Mike Lucas on Brett Favre: We all should have seen it coming

Mike Lucas  —  7/04/2008 3:32 pm

Checkmate, Teddy.

Game, set, match, Favre.

Did you see it coming?

"Never isn't forever,'' said Vince Lombardi upon stepping down as coach of the Green Bay Packers on Feb. 1, 1968. "But I have no intention -- certainly not at this time -- of coaching again."

Addressing any potential change of heart, Lombardi added, "I think I'll always be loyal to Green Bay. But I don't have to be here to be loyal."

One year and five days after announcing his retirement as a coach in the National Football League, Vince Lombardi was formally introduced as the head coach of the Washington Redskins.

On Feb. 6, 1969, the Redskins also confirmed that Lombardi would take on the titles of executive vice president and general manager, along with becoming a part-owner; the key piece of the puzzle for Lombardi.

It could have gotten messy. At the time of Lombardi's retirement, his contract with the Packers ran through Jan. 31, 1974. In addition, there was a clause prohibiting him from coaching another team during the life of the agreement.

Lombardi's request to be released from his contract triggered some soul-searching in Green Bay among the members of the Executive Committee and Board of Directors.

Emerging from an emergency meeting, Packers President Dominic Olejniczak said, "With regret the resolution was unanimously adopted.

"To a man, the entire board felt like the executive committee had felt -- that there wasn't anything we would not have done to keep Vince Lombardi (in Green Bay)."

Reluctantly, then, the Packers agreed to grant Lombardi his wish -- setting him free contractually so that he could join the Redskins -- thereby avoiding a confrontation with the icon and living legend.

What prompted the 55-year-old Lombardi's return? "I made a great mistake giving up coaching," he confessed.

Pressed on his commitment to the Redskins, Lombardi emphasized, "I have never been associated with a loser, and I don't intend to start now."

But after all those years with the Packers, how difficult was it going to be for Lombardi to switch his allegiance? " I have found the challenge is not in maintaining a position,'' he said, "but in attaining it."

To make sure that everyone was clear on his intentions, Lombardi later reiterated, "The challenge is not in maintaining, but in creating."

Checkmate, Teddy.

Game, set, match, Favre.

Did you see it coming?

"I'll miss the fans, I'll miss going into Candlestick and playing before the 49er faithful," said Joe Montana after being traded to the Kansas City Chiefs. "I've had some great memories that will be impossible to replace."

Montana didn't express any bitterness in leaving the San Francisco 49ers. But after losing his starting job to Steve Young, he had no interest in being Young's backup or the 49ers' "designated" starter, a ploy to keep Montana happy.

Despite being sidelined for two seasons with an elbow injury, Montana was convinced that he could still be a productive starter in the NFL. The 49ers felt otherwise. They felt their future was with Young.

What kind of compensation do you get for a Hall of Fame quarterback? That was a point of contention during the negotiations between San Francisco's Carmen Policy and Kansas City's Carl Peterson.

In the end, the 49ers got a first-round pick in the 1993 draft (Dana Stubblefield) in exchange for Montana, safety David Whitmore and a third-round pick in the 1994 draft.

That was the market price for a 37-year-old quarterback with four Super Bowl rings. "I never doubted that we could get this thing done at any time," Peterson said.

Checkmate, Teddy.

Game, set, match, Favre.

Did you see it coming?

Did you see Brett Favre reversing his field and expressing an urge to play again?

Some did, despite Favre's teary-eyed farewell performance last March.

"He's a creature of habit," former Packer coach Mike Sherman told the Associated Press on the heels of Favre's retirement. "I think he'll definitely have second thoughts -- knowing him."

That was the kicker.

Knowing him.

Knowing Favre.

"We don't know anything about it," Green Bay general manager Ted Thompson said, "and it's inconceivable."

That was Thompson's response to the AP when he was asked in early April about reports that Favre's agent, Bus Cook, was shopping his client to some other NFL teams.

A few days later, Favre reflected on his decision to retire with the Biloxi (Miss.) Sun Herald newspaper.

"As I was flying up to the press conference," he told sportswriter/confidant Al Jones, "I thought, 'Do I really want to do this?' I don't know if I was every completely convinced one way or the other."

Checkmate, Teddy.

Favre still wants to play. But the Packers have moved on and put their future in the hands of Aaron Rodgers, who was drafted by Thompson; a major consideration in sorting through multiple agendas.

Game, set, match, Favre.

It's inconceivable -- to use Thompson's own word -- that the Packers would call an audible and change the play on the line of scrimmage by taking the ball away from Rodgers and giving it back to Favre.

So ...

Do you think Philadelphia Eagles coach Andy Reid, a Favre crony, isn't wondering how Favre might look in his offense? Especially since Donovan McNabb has been battling some off-season tendinitis in his throwing shoulder.

Do you think Carolina Panthers coach John Fox, another Favre crony, isn't wondering how Favre might look in his offense? Especially since Jake Delhomme is coming off Tommy John elbow surgery.

Do you think Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh isn't wondering how Favre might look in his offense? Especially since his options are Troy Smith, Kyle Boller and a rookie, Joe Flacco.

Do you think New York Jets coach Eric Mangini isn't wondering how Favre might look in his offense? Especially since his options are the injury-prone Chad Pennington and Kellen Clemens.

Do you think Kansas City Chiefs coach Herman Edwards isn't wondering how Favre might look in his offense? Especially since his options are Brodie Coyle, Damon Huard and Tyler Thigpen.

Wouldn't it be fitting, too, if Carl Peterson, who swung the Montana deal, was now in position to swing a Favre deal.

Wouldn't it be even more fitting, if wacky Dan Snyder, the owner of the Washington Redskins, ignored the promise of his returning quarterback Jason Campbell and made a strong pitch for Favre.

Checkmate, Teddy.

Game, set, match, Favre.

Did you see it coming?

We all should have.

Never isn't 4-ever.

Mike Lucas  —  7/04/2008 3:32 pm