Fine

So Brett Favre has decided not to come out of retirement to play for the Vikings. This being Brett Favre, I suppose I should add a "for now". That's fine with me. When the speculation started earlier this year I was at first intrigued by the possibility. As time went by and Favre continued to dither though, I pretty much soured on the idea.

I think he could have been valuable if he would have been willing to take a transition and mentoring role for the Vikings, tutoring their younger quarterbacks and ceding playing time to them if the Vikes took a decent lead in any particular game. That might have given him a chance to avoid getting beat up and given him a better chance to last the season. It sounds like Favre was unwilling to take on such a role:

Although his arm appeared to be fine, Favre told ESPN he experienced soreness in both ankles and his left knee during his private workouts. That caused him to doubt whether he could make it through the rigors of a 16-game season. Missing games didn't seem to be an option for Favre, who will turn 40 on Oct. 10. He has started 269 consecutive games, putting him 13 behind former Viking Jim Marshall for the longest streak (by a non-punter) in NFL history.

Well, that's fine. It's his decision. I'm not thrilled about the Viking's QB options, but that's what we have and we'll just have to see how it works out. I would be thrilled right now if Favre had made his decision early, had his arm surgery, and attended the mini-camps, even if he couldn't physically perform. As those timelines passed though, I increasingly felt it would be a bad move to bring Favre in. At this point, it feels like the right outcome for the team.

My guess is that Favre will continue to work out though, and be ready to come sailing in as the hero when some team loses their starter. In fact, I'll bet a six-pack on it. Something tells me we haven't heard the last of him.

Something else that is also fine; The Vikes reportedly are not considering Michael Vick. I agree with Rob's take on his reinstatement in the NFL. He has paid his price to society, but I don't think Vick has earned his way back to the NFL yet.

Comments

[Rob]

To get an opposing point of view on the Vick situation, the mainstream sports media turned to the kookiest football player they could find. Enter Terrell Owens.

[Dave E.]

Haha...it figures. What did he say?

[Rob]

Owens: "A lot of the guys around the league need to speak up. I think the players' union needs to step in because the guy's already suffered so much, and to add a four-game suspension onto a two-year prison sentence, I mean, that's ridiculous."

From ESPN: http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4356802

He's also campaigning on Twitter ... for whatever that's worth. I don't think he understands where America is on Vick.

[Dave E.]

Well, I think Owens has always been missing whatever it is that lets players empathize and connect to fans. He just doesn't get it.

[Kate P]

I thought I'd heard something about Favre. Oh, well. I thought acting was his second career, so maybe he'll turn up there again.

[Rob]

I don't think acting will work for him, Kate. No one ever believes him any more. Fatal flaw for an actor.

[Dave E.]

He could probably do a mean Eddie Haskell though.

[Kate P]

LOL!