Favre gives team member a smack down

[Mr. Laz]

www.profootballtalk.com
8:37 p.m. EDT, May 3, 2005

FAVRE TAKES JAB AT JAVON

In 2001, Packers quarterback Brett Favre took verbal shots at an NFC North receiver wearing jersey number 84 because said pass-catcher admitted that he plays only when he wants to.

Now, Favre is taking aim at another division wideout who wears No. 84 -- the only difference is that this guy is on Favre's team.

According the The Green Bay Press-Gazette, Favre is taking issue with the decision of teammate Javon Walker to skip a recent mandatory minicamp because of displeasure with his contract.

"If Javon wants to know what his quarterback thinks, and I would think he might, I’d tell him he’s going about this the wrong way," Favre said. "When his agent tells him not to worry about what his teammates think and all that stuff, I’d tell him I’ve been around a long time and that stuff will come back to haunt you."



Ouch.



"I would’ve never thought it would be a guy like Javon,” Favre added. "I guess in this business nothing should surprise you, especially what happens when guys have a little bit of success. Some guys handle it the right way and some guys don’t."



Double ouch.



"Nowadays you're seeing more and more guys pulling that stunt," he said. "If guys continue to do that and are successful getting away with it, then I’ll be gone, but I think the game will be ruined. My reaction to Javon’s situation was 'Here we go again.'"



Triple ouch.



"Maybe I’m old-school, but I always thought you honor a contract. Sure, sometimes guys pass you up in salary, and maybe it’s a lesser player, but it’s all based on what a team has as far as value in that person."



We've-lost-count ouch.




"I sure hope the Packers don’t give in to him," Favre said. "I don’t sit up in the front office, and I don’t talk to them — regardless of what people might think — and tell them who to draft and who not to draft. They don’t ask me, and it’s not my job. My job is to throw passes and be a leader.

"That’s why I decided to speak up. I need to be a leader and even though I may not like having to do it, I think some things needed to be said."

So does Favre worry about not having Walker in what could be Brett's final season? Nope.

“I’d just as soon go without him. He’s a great player. I think he can help us. He’s likeable and easy to get along with, but I’m guessing he’s getting the wrong advice, and he’s buying into that."

Coincidentally, Favre made similar comments nearly a year ago after then-Packers cornerback Mike McKenzie skipped a minicamp for reasons identical to Walker's 2005 absence.

"When you sign a contract, you sign a contract," Favre said of McKenzie. "We all make a lot of money, and sometimes it doesn’t seem fair when other guys make more who you know you’re better than. But that’s the way this business works. As bad as that may seem at times, it will work itself out. I hope he realizes that, because he’ll hurt our football team if he’s away, and he’ll really help our team when he’s here. So we need him back."

McKenzie ultimately hired in 2004 the same guy who represents Walker this time around -- Drew Rosenhaus. And Walker is one of several Rosenhaus clients who are expressing their displeasure with their contracts by staying away from mandatory offseason workouts and involuntary voluntary sessions.

[NewChief]

These agents fill these guys full of so much shit. I can just hear it. "X is making Y amount, and you're only making Z amount. Don't you think you're better than X. Then the team should let you know by paying you as much as X."

Good for Favre on calling 'em out.

[jspchief]

NFL owners should just start blacklisting Rosenhaus. If they all take ultra tough stances against him, he'll either change his ways or lose his clients.

[Rain Man]

The odd thing is that it's not even about money any more. The money is just a scorecard.

It's like that old Cheers episode where Sam and Woody went in asking for raises, and they were all stoked coming out because they got new job titles instead. Just make Javon Walker a Senior Wide Receiver and maybe he'll come back to work.

[marsaray]

Farve is a good QB I think I would listen to him escpecially if he was on my team . It is all about money these days.

[Brock]

Easy to say when you're in the 100 million dollar club.

[Spicy McHaggis]

You hear that TO? Shut the **** up and play the game. I'm sick of this "gotta feed my family" shit. You're making more in your short NFL careers than most anyone else can dream of making in their entire life. For the record can anyone recall if Favre has ever had a contract dispute and if so, what was the end result?

Originally Posted by Spicy McHaggis

For the record can anyone recall if Favre has ever had a contract dispute and if so, what was the end result?

No. He's not a hypocrite.

[jspchief]

Originally Posted by Spicy McHaggis

For the record can anyone recall if Favre has ever had a contract dispute and if so, what was the end result?

GB gave Brett Favre a new contract before he had to ask for it. They gave him a better deal while he still had several years on his existing contract. A practice that seems to only happen to QBs.

You could look at that and say "easy for him to say", but the fact remains, these players and agents are getting worse and worse. If teams start giving in to this, it will set a terrible precedent. They might as well all just sign one year contracts.

[oldandslow]

I would be more sympathetic to teams if they did not break contracts as well.

Both sides should have to live up to their commitments.

[Spicy McHaggis]

Originally Posted by jspchief

GB gave Brett Favre a new contract before he had to ask for it. They gave him a better deal while he still had several years on his existing contract. A practice that seems to only happen to QBs.

You could look at that and say "easy for him to say", but the fact remains, these players and agents are getting worse and worse. If teams start giving in to this, it will set a terrible precedent. They might as well all just sign one year contracts.

If they do give in to paying a player who has a good year I would expect the players to renegotiate their deals after they've had a crappy year. Fairs fair, right?

[ChiefsOne]

Great remarks from Farve! He's a real stand up guy and he is right on about the players honoring their contracts.

These punk ass players missed out when integrety was being handed out!

[Bwana]

Good for Farve. There are way to many whiney little bitch players these days, I'm glad he called one of them out.

[Mr. Kotter]

Brett is the man.

[teedubya]

definately blacklist Rosenhaus.. fugg that dude.

jspchief for Commissioner.