is all business and very intense.

[Sainters7]

Originally Posted by burn_baby_burn

Holy Cow! DFF giving some props to Ray Lewis. I think I saw a pig fly by my office window.

I agree. NFL Films is in love with Ray Lewis. So I see a lot of micked up on and off the field stuff with him. He is the heart and soul of that team and one heck of a motivator. The guy is all business and very intense.

I really need to find the pre-game footage from the '03 Ravens/Titans Divisional game. It was just one of those broadcast intro things at the very start of the telecast, when the network tries to fire the viewer up. It was just showing clips of individual interviews with Steve McNair and Ray Lewis. I remember Ray Ray was just losin it, at one point he had got himself so fired up that he even spit(intentionally, and I'm not talkin loose spittle. This was a full blast loogie) on the camera lense. It was awesome! I wish I could find it, but I can't even remember what network showed the game(or how I'd even find something that random).

One of the greatest leaders and motivators in NFL history.

[Bobblehead]

49er OTAs are under way. After day 1 they got a tongue lashing from Singletary who didn't like the lack if intensity. Yesterday was a better practice and according to a 49er beat writer, a few of the rookies made some impressive plays. A few bumps, bruises and sprains but nothing serious. And the QBs are sucking so far (although Shaun Hill has a reputation as a brutal practice QB but somehow has seemed to step up in games).