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By ROY CUMMINGS
The Tampa Tribune
LAKE BUENA VISTA _ As it turns out, Bucs general manager Bruce Allen knew all along that the Packers intention was to trade Brett Favre to an AFC team.
For some reason, though, Allen and the Bucs made a play for Favre anyway.
It wasn’t much of one, Allen said Thursday at Bucs training camp. Certainly it wasn’t as great a play as the media made it out to be.
In fact, their play was so inconsequential that Bucs players and staffers literally laughed at the Favre speculation over dinner.
That’s according to Allen, who addressed the media on the matter for the first time since Favre became a Jet late Wednesday.
Here, then, is that press conference.
Allen: No shock that the Green Bay Packers wanted a player to play in the AFC. That’s all I’ve got.
Q: How extensive were the talks with the Green Bay Packers?
Allen: I wouldn’t classify ‘em as extensive at all. They had talked to just about every team in the league. By reading your stuff and the people covering it closely it was clear they didn’t want to send him from the beginning to a team in the NFC.
There was no negotiation. There was never any substantive talk about what they would take to trade him. All of that was speculation. From the beginning it was clear that it was a bad situation in Green Bay and they had to deal with it in anyway they could.
Q: So you had no negotiations whatsoever about getting Brett Favre?
Allen: No. It never got that far.
Q: How far did it get?
Allen: They were looking for a place to send Brett, and they found it with the Jets.
Q: How interested in acquiring Brett Favre were you?
Allen: It really never got to that. We always look at any type of scenario we can find that can help the Buccaneers. That is our No.1 priority - helping this team. Whether it’s a double trade, a triple trade or in any form that can help the Bucs. We will always listen.
Q: So why let the speculation go on this long if you had no interest in Favre?
Allen: I can’t control speculation. There is rumor on top of rumor. Somebody said the wrong thing, I have no control over that. I think I had two conversations with Ted Thompson over the last two months and so, we had a very good understanding of what took place.
Q: How much interest did Brett Favre have in coming to Tampa Bay?
Allen: There are quite a few players in the league that have an interest to come to Tampa Bay. Without getting into the tampering rules of the league, I think that’s a credit to what we’re doing. This system would fit a lot of players.
Q: Again, How much interest did Brett have in playing for the Bucs?
Allen: I’ll let him talk about his situation. I think there were about 18 teams that had permission to talk to him. The fact that he did want to play here, we considered that.
Q: How did you try to sell him on the Buccaneers?
Allen: Really, it never got to any of that. He wasn’t a free agent. We never really believed they were going to release him. They were clear from the beginning that that wasn’t their intention. It wasn’t that type of process.
Q: Bruce, are you saying you made no trade offer to the Packers for Brett Favre?
Allen: Green Bay never told us what they were interested in trading him for.
Q: Did you tell them what you were interested in giving? Did you make an offer to them?
Allen: No.
Q: How did Jeff Garcia handle this?
Allen: In our league, you have to deal with whether you’re going to draft somebody in the first round, and if it’s a running back, how is that going to affect the players on the team. They are all professionals. They understand the business. If you look at every quote from the coaching staff through the organization it’s all been quite positive on Jeff ever since we acquired him.
It’s really a situation where, this is a very popular player in our country. It’s a very difficult situation that Green Bay might be over now. Hopefully everybody can move forward. What we’ve been concentrating on is our team and getting our team ready.
Q: Why did you never do anything to eliminate or minimize the speculation?
Allen: I think you’ve all talked to our players in the last few weeks and if you see their quotes you can see everybody was positive about Jeff. They said we have no control over it and I think if you went to our dining room you’d see a lot of people laughing about the speculation. It won’t affect him [Garcia].
Q: Why didn’t you just say Jeff is our QB and end it?
Allen: I think if you look at the quotes over the last year or two years, In fact, when Coach Gruden named him the starter at that Chamber of Commerce meeting a year ago, it was why are you going to name him the starter. Coach Gruden and Jeff’s relationship goes back a ways. We’re going to compete on the football field. There are 80 guys competing to make the football team. The American way is competition. I don’t think any outside forces are going to affect our football team.
Q: If Garcia was your quarterback, why did you continue talking to Green Bay?
Allen: I’m not going to get into specifics. I think it was a difficult situation to begin with.
Q: If you knew from the beginning Green Bay wasn’t going to trade Brett to an NFC team, why did you ask permission to talk to him and ask Jon Gruden to talk with him?
Allen: First of all, I said earlier, I think it was 18 teams were interested in Brett Favre. When this all started, we had never talked to him. I can’t control the speculation. We can’t control rumors and in this situation there were rumors coming out of six different markets.
Q: But Brett Favre and [his agent] Bus Cook said the Buccaneers were specifically part of the deal. Were they lying?
Allen: The fact that a player wants to play for us, once again, I think is a compliment to this organization. I’ve not ever turned my back on people who want to come to the Buccaneers.
Q: Do you expect Jeff Garcia to believe what you’re saying, that you had no interested in Brett Favre and that he was never going to be part of the team?
Allen: We said we never believed they were going to trade him to the Buccaneers.
Q: So you did have interest in acquiring him?
Allen: No. We have interest in anything that can help this football team.
Q: If you never believed they were going to trade him, why even talk to Green Bay? Eighteen teams did not talk to Brett Favre.
Allen: Are you sure?
Q: Yes. So Why talk to Brett Favre if you had no inkling whatsoever that the Packers were going to him to nothing other than an AFC team?
Allen: We’re going to listen and see if there is a way it can benefit the Buccaneers. We’re going to keep our ears open.
Q: Were you sitting on the sidelines waiting to see if something fell apart with Jets?
Allen: There are so many things you can try to interrupt.
Q: How do you get Jeff’ mind right to lead this team?
Allen: Jeff is a great competitor. His No.1 attribute is his competitive spirit. Right now, we want to get Jeff healthy, get him back on the practice field. Nothing will change the competitive nature of Jeff Garcia.
Q: Do you have any interest in Chad Pennington?
Allen: Now, that’s the question I was waiting for.
Posted by cd, usf alumni in marinelli city on 08/09 at 11:23 AM
BUCS are solid team except in WR depth.
GARCIA made clutch play after play last year...or is our memory too short to remember the year before....the only variable is HEALTH...can this guy play at the same level for all 16 games and the playoffs? I still think McCown will start down the road. He has all the tools...better arm and scrambling ability...but it is Garcia’s situational awareness of the game that wins it for the BUCS...that compensates for the no-so-Favre physical qualities...as Shawn said… a tough dedicated warrior every game.
Posted by Shawn Golan, Los Angeles, CA on 08/08 at 09:15 AM
I’ll echo some of the sentiment here - Garcia is our guy, and we should be happy about that. He played like a warrior last season, and will do the same again. Sure, there are some knock on him - durability and arm-strength chief among them. But, in the end, his ferocity and fearlessness on the field is what stands out about the rest. He might not be the flashiest, or the most productive, but he’ll give you everything he has. To me, that’s almost as important as the numbers.
We’re a better team than last season, and that was good enough to win the division by week 14. This year could be even better - and Garcia will take us to wherever that is.
Posted by Michael McKeehen, Tampabay on 08/08 at 01:06 AM
The Scene: New York The Player an Old YA Tittle Champion par excellence,the Picture,YA BEATEN into SUBMISSION kneeling on New York tundra beaten so badly he’d never play another football game after that(on the cover of life magazine. Move forward 48 years.We all grow old Brett,It happens unavoidable as what is about to happen to hall of famer Brett Farve.
Posted by Check Six, St Pete on 08/08 at 12:19 AM
Sure are a bunch of know-it-alls posting on here. There’s a reason Gruden is an NFL coach and Allen is the GM, and we aren’t. Dont act like you all have some divine knowledge that they didnt. Not everything is a conspiracy, people. Get over it.
First preseason game is coming up, and the Bucs should, and have been, focusing on FOOTBALL. Thats all that matters. Garcia is our qb, and that’s great to me! He played his rear off in 2007 and there’s no reason to think he wont be better in 2008.
GO BUCS!
Posted by Shaun Nicholas, Cherry Hill, New Jersey on 08/07 at 11:38 PM
Here’s my Q & A for Bruce (Byrlcream slick) Allen. “Yo Brucey baby, how did you get this job, and keep it”?
A: By being Gruden’s buddy, and knowing that even telling white lies to the press, won’t cause me to lose my job, as long as Grudog (stop patting your back on the 5 year old Super Bowl win) is the coach.
My prediction: a medicore 8-8 season, good for a lousy 2nd place finish!!!!
Shaun in NJ
Posted by John, Tampa on 08/07 at 10:45 PM
Technically, Bruce Allen didn’t lie if Jon Gruden was the one who spoke with Favre. The questions from the media were directed at Allen (”...did you"). Slick.
Posted by Fugilebrity, Tampa on 08/07 at 09:16 PM
The Bruce Allen Propaganda Parade is in full swing on this one. In his Jets news conference, Favre specifically says that Gruden sold him hard. This contradicts everything Allen said of implied in the dialogue in this article.
Bruce Allen: stop insulting the intelligence of Bucs fans everywhere. Nobody is dumb enough to keep giving your comments credibility.
Posted by fernando, home on 08/07 at 09:00 PM
Bruce Allen did the right thing. Brett didn’t wnat to come here. You have to respect the fact that this is the last year of his contract and after that what? I see Favre playing 1 yr for the jets and coming back to the NFC if he still has it. It was never Favre’s decision to DETERMINE his destination, it was the packers. GO BUCS!!!!!!!!
Posted by SANDY FERNANDEZ, RIVERVIEW,FL on 08/07 at 08:41 PM
We did not need Brett,what we need is to get behind Garcia and the boys!!!
Whew!!What a distraction!!!are you kiddin me!!!I hope Gruden and Allen learn from this,I believe they have a responsibility to take whomever they want,especially to make the team better,that is they’re Job and they are right,however they did not seem upfront with they’re present team and players and especially the Fans!it is a buisness and everyone including players know that,but for god’s sake,this buisness(except for TV Revenue)is supported by Fans!!This was not just a distraction for Buccaneers but for the NFL as a whole--GO BUCS!!GO JEFF!!REPEAT!!
Posted by dex fields, neptune,n.j. on 08/07 at 08:15 PM
I’m very happy that the circus didn’t come town but when will some of you fans ask the question why alot of players don’t want to come to Tampa?
Posted by David, 53406 on 08/07 at 07:57 PM
forget it....lets get John Lynch BACK
Posted by Mike Bowman, Tampa, FL on 08/07 at 07:53 PM
The Jets just released Chad Pennington - lets go after him.
LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL
Posted by Gary Edwards, Clearwater, FL on 08/07 at 06:30 PM
I was excited about the possibilty of Favre as our field general. Now that I’ve had a day to reflect on what has transpired there are not many situations where a legend moved on and delivered for his new team. Physically, Jeff Garcia is 12 months ahead of Favre. He is in great shape and ready to lead. We have probably the deepest team we’ve had in years and I don’t think Favre would have been the catalyst to take us deeper into the playoffs. It would have been exciting though!!
Posted by John Werner, riverview on 08/07 at 06:22 PM
Listening to the Favre interview on ESPN, he indicated he talked to John Gruden, and Gruden made a strong pitch. Of course, who wants to play for Gruden? Favre obviously doesn’t. He is there with Plummer, and the rest of the players that have feuded with Gruden. Gruden is a blow hard that needs to be blown out of town.
Posted by Ricky, Eatontown NJ on 08/07 at 05:11 PM
It would have been nice to have Favre, but I am not crying. Except for last year Brett has NOT been the Favre of legend the last few years. Garcia has done a great job, his fragility scares me, but not his heart and ability. I’ll tell you this if he fails to win big, and win fast the New York media and fans will skin his ##### alive,good luck Brett, you’ll need it. Lets Go Jeff, Lets Go Buccaneers!
SUPERBOWL in our own Stadium, boy what a great dream!!
Posted by Matthew Cox, Sarasota, FL on 08/07 at 04:56 PM
"Why didn’t you just say Jeff is our QB and end it?”
Yeah, because the media-drive hype would just die off if someone answered one simple question? Whatever…
Posted by tommy, Tampa on 08/07 at 04:50 PM
YEah, but in my keeper league, should I hold on to Larry Johnson or Jamal Lewis?
Posted by John Bosco, Seminole on 08/07 at 04:29 PM
Wow! A lot of hatred over this Farve thing. First of all, it’s a general manager’s job to get the best players available for its team. I don’t particularly like Bruce Allen, but he did the right thing going after Farve. Why did we not get him? I think Allen and the Bucs realized that it wasn’t in Farve’s heart to play in Tampa Bay, or the price would have been met. The Jets, on the other hand, face a different delimma… filling the seats. Also, the Jets, more than likely, will release Chad Pennington. Pennington is a Gruden type of quarterback, similar to Rich Gannon. I think the Bucs will bring him in after his release and add more fuel to the fire. The next few weeks should be interesting.
Posted by BigBucFan, Sarasota on 08/07 at 04:22 PM
The only thing better than a Monday Morning Quarterback ia a Monday Morning G.M. So many of you think like pawns & have “0” business sense. We sure don’t have the Smartest fans in the league.
Posted by kyle f, kansas on 08/07 at 04:04 PM
hopefully garcia comes out playing with a chip on his shoulder and something to prove. Go Bucs
Posted by Matt, Brandon, FL on 08/07 at 04:01 PM
Fire Gruden
Fire Allen
Make Monte Kiffen Interem Head Coach
Trade Galloway Garcia and Caddy while they still have value. Hire new head coach and GM for next year. Use the draft picks to rebuild a new system.
Gruden hasn’t won a playoff game in five years. Allen hasn’t fielded a team since he has been here that has won a playoff game. Time for them to go.
Just my two pennies…
Posted by bob goodwin, auburndale, fl 33823 on 08/07 at 03:41 PM
i do not believe allen, i think they made an offer and was upped by the jets. if you can get a proven winner, albeit for 1 maybe 2 seasons for a 1st round draft pick, easpecially since cba is going bye-bye and not knowing if it is coming backAND THE SUPER BOWL IS GOING TO BE IN HMMMMMMMMMM TAMPA.
PEOPLE WAKE UP AND SMELL THE STARBUCKS.
I WOULD HAVE PULLED OFF THT TRADE, SENT SIMMS TO THE COWBOYS FPR GLENN, GRIESE OR MCCOWN TO THE JETS AND WHATEVER ELSE TO GET ER DONE.......
Posted by Chris, Seattle on 08/07 at 03:39 PM
Charles, the quote was “When one reporter joked that he was walking the Green Mile, he responded by saying, “yeah, dead man walking.” He was merely playing off of what the reporter said.
What I want to know is why wasn’t there a follow up question to “Q: Do you have any interest in Chad Pennington?
Allen: Now, that’s the question I was waiting for. “
Are the Bucs interested in Pennington? Were they more interested in getting into a 3 team deal that would have brought Chad to Tampa, then they were in bringing Favre to town?
Posted by Curt Gilmer, Tampa on 08/07 at 03:37 PM
I love all the comments. Only a hand full of people know for sure what went down. Either way I would not want to play high stakes poker with Allen. Most INTELLIGENT people in the league, owners/players/agents/media know Allen will not comment on any rumor true or false. Don’t think for a second they do not use this to their advantage. Nor Allen to his. 
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Posted by cd, usf alumni in marinelli city on 08/09 at 11:29 AM
Peddington...how’s that an upgrade????Allen is obviously joking to divert the conversation. I don’t know why he still on the damage control bs. Gruden is good friend of Favre having been a Packers WRs coach during the Holmgren days. Did Gruden want to coach Favre...you bet.. but it was the Packers decision and not Favre’s...let it go Tampa...like Don Henley said ...get over it...GO BUCS!!!