The Brett Favre Saga Part 2

71T Targa · 08-18-2009, 10:12 AM

Last year it was the Jets, now the Vikings.

This should be interesting:
http://wcco.com/vikings/brett.favre.minnesota.2.1133319.html

Quarterback Brett Favre arrived at Winter Park in Eden Prairie, Minn. just after noon on Tuesday, in preparation for a meeting with the Minnesota Vikings.

Favre landed at a small St. Paul airport about a half-hour earlier, getting off a Vikings team plane and getting into a SUV after shaking hands with the ground crew.

Coach Brad Childress confirmed the planned meeting in an e-mail to The Associated Press. Asked if the plan was to sign Favre, Childress replied: "In a perfect world."

A high-level source with the Vikings told WCCO-TV's Mark Rosen that the 39-year-old is expected to sign with the team Tuesday.

WCCO-TV spoke with an official at the Hattiesburg, Miss., airport, who saw an airplane with the Vikings logo leave the airport Tuesday morning. The flight number for that plane was blocked from tracking systems.

Speculation that Favre would be joining the Vikings roster abruptly ended in late July when head Childress said the quarterback would remain in retirement.

On July 28, Childress said that he received a phone call from Favre and announced the quarterback would remain retired, though now it appears that declaration was perhaps a bit premature.

Favre spent 16 years with the Green Bay Packers before playing for a year with the New York Jets. His first team was the Atlanta Falcons, where he played two games his first year. In 18 seasons, he has 464 touchdowns, more than 65,000 passing yards and a quarterback rating of 85.4. He's also thrown 310 interceptions in his career.

Favre originally retired from the Green Bay Packers on March 4, 2008.

That same July, he sought release from his contract so that he could play for another team and the Packers accused the Vikings of tampering by talking to Favre. Though they did talk, the Vikings were ultimately cleared of the tampering charge.

Favre then reported to Packers training camp, but was traded to the New York Jets in August.

Favre was released by the New York Jets earlier in May, clearing the way for him to sign with any team willing to take him. Talks between Favre and the Vikings about him joining that team began almost immediately.

Speculation flew as doctors examined Favre's injured biceps tendon, which hampered Favre down the stretch the previous season.

The Vikings finished training camp last week and beat Indianapolis 13-3 in their preseason opener Friday. They got a strong performance from quarterback Sage Rosenfels, who has been competing with Tarvaris Jackson for the starting job since Favre jilted the team July 28.

Rosenfels and Jackson had some rough moments during practice. Jackson hurt his knee, missed a few workouts and then returned, but he was out of sync last week against the Colts. Rosenfels did well, but preseason games are tough to evaluate and Indianapolis held out all four starting defensive backs.

Favre was born Oct. 10, 1969 in Gulfport, Miss. He will turn 40 during this football season.

dd74 · 08-18-2009, 10:16 AM

I don't understand it any longer...

Lance Armstrong, Michael Schumacher, Brett Farve...

Here are guys who've achieved everything possible in their craft, and still want more.

Why? Are they bored? Is cycling, car racing, football all these guys know how to do?

It almost seems there's a fine line between having a need to compete and having a need to just do something.

legion · 08-18-2009, 10:39 AM

I thought Favre said he was retiring (for real) this season?

Eric 951 · 08-18-2009, 10:42 AM

For Brett it's all about Brett...always has been, always will be.

How many games did he start and play when injured and really hindered his team just to keep his "ironman" streak alive? don't say the coach could have pulled him or sat him--it was Brett's team.

How many games did he (literally) throw away by making some idiotic Hail Mary throw which usually resulted in an interception and ending the Packers chances of winning(he also did this with the Jets last year) because "he was a playmaker".

He screwed around with the Packers the first time he retired--waiting all off-season before declaring. "yeah I'm coming back"

Screwed the fans and front office by doing the same thing the following year, only to have the Packers call his bluff and end his nonsense--which sent him to the Jets.

Did he ever mentor Aaron Rodgers or /heaven forbid/ try and help him in the least bit becasue he was a team-mate and it is something that would have been best for the team as a whole?--no, he brooded and kept to himself because Rodgers was a QB too and was there for HIS position.

Now he signs with the Packers arch-rivals the Vikings?? Squandering any compassion that Packers fans may have had left for him.

Way to go Brett...he was and always will be a self-absorbed jerk in my book. Should have retired 5 years ago

Racerbvd · Racerbvd's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by dd74

I don't understand it any longer...

Lance Armstrong, Michael Schumacher, Brett Farve...

Here are guys who've achieved everything possible in their craft, and still want more.

Why? Are they bored? Is cycling, car racing, football all these guys know how to do?

It almost seems there's a fine line between having a need to compete and having a need to just do something.

This came up yesterday while I was at PT for my back, my take on it is these guys are all very competitive, playing golf just doesn't cut it at their level.. Some people just aren't cut out for retirement..

lendaddy · 08-18-2009, 11:07 AM

This is great for the league. Those 2 games alone will draw huge revenue.

Z-man · Z-man's Garage

Drama part 2? More like drama part 5 or 6. Maybe part 7.

Jerry Sienfeld, Michael Jordan, Bernie Williams -- these guys all know when to call it quits. Thus, they left when they were just past the peak of their prime. That's the classy way of doing it, IMHO.

And RE: Jordan -- ok, so he sucked at the baseball. But at least he gave a go at it. Kudos for him in attempting to expand his abilities.

Just my $0.42,
-Z-man.

lendaddy · 08-18-2009, 11:19 AM

Z, you forget the Jordan/Bullets debacle?

71T Targa · 08-18-2009, 11:26 AM

Tickets sales are rocketing. Ticket master has started putting up a message "Due to the high volume..."

Z-man · Z-man's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by lendaddy

Z, you forget the Jordan/Bullets debacle?

Well, ok - maybe Jordan isn't the best example...

dd74 · 08-18-2009, 11:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Z-man

Well, ok - maybe Jordan isn't the best example...

No, but there are tons of (other) good examples.

Personally, I liked Lance's comeback; but really, that should be it. He was on the podium at the TdF conclusion. Yes, he should start a new team - maybe ride as a domestique if he can't "just" manage a team. But his days as a GC man are pretty much finished. He's as old as Favre, btw.

And Favre - my gosh, does he think any of these young safetys and linebackers remember or care who he is?

I could ride beside Eddy Merckx and not know who he is or that he is the greatest cyclist ever, and because of that, might not show him the required road respect. The same could go for a kid just out of you-name-it-university with an 8-figure contract who's programmed to split Q-backs in half. He won't care who Brett Favre is.

If I were Brett, I'd seriously fear for my life this season.

Porsche-O-Phile · Porsche-O-Phile's Garage

Sooner or later he's gonna' get pasted by some defensive lineman and that'll put an end to his days. I'd hate to see that be the end of him, but he's had the chance (twice now) to bow out with dignity.

I fear he's setting himself up for a world of hurt. He's a legend, but he's certainly not immortal. He looks more and more fragile year after year.

pavulon · 08-18-2009, 01:26 PM

dd74 · 08-18-2009, 01:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pavulon

Brent?

m21sniper · 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dd74

I don't understand it any longer...

Lance Armstrong, Michael Schumacher, Brett Farve...

Here are guys who've achieved everything possible in their craft, and still want more.

Why? Are they bored? Is cycling, car racing, football all these guys know how to do?

It almost seems there's a fine line between having a need to compete and having a need to just do something.

"I only want what any man wants. More."
~Achilles, from the movie troy.