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Reeling Brett Favre in Trouble, Both On and Off the Field
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- Kevin Blackistone
- National Columnist
You must be logged in to see this image or video!GREEN BAY, Wis. -- As Brett Favre finally made it to the tunnel leaving Lambeau Field late Sunday night for probably the last time as a player -- limping all the way surrounded by a swarm of red-jacketed photographers -- a pack of Green Bay fans serenaded their one-time football hero, now the quarterback of rival Minnesota, with a hearty round of boos.
And before he made it to the visiting team's interview podium, his new team's coach, the Vikings' Brad Childress, had all but booed him, too.
"It goes back to taking care of the football," Childress spat with great displeasure, talking about Favre's three interceptions -- including one that was returned for a touchdown -- in a 28-24 Vikings loss that dropped them to 2-4 on the season. "You can't throw it to them. You have to play within the confines of our system.
"Sometimes it's OK to punt the football. You can't have seven points going the other way, not in a game like this with a high-powered team."
"I can't disagree with him," Favre said of Childress' comments, with a shrug of his shoulders after he took the podium.
One could only imagine that was Favre's reaction to his wife, Deanna, as well, whenever they had a heart-to-heart talk about the personal, rather than professional, undoing he's reportedly brought himself. What could his wife say about his alleged behavior that he could refute? A report by FOX's Jay Glazer on Sunday claimed that Favre admitted last week to a former FBI agent working now for the NFL that he did, indeed, send voicemails to a Jets' in-game TV host named Jenn Sterger when both were contracted to the Jets in 2008. Glazer said he learned, however, that Favre denied that he also sent a text picture of his ***** to Sterger.
The league said it hoped to wrap up its investigation into Favre's alleged inappropriate behavior by the end of this week.
Favre looked and sounded by late Sunday night as if he's done. ... Favre needs an exit strategy. The league could help him. His injury could give him a more respectable excuse.If it already knows that Favre somehow violated its personal conduct rule, the NFL should announce by Tuesday -- the players' off day -- that he is benched under suspension for the next game. It would be doing him a favor.
Favre could use the time off right now. He could use it to physically heal and mentally prepare his exit strategy.
Favre looked and sounded by late Sunday night as if he's done. It wasn't just his saltier and more peppery hair. It was his limping on a surgically repaired left ankle -- and what he said it prevented him from doing.
"Who knows?" Favre said when asked if he'd be able to play next weekend. "Who knows, really? I hope I do."
It was also his admission that his ungrateful coach, the one who earned a contract extension because of Favre's remarkable play a season ago, was probably right about his too-risky play at Lambeau. Favre's mind still calls on him to improvise like he long did, but his body can't catch up. Age is finally taking a toll on him as it does any fortysomething athlete trying to play a physical younger man's game.
On top of that, Favre is clearly weighted down, not only by the expectations for his team, which appear too much, but by the expectations of others from what they thought of him -- at least, until this sexting story broke.
Commentators liked to compliment Favre by saying he plays football with the care-me-not approach of a little boy. Not now.
Even if he'd pulled off another miracle Sunday night by firing the football to his triple-threat Percy Harvin in time, and in a place for Harvin to get both feet down in the back of the end zone rather than one with seconds left, it wouldn't have been a sign of rejuvenation. Favre would still be hurt. He'd still be facing possible league discipline. His game would still be far eroded from what it was just a year ago.
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Favre came into Sunday, the Vikings' sixth game this season, having accounted for 11 of the Vikings' dozen turnovers on offense. He added three more at Lambeau. And despite the addition of a downfield threat in Randy Moss just a couple weekends ago, he still hasn't completed a big-play pass of at least 40 yards this season. Sunday night, he finished with 212 yards passing. He completed just three passes to Moss for a paltry 30 yards.
And once again, he couldn't get out of a game without throwing fewer than two interceptions.
At least Favre can blame age and injury for his fall off on the field this season, his 20th. Off the field, it's another story.
Sterger hired a lawyer, Joseph Conway, who has turned into her spokesman as she has said nothing. The league said it hasn't spoken to her yet. Her attorney said she hasn't decided how to proceed.
Conway refused to tell USA Today on Sunday what about the story, which originally was broken by Deadspin.com, is true or false.
"I'm not going to give you a 'yes' to that, other than to tell you we do have all the evidence, so to speak," USA Today quoted Conway. "I believe it's reliable evidence.''
Conway said his client was considering a civil suit against Favre. Conway said she was weighing talking to the NFL's investigators. He said she might do nothing. He shot down a report from a Minnesota media outlet that Sterger was planning a meeting with Favre to discuss a buyout of whatever she knows.
What a mess Favre has himself in while he should be heading into the sunset. It's more like he's headed into a flood of klieg lights, exposing him to be everything but what he sold himself to be.
Before Favre limped off the podium Sunday night, he pondered the worth of continuing to play in his current state of health.
"If I can play but not be effective, then it's not worth playing," Favre said.
A losing record. A broken body. Clay feet. Brett Favre looked late Sunday like his last season of football is worth hiding from -- maybe in what little dignity the injured list could provide -- not worth finishing.
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