Favre Takes Final Shot at Vikings, Chooses to Stay Retired
Vikings head coach Brad Childress told the Minneapolis Star-Tribune Tuesday that free agent quarterback Brett Favre informed the team he intends to stay retired.
The former Packers quarterback has flirted with the idea of joining the rival Vikings since April when he was released from the New York Jets. Favre even went so far as to have surgery on his ailing right arm to repair a partially torn biceps tendon.
According to Favre, the surgery was successful, however the future Hall-of-Famer opted to remain retired, citing concerns about his ability to last an entire season. Favre told ESPN's Ed Werder he was having trouble recovering from his workouts.
The news of Favre's decision was welcoming to those in Packer nation, who no longer have to picture Favre in a dreadful purple uniform.
The Vikings, on the other hand are left to choose between Tarvaris Jackson and Sage Rosenfels as their option at quarterback. After the aggressive pursuit of Favre by the Vikings, you have to wonder about the psychological state of the two quarterbacks who were under the assumption they would be competing for the starting job.
Favre's indecision led to quite an interesting summer full of false reports, half-truths, conflicting reports and rampant speculation. As a Packer fan, I prefer to think there was some method to Favre's madness. Was he really that torn over whether he wanted to play for the Vikings, or was this his final shot at the team he despised for 16 years?
Maybe Favre, the ultimate prankster in his day, saw the opportunity for a prank so elaborate and so evil no one could ever see it coming. Maybe Favre saw one last opportunity to help his former team, by creating turmoil and uncertainty amongst the neighbors to the west.
He'd ask for his release from the Jets, firing the speculation of his interest in playing for Minnesota. When Childress came calling he would lead him on for three months, knowing how desperate the hapless Vikings are for a quality quarterback.
Favre would even do the unthinkable and have surgery on his throwing arm, making his return to the NFL a certainty, provided the surgery was a success. Then Favre would start working out again, publicly announce his desire to play for the Vikings and browse the Minneapolis area for homes.
He would be so convincing in his desire to play again, that Vikings players and coaches would text and call him, pleading him to join the team, demoralizing the fragile egos of Jackson and Rosenfels.
Then, on the eve of training camp, with a contract already in place for the legendary quarterback to sign, he would pull the rug out. Stick it to the Vikings and their annoying stadium horn one final time before riding off into retirement on his Snapper lawnmower.
Somewhere in Mississippi Brett Favre is rolling over in laughter, thinking about how he devised the ultimate plan and pulled it off to perfection. Somewhere in Minnesota Childress is pulling out the few hairs he has left and wondering where to go from here.
For Packers fans, this is the best news we've heard in a long time. It was kind of fun watching Vikings fans drool over Favre all summer, thinking they were going to have a shot at him.
Instead, they are left with the dynamic duo in Sagaris Jacksonfels, a divided locker room and a half-empty stadium.
