The seemingly never-ending saga of Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings will eventually end, right? After all, if Favre really wants to As the Vikings approach the start of camp July 31, Favre is still unsigned. Let's just assume for a second that -- despite reports of a contract being in place -- this whole thing isn't a done deal. Exactly what is taking so long?
Reports over the weekend seemed to indicate we were moving closer to this uniting of souls, yet maybe we weren't.
According to those close to him, Favre is conflicted between his strong desire to play for the Vikings and lingering concern about the potential that, even though he's had surgery, he still is not pain-free. Favre apparently would rather not play at all than return to the NFL and suffer the kind of pain and inconsistency that plagued him in the final month of last season with the New York Jets.Why is Favre jerking the Vikings around? Is there a financial benefit to playing the game? After all, if there is no "agreement in principle", there's a chance Favre could get a few more pennies out of the Vikings. Of course, Favre should have no interest or need for extra money at this point, so this doesn't make sense outside of the idea that the salary feeds the ego.
Is Favre really undecided, and looking for the Vikings to "beg" him to show up? Favre himself said in 2008 that he didn't think the Packers did enough to make him feel welcome, and that they rushed him into his retirement decision. Even some Packer fans felt that the organization should have reached out to Favre, as if anyone could be dumb enough to think the team wouldn't want a multi-time Pro Bowler and future Hall of Famer to be on the roster anymore.
Why are the Vikings allowing Favre to jerk them around? There is absolutely no competitive reason for the Vikings to allow this to be strung out. They gain no advantage from it, unless they truly believe Favre is the missing piece. Even if they did, why allow the other 52 guys on the roster to pick up the scent that Vikings' brass thinks Favre is bigger than the rest of the team?
It has the appearance of a franchise allowing a potentially washed-up quarterback to play them like a fiddle. The report that the Vikings have customized 40 percent of their playbook for Favre only makes the team look even worse. After all, what if Favre doesn't show up? Do they really want Tarvaris Jackson running the kind of plays that were put in for Favre? Conversely, do they want to be splitting Favre out as a receiver so Percy Harvin can run the Wildcat?
While this potential marriage makes a degree of sense to anyone who follows football, the drama that is leading us to that union makes little sense for the Vikings. Instead of leaving a minefield of potential distractions for the start of training camp, it's best for the Vikings that this end as soon as possible. As the Packers can attest, it's no fun to have your training camp turned into a three-ring circus.
For fans of the other three teams in the NFC North, this has to be a dream. Favre has thrown 84 interceptions in the last four years, a staggering average of 21 per season (most of any NFL starter over that span). He's coming off arm surgery, and apparently is still feeling pain. Meanwhile, a division rival thinks this guy is the person to lead them to a Super Bowl. With Chicago having upgraded at the most important position on the field (quarterback), Green Bay clearly looking like they'll improve on defense, and Detroit having nowhere to go but up, the margin for error isn't very large for Minnesota.
Yes, a healthy and effective Favre essentially slams the door on the rest of the division. But if Favre isn't significantly better than he was last year, and the Vikings can't avoid the distractions that he brings with him, this suddenly becomes one of the NFL's most competitive division races.
Letting Favre play the game with them is not a good start to avoiding those distractions.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
7-13-2009 @ 3:55PM
Paskulo said...
In their last 8 games against the Cowboys, the Detroit Lions are 5-3. In other words, the Detroit Lions OWN the Dallas Cowboys.
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7-13-2009 @ 3:06PM
Rich Friday said...
Writing articles like this is the real jerking the Vikings are getting. If Favre is not going to be competitive, the Vikings don't need him. If he his, he's worth waiting for until the start of camp. Why sign a contract with someone you don't want? The Vikings are losing absolutely nothing by Favre being cautious. On the other hand, people writing trouble-making crap like this can take a long walk off a short pier into one of the 10,000 Minnesota lakes.
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7-13-2009 @ 3:26PM
ANTON said...
Sounds like someone is POed at Favre. Could this guy be any more obvious? Look, the NFL is a business, and since free agency has engulfed the sport teams have to deal with change. As with any business a little controversy brings in more money, if Favre signs it would mean more ticket sales, more #4 jersey sales, more money into a small NFL market.
Every year teams have to wait and see who will hold out for more money before they play, it could be a 40 year old 16 year vet or a rookie that has never taken a snap like J. Russell for the Raiders. This guy feels that a "washed up" QB is trying to "play the Vikes like a fiddle" and maybe have them "beg" because it is "all about" him. Again how obvious is this guy in his hatred towards Favre? I really don't think Favre is being selfish, if he was he would have signed up and took the dough instead of waiting to see if he is 100% healthy. Sounds to me like he is thinking about the team first. I thought commentaries were supposed to be unbiased, maybe it is a slow news day, maybe this guy is a cheesehead, maybe Favre lost him a bundle betting on a game. This guy needs to go back to school, he does not know how the NFL works.
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7-13-2009 @ 3:36PM
johnvdunleavy said...
CAN WE PLEASE DROP THIS STORY-----HE IS DONE----PLEASE QUIT FOR GOOD
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7-13-2009 @ 4:08PM
John said...
Bruce, I don't know what you put in your coffee this morning, but it ain't good. Your imagination is running away with you. I read those reports this weekend, and I didn't see where Favre was jerking anyone around. So get off the favre-bashing kick.
If you want to do something, analize what will happen when (notice I didn't say if) Aaron Rodgers goes down with a season ending injury, how will the Packer react. But you don't like writing about that subject, do you? What's the matter, afraid Teddy will no longer be your pal? It is a lot easier to pick on Favre. Teddy doesn't like him so it is ok to bad mouth Brett.
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7-13-2009 @ 4:15PM
claytor said...
Lmao, Ciskie acts like theyre halfway through training camp instead of oh, it being three weeks off.
Christ dude, chill the hell out, he just had shoulder surgery, and in case you are oblivious, which by your constant Favre whining? you are, he performed horribly with said injury the last month of the season, which youd personally like to pretend he performed like the entire year instead of leading the Jets to a 9-3 record PRE INJURY.
If anything, Favre ISNT jerking them around, if hes not pain free by the start of training camp? he wont play. Yeah, a real screw job if i ever saw one...
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7-13-2009 @ 5:25PM
dscarrollinlv said...
The blog was written about 15 days to soon, Again the media trying to start something because they like to be the firsst to rport something!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! anything!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! just to make a story!
Farve will answer your story in about 15 days one way or anoter, I hope he plays one more year I think he still has something in the cannon, and his legs are not gone yet. But if he does not play thats fine too. The Vikings sure could use Brett," That alone should be an Ego boost for Farve". As if he needs one. I like your artical but its wrttin 15 days to early. In stead of making the news try reporting the news!!!!!
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7-13-2009 @ 5:31PM
bears0492 said...
What do you think about the Favre Discussion? Go to http://fantasyfootballtalk.net to discuss!
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7-13-2009 @ 6:21PM
agselman3 said...
Listen people the man is a competitor. Yes , he performed poorly at the end of last season. Was it cause his shoulder was hurting ? I don't know. The man i'm sure feels bad about last year, couse he is a competitor. Maybe his shoulder has had it, and he wants to see if its going to feel anybetter now that he had the surgery. Do you all think he wants to come back and perform badly? Idon't think so, he has to much pride. You all think about how difficult it must be to play QB with a shoulder that is not 100%.In his mind he wants to and can play, but without the body being 100% its going to be difficult. Good luck Bret in whatever you decide.
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7-13-2009 @ 7:11PM
imshortyk said...
Selman number 3 said pretty much everything I wanted to. DAMN YOU SELMAN! Lol.
But I will say: A Healthy Brett Favre, even at his age, is still top 10 as far as current quarterbacks. Dispute all you want but it's true. He might not have the greatest touchdown to interception ratio, but it's the intangibles that make him so great. His determination, his playmaking, his arm, his heart and the energy he brings to any football team. The man's Captain America of football.
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7-14-2009 @ 12:55AM
Buddy Clark said...
Why do we get writers writing about Favre that hate the guy?? Why write these stories? write about someone you care about! Leave Favre to those writers that respect Favre and think it would be great to have him in the NFL. this is a game and when he is done he will be done, you hacks never hit the top of anything so you have no idea how hard it is to give up on a life time sport. If Favre had not been hurt the Jets would have had one of their best years, and as it was with a hurt, old, hasbeen, Favre they still had a better record then, yes, GB.
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7-14-2009 @ 8:04AM
Steve said...
YAWN !!!!!!
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7-14-2009 @ 5:13PM
design said...
lets be real. this is not a Vikings story. he has been doing the same thing the last 5 years INCLUDING but not limited to the Packers. go oe get off the pot. a lot of people are losing a lot of respect for his guy.
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7-14-2009 @ 10:23AM
packerbf4tb said...
Favre won't play if shoulder not 100%...what
would be the point if he can't bring it as QB
of this team?...all I can say is stop all the
trash talking about Favre...he is a great QB
and a decent guy...you don't hear him saying
anything about anybody...he is only focusing
on his shoulder surgery outcome....in two
weeks there will be an announcement if he is
on the Vikings team....the only people that
are trying to rush it is the media and all the
so called sports reporters....if you can't say
anything good about somebody then don't say
nothing at all........as a Favre fan I do not
appreciate the nasty comments and reporting....
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