Brett Favre said he didn't care about the Saints' Bountygate in an interview with Deion Sanders.

Recent comments by Brett Favre that indicate he is in no hurry to make amends with the Green Bay Packers franchise and its fans is disconcerting, especially to former team president Bob Harlan.

Harlan wants Favre back – badly. He understands what the former Packers great has meant to the franchise and to the entire league … and he wants it all to come back, especially before Favre is inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2016.

But Favre said that he doesn’t need a special day to recognize his career. Harlan hopes his views change and he was hoping that one way to break the ice between Favre and the Packers would have been to get him back to Green Bay for the induction of former coach Mike Holmgren into the Packers Hall of Fame next week.

Favre declined the invitation to the event that will not only include Holmgren, but will bring together many from the 1990s Packers. Those numbers will include Ron Wolf and Harlan.

In a column posted yesterday by Mike Vandermause of the Green Bay Press Gazette, Harlan pulled no punches in expressing his desire to get the Packers and Favre back together. Clearly, he was disappointed with Favre’s decision not to show for Holmgren’s big night, but was still hopeful for the future.

Many Packers fans feel betrayed by Favre, and rightfully so. But like Harlan, I feel those people will have to get over it. Those days are long gone and it’s time to move on to a future that includes memories of the 16 years Favre led the Packers to winning season after winning season, two Super Bowls and one championship.

Those were the good days.

Harlan wants them … and Favre … back.

Here’s a video by USADexter that might help bridge the gap. Maybe Brett will watch it … it’s worth a look.

Don Hutson - clearly one of the best of all time

The debate of late about who is the greatest Packer player of all time brings today’s look at Packers history into better focus. For it was exactly 15 years ago, June 27, 1997, that Don Hutson, the 1930s and 40s superstar wide receiver, passed away.

Given former Packers GM Ron Wolf’s recent comments about his protege Brett Favre being the greatest Packer ever and Green Bay Press Gazette’s sports editor’s Mike Vandermause’s counter that Hutson was the best and all the others who said Bart Starr was the best, this date’s historical significance takes center stage.

Hutson dominated his era and there are those who said he could have played and starred in any era. He brought the forward pass into prominence and was the franchise’s figurehead for many, many years.

His most famous quote: “For every pass I caught in a game, I caught a thousand in practice.”

Hutson played 11 years for the Packers, with his best being between 1941 and 1943. He caught 488 passes for 7,991 yards and had 99 career touchdowns during a time when the forward pass was just coming into its own in the league. Consider if he had played in today’s pass-happy league.

His best year overall, 1942, at the height of World War II, Hutson caught 74 balls for 1,211 yards – a 16.4 yard average. Ironically, Hutson’s career per-catch average was also 16.4 yards. His best year in average was 1939 when he caught 34 balls for 846 yards – a phenomenal 24.9 yard average.

But what makes Hutson stand out was the fact that he also was one of those players in an era when he was required to play both ways and also spent time returning kicks – and to top that, later in his career he also spent time as a placekicker for the Packers. He probably also helped clean up the locker room and carried the supplies and water out to the field.

Between 1940-45, Hutson intercepted 30 passes, returned them 389 yards and even had one interception return for a touchdown. His best year on the defensive side of the ball was in 1943 when he picked eight balls and returned them for 197 yards – that was also the year he had the pick-six.

There are few alive today who remember seeing Hutson play, but by looking at his statistics it’s clear he was something special.

See his career receiving statistics and all others here …

The Green Bay Packers’ Hall of Fame posted the notice about his death this morning on its website. You can see it below or go directly to their website to view the page and many other of their special postings.

And while you’re at it, don’t forget to go to lombardiave.com’s Facebook page and follow us on Twitter.

Packers Legend Don Hutson Passes

June 27, 1997 – The flags at the Green Bay Packers offices fly at half mast in honor of Don Hutson who died a day earlier in Rancho Mirage, California. The funeral service for Hutson, 84, will be for family only. “There are no plans (for a memorial service in Green Bay) at this point, but that’s not to say it won’t happen,” says Jeff Blumb assistant director of public relations for the Packers. Hutson, considered one of the greatest receivers in NFL history, caught 488 passes in 11 seasons with Green Bay from 1935 through 1945.

There are those who are brutally honest about the happenings in the game. Some are witty and some just plain deadpan.

I thought it might be fun to give just a taste of what was posted last night during the Vikings vs. Packers game.

Enjoy.

Rob Demovsky (@RobDemovsky)
11/14/11 6:00 PM
The scene from Lambeau Field before tonight’s #Packers-#Vikings game. pic.twitter.com/LIcqUYmA
Green Bay Packers (@packers)
11/14/11 7:46 PM
Cobb first rookie in GB history to have a 100-yard KR, 80-yard PR in same season.

Green Bay Packers (@packers)
11/14/11 8:01 PM
Packers up 14-0, 5:02 remain in 1Q. Drive: 11 plays, 70 yards, 4:53 time of possession. 24-yard TD pass to Jennings

See more after the jump …

(more…)

1. Aaron Rodgers: No position carries more weight than the starting quarterback. As Rodgers goes, so go the Packers.

2. Aaron Kampman: Two-time Pro Bowl player keeps getting better and makes opposing offenses account for him.

3. Greg Jennings: He is poised to have a breakout year in his third NFL season and will serve as a catalyst for the offense. He has a knack for finding the end zone.

51. Jermichael Finley: He likely will be a regular member of the game-day inactive list.

52. Jeremy Thompson: The rookie needs more seasoning before he can make an impact.

53. Breno Giacomini: He’s a work in progress but could be an offensive starting tackle of the future.

I can’t say I found anything to totally disagree with on his list.