This just seems like such a ridiculous story how can anyone say with a straight face that Jackson or Rosenfels would improve the Vikings number in the win column over Favre? Rosenfels has shown himself to be a capable backup and could have been a solid starter, but he's not who I want leading an offense down by 5 with two minutes to go. Jackson has been given opportunities to start and so far its been a mixed bag. His indecision and erratic play, are the reason the Vikes traded for Rosenfels and signed Favre in the first place. Jackson couldn't beat out Gus Frerotte last season, yet now he is suddenly a better option than Favre? Come on, this might not be the Brett Favre of old, but do we really want to bet against him? I'd still have him among the top-10 quarterbacks in the league for this next season.
If this was week 8 and the Vikings were off to a 3-5 start then maybe I buy this story as an actual problem. But one week after Favre arrives in camp, this story seems to be more show than substance. I'm sure there are a few Viking players who have been put off by the hoopla surrounding Favre this off season. But as much if not more blame should be placed on the Vikings organization, than Favre for that debacle. This seems to be more of a sensationalist story, than anything really affecting the day to day activities of Vikings. I mean one person reportedly said Favre had caused a "schism" in the Vikings locker room. Really, a "schism" that's the best way to describe the effect Favre has had after one week? Not a division, disagreement or split, its a 'schism'. This has to be one of the worse cases of hyperbole I've ever seen. There might be issues, but that is way too extreme of a label to use to describe them. I think we should let Favre and the Vikings play football, and stop scrutinizing their every move.
I agree that this is getting blown way out of proportion. All though he was working with the NFL Network, I truly believe that Adam Schefter is in the process of trying to make his name known, and have a big story to cement himself as a legitimate ESPN reporter like Chris Mortensen and John Clayton
ReplyDeleteI would hesitate to assign motive, but I think he took some small rumblings and made it the lead on Sportscenter. Very few other reports have been supporting it so I think the divide in the locker room is pretty small.
ReplyDeleteI don't know if it's a "schism" but I gotta believe that there are at least some rumblings going on in that locker room. The special treatment that Favre seems to be getting (I wonder if he gets his own lockeroom like he supposedly had with the Jets)and the lack of honesty by Childress have to have some effect on the overall team. Reportedly, he refused to really engage with his Jets teammates last year and you have to wonder what effect that may have had on the team's ability/desire to have Favre's back when things started going south for him at the end of the year. You can't ignore intangibles like that. If he's doing the same thing with the Vikings, it will be interesting to see what happens if they don't get off to a good start. Unfortunately, I think Favre has developed that Roger Clemens-like (way better than thou) ego and I think it will result in the tarnishing of what just two years ago was a stellar career.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely a media creation
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