Favre Passes Information; Intercepted

[Basketball Jesus]

http://nmsn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/869 ... er-trading?

This week Jets quarterback Brett Favre caused a significant stir in The Big D when he curiously pushed Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo into playing this week, or at least giving it a shot with a broken pinkie. Favre reportedly talked Romo into sucking it up to play, and rather than missing Sunday's game, he was listed as the No. 2 behind Brad Johnson.

It turns out the Cowboys aren't the only team this year the New York Jets signal caller has spent time talking to.

Several sources have told FOX Sports that Favre earlier this year phoned the Detroit Lions prior to their battle versus Favre's old team, the Green Bay Packers, and gave them a rundown of the nuances of what Green Bay does on offense. According to the sources, Favre actually spent over an hour on the phone with Lions coaches, who were connected with Favre by then-team president Matt Millen.

While the Lions still lost and the Packers and Favre's replacement Aaron Rodgers played well, it's still baffling that the Packers legend would spend such a significant chunk of time giving tips to an opponent of his long-time franchise.

Other teams the Packers have played had also heard about the Favre coaching clinic with Detroit. In addition, there have been rumors that Favre has spoken to other teams giving them information, but most of those teams insist they have not heard from the famed gunslinger.

This isn’t anything more serious than football gossip but, man, that’s kind of douchebaggy.

[trwi7]

Favre's a bitter old man.

[hermes]

oh he'll give info to the lions, but not the vikings?

[deeney0]

Who's to say he didn't? Based on what we've seen from the Vikes this year, is there any other explanation as to how they almost won at Lambeau?

[Bleeding Blue]

I really don't think it is a bid deal. If I was in a similar situation I would do the same thing....I would be willing to bet a lot of NFL players do this.....its like telling a guy that your ex-girlfriend who broke up with you has stanky crotch.....you don't really need to tell the guy, but you want to keep her from landing a dude....what a terrible analogy

[Rafael122]

It's not a big deal, but ESPN is gonna make it one. Brett should just admit it and move on. Eventually it's gonna leak that he did.

It takes him down a notch in Wisconsin though, definitely, and I think that's why its being made into an issue.

[Geddy]

I think it's a big deal. It's normal for traded players to share information on their old team with their new team, but in this case Brett went out of his way to contact a third team to stick it to GB. Just petty bitterness on his part and unsportsmanlike on his part.

And no ESPN won't dare tarnish the image of their golden boy. They'll just quietly sweep it away.

[trwi7]

It's not a big deal, but ESPN is gonna make it one.

ESPN hasn't even mentioned it because they love Brett Favre. No way they would say anything bad about him.

I also can't believe some of you are saying it's not big deal. He went out of his way to call a team that had no effect on the team he actually plays for to give out the playbook of another team he has a grudge against.

It wouldn't be a big deal if he was traded to Tampa or something. We played Tampa this year and he obviously would've said everything he knew about the Packers offense because that game would've had a direct impact on his team. Calling another team and giving away the offensive schemes when it has no effect on your team is pretty sleazy.

Time to get over it Brett. You retired, we moved on. Then you changed your mind after we had moved on. You got your wish and got traded. It's your own fault. Not Ted Thompson's, Not Mike McCarthy's and not Aaron Rodgers. Maybe you should've spent more time making your decision before retiring.

Also, the players are pissed off at him as well. That alone should tell everyone what he did was garbage.

I don't know if he's done it or not. It's one of those things, personally and I don't know the situation, but I just think it's kind of messed up how he left here. Hasn't talked to Aaron (Rodgers), wished Aaron good luck or anything or like that but he's called everybody else, called Tony Romo and stuff like that. I don't have nothing against Brett personally. But I think in his position, he could at least show a little more class, a little more respect to Aaron in that regard. If that was the case, if he did talk to the coaches, I could see if he told his coaches if they were going to play us. That's all right. But if you go out of your way to talk to another team, nah, I don't think that's right.

He contacted them? I don't respect that. If they called him and he gives them information, that's one thing. But to seek a team out, because you know I guess you're trying to sabotage this team, you know I don't respect that. I know he's been the greatest player around here for a long time but there's no honor in that.

[magicfan4life05]

I don't know who is telling the truth in all this, but it definitely doesn't look good for Favre.

My biggest thing is how ESPN is ignoring this.

I posted this on the general NFL.

ESPN is the biggest joke, how much coverage did they give Favre when he was getting traded from the Packers?

now? they act like this story does not exist....what a bunch of garbage

This is why no one takes them seriously with their clear bias.



http://www.profootballtalk.com/2008/10/ ... vre-story/

ESPN CONTINUES TO IGNORE FAVRE STORY
Posted by Mike Florio on October 21, 2008, 1:41 p.m. EDT

More than 48 hours after Jay Glazer of FOX dropped one of the most bizarre in-season bombshells we can recall, ESPN continues to ignore the situation.

But if ESPN had broken the story of Favre (or any well-known player, specifically any members of the Cowboys) helping a team for which he doesn’t play prepare to face his former team, it would have received wall-to-wall coverage, on every show.

Even on ESPN.com, there’s not a single mention of the story. Former Vikings beat writer Kevin Seifert has one job at ESPN.com: To cover the four teams of the NFC North. This story involves half of his total beat, and not a single mention of it has been made.

Surely, Seifert hasn’t missed this one. We’re convinced that he’s been told not to touch it.

Our only guess is that ESPN doesn’t want to risk its access to Favre by publicizing a story that potentially destroys his legacy in Green Bay. But here’s where we’re confused. Why won’t ESPN run with Favre’s skewed version of the events?

On Monday Night Countdown, Chris Mortensen reported that, as to last week’s much-publicized phone call from Favre to Tony Romo, it was Romo who actually called Favre. That bit of clarification was relevant only to the extent that Favre has been criticized for sticking his nose in another team’s business.

So why not use the national platform on Monday night to sell Favre’s flat denial to an impressionable public?

It’s weird. And there’s got to be a good reason for it. We just don’t know what it is.

PFT Planet . . . any thoughts?

UPDATE: Seifert will be doing a Live Chat at 3:00 p.m. EDT on ESPN.com. Here’s the link. Tell ‘em we sent ya.

and compounding the situation is this ominous wiretap by a Packers player



http://football.realgm.com/src_wiretap_ ... out_favre/

Former Packer: Lion-Gate Is Just The Beginning Of Stories About Favre


Green Bay Press Gazette - Former Packers safety LeRoy Butler said he doesn’t believe Brett Favre initiated the controversial conversation with the Lions.

“Brett didn’t do a whole lot of calling around,” Butler told WSSP. “People called him, and he loves to talk and the phone was passed around.”

Butler also said there are “other stories that are going to come out” about Favre.

“This is just the beginning,” Butler said. “This is only the smallest one.”

[magicfan4life05]

WOW


This puts the "BS" in BSPN

ESPN ISSUED INTERNAL “DO NOT REPORT” WARNING ON FAVRE STORY


When we asked for PFT Planet to chime in regarding the possible reasons for ESPN’s decision to avoid the story of Brett Favre’s coaching internship with the Lions, we never expected to hear from someone at ESPN.

But we did.

A source, who for reasons likely related to making the monthly mortgage payment has asked not to be identified, has forwarded to us a version of ESPN’s internal “Hot List,” which provides a detailed rundown of the current stories that might merit mention on the various ESPN properties.

It’s a lengthy collection of news and nuggets regarding all of the major sports (and golf). At the bottom, there’s a description of one specific story that should be avoided.

Under the heading “DO NOT REPORT . . . DO NOT REPORT . . . . DO NOT REPORT . . . DO NOT REPORT” (um, we get the point) appears the following:

“Yesterday, FoxSports reported that Brett Favre spent 60 to 90 minutes before the Week Two game between the Lions and the Packers educating the Detroit coaching staff regarding the Packers’ offensive strategies. WE HAVE BEEN TOLD BY RELIABLE SOURCES THIS REPORT IS NOT TRUE. We did NOT report it yesterday. Today, the NFL responded to the report, saying even if Favre did this he did not break any league rules. We are NOT reporting it today, because that would mean airing the erroneous report. DO NOT REPORT IT.”

We’ve got several problems with this explantion.

First, much like the rumors from several years back regarding Kordell Stewart’s sexuality, the story eventually becomes the story. The mere fact that there’s an unresolved pissing match between Favre and Jay Glazer while a Lions head coach repeats “no comment” like Drew Rosenhaus barking “next question” is newsworthy, regardless of whether Glazer’s report is accurate.

Second, we know for a fact that folks in the building are privately saying that believe that Glazer’s report is true.

Third, Glazer has a long history of being on the money. Shouldn’t that be a factor in the question of whether the story at least merits a mention?

Fourth, what’s the problem with reporting that the story isn’t accurate? Doesn’t it make ESPN look good in comparison to a competitor? (Then again, maybe ESPN only clears the air as to their own inaccurate stories.)

On Wednesday, Favre undoubtedly will be asked about the situation when he meets with the media for a weekly press conference. Applying the logic reflected by the above quote, ESPN’s ”do not report” mandate should also apply to any response Favre makes to Glazer’s report.

After all, in ESPN’s estimation, the report is wrong. Having Favre repeat his denial of the report won’t change that.

Bottom line? We think there’s still more to this one than meets the eye. But at least we now know why Bristol’s rank and file aren’t talking about it.

On the air, that is.

ESPN Is rigged....what a joke

Icness have you heard anything about this?

[Icness]

Nobody on the Lions is talking.

I sent an email to an ESPN talking head I know and he hasn't responded yet. I'll let y'all know if/when he does. He is my second cousin so he'd better or else I'll tell his mom how he used to be into S&M.

I'm not surprised at all if it's true about Favre. And that ESPN would protect him should not surprise anyone. I'm not sure if it's really a big deal about what he allegedly did. It's not any different than raiding your next opponent's practice squad, something the Giants and Titans have done with great frequency lately. Esp. with a divisional opponent it's really not going to matter all that much.

[magicfan4life05]

thanks Icness, you're right, it doesn't really matter all that much what he did.

I'm just astonished the great lengths, and hoops of fire, ESPN has gone through to sweep this under the carpet.


Kevin Seifert (the nfc north blogger) won’t answer the question on his chat and is completely avoiding it.


The Matt Walsh story, for example, was incorrect and that didn’t stop ESPN. If this scandal involved the Patriots, they’d report it.

It's so clear, ESPN doesn't want to tick off their boy, what a sham. (and I'm actually a big Favre fan)

I mean an all time great going out of his way to stick it to his old team and teammates by calling a division rival to give them info is absolutely newsworthy, whether true or not, it has been reported, so it should at least be acknowledged by the WORLD WIDE LEADER, instead of swept under the rug.

This is more of an indictment against ESPN than Favre.

what a conspiracy!

ESPN would issue an internal warning to protect Favre....wow

[BlackMamba]

isn't that some sort of cheating?

[Geddy]

It's sad how blatant ESPN is in avoiding this story. As magicfan stated above, every little tidbit about Favre would be reported during the summer, to the point where we were all sick of it. If this was related to any other player we could say that well maybe it's not such a big deal. This is Favre though and with the coverage he gets you would expect at least some sort of discussion about it by the network.

Can you imagine if another player did something under the table like this - say TO, Vince Young, or any of their other whipping boys? You can bet that there would be many discussions about it, with everyone getting on their moral high-horses.

[Mr Awesome]

Maybe ESPN is avoiding the story because there is very little evidence that this even occured. It's just a rumor. The Packers blew the Lions out for christ sake. They had absolutly no answer for the Packs offense. Rodgers threw for 320 yards and 3 touchdowns and they put up 48 points. If the Lions would have won, maybe we'd really have something to talk about, especially if it looked as though they had a good read on Green Bay's offense. But, as anyone who watched the game knows, Green Bay moved the ball fairly easily.

[SpeedyG]

Nobody on the Lions is talking.

I sent an email to an ESPN talking head I know and he hasn't responded yet. I'll let y'all know if/when he does. He is my second cousin so he'd better or else I'll tell his mom how he used to be into S&M.

I'm not surprised at all if it's true about Favre. And that ESPN would protect him should not surprise anyone. I'm not sure if it's really a big deal about what he allegedly did. It's not any different than raiding your next opponent's practice squad, something the Giants and Titans have done with great frequency lately. Esp. with a divisional opponent it's really not going to matter all that much.

Hopefully his mom doesn't read the boards

[WEFFPIM]

Nobody on the Lions is talking.

I sent an email to an ESPN talking head I know and he hasn't responded yet. I'll let y'all know if/when he does. He is my second cousin so he'd better or else I'll tell his mom how he used to be into S&M.

I'm not surprised at all if it's true about Favre. And that ESPN would protect him should not surprise anyone. I'm not sure if it's really a big deal about what he allegedly did. It's not any different than raiding your next opponent's practice squad, something the Giants and Titans have done with great frequency lately. Esp. with a divisional opponent it's really not going to matter all that much.

Hopefully his mom doesn't read the boards

The bigger question might be how Icness knows to begin with.

[trwi7]

The Packers blew the Lions out for christ sake.

That game wasn't really a blowout though. The Lions were leading 25-24 until Crosby kicked a field goal with about 5 minutes left. Then Woodson picked off Kitna which gave us a short field and then Woodson and Collins each returned an INT for a touchdown which made the score look like a blowout.

[Icness]

Nobody on the Lions is talking.

I sent an email to an ESPN talking head I know and he hasn't responded yet. I'll let y'all know if/when he does. He is my second cousin so he'd better or else I'll tell his mom how he used to be into S&M.

I'm not surprised at all if it's true about Favre. And that ESPN would protect him should not surprise anyone. I'm not sure if it's really a big deal about what he allegedly did. It's not any different than raiding your next opponent's practice squad, something the Giants and Titans have done with great frequency lately. Esp. with a divisional opponent it's really not going to matter all that much.

Hopefully his mom doesn't read the boards

The bigger question might be how Icness knows to begin with.

Bachelor parties reveal a lot about a man. Like how a proclivity for flat-chested goth strippers with magenta hair and multiple body piercings is a real bad sign for the marriage.

[studcrackers]

i had no idea u were related to chris berman, brings a whole new meaning to the term "you're with me leather"