Minnesota Vikings Aren't Discouraging Brett Favre Rumors, Here's Why

It's been a few weeks, so it was inevitable that Brett Favre's name would surface again in connection with the Minnesota Vikings.

Wouldn't you think franchise owner Zygi Wilf would feel sufficiently snubbed after the perpetually capricious quarterback turned down Minnesota's bended-knee proposal days before training camp began last month? Even after Favre's agent, Bus Cook, told FanHouse Monday that this renewed dalliance is news to him, doesn't it seem like it's time to, gulp, accept the Sage Rosenfels Era in Minnesota?

Logically, yes. But after spending some time in Vikings' camp in Mankato, Minn., I came away with a sense that the door will remain open for Favre, Minnesota's longtime NFC North nemesis, for multiple reasons:

Lagging Ticket Sales

It's no secret that the moldy Metrodome is not an inviting place to watch NFL games. Wilf was forced several times in 2008 to issue public pleas for fans to crowd the turnstiles to avoid local television blackouts. In the Twin Cities, there simply isn't a public groundswell to replace the 27-year-old Metrodome, which the Vikings say provides one of the lowest revenue streams in the NFL and where the lease expires after 2011 season. Wilf, who bought the franchise in 2005, has been adamant in his demand that the archaic stadium be replaced. Favre's presence, everyone believes, will spur fans of the player, not only the Vikings, to plan a Twin Cities trip to watch a legend playing in what should be his final uniform.

Let's face it: As talented as Pro Bowlers Adrian Peterson and Jared Allen are, they aren't box office slam dunks in their town. Brett Favre may be the kind of attraction that could sell Vikings season tickets to a family sitting on the fence this season.

The Vikings have 20 games left on their lease at the Metrodome, and while the franchise says it will commit $250 million of the projected $954 million needed for Wilf's planned retractable-roof facility on the current downtown Minneapolis site, Minnesota lawmakers know the cash-strapped state and its taxpayers aren't eager to foot the remaining bill.

The St. Paul Pioneer Press recently asked legislators about the chances of a stadium bill passing in 2010.

"Probably about the same as the odds of me starting at cornerback for the Vikings," responded House Minority Leader Kurt Zellers, R-Maple Grove, who added he doesn't know of a single Republican lawmaker who would vote for it.

The Ed Roski Factor

In Southern California, billionaire real estate developer Ed Roski is prepared to begin construction of a state-of-the-art $800 million, 75,000-seat stadium as part of a shopping and entertainment complex he'll plant near the 57 and 60 Freeways in the City of Industry, east of downtown Los Angeles.

He wants one or two at-risk NFL teams to commit to Southern California, and he'll begin turning the shovels. Roski has publicly identified the Vikings as one of his targets.

The feeling in the Roski camp is Wilf may lose patience with the failure to build a Metrodome replacement in Minneapolis and will sell the struggling Vikings franchise to a business consortium, which would then be thrilled to partake in some swank new digs in Los Angeles.

No Other Vikings Starting Quarterback Has Stepped Up

This Favre "wishing will make it so" mentality is exacerbated by the lack of a true No. 1 quarterback claiming the job. Tarvaris Jackson's early knee sprain has limited his reps, and Rosenfels simply hasn't taken command -- or won over coach Brad Childress.

In the Vikings' 13-3 exhibition victory at Indianapolis, Rosenfels completed 10 of 13 passes without a turnover. He led Minnesota to 10 points on two drives. Jackson was much less impressive, going 7-of-15 for 39 yards in five series working with the second and third teams.

Still, Childress refused to give Rosenfels a thumbs-up, and said the head coach will not offer a timetable that will determine a Vikings' starting quarterback.

"I know when it's set, though," said Childress, whose obvious lack of enthusiasm for his current quarterback lineup only serves to provoke the Favre Will Relent rumors.

Given these factors -- and the well-known fact a certain grizzled former Packers legend isn't fond of two-a-days in July and August -- it's no wonder the Favre speculation continues.

Like it or not, if the Vikings get off to a poor start in 2009, expect the Favre-to Minnesota movement to intensify. Because the Vikings -- who need Brett Favre a lot more than he needs them -- are doing absolutely nothing to stop it.