Matt Millen Called Brett Favre Before Detroit Played Green Bay

by Brandon on Oct 23, 2008 9:00 AM CDT in News Comment 12 comments

Here's the transcript. No matter who did what and where, this thing makes Favre look bad, makes Matt Millen look bad (I can't believe it was possible to make Millen look like more of an idiot), and it makes ESPN look bad. Well maybe Jay Glazer is padding his rep with this story, so it's good for him.

Favre's denial:

"The only thing I'd say about that, and of course I've heard the reports, is that that week, Matt Millen called me...

I talked to Millen for 15 or 20 minutes...

I think the question he asked was, ‘anything in particular you guys did to us last year or how you looked at us?' I couldn't tell you what Detroit runs this year, I haven't watched them and I can vaguely remember what they did last year. The only thing I know about that game last year, the one in Green Bay, was that it didn't really matter late in the year. The first one, I think I had 22 straight completions. That's about all I can remember. I know we won the game...

We went empty formation. We just kept throwing completion after completion. They study film. They know what type of plays (we ran)."

On one level it's crazy to think that Favre, who's built his gunslinger reputation on the fact that he's not that greatest strategist in NFL history and famously didn't even know what a nickel defense was for a while, would be able to tell Detroit anything useful. All I've read is that Favre gave Detroit "insight into what the Packers do on offense". What exactly was that "insight"? In the quote above, the "insight" Favre admitted to giving was useless. If that's all Millen got, then he would have been better off giving me a call. I haven't read anything that contradicted Favre's description of the "insight". If that's all that happened, then story over.

Poll

Do you believe Brett Favre?

Yes

46 votes

No

38 votes

I'm waiting to see if anyone contradicts Favre's story

15 votes

99 votes | Poll has closed

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I believe Brett

If his story is true, then it all seems to make sense.

I mean, I never pegged him for an x’s and o’s type of guy, so I doubt he was able to keep the opposing coaches interested for an hour.

Millen called him, they chatted about huntin and what not, and then they talked a bit about the Packers. Did it have an effect on the game. No. Was it with malicious intent. Probably not. He’s not on the Pack anymore, so if he’s chatting with a friend and they ask him a couple of questions I suppose he’s in the right to answer them.

This may just be wishful thinking. Oh, how I wish we could all just get along.

"stay (green and) gold"

by Green and Bold on Oct 23, 2008 11:34 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

it makes ESPN look good

They followed ethics that are probably part of every major news organization. They may also have checked into the story and/or actually talked to players or principals involved.

Jay Glazer has benefitted from inside information from the Packers before. It helps, but it doesn’t take study to know that setting up leak relationships like that are to serve the interests of the leakers and for the Glazers of the world to benefit themselves. Its part of the reason that every major news organization has ethical guidelines for using anonymous sources. Don’t forget that Glazer works for Fox whose reputation for ethics and honesty is horrible. I guess the Madison paper is at the same level as rabid Favre hater Jason Wilde claims through anonymous sources to have verified the story. If his “source” were anyone outside the Packers it would be a huge story. Of course nothing happens. Where is he now? Moreover why hasn’t anyone come forward among this swarm of knowledgeable insiders?

The real lesson that probably won’t be learned is that this story is part of a continuing creation of stories created through leaks by the Packers that attack Favre. Its a pattern that will continue using the same script because it works. Ari Fleischer worked with a team that used these same techniques and created false impressions that last to this day. The puff piece that Wilde did where Thompson talked about his religion and how upset he was is reminiscent of Ari Fleischer’s earlier work as well.

by ol Pete on Oct 23, 2008 4:02 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I should add

I can’t think of anything about this that makes Favre or Millen look bad. I mean nothing. It makes the shrieking Favre haters and the attack du jour look absolutely cowardly and dishonest.

by ol Pete on Oct 23, 2008 4:07 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Why is it that

anytime anyone says even one bad thing about Favre they are labeled a Favre-hater right away? For 16 long years I have followed and been a huge fan of Favre. I saw every game he played with the Packers with the exception of maybe 5 games. I have cheered him and supported him over the years. I have bought jerseys, books, and autographed pieces. I have waited in line at Reggie White’s car dealership in NC for hours for the chance to meet him and have him autograph a helmet for my Mom (he even wrote “Happy Mother’s Day” on it). I have made the trip to Lambeau for the first time, with my brother, for the Seahawk playoff game after the 2003 season, simply so I could say that I had watched Favre live at Lambeau. Al Harris made the game memorable, but there was nothing like seeing Favre run on the field for the first time at Lambeau. I enjoyed his renaissance last season (and he’s still playing good this year, I’ve got to give him that) and have defended him completely over his occasional mistakes. And now, if I say that I don’t doubt for a second that something like was reported by Glazer could have happened (and he has a better track record recently than Favre) I’d be labeled a card-carrying Favre-hater. Just cause you don’t agree with some (or, for me, most) of his actions over the past 6-7 months doesn’t mean you hate the man.

Frye is honestly gotta be one of the top 10 3rd Stringers in all of the NFL right now--colbyb

by verno329 on Oct 23, 2008 9:40 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Agreed

He’s one of the greatest. I appreciate everything he ever did for them. But this website, and my old packers.blogspot.com website, are littered with criticisms of him. Usually when he threw a dumb interception. Looking back a few months, you can read how I wanted the team to reconsider and bring him back. His consecutive game streak which always assured that they had a chance in every game because their best player, and starting QB, was playing was a big part of the reason they only had one losing season during his career in Green Bay. But if he really is calling around and giving up useful information about the team, then he better stop it, I’ll be very critical of him, but I’ll never hate him because of all he did for the team.

by Brandon on Oct 23, 2008 11:33 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

why stop there?

Aren’t you upset about the tampering with the Packers cellphone with Minnesota? Aren’t you upset about the plane that was chartered exclusively to fetch Favre for his unretirement? Aren’t you upset that he called Romo but not Rodgers? The first is almost certainly not true, the second is a blatant proven lie and the third has been denied. Really, I have no idea why the third would even be bad, but it shows how effective the constant slow leak of damaging allegations is. How hard is it to figure out where that strategy is usually employed and by whom. Ari Fleischer was driven into the shadows for doing just that.

And you do criticize ESPN for not joining a lynch mob.

by ol Pete on Oct 24, 2008 9:52 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

okay

People who are hateful toward Favre. That’s certainly accurate.

And again the defense of Glazer because the Ari Fleischer employing Packers use him as their leak outlet. That’s not good. The Packers track record sucks for honesty, but if they win and/or if they crap on Favre nobody cares. You also tout the impossible as possible. Bitter and intense Favre haters like the trash on WSSP and ESPN radio along with classy acts like Jim Rome and Dan Patrick have been desperately trying to find people to support the claim and some of them have even laughed at the idea of the crux of the story that he could even provide information or the much touted “secrets.”

You don’t agree that Favre should take calls from his friends. Ari Fleischer is smart.

by ol Pete on Oct 24, 2008 9:43 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Alright, now I'm getting sick of this

I am “hateful” toward someone who I disagree with? There is a HUGE difference between disagreeing with someone and being “hateful” towards them. If I hate him so much then why do I still have every piece of Favre memorabilia hanging on my walls? Why have I not thrown away my jersey? Because I want to be constantly reminded of my hatred for him? Or are we referring to “hate” in a hip-hop type of way, where “hatin’” is anything and everything short of unconditional love? Please explain to me my position so I can avoid the confusion that I’ve been suffering from. I look forward to finding out whether or not I am allowed to keep my Favre memorabilia. I can even look into having all my pleasant Favre memories erased from my mind so that my “hate” can proceed without any issues.

Frye is honestly gotta be one of the top 10 3rd Stringers in all of the NFL right now--colbyb

by verno329 on Oct 24, 2008 12:07 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

don't be hatin'

"I'm so clean, cats think I sip Ajax."

by Mitchell_M on Oct 24, 2008 1:34 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

you dirty rat

Frye is honestly gotta be one of the top 10 3rd Stringers in all of the NFL right now--colbyb

by verno329 on Oct 24, 2008 2:59 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Not in a court of law, but...

Millen didn’t do anything against NFL rules by calling Favre, Favre didn’t do anything against the rules by talking to Favre, and ESPN didn’t break any rules or laws by not reporting a story. But they all still look bad in appearance.

It looked like Millen was calling on a buddy to give him something, anything, to get a big win and help save his job in Detroit. It looked like Favre was willing to dish dirt on his former team. It looked like ESPN was willing to sit on a story because it involved one of their sacred NFL players. None of that appears to be true. But the question has been raised, now all three are having their integrity questioned, and none of it makes them look good. It doesn’t matter what the truth is.

All that said, as it stands, the fact is that Favre, Millen, and ESPN all did nothing wrong. None of them look worse in my eyes, except maybe Millen if he really did call Favre at first on the pretext of talking about a hunting trip and then casually asking a question about the Packers’ game planning while all of Detroit’s coaches are listening without telling Favre that they are on speakerphone. But now articles are preserved forever in the internet ether reporting that it was rumored that Favre tried to get back at his former team. It’s just a rumor, but it’s part of his resume now.

by Brandon on Oct 23, 2008 11:24 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

and it will go on

There will be more leaks from the Packers and more anonymous sources will make claims. Leroy Butler has as much announced it while making the rounds attacking Favre and Wilde has said as much. Wilde even said it would be about the Buccaneers. Where do you think they come up with that? Remember, like everything up till now, the truth is irrelevant. Throw mud (anonymously), wait, and do it again. If you don’t think it works, there are still people who believe that Al Gore claimed to have invented the internet.

And nothing ESPN did looks bad in any way.

by ol Pete on Oct 24, 2008 10:07 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs