While everyone within the organization of the NFLs Minnesota Vikings is putting on a grin and bear it face and trying to maintain the party line that there’s much rejoicing over Brett Favre being their QB this season, one former Viking great isn’t playing that game. On the Sirius Satellite Radio NFL program The Opening Drive Fran Tarkenton pulled no punches with his criticism of The Gunslinger, describing the whole scene surrounding his signing by the Vikings as a circus.
Tarkenton started his rant by suggesting that The Gunslinger had forever tarnished his legacy:
“I really have no interest in what Brett Favre does. He kind of lost me a few years ago by retiring and unretiring and here and there. I asked a few friends here, maybe 10 or 12 people we were out with last night. I said, ‘What do you think about Brett Favre going back to the Vikings?’ You know who cared? Nobody. It’s good news for you guys. It’s good news for television and so forth but the last time I heard … football was a team sport, isn’t it? It’s not just about the quarterback.”
He stood by his comments on ESPN:
“We have responsibilities we’re just not athletes that are in it all for ourself, football, is it not a team game? Isn’t it all about team … and here comes Brett Favre riding in on his white horse, doesn’t go to training camp, doesn’t come to offseason workouts and he’s gonna come on his white horse and bond with all these players.”
Tarkenton continued his criticism on a local radio station:
“I think he has been a great flamboyant quarterback, but he has made more stupid plays than any great quarterback that I’ve ever seen. Look at his final game in a Packers uniform. He blew that game NFC championship against the Giants.
“I really think the whole Brett Favre saga of retiring, unretiring, three weeks ago saying ‘I can’t play,’ the Vikings said, ‘We’re moving on,’ it’s a circus. It’s an absolute circus, and it takes away from all the other things that are going on with the Vikings, with the NFL. We’re getting ready for a football season and this is a circus and I just have no interest in it.
“Wouldn’t you be upset if you’re a Packer fan? I think you’re going to have Packer fans burning the No. 4 Favre Green Bay jersey. I think the Packer fans have every right to be outraged.”
ESPN, in particular has turned on Favre. Now that theyve turned their attention toward portraying Michael Vick as a victim rather than a sociopath, they appear to be willing to throw Favre under the bus.
Ross Everett is a freelance sports writer and highly respected authority on sports betting odds comparison. He writing has appeared on a variety of sports sites including sports news and World Cup betting sites. He lives in Las Vegas, Nevada with three Jack Russell Terriers and a kangaroo. He is currently working on an autobiography of former interior secretary James Watt.