Yahoo sports and others are reporting that Favre has decided to stay retired. Perhaps this latest thing was totally a media construct, but he didn’t have to agree to (or seek out?) the meeting with the Vikings. It’s almost as though he did it just to get back at TT. Lame.
I’m very much ready to put this behind me – so long as Favre doesn’t waffle on all of this in a few months (which is entirely possible). Favre on the Vikings would have really ticked me off – still not pleased with how he’s gone about all of this, but at least for now, it appears he won’t be playing for the hated Vikings.
Though I think it was important to pay attention to this whole situation because it may have had a direct effect on the Packers this year and because like it or not, Brett Favre is a major part of Packer history, I am very much ready to move on and focus on this year’s team and other stories in the NFL. Should be a fun year. I’m not sure if it’s because it’s spring and I can finally golf and release stress appropriately, but I’m feeling pretty good heading into this season. Go Pack!
packergeeks 
May 8, 2009 at 2:14 pm |
I think it is great that Vikings fans had to deal with Favre in this manner the last few weeks. They got the worst of Favre without getting even one decently thrown slant pass. The Viking’s fans I know are solidly back into the ‘doomed franchise’ state of mind. The only posistive for the Vikings to come out of this is that it distracted the media from the story about their number one draft pick missing mini-camp because of he was hospitalized for “dehydration”. I guess no one told him not to drink the bong water.
May 8, 2009 at 4:34 pm |
This from MSNBC this afternoon:
X-rays of Brett Favre’s throwing shoulder have been sent to the Minnesota Vikings, who will consider signing the retired quarterback if he doesn need major surgery, ESPN reported Friday.
Favre has a torn tendon in his shoulder and it is unknown how major of an operation he needs.
For Vikings coach Brad Childress, Thursday was just another day at the office. And Favre was not wearing purple.
The Vikings’ dalliance with the supposedly retired quarterback didn’t reach the stage of face-to-face, close-the-deal talks Thursday — and maybe they never will.
Yahoo! Sports reported that Favre called Childress sometime Wednesday or early Thursday and told the coach he wants to stay retired. Favre’s longtime agent, Bus Cook, reiterated for the second straight day that his famously fickle client hadn’t changed his plan to stay out of the game.
ESPN and USA Today said Cook told reporters in Mississippi, where Favre lives, that the former MVP was still retired — though the agent added that Favre could always change his mind in the future.
One certainty was Childress spent office hours at work in Minnesota.
After reports the coach was to travel south for discussions with Favre, Twin Cities television station KMSP broadcast video of his early-morning arrival at Winter Park.
The coach’s black sports utility vehicle was still parked at the team’s facility in suburban Minneapolis into the evening, and through a team spokesman he declined comment to a handful of media across the street.
Yahoo cited an unidentified source close to the team in reporting that the Vikings won’t sign the 39-year-old quarterback, who owns many of the NFL’s major passing records.
If that holds true, and Favre doesn’t come back to fill the only glaring hole on an otherwise Super Bowl-ready roster, can the Vikings win under the original plan of having Tarvaris Jackson and Sage Rosenfels compete for the quarterback job?
No problem, said All-Pro defensive end Jared Allen.
“Our plan never revolved around him,” Allen told The Associated Press by phone. “He’s obviously a heck of a player. If he wants to stay retired, more power to him. Our offseason goals were never about whether or not we would acquire Brett Favre. Our goals are still the same: to win the division, make the playoffs and see how far we can go. I think our team has all the confidence in the world we can do that.”
Allen, one of the leaders in the Vikings locker room, expressed confidence in the current quarterbacks to do what’s necessary to win.
“You have to understand that we try to stay focused on the goal at hand, and that’s not going to change,” he said.
Favre’s uncertainty about whether to quit pro football after 18 seasons or keep playing has created the kind of drama usually reserved for one of his performances with the Vikings’ chief rival, Green Bay.
When Favre reconsidered his first retirement last summer and the Packers wouldn’t let him return, he wanted to be traded to Minnesota. After going to the New York Jets instead, he wore down at the end of last season and said in February he was done for good.
“It’s time to leave,” he told reporters then.
Several Jets teammates complained afterward about Favre’s standoffishness. But after an informal practice Thursday, players took a higher ground when asked the now-annual question about his status.
“This guy’s been the face of the NFL for a long time,” running back Leon Washington said. “If he can still throw that ball and still sling it, he still has the right to do it, in my opinion.”
May 8, 2009 at 5:01 pm |
I hope it’s true that he stays retired, (and I might have referenced this on packergeeks last year during the Favre saga, but what the h*ll, it always makes *me* laugh) but I keep thinking of the line from the Bill Murray/Richard Dreyfuss movie “What About Bob”: “You think he’s gone? He’s not gone! He’s never gone!”
May 8, 2009 at 6:08 pm |
Here’s hoping he needs major surgery.
May 8, 2009 at 7:05 pm |
Okay, so I thought about this and wouldn’t Favre and Cook already know if he needed major surgery or not? Supposedly the Jets’ doctors looked at his X-rays and examined him. So why would the Vikings need to look at the X-rays to tell if he needed major surgery? Shouldn’t someone already have figured that out?
May 8, 2009 at 7:08 pm |
Not all is sitting well with the Jets. This from SIonline:
The Jets’ old quarterback, Brett Favre, is making headlines with speculation about another comeback, which chafes some of his former teammates. To a man, the Jets said they weren’t surprised by the latest on Favre, and many wished him well, but there were traces of bitterness. After all, he quit after only one season with the Jets, claiming he was finished with football. Now there’s talk of him playing for the Vikings. The media-friendly Kerry Rhodes refused to discuss Favre, saying, “I don’t want to get into it.” Jerricho Cotchery said, “Before he came to us, the whole thing was he wanted to go to Minnesota. You kind of feel bad if you were the team he settled for.” Another player, who requested anonymity, launched this salvo at the future Hall of Famer: “I’m tired of being part of his soap opera. If he really wanted to win a championship, he’d be right here. Let’s call it for what it is: He wants to play for Minnesota so he can stick it to Green Bay twice a year. He’s just being selfish. I’m not surprised.”
May 8, 2009 at 7:38 pm |
And now our Hero uses the old “Xray ploy”. Sign with the damn Queens and get it over with. I want the GB Minn game at Lambeau this year. It would be a wonderful place to see him end his career. The guy is a complete A$$ Hole.
May 8, 2009 at 8:20 pm |
As a life long Bears fan, I’m am loving all the hand wringing by the Packer fans thinking that their beloved Brett would dare think to play for the Vikings. Again, as a Bears fan, it is in my best interest for Favre not to play for the Vikings but I don’t care. I would rather the Packer fans have to deal with number 4 as a Viking all season. There will definately be two times next year that I will be rooting hard for a favre led Vikings team.
May 8, 2009 at 11:49 pm |
Bearfan,
As a Packers fan I am very happy to hear that you now have Jay Cutler as your quarterback. After all he is represented by the same agent as Favre; and Cuter will never be the quarterback Favre was. I cant wait to hear you guys all moaning when Jay keeps talking about coming back year after year and you guys don’t want him to come back.
Your team just mortgaged their whole future on a guy that was overhyped in Denver. You may notice that Denver didn’t exactly try real hard to keep Cutler. He’s never been been well respected by his teammates. As soon as your defense starts tanking this year the entire team will implode and Cutler will start his childish temper tantrums again.
May 9, 2009 at 10:18 am |
Ron, I’m in total agreement. If this is what he really wants, bring it on–
May 9, 2009 at 2:56 pm |
Bear fans talking smack….I thought it would happen sooner on here after the Cutler signing. They will definately get better QB play this year. He probably makes that lousy group of receivers a tad better also. But, I agree with the Blatz Beer guy that Cutler had a real respect issue in Denver. That guy never took responsibility for any problems in Denver and was way too quick to throw coaches and other players under the bus. If the Bears do well it probably won’t be an issue but if they stumble Cutler is going to be an issue with that type attitude. Throw in a fan base and a local media that is especially hard on QB’s and it might be a fun train wreck to watch especially if they open 0-2 which is a real possiblity with an away game against the Packers and home against the Steelers to start it out.
May 10, 2009 at 9:52 am |
I don’t understand. I didn’t mention anything about Cutler but obviously I hit a nerve. Your only response is to try to say that we will have the same problem with Cutler that you are now having with Favre. Just admit it, you hate the thought of Favre playing for the Vikings because your now going to have to tear down that shrine you built for him in your basement.
May 10, 2009 at 1:00 pm |
Bearfan–Of course we hate the thought of Favre playing for the Vikings. I imagine there probably will be a lot of Favre shrines torn apart–just like all the McMahon shrines that went in the dump when he signed up as a Packer. It’s really going to be sad if we have to watch Brett dust himself off (if he can) after The Packer D puts him on his ass.
May 10, 2009 at 3:25 pm |
It’s ok Bearfan, none of us expect you to understand anything. That’s why I always my “Bears Still Suck T-Shirt” to the Bears/Pack game in Chicago (I know I dont have to worry about getting beat-up by a bunch of Bears fans because none of them can read).
May 11, 2009 at 2:32 pm |
I sure wish that fat lady would sing:
http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/30685624/
May 11, 2009 at 3:51 pm |
Common Blatz Beer, your still dancing around the real issue. Just admit it, you and everyone else in Packerville have had a man crush on Favre for years and are now acting like the jilted lover. He wants to cheat on you with the Vikings and you can’t stand it.
May 11, 2009 at 7:18 pm |
Bearfan: There are kids graduating from high school in Wisconsin who have never known another quarterback under center for the Packers. It isn’t a man crush, but Brett had been our team’s leader for so long. His personal life played out to the fans as much as his play on the field. I admit that Favre takes up a significant portion of my Packer shrine. But hell, he’s been there so long, how could he not? But then your team went through like 21 quarterbacks and settled for some pretty lame talent so it’s not something I expect you to understand.
May 14, 2009 at 8:33 am |
Bearfan3454 Says:
May 11, 2009 at 3:51 pm | Reply
Common Blatz Beer, your still dancing around the real issue. Just admit it, you and everyone else in Packerville have had a man crush on Favre for years and are now acting like the jilted lover. He wants to cheat on you with the Vikings and you can’t stand it.
Hah. Coming from a Bear’s fan who still spanks it to the “Superbowl Shuffle” Video.
May 15, 2009 at 9:31 am |
Thats funny coming from a cheesehead whos only form of fun up in that deerstand is to quietly rub one out to the thought of a bare chested Favre lounging on a bear skin rug. I’m not sure which one is getting him off more Brett or the rug.
May 15, 2009 at 11:07 am |
That wasn’t crude or anything.
May 17, 2009 at 4:26 pm |
Hey, if Kozak wants to drag the conversation into the gutter I’m more than happy to respond.