There was a minor story that was released today that seems to be flying under the radar of every major new outlet, but I think it’s an important one that may in fact connect some of the dots in the Favre situation. Let me lay out some hypothetical phonecalls between the principles in this epic.
August 1, 2008 - Ted Thompson calls Minnesota Vikings GM Rick Spielman
Ted: Hey, Rickster. How’s it going in Minnesota? How’s Tarvaris Jackson been in camp so far?
Rick: Meh. He kinda looks like Martin Lawrence, doesn’t he? He’s nowhere near as funny, though. Sure doesn’t play like Brett Favre.
Ted: Hey, I’m glad you brought that up. You know Brett sent in his reinstatement papers, right? We’re expecting him to be in camp sometime this weekend.
Rick: Oh? He’s sure got you guys in a tight spot. You know we’d love to have him play for us. But we’ve got a problem: you filed those tampering charges against us with the NFL. We’d love to give you a high draft pick for Favre, but if Goodell comes down with penalties against us for the 37 “totally platonic” phonecalls we had with him, we may end up paying with 3 or 4 draft picks, which is a much higher price than we’d be willing to pay.
Ted: Hmm. That’s true. I remember that Goodell smacked the 49ers with tampering charges in March when they were talking to the Bears’ Lance Briggs. They ended up losing their fifth round pick and had to switch third round picks with the Bears.
Rick: Right. How ’bout you call Roger Goodell and ask that he find that there was no tampering. Do that and we might be able to make a deal for Favre.
Ted: Lemme call Roger.
*********************
Ted: Hello, Mr. Goodell?
Roger: Hey, Ted. You have that friggin’ Favre situation squared away yet?
Ted: We’re getting close. Hey, I have a favor to ask. Minnesota is interested in Favre, but they’re worried you’ll hit them with some heavy penalties for tampering, in which case a Favre trade would be less favorable for them. Can you look at the evidence, kinda like you did for the Patriots spygate thing, burn the evidence, and then find that there was no tampering? It’d really help.
Roger: That’d make my job a lot easier. And if it helps put this thing to bed, I’ll do it.
********************
August 4, 2008 - Roger Goodell finds there was no tampering with the Vikings and Favre.
Ted: Hello, Rick? I’m here with Mike McCarthy on a conference call. You probably saw it - Goodell wiped the slate clean on the tampering thing. But we’re still in a tight spot. Favre showed up for our family night and the fans are going bonkers. Things are too hot to trade him right now. Can we wait a couple days?
Rick: Sure. Hey, Mike. How’d things go with that meeting last night?
Mike: Favre was as skittish as a tweaker without his meth, so it took five hours to talk with him about how things are going to be. We haven’t been letting him look at the playbook, obviously, because we don’t want to tip our hands if he ends up playing for you. We have a practice scheduled for today at 2pm, and we aren’t going to have Brett participate in that practice. Can we get this deal done in the next 24-48 hours?
Rick: I think so. Lemme check with our owner, Zygi Wilf. But I think we can get this thing in a day or so.
Ted: Great. We can have him on a bus as soon as you need him.
So when you hear about this blockbuster deal folks, remember that you read about it first right here, on this tiny little no-access Packer blog.
Technorati Tags: Brett Favre, Green Bacy Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Brad Childress, Mike McCarthy, Ted Thompson, Rick Spielman, Tampering, The Plot Thickens
August 5th, 2008 at 4:04 pm
Can we start up a website to petition favre to give us our money back for buying all his retirement magazines and books? He may feel Packer management lied to him, but I feel he lied to me. I bought into all that crying at his press conference. What kind of grown man can’t make a decision in one month. He needs to tell the truth and just say he wants to come back and play for the Vikings and not anyone else. We all know he didnt want any part of OTAs and minicamps, and he thought by waiting the Pack would just cut him. Im glad we ruined his genius plans.
August 5th, 2008 at 7:36 pm
Amen, brother.
August 7th, 2008 at 4:47 am
Here’s the skinny, Packers are done! Aaron Rogers is horrific and so is freakn’ Brohm. Why the Packers would sell out Favre like that is beyond me. The Packers will not win one game this year at all. The Jets are already loaded all they needed was a seasoned vet under center and now they got it! Favre gets two rings with the Jets then retires. He will then go in the Hall of Fame 2015 as a Jet, and the packers will keep trying to get a wild card playoff birth,,,,,,Not…..
August 7th, 2008 at 11:58 am
pack backer & my mom are both idiots top gun has it right. How soon we forget what brett has done for this city. And in 2006 when brett retired and came back… we went to the nfc championship game and won our conference what could have happened this year is the coaches fault and of course Brett wanted to play for the vikings because of fans like you… I would have thought he would have gone to the BEARS and kick all of the no good idots like the two of you!!
August 7th, 2008 at 2:14 pm
I’m not sure if a 4-12 team has ever gone to the Superbowl the following year, but I’m too lazy to check into it. Let’s say for giggles that it’s never happened. Do you think the Jets with Favre under center now have a good chance? I’m not in that camp.
And who’s he gonna throw to? Oh yeah. Bubba Franks. They have Coles and a guy named Cotchery that I’ve never heard of, but he had some good numbers. No TD’s, but good numbers. But certainly not the receiving corps that Green Bay has. And Favre’s mobility is getting to be like Marino’s was at the end - like running in quicksand.
Uh, at what point did Brett retire in 2006? Was this a secret retirement he only told to you?
I also think all no good idots should be kicked. Whatever an idot is.
I think you’re letting your heart overpower your logic here, bradc.