Archive for August 25th, 2009
And You Wear It Well
What happens if this is true?
We reported in early July that members of the Vikings hoped that the team would abandon the pursuit of quarterback Brett Favre and give the ball to Tarvaris Jackson. Moments ago, ESPN’s Adam Schefter said during halftime of the Jets-Ravens game that this sentiment still exists in some corners of the Minnesota locker room. It’s likely gotten stronger in light of the fact that Jackson pitched a perfect game on Friday night, generating a highest-possible 158.3 passer rating on 15 attempts. And if the Vikings struggle out of the gates, the internal calls for Jackson will only intensify.
Get on your speculation hats, boys and girls. The point of discussion: What happens if Brett Favre struggles out of the gate with the Minnesota Vikings?
Think about it for a second. The Vikings stumble out at 1-3 or even 2-4, and the 39-year-old quarterback has yet to find a groove. He looks slow. He throws up a few bad balls. He shakes it off as ‘just learning the offence” and tells the masses not to worry. Meanwhile, the numbers are down and it’s painfully apparent to everyone that he should have stayed retired.
Suddenly, the most popular quarterback in the state of Wisconsin Twin Cities is Tarvaris Jackson (or Sage Rosenfels — depending on which one the club decides to keep).
Week Seven. Or Week Eight. Around the midway point of the schedule when teams still think they have a chance to make some hay. After countless calls on talk radio shows and a quieter uprising of support for a switch at the most important position on the field, Vikes head coach Brad Childress succumbs to the pressure and decides to sit Favre, framing it as a “chance for the veteran quarterback to see things from a different perspective.” Hell, he also indicates that Favre may have an injury. He hasn’t been sleeping. Playing indoors is a challenge. The excuse bag is plentiful for a selfish quarterback.
The Vikings win the game. Favre finds himself wearing a ball cap next Sunday, too. Maybe he’s wearing some fancy new skins on the sideline. Minnesota wins again.
Uh-oh. What do Vikings fans do with all those Favre jerseys they bought?
Favre didn’t come back to the National Football League to sit on the bench. How does he handle the diminished role? Well, let’s go back to the history books. Following the 2007 season, when he put together a 13-win year following two sub-par, non-post season ones, the Green Bay Packers decide to head into training camp with an “open competition” at quarterback. You know the rest: Favre scoffed at the mere whiff of a demotion and retired, only to come back in a different conference wearing a different shade of green. There was never any threat of not starting in New York (heck, they shipped their starter out to make room for him), but what about this time?
Minnesota is going for the whole thing this year. Childress is at the end of his term and if he doesn’t at least get to the NFC Championship game, he’s as good as done. He can’t worry about stroking someone’s ego through a 16-game schedule. He needs to win, and if No. 4 struggles in the first month of the season, he will have to make a change — despite the jersey sales. Hey, most of those are already paid for anyway.
Picture Favre on the sidelines holding a clipboard. He doesn’t look too happy. Does he continue to come into work each day and watch other quarterbacks take the bulk of the reps in practice, or does he pout to the media about his new role? Funny how you never hear what a great teammate he is. At least not from Thomas Jones. Ah, but the legend remains. He didn’t want to come to training camp? Who cares? He’s having fun out there.
How Favre and the Vikings get out of the gate will be interesting to watch. If he does find the pine, how will he handle it? The smart money is on a phantom injury excuse. That will only go on for so long, though. Say he declares himself healthy and he doesn’t find himself under centre, will he start a public relations campaign, trying to generate sympathy by asking the Vikings faithful to disregard his numbers (not to mention the team’s record)? Can he get those same Favre hype merchants who were excited upon his signing to return the focus from the symbol on the helmet to the name on the back?
Some might buy that jersey, too.
