- Posted by: Spicy
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- Oct 20, 2010
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Brett Favre Press Conference audio, complete (below)
Brett Favre held a press conference today amidst the whole Jenn Sterger scandal.
He spoke to the Wisconsin press via telephone and we’re not sure why because he didnt really dish on any of the scandalous events surrounding him. Brett Favre dodged all incriminating questions during the press conference, but believe me, tough questions were asked!
[Jenn Sterger, Brett Favre text message scandal here]
At the beginning of the press conference, the reporter asks Brett Favre point blank: “Are you embarrassed that people are talking about stuff like this?”
Favre skirts the issue by responding: “You know, again, that’s a league issue and as I’ve said, my focus is on the next opponent, obviously that’s Green Bay, and you know, it’s uhhh, as I said the other night, I’m reluctant to say I’m excited about coming back, and to play there, but it’s a huge challenge and one that we need, we need a victory. This is a race to the finish.”
Wow, talk about avoiding the question!
The entire press conference went the same way. It was nothing like the Tiger Woods scandal or anything. With any scandalous question, Brett brought it back to the game of football and repeated how his concentration on winning games has never wavered. Much ado about nothing…
Listen to the Brett Favre press conference audio in it’s entirety HERE – or read the entire press conference transcript after the cut…
(Transcript of the Brett Favre press conference found here.)
What can you tell us about the meeting with the NFL? How did that go?
“That’s a league matter and that’s the way it stands. It’s a league issue. Just leave it at that.”
When you step back and look at the big pictured, are you embarrassed people are talking about stuff like this?
“Again, that’s a league issue. As I’ve said my focus is on the next opponent. Obviously that’s Green Bay. As I said the other night, I’m reluctant to say I’m excited about coming back. I know how tough it is to play there. But it’s a huge challenge, one that we need a victory. This is a race to the finish. So we need it.”
Does the ongoing investigation make it any more difficult to prepare?
“My focus is on Green Bay as it was on Dallas last week, Jets prior to that. My focus has never wavered one bit in I don’t know 300 plus games or whatever. It’s always,k especially when you play a team like we play, really with the Jets and now with Green Bay, who give you a lot of different looks really. To me that’s the hardest thing to focus on is trying to pin down exactly what they’re doing, which I don’t think you’re ever going to completely do that. You’re going to have to kind of make some plays — you’re not going to be correct on protection calls or route adjustments or things like that. That is my primary focus as it always has been.”
Do you thrive better on adversity?
“It would seem that way. I think, we as players and coaches I’m sure would all agree, you would like for everything to be smooth sailing but that’s not the case. And every opponent offers different challenges and individually speaking there’s always a story line for either team and it seems like magnitudes of games always changes regardless of time of year. Ultimately for any team for any individual, how you handle adversity, and I’ve said this throughout my career, how you handle success is equally as important. And adversity doesn’t guarantee you play well or rise to the challenge. But for whatever reason it seems to make people focus a little bit more and I’m not just talking about me, our team. I’m talking about everyone in this league. Once again, it would seem that way. This game is obviously very important for both teams but there’s still a lot of football left for both teams. It is wide open in this division. It’s a very competitive division, as it always has (been). I know how difficult Green Bay is in all phases and what a great fan base. It will be loud, just overall, it will be our toughest challenge yet.”
Are you viewing this as the last time you’ll ever play at Lambeau and does that add to the magnitude of this game?
“I don’t know if it can add to the magnitude unless we come back in the playoffs. There’s always an outside chance of that. This is my last go-around and of course I played a ton of games in that stadium. Not once did I ever step in that stadium, it was obviously different last year, did not respect and feel very privileged to be on Lambeau Field. Every touchdown was as joyous as the next. So I’ve always savored the moment and never took it for granted. This will be no exception. Yes, unless we were to go back in the playoffs, this will be it, yeah.”
How is the elbow and is that affecting your ability to throw at all?
“It’s better. It was a little better last week. I would say more so the Jets game it affected me on some throws. Not last week. I think the cortisone injection helped considerably. Will it hold it off? As you guys remember I had tendinitis many years back and it can be a very painful and really it can stop your play. I mean you could, for me that year basically missed five weeks of camp. I couldn’t even pick up a football better yet throw it. So I feel pretty lucky that it hasn’t gotten any worse. I would say at this point it’s gotten a little bit better than it was a couple weeks ago. It was obviously bad enough to take a cortisone injection but right now I feel like it’s not a hindrance at all.”
You’re finally getting to play with Randy Moss. How happy are you about that, and how much when you look back did that have to do with the way your relationship with Ted Thompson went?
“You know what, I mean regardless of what people may think, my relationship with Ted, I’m sure you guys know him, I don’t think anyone knows him very well, Ted’s a quiet, unassuming guy. I don’t think our relationship was ever, from a business standpoint, it didn’t’ go the way either of us would have liked but he’s obviously made some very good decisions and done very well. I think you can go back, Ron Wolf and I are very close, I mean a lot of teams passed on Randy way back when. Sure, I would have liked to have seen him come in and play with him, I mean the guy ended up catching 23 touchdowns that year. He’s a dynamic player and I’m very excited about the opportunity to play with him. I’m even more impressed with him as I’ve gotten a chance to work with him and how intelligent he is. Randy’s Randy and he has his moments but he’s such a dynamic player. I think for our young players to get a chance to watch him practice, the way he handles meetings, is very very impressive. That’s some things I didn’t know about him. Now he can be a little bit rougher when dealing with the media as you guys may know but I consider it a privilege to play with him as I would consider a lot of those players I played with throughout my career, this guy not only has the talent but he has the knowledge, the instincts, he’s got the complete package. So it doesn’t guarantee he’s going to have 18 catches and 200 yards but he’s just a dynamic player that’s, it was always, it was kind of bittersweet to watch him because it was like, man this guy is unbelievable. Usually he was beating you and it was kind of like how do we stop him. Now as far as Ted and I go, do we talk on a regular basis? No. But I think in the end our relationship will be as it was for many years. I mean it was a business relationship that I don’t want to say went sour, but that’s where it went awry. But you know, that’s over and done with.”
What about you and Mike McCarthy, is there any relationship there?
“Once again, I don’t talk to Mike on a regular basis. Mike, last year after both games, I thought he was very respectful, said ‘hey nice game.’ I would say the same thing. I know last year when Mike had a new addition to the family, I sent him a message and congratulated him. I think the world of him, too. He has to do what he has to do, and I think he’s a fine coach, who’s done an excellent job. I have a tremendous amount of respect for Mike and Ted and for that team and obviously for that organization. It’s been wonderful for me. Just things are different now. No ill feelings. Everything’s OK.”
With the ankle, the elbow, the investigation, the record, were those the things you forewarned everybody that’s not going to be like last year?
“No, I never forewarned anyone of anything. As we all know, you have no idea what to expect. You can assume we would pick up right where we left off. Last year, aside from not winning the Super Bowl, how could anyone say it was anything less than spectacular in a lot of ways? It was way better than anyone really could have, when you looked at it from the onset it was like OK they may win a lot of games and Adrian may get his 2,000, but the way it kind of played out was shocking to a lot of people. It’s just hard to play at that level consistently across the board. And then you throw in an injury or two as what happened with Sidney and Percy being out, a lot of new faces, we’ve had some issues at center, some guys have been banged up, and that’s created some problems for us. It’s just hard to maintain that level of consistency. When I was thinking that back in the summer, I was thinking it would be tough with Sidney, with Percy, I knew Chester was gone and that was a dimension we lost, but you throw those guys into the mix as far as being out, it’s always tough to, I say to repeat, but we didn’t go to the Super Bowl, but repeat at that level we were at last year. The stars were in line if you will.”
So at no point have you caught yourself thinking you shouldn’t have come back?
“No, no all, I wouldn’t say second guessing, but all my thinking was prior. Once I committed to playing, then it’s been I’d like to think, I wish our record was better and I was playing more consistently at a high level, but my commitment to myself and this team has not wavered one bit from when I committed to come here.”
Was it important to you to have more input on the game plan and have a more open relationship with the team you play for?
“Yes and no, as we get older, all of us, we think we actually do know it all and tend to express that. I really know how difficult it is to call plays, to be cognizant of situational things and all that stuff. The old Monday morning quarterback, we’ve all played it. I think Darrell (Bevell) and I have communicated very well. Sure, during the course of a game or after a game there may be things I felt like we could have or should have done, but we talk about it. So, I feel like as I’ve gotten on the latter part of my career, and moreso this year than last year, there is more input. I think as you get older that’s part of your nature, you have a better idea.”
How disappointing was the crowd reaction at Lambeau last year and what do you expect on Sunday?
“I try not to think about it. I know what I left behind there and the commitment I made to that team and how I played. I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I’ll say it today, I’ll say it five years from now, 10 years from now, that an unbelievable experience for me. My career there speaks for itself. I thought it was a perfect fit for both. That fan base is as good as any in all of sports, that’s no secret to anyone. No one loves their football more than Packers fans. It was a response that obviously I was hoping not to have, but that’s the way it went. I’d like to think still deep down inside that people would think differently but in the heat of the moment that’s the way it was. It’s just such a wonderful organization, I know Vernon passed away this week, that’s what makes that organization so special is that you can go back throughout the history of that franchise and you can point to players, you can point to organizational members, fans, just a special place. I have no idea what to expect. I can’t worry about that, but it won’t change the way I feel about my career there and the organization in general.”
You used to say someday somebody else is going to be the QB here, it always seemed like an odd thing to hear, is it hard to believe that in 2010 that you’re the Vikings QB and things are the way they are with the organization?
“At this point, no. Last year it was more of a, ‘man who would have ever thought it?’ Now it’s, I mean Aaron, and I’ve said this after the game, that he’s playing outstanding. I’ve always said I was not surprised by that. As I told you guys for years, somebody someone else will be the quarterback. The circumstances, no one knew what would lead to that, but I honestly don’t think about it that way anymore.
Forgive the cynicism, but how can anyone believe this is going to be your last year?:
“That’s a good question. You know, it is. Just hold your pen, we’ll see what happens. But that’s probably why everyone’s like, ‘yeah we’ll wait and see.’ But let’s get through this game and we’ll figure out what happens the rest of the year, but that’s the way I plan on ending it.”
