Ted Thompson stands firm - and rightly so.

Many websites and columnists have found an easy scapegoat for the Brett Favre situation - Packers GM Ted Thompson. The words emanating from the Favre-friendly media are that he 'didn't feel wanted' by the Packers, and it has been portrayed by many that Thompson somehow drove Favre out.

Hold on a second.

Brett Favre retired. Does anyone honestly believe that the Pack didn't want Favre to be starter next year? It's rubbish. It's an enormous fallacy, and it's even more baffling that the media genuinely seem to be playing along for some reason. A report by ESPN's Kevin Seifert claims that Favre contacted the team weeks after his decision and said that he had the fabled 'itch'. When the Packers attempted to get him to come back, however, Favre declined a meeting with Thompson and coach Mike McCarthy. If he had shown that he was serious, then the team would have at least known what was happening. As it turned out, the only QB on their roster was Aaron Rodgers.

So the Packers had a dilemma that had no 'right' answer. Sure they could wait for Favre to get another itch, but what if it doesn't come? The idea that the Packers were slave to Favre's whims is a worrying one. At what point did he become bigger than the franchise? Sure, he made the team great, but he didn't do it single handedly.

Ted Thompson made the right decision. He drafted two QB's this year, and promoted Aaron Rodgers to starter. It was the only decision that granted any kind of firm ground beneath the team's feet. If Favre had seriously considered the team's offer to return in March, then this would never have happened. People are enamoured with Favre, and the problem is that some people are actively politicking for his return at the expense of Rodgers. Here is a quote from NFL.com's Pat Kirwan:

The Rodgers era can wait, and if Rodgers doesn't understand that this issue is bigger than him that's too bad.

-NFL.com senior writer Pat Kirwan

What a thought. Aaron Rodgers should really accept that his career may never start. It's irresponsible, reckless journalism that does not deserve it's place on a major sports website. To state that a young man's livelihood is not as important as Brett Favre's 'itch', is to show that you have completely lost touch with reality.

Favre is a great man, and a great player, but this situation is leaving an ugly stain on his legacy. If he is traded, it is perhaps the best compromise for Favre and the Packers, but in reality, he has no leverage to get such an outcome, except the sentiment within the organisation for him.

That sentiment is being eroded daily by his attitude towards the heirarchy in Wisconsin.

Packers refuse to grant Favre's release

As mentioned everywhere, Brett Favre asked the Packers for his release last night, and the Packers have responded by playing hardball with the man who is regarded as one of the greatest players of all time.

Speaking to the Associated Press, Packers GM Ted Thompson and Coach Mike McCarthy refused to release Favre, instead saying that should he want to come back to the team, he is more than welcome - as Aaron Rodgers' backup.

The move is clear posturing, as it is unlikely the team has any real desire to pay Favre $12.5m to sit on the bench, nor would they want the inevitable distraction of a healthy Favre pressuring to play at the expense of Rodgers. The team would most likely prefer to trade Favre and get some recompense for a Quarterback who would be in high demand around the league, but the fact that Favre has not indicated a desire to play more than one year could count against his trade value.

In any case, the Packers hold all the cards. If they keep Favre and he asks for a trade, they can send him somewhere away from their division, and preferably away from the NFC. That fact alone has to make the Jets and Ravens the favourites to land Favre after this act has played out.

Where will Favre go?

With the news that Brett Favre is seeking his release from the Green Bay Packers, the league will be buzzing with rumour and conjecture regarding Favre's final destination. For us the biggest question is whether Favre has the desire to play anywhere because he misses football, or if he wants to win another championship.

Here are our top 5 contenders for his signature:

New York Jets

The Jets have spent big money this off-season. They have invested in almost every position - except the one that matters. The QB battle between Kellen Clemens and Chad Pennington is likely to produce nothing concrete heading into this season - a season that will almost certainly decide the fate of coach Eric Mangini. The only question is whether they can afford Favre. If he still wants his $12.5m salary, the Jets will need to clear $3m of cap room, which they could only do by trading Pennington, realistically.

Minnesota Vikings

Obviously, there is one major sticking point in this situation, and that is the rivalry between the Vikes and the Packers. You could argue that if the Vikings are on this list, then why not Chicago? Well, the Vikings (like the Jets) have thrown money at their situation this spring, and again, their big question mark is at QB. The Bears have never thrown money at anything. Ever. It would be extremely unlikely that the Packers would ascede to Favre's demands to be released if they believed he would be playing against them twice next season. The other big question is how excited Favre could be to play with receivers Bernard Berrian and Sidney Rice. It's certainly not the kind of receiving unit that delivers championships.

Tampa Bay Buccanneers

Bucs coach Jon Gruden is a well known advocate of veteran Quarterbacks, and currently has about 4,000 on his roster. Actually though, it would be interesting to see how this situation plays into the contract negotiations with Jeff Garcia. With a player of the same age - but greater talent available, Garcia should be aware that now is not the time to be playing hardball with your team. The Bucs have a mix of veterans and rookies at WR, but definately have considerable talent in Joey Galloway, Ike Hilliard, and Dexter Jackson. They also have an enormous amount of cap room, and really this could hinge on whether Gruden believes that Favre can deliver what Garcia cannot.

Baltimore Ravens

The Ravens are probably slightly better than their record last year suggests. If anywhere makes sense on paper, it's Baltimore. At Quarterback, the Ravens would prefer not to start rookie Joe Flacco, but it's something they have had to seriously consider in the last few weeks. The otehr alternatives are Kyle Boller and Troy Smith, neither of which seems to be the long term answer. Apart from that, there are veteran receivers such as Derrick Mason, a great rushing attack, and a solid line, despite the retirement of Jonathan Ogden. One other thing - the Ravens Defence can create the kind of opportunities that Favre would relish.

Detroit Lions

Much like the Vikings, this could be a non-starter because of the fact that Favre would be coming back to haunt the Packers twice next year. On the other hand, the team has many ingredients that could make them an attractive proposition to a veteran Quarterback. The team has one of the best Receiving corps in football, with Roy Williams, Calvin Johnson, Shaun Macdonald, and Mike Furrey all capable of big plays. Questions do surround the running game, however, and Favre may be unwilling to play for a team that has rarely looked like coming out of a slump it has been in for 20 years.


Other teams in the mix:

Carolina Panthers - If Delhomme is fit, it's not happening
Kansas City Chiefs - No weapons = No playoffs
Chicago Bears - Not enough to make him public enemy no.1 in Green Bay
Atlanta Falcons - Unlikely, but he has been there before, and the Falcons may want to avoid blooding Matt Ryan early.

If you love someone, set them free.

Sorry for the Police reference, but according to Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com Brett Favre has officially handed in a request that the Green Bay Packers release him from their roster, paving the way for #4 to ply his trade elsewhere.

The move has been anticipated in media circles for a few days now, and it puts the Packers in an unenviable situation. If they play hardball, they put Favre at odds with the organisation which owes him so much. On the other hand, releasing him would clear his $12m salary, but mean that the Pack would receive nothing in return for a player who could still command at least a first day draft choice.

We'll go through the list of teams that Favre could play for in the next article.

Matt Jones: Bust(ed)

In this quiet point of the season, there is very little in the way of real news in the NFL. Thankfully, the fact that so many players are on holiday gives a,ple opportunity for some good ol' arrests.

Jacksonville receiver Matt Jones, selected 21st in the 2005 NFL draft, has ben arrested for possession of cocaine in Fayetteville, Arkansas. According to Police, the former Razorback was found in a parked car, chopping up a white substance with a credit card. Jones has admitted Cocaine possession, but Cannabis residue was also later discovered in the vehicle.

Bad news for a player who has failed to show the kind of production that the Jags hoped for. Jones was a QB in college, but his exceptional speed and height were ideally suited to the Wide Receiver position. Jones has spectacularly failed to live up to any expectations, and the experiment can be said to be a failure. Last year he finished with just 317yds from 24 catches, with 4 Touchdowns.

Tony Gonzalez quite the hero

In a welcome respite from the Brett Favre saga, it has been revealed that Kansas City Chiefs Tight End Tony Gonzalez saved the life of a football fan last Thursday night. During dinner at a California restaurant, local man Ken Hunter - A Superchargers fan - began choking on a piece of steak, and was given the Heimlich manoeuvre by one of the most famous men in Football. With one of the hottest wives.

According to Gonzalez, speaking on ESPN.com, he responded to a scream from the man's wife, before administering the technique, something Gonzalez said he has never done before. Gonzalez admitted it was a frightening moment, especially since according to eyewitnesses, the entire Restauraunt was sitting wide-eyed and staring while a man choked to death.

So well done Tony, another one for the list. We imagine Tony's blackboard looks pretty similiar to this:

Be good at Basketball
Be good at Football
Have ridiculously attractive wife
Save someone's life
Play for a good team

Terrence Kiel dead

Former Chargers Safety Terrence Kiel has been killed in a car accident, according to Police reports on Saturday.

It seems that Kiel left a party in the San Diego area and ignored advice from friends to not drive home. It is also alleged that Kiel's car was travelling the wrong way when he crashed. These two facts obviously suggest that Kiel was certainly under some kind of alcohol or narcotic influence.

Despite a decent playing career in his four years in the league, Kiel was ditched by the Superchargers in 2007 after pleading guilty to shipping prescription drugs from Mexico. He has been out of the league for more than a year, and was in severe danger of never playing again before this accident.

It's easy to constantly suggest banning players from playing, but I will stick my neck on the line and say that it is an easy option that does not solve anything for the person involved.