Favre to remain retired

[PghSteel-43]

Great.  Now can ESPN get off it now?

Quarterback Brett Favre has informed Minnesota Vikings officials that he will remain retired, according to The Star Tribune.

Coach Brad Childress confirmed the news to the Star Tribune, leaving the Vikings in an unexpected and awkward spot with training camp set to open Wednesday. The Vikings are now left to choose between Tarvaris Jackson and Sage Rosenfels as their 2009 starter.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4362093

[jonzr]

Great.  Now can ESPN get off it now?

I doubt it.  And I'll believe this after the season starts.  Or maybe after it ends.

[Finnegans Wake]

Great.  Now can ESPN get off it now?

I doubt it.  And I'll believe this after the season starts.  Or maybe after it ends.

My first thought was, if Farverer wore down over a full season last year as a Jest, what do you think will happen with him turning 40 this season, recovering from the biceps tendon surgery?

He doesn't want to go to camp.

He doesn't want to play the first 4-6 games, which no one much gives a fuck about.

He wants to come in when Kordell and Maddox -- err, sorry, Tarvaris and Rosendipshit both shit the bed and the Vikes need a savior.  Fresh-armed yet hoary, the wily vet comes in and takes the Viqueens to glory.

Consider, GB will struggle with their new 3-4 defense but should be better on offense; Cutler changes the equation of Chicago, who now would seem to be the division faves; the Vikes may lose the Williams sisters and struggle on D, to say nothing of the QB issue.  Weeks 4-8, they get the Packers twice, the Ravens, and the Steelers.  They could start the season 3-0 and wind up 4-4 at the bye...

...which smells an awful lot like Farverer getting the call around week 7 pending a "mysterious" injury or rash of injuries to the starter and backup.  I'll bet $37 that if the Vikes are no better than 0.500 by the bye, there will be injuries.  It'll be the Childress Desperation Option.

[jonzr]

If I were a betting man, I'd swear Brett Favre would be joining the Vikings in the next few weeks, or at least attempt to join the team in that time frame. ...

http://www.fannation.com/si_blogs/nfl_tracker/posts/74281-report-unnamed-viking-says-favre-deal-already-done?eref=si_nfl

[PghSteel-43]

Great.  Now can ESPN get off it now?

I doubt it.  And I'll believe this after the season starts.  Or maybe after it ends.

A source close to Brett Favre said the quarterback, pending a physical, will sign a contract with the Minnesota Vikings for between $10 million to $12 million, according to ESPN senior NFL analyst Chris Mortensen.

Vikings coach Brad Childress confirmed in an e-mail to The Associated Press Tuesday morning that Favre was traveling from Mississippi to meet with the team.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4406963

[Finnegans Wake]

Good.  Cuz ESPN was just not covering Favre quite enough up till now...


FavrESPN

[msdmnr2002]

I think he got pissed because the coverage switched from the "Favre's retired - or is he?" talk to that minor story about Vick signing with the Eagles.

"What do you mean I'm not leading Sportscenter any more?  What the hell else is there to talk about?  I'm Brett Friggin' Favre!  Fine, I'll 'unretire' again.  Cue up the DVR.  Only way to enjoy TV - all Favre, all the time."

[PghSteel-43]

Vick's heartwarming and truthful story about how he cried in prison over the regret he felt finally sent Favre over the edge.

I can't wait to watch the Steelers defense tear him up on October 25.  Should I bring a sign? Any ideas?

[jonzr]

Ya know, somebody who's clever with Photoshop should get a headshot of The Fav-ruh and stick those Vikings horns on it sans the helmet.  Just cut those suckers off and mount 'em straight on his head like devil horns.

Yeah, that's what somebody should do.

[Finnegans Wake]

Favre, Favre, Favre, Favre, Vick, Favre, Tiger, Favre, obligatory baseball story du jour, Favre, Favre, Favre, Vick, Favre, Tiger, Favre, Favre.

That's your hour of programming on FavrESPN.

[PghSteel-43]

Jaws told me that the Vikings are the team to beat in the NFC now.  So it must be true. 
 

[Merman1983]

I can't wait for Favre to throw 25 interceptions and the Vikings to miss the playoffs by one game.

[Finnegans Wake]

Jaws told me that the Vikings are the team to beat in the NFC now.  So it must be true. 
 

Unfortunately, with photos of Jaws smoking the ganja have been circulating in the press, his credibility has taken a bit of a hit, so to speak...

[VaBchSteelersfan]

Jaws told me that the Vikings are the team to beat in the NFC now.  So it must be true. 

Well, Jaws is God, just ask him, he'll tell you so.

[JackSplat]

Yinz guys are all a bunch of haterz.  I say give me more aireal coverage of Bert Farver damn it!  Nothing captures the drama unfolding before my very eyes than a heli 300 feet in the air zooming in on a God like immortal getting out of his SUV.

[PghSteel-43]

I blame the Vikings more than anyone else in this situation. While Favre has made a complete jackass out of himself over the last two-three years, I put more of the blame on the one's who keep wanting him on their roster. They're the one's who wait on hand and foot for Favre's decision year after year. As long as teams like the Jets and Vikings are showing interest in him during every offseason, why would a media hoe like Favre want to retire? He got what he wanted out of the Vikings, a nice payday, the media attention and to miss the majority of TC.

There is already dissention in the Vikings ranks and the regular season hasn't even started yet...

What two knowledgeable NFL people described earlier this week as an "issue" in the Minnesota Vikings locker room was described Wednesday by a third informed person as a "schism."

The issue is quarterback Brett Favre, and the schism is the preference that certain Vikings players have for specific quarterbacks.

Sources with knowledge of the Vikings locker-room dynamics say some players believe Tarvaris Jackson gives the Vikings the best chance to win, while other players believe Sage Rosenfels gives the team the best chance to win -- which is one of the new twists to this storyline. In the words of one NFL source, Favre has "little support" in the locker room as Minnesota prepares for its Monday night preseason game against the Houston Texans.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/trainingcamp...tory?id=4424660

For a team who's chances of making the playoffs this season without Favre were already high, this move could backfire on them. Nevermind the fact that Favre's game is not near what it once was, the problems it could easily cause in the dressing room on Sunday afternoon's is what could really hurt them in the long run. It's already sounding like a few players have a problem with Favre, imagine what's going to happen if things do not go as planned? Say around week seven? I realize blowhards like Chris Mortensen are already crowning them the NFC's powerhouse this season, I wouldn't be so quick to make that idiotic assumption.

[jonzr]

As long as The Fav-ruh can remember how to hand off the ball to AD, they'll be fine.  And unless Jackson and Rosenfels have made dramatic leaps forward, they'll likely be better off.

All The Fav-ruh has to do is hand off and when he does throw, try to keep the horrific-game-changing-INTs down to one per weeik.

[Finnegans Wake]

As long as The Fav-ruh can remember how to hand off the ball to AD, they'll be fine.  And unless Jackson and Rosenfels have made dramatic leaps forward, they'll likely be better off.

All The Fav-ruh has to do is hand off and when he does throw, try to keep the horrific-game-changing-INTs down to one per weeik.

I totally disagree with you on this, jonzr.

Vikings sched:

First five games

Sep 13 @Cleveland - Should win regardless of who's at QB.
Sep 20 @Detroit - Should win regardless of who's at QB.
Sep 27 San Francisco - Should win regardless of who's at QB.
Oct 5 Green Bay - Close call.     
Oct 11 @St. Louis - Should win regardless of who's at QB.

The Vikings D and Peterson alone should be able to stake the Vikes to a 4-1 record, at worst. 

A tough stretch

Oct 18 Baltimore 1:00pm     
Oct 25 @Pittsburgh 1:00pm     
Nov 1 @Green Bay 1:00pm     

I have a feeling Green Bay's offense will be better; the question is and has been the D.  With Dom Capers, they may be able to roll out the 3-4 better than other teams trying to implement it (cf the Broncos):  rookie BJ Raji will be key to that at NT.  In any event, I think the Pack improves, and homefield will play big in these two matchups.  After the Ravens and Steelers, the Vikes will be hurting, and coming into Lambeau I have to think they're going to have tough sledding.

From 4-1 to 4-4, just like that.  If Favre is the QB those first five games, "all is well" turns to "the old man will be lucky to survive."

[u[Post-bye, third quarter of season[/u]

Week 9 BYE       
Nov 15 Detroit 1:00pm     
Nov 22 Seattle 1:00pm     
Nov 29 Chicago 1:00pm     
Dec 6 @Arizona 4:15pm

Looks like 2-2 at worst, but if the Lions do improve, could be a trap game; even if healthy, I think Seattle loses at Minnie; both Chicago games were big wins for the home team, but again, a division matchup?; and at Arizona, all depends on whether the Cards can exploit the Vikings secondary.  If Minnie can get back into the swing, they should take 3 of 4, given homefield and weak LOC.

7-5.

Last quarter of season

Dec 13 Cincinnati 1:00pm     
Dec 20 @Carolina 8:20pm     
Dec 28 @Chicago 8:30pm     
Jan 3 N.Y. Giants 1:00pm

OK, hosting Cinci, I don't give a fuck about the talking heads saying the Bengals are back in the playoffs, I think they're turds and Palmer is still gimpy.  But two road games could be trouble, especially with Chicago and Carolina potentially fighting for their divisions.  IMO the Giants are being underrated this year, and could also be in a division fight, so the final game won't be mailed in.  Potential for three losses, and again, a tough stretch, though not as brutal as Balt-Pitt-GB. 

And here's where Favre comes in.

1. I'm not convinced his arm is back.  He may be a little rough over those first five games and still come out 4-1, but that next triad will kill Favre.  Kill him DAID.  I will boldly predict that one of those three teams (Ravens, Steelers, Pack) will make that $12M investment look idiotic, as Favre sits out the second half of the season on the bench.  If he does survive, I think 2-2 is more likely than 3-1, and Favre will be starting to wear down.  Bad thing for the final four games.  If he does cede playing time to Rosenfels or Jackson, then people will be talking about how having a healthy Favre for the playoffs will be a good thing.

Final four games, Favre starting, IMO:  1-3.  And changing that 7-5 to possibly 6-6, I think we're looking at 7-9, out of playoffs.  Final four games, Sage or Tarvaris starting:  maybe 2-2, on top of 7-5, for 9-7...  A tough in for sure.  If they can get 3 wins, 10-6, that might do it.

Either way, Favre down the stretch ain't good news.  Over the past 5 years, his passer rating his last 4 games is 70.0.  Last year, he was hurt, and put up 60.8, 61.4, 48.7, and 45.1 ratings.  I could see something similar if he survives to the last four games this year. 

So if Sage or Tarvaris play out most of the second half, you have a QB controversy (again, to bookend the beginning of season discontent, never a good thing), and Favre's late-season physical breakdown and playoff incompetence threatening to scuttle the postseason again.

BTW, last year's passer ratings by QB?  Favre (16 GS), 81.0; Rosenfels (5 GS), 79.5; Jackson (5 GS), 95.4.  Final four games of the season?  As noted with Favre, 60.8, 61.4, 48.7, and 45.1; Rosenfels, DNP; Jackson, 143.8, 135.5, 98.5, 88.5.  True, that 143.8 rating came against the Lions, but the next three came versus playoff teams (Cards, Falcons, Giants).

In fact, looking at teams Favre played that Rosenfels or Jackson also played last year yields only the Cards.

Favre (9/28): 24-34-289, 6 TD (!)-1 INT, 123.7 rating, Jets won 56-35.
Jackson (12/14): 11-17-163, 4-1, 135.5 rating, Vikes won 35-14.

I don't know that one QB is clearly better in those stat lines, despite bigger numbers from Favre and a better passer rating from Jackson.  Incomplete.

A few weeks ago, my thinking was (putting myself in Zygi Wilf's shoes), why not let Favre rest up, skip camp and preseason, and let Rosenfels or Jackson take the early part of the season.  Once you hit some trouble (possibly going from 4-1 to 4-4, for example), THEN call up Favre.  You have a bye week to work him in, a relatively easy stretch of games, and that way he's not all worn to a fucking nub come December.  This scenario would have December be like, oh, a bunch of October games for the graybeard.

So I just don't see how this works out at all.  All the QBs will be pissed, the locker room will start and end the season divided, the Vikings have an excellent shot of missing the playoffs, and $12M down the drain.  Oh, and next year, your QB situation is back to square one, with a good likelihood you shitcan one or the other and have to draft a QB early.

[jonzr]

You may have something there, I certainly didn't consider it in depth like that.  I'm surprised at Jackson's numbers, he seemed much more mediocre (or less) than that.  Before last season I thought the guy would be OK but after thought not.  Impressions.

At any rate, given your doomsday scenario, I'd say the HC takes the fall and they start over there.  After all, it was his call to get The Fav-ruh in there, right?  And you waste another year or two of prime-time AD, just toss that right down the drain.  Kinda sad.  Sorta like all those pointless years Barry Sanders played in Detroit.

[aj_law]

*sigh*

*shakes head*