Vikings have no comment; tampering 101
July 17th, 2008 – 11:41 AM by Judd ZulgadThe Vikings issued a no-comment statement regarding the reports of tampering charges made against them by the Packers for talking to Brett Favre. That’s the same thing Green Bay did on Wednesday night. “These types of matters are handled by the league,” a Vikings spokesman said in reading the statement.
While the NFL won’t confirm that the Packers have filed the tampering charges, we e-mailed NFL spokesman Greg Aiello with some basic questions about tampering.
Q. What is the NFL’s definition of tampering?
A. The term tampering, as used within the National Football League, refers to any interference by a member club with the employer-employee relationship of another club or any attempt by a club to impermissably induce a person to seek employment with that club or with the NFL.
Q. What steps does the NFL take in these cases to investigate?
A. We review all pertinent facts.
Q. How much has to be established for the NFL to take action?
A. Under the policy, it is the commissioner’s responsibility to review the facts and determine whether tampering has occurred.
Q. At what point will the NFL comment on if tampering charges were filed in this case?
A. We do not comment on tampering cases unless it is necessary to announce disciplinary action.
Q. Has the NFL’s policy on tampering been strengthened in recent years?
A. It is a longstanding policy. Parts of it are clarified from time to time but there have been no major changes in recent years.
135 Responses to "Vikings have no comment; tampering 101"
thanks for answering those questions
Well, this keeps the ‘news’ rolling.
So this Favre guy, is he supposed to be any good?
I have a feeling a lot of this decision is going to be based on how often Bevell called Favre, which if they are good friends as it is I would think it has to be hard for them to differentiate between friendly conversations and that on a employer basis while he was and is still technically retired
Never heard of it King. Good fishing on the snake? Lots of Bullheads like Buster???
Go Vikes
It’s a pretty big river that runs from up near McGrath (which is close to Lake Mille Lacs) all the way down to Pine City and I think Elk River.
wow the blog has taken off since fishing? came into play
I always go to Star Lake up by Alex
OK, Judd, don’t try to weasel out of that last comment on the last Blog.
Are you saying the ESPY Awards are a little over-rated? Like maybe the Home Run Derby is over-rated? The Slam-Dunk competition is over-rated? How about the All-Pro Game? Strongest Man Competion, over-rated?
Personally, I’d rather see how far a guy can carry a fridge on his back than read about Brett, but that’s just me.
Who is this Brett Farve guy people keep talking about?
Kenny,
Yes. The ESPY’s are more than a little over-rated. Home run derby and slam dunk competition, too.
He’s some guy that left and want’s back but she won’t take him, she found someone new, and he feels left out and has been messing around with “others” and she said-he said, blah, blah, blah.
You know the story. They are fighting their battles in the media.
I though it was about a set of used tires, instead of trying them out for one more spin, they pull the new pair from 7 yrs ago out of the garage and put the old ones on craigslist to see what they can get for them but do not their next door neighbors to have their old used tires
I think you got it mixed up with the Christie Brinkley story. Understandable. Except everyone knows who’s going to get custody of the young ones. Aaron, Brian, and Matt.
None of them are going to be like “Uptown Girls” either.
Whatever happened to…
Viking J
Alan Page
RTG
Kevin Seifert
k weird didnt know there was even a brinkley story going on..you watch tmz too much i think thought she was like 70 and i dont know OLD
J hits n runs along with RTG, seifert writes for the packers blog on espn and page is in court
It wasn’t on the Green Bay Packers web site, but this caught my eye before I deleted THAT garbage site:
“Jackson, 6-2, 204 lbs., was signed by the Packers this week. The newcomer has been assigned jersey number 7.”
Too good to make up!
They want T-Jack! They are tampering with T-Jack! Or they are copy-cats like the Bears. They copied Adrian Peterson, now the Packers want Jackson #7!
I always knew Seifert was a closet Packer fan.
Bones, There was an RTG sighting I think just yesterday. Haven’t seen the big Justice.
Hadn’t seen you around the blog as much until recently.
Viking J could be any of us…
thats right RTG was here for a brief few blog minutes yesterday
I miss Viking Queen. She was saucy.
There are a lot of Jacksons, but there’s only one Tarvaris. Don’t be fooled by imitators.
VikingJ was on yesterday.
Judd, if the point of your article is to prove that the NFL does not give usable answers to tough questions, mission accomplished. Good job.
“impermissably induce” sounds a lttle like…like……(never mind).
I am not SID…
FIRE CHILDRESS NOW !!!!!!!!!!!!!
IS there only one Tarvaris? Inquiring minds want to know. So I Googled “Tarvaris.” The first four pages on hits were solid T-Jack, including T-Jack’s MySpace page, which is a must-see! Looks as if he hasn’t been updated since he was a student, so it offers a fascinating look into a T-Jack time capsule:
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=122876705
It wasn’t until the fifth page of Google results that I got a Tarvaris who wasn’t ours, a fella named Tarvaris McCoy.
kenny, I think VQ is hot for you too…
FIRE CHILDRESS NOW !!!!!!!!!!!!!
B.Grant…kinda like what tyson did to his ex wife he lightly “tapped” her?
South: He last logged in today, so, it is as updated as it’s going to be.
SOUTH:
So this Tarvaris character you found, is he the real McCoy?
sorry.
He may be logging in to check on his 2,128 friends, Jesus, but he lists his occupation as “student,” lists himself as attending Alabama State “2003-present” and doesn’t mention the Vikings.
Bones = closet Patriots fan! 
Do you think he’s smart enough to update it?
Apology accepted, Gambler. (I was going to do something with calling this other guy “T-Mac,” but I didn’t see the payoff to it…)
I’m sure he can’t read…TJoke that is….
kenny, I have VQ’s email address if you want it…
FIRE CHILDRESS NOW !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
after yesterdays interview on espn, Id say no
The All Spin Zone: So Thompson wants us to believe that Brett was just happily retired and never got the itch to play again until an evil Viking coach called up. Ted says Favre’s legacy is really important to him. Brett just went on Fox and ranted because a Viking demon has possessed his soul. Yeah, who wouldn’t buy that? What’s he got, former Pravda writers working on his staff now?
T-Mac, that’s good. B-Mac, or Big Mac, what is happening to McKinnie, anyway?
Darion Scott got three games for child endangerment, seems like bouncer endangerment wouldn’t be quite as harsh.
I hate the Patriots. Thank God for the New York Giants…
Yeah, something like that, Yuko. Legal term for a nasty event.
(Still no picture of Deanna Favre…)
Sure Retsub! Unless that would be tampering.
Whoa, guys. T-Jack may not be the most articulate athlete on the team (who would be? Birk?), but he stayed out of trouble in that interview even when asked about Favre. And T-Jack has a higher Wonderlic than Booty, despite stereotypical assumptions.
Meanwhile, Don Banks tears Favre a new one:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/don_banks/07/17/favre.snaps/index.html
Not Deanna, but……..yeah.
- impermissable inducement
- imappropriate dialogue
- child endangerment
- unlawful use of a pipe
- DUI
- IUD
…whatever
Just another day in the NFL
LMAO pic of Deanna is it warranted or worthy here? Me thinketh not
I’m envisioning Ed Hochuli marcking out to the middle of the field and turning on his public-address mike:
“Impermissible inducement, defense. Fifth-round pick, automatic first down.”
that dudes got guns for how old he is
Wow, South, that’s a good one! Greta Van Susteran, she asked him about the “Minneapolis Vikings.”
The only thing I question, though, is this a free country, contracts are broken all the time, how can the Packers tell him they won’t release him? He was good, but not THAT good.
Are they using this for getting draft choices from tampering charges? If they traded him they’d get a bunch.
Something isn’t right about the whole deal.
talk about Ed Hochuli should bring back VQ….
I’m fairly certain Peyton Manning or KG talk would bring her back.
Good point, Kato. I remember busting her chops about Hochuli being a BALCO client…
As for a bunch of draft picks for Favre: I’ve seen speculation about maybe a third-rounder. Any team, getting has to figure they only get him for a year or two — plus you don’t know from year to year if he’s coming back because we’ll have the annual Brett Favre Retirement Watch on again. Plus it has to be a place Favre would choose to go, or he may not file his reinstatement papers after all.
Favre’s right about one thing: I can’t see the Packers paying $12 million a year for a backup QB. That’s why teams might wait for the Packers to release him.
Prince talk would bring her back. And GPG/Cajun Jeep/…
This is why Bones says laundry is women’s work:
How much time you gonna spend at training camp Kato?
Favre has been convinced to come to play for the Minneapolis Vikings. Haven’t you heard? That damn Darell Bevell has corrupted Brett’s pure Packer mind and convinced him to get his release so that he can join the enemy…
Apparently teh Wisconsin Packers or Illinois Bears aren’t interested.
Judging by what the rest of this guy’s crops look like, a little more time in farming might be better spent than a shrine to a QB. Boy this is Puker fan at it’s finest!!
http://www.startribune.com/local/25565599.html?location_refer=Homepage:latestNews:4
what about the Michigan Lions?
PACKERS THINK THEY HAVE THE GOODS ON THE VIKES
Posted by Mike Florio on July 17, 2008, 5:32 p.m.
A league source tells us that the Green Bay Packers are confident that they have sufficient proof to show that the “Minneapolis” Vikings (thanks, Greta) tampered with quarterback Brett Favre.
Another source has laid out for us some of the facts that the investigation could (emphasis: could) reveal.
For starters, it has been reported that the Packers believe that phone records will reveal that Favre has had multiple conversations with Vikings offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell. But we’re hearing that the Packers might already have the phone records. Since the Packers wouldn’t have had access to the phone records of Bevell or any other Vikings employee, the logical conclusion is that Favre was using a cell phone that has been bought and paid for by the Packers — and that the Packers have full access to the documents reflecting all calls made and received.
And we’re hearing unconfirmed rumors that the list of calls made and received by Favre on his Packer-provided cell phone contained other numbers. And that one of the numbers (again, unconfirmed) could belong to phone belonging to Brad Childress, head coach of the Vikings.
Because Childress and Favre have no prior relationship, any discussions between the two of them would be suspicious, to say the least. Especially if the communications occurred after a multiple days of multiple discussions between Favre and Bevell.
Meanwhile, the Vikings have been eerily silent regarding the situation. And that could be because they fear that their nuts are in a vise on this one.
Briggs was a free agent. Favre is under contract. Our penalty will be much stiffer.
Buc’s GM Bruce Allen may also be getting a call from the league… as he was rumored to have had dinner with Favre relatively recently.
If we signed Favre, does that mean we’d have to do everything in our power to get Moss back? Would we have to sign his buddy K-Rob? Just pondering…
iF Favre was indeed on a company phone for any of these conversations then he is a real iodot.
The question is, has he been pampered so much that he thought the phone was his because he’s always been given what he wants (except for Moss)?
Hey Judd, is Favre eligible for any type of punishment for being involved in tampering? Or is the teams the only ones punishable?
Tarvaris is going to surprise a lot of people this coming season and will be vastly improved over last year. WE DON’T NEED AN OLD, IMMOBILE, INT THROWING QB. Sorry for yelling. Have a good night…
Wow I have got to give Childress props, Aside from potentially getting caught. This was the most diabolical genius plot I think could be hatched. Even if Favre never set foot into the Metrodome again. The Packers are scambling with P.R. people trying to spin this in the right way. Come on who believes that the front office is that Diabolical.
This was a Stoopid plan, cliff. 17 of my 23 years alive, Favre has been an enemy… he’s finally gone, and who ressurects the bass-turd? The vikes do! C’mon, he was almost gone!
If Chili did this then it was brilliant and it means HE KNOWS T-Joke is a turd…
I have a feeling this is all just cr@p being spewed from the packers. But hey for another week and a 1/4 this is all the news we are going to get. Cant wait to get my sunburn at camp.
oh yay i got the 69th comment..
All of this should make for an interesting game 1. Presumably the Pack have scrapped the idea of a BF retire the jersey love fest, even if he stays retired. Not to mention the problems for the EA Sports folks. Where oh where do they put BF.
Mike McCarthy said:
“I think he’s totally, wrongly been illustrated in this,’ McCarthy said. ‘He was put in a tough spot. He was put in a situation that was purely personal.”
He was talking about GB O-Line coach James Campen… or should it have been about Darrell Bevell?
Tampering or not, one thing remains constant and true… the Packers suck.
Oh, here’s the link: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/fb/texansfront/5891856.html
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH… Kansas City Writer…
Dear Ted Thompson:
Hi, my name is Jason Whitlock. I’m sure you’ve heard of me. My reputation in football circles is well established.
I’m the guy who told Bill Belichick to stick with Tom Brady over Drew Bledsoe years ago. When Bill Polian was debating Peyton Manning vs. Ryan Leaf, I was the voice on the phone at 2 a.m. the morning of the draft assuring Polian that Manning was the right choice. I told Parcells to take a long look at an undrafted quarterback from Eastern Illinois.
FAVRE-WATCH The Brett Favre saga has taken some interesting turns since he supposedly announced his retirement from the NFL. News:
Sources: Pack file tampering charges
Colts’ Dungy: ‘Brett put himself in prison’
Favre: Legacy is mine to worry about
Glazer: Packers won’t release Favre
Read Green Bay Packers statement
Timeline in Favre-Packers saga
Analysis:Whitlock: A letter to Ted Thompson
Czar: Favre’s waiting game a mistake
Marvez: Where Favre should end up
Marvez: The flip-flopping details
Kriegel: Favre tarnishing his legacy
More on Favre:Video: Favre soap opera’s new twist
Video: L.T. defends Favre
Video: Favre on Fox News, Part I | II | III
Video: Glazer dishes on Favre situation
Video: L.T. sticks up for Favre
Video: Aaron Rodgers on Favre rumors
Community: Packers fans sound off
Poll: What should Packers do?
I know quarterbacks, how they think, what motivates them and whether they’re any good.
You’re in a jam in Green Bay with Brett Favre. You need me. You need my guidance, my expertise. If you’re not careful, you’re going to continue to mismanage this situation and go down in history as the dumbest general manager in the history of professional sports.
Yeah, the stakes are that high.
This thing with Favre is bigger than football. He’s a modern-day Babe Ruth, an American sports icon capable of no wrong, a symbol of American might. You realize when Boston foolishly unloaded The Bambino, it caused the Red Sox to go 486 years without a World Series title?
Do you want to be responsible for the curse of The Mississippi Hickey?
That’s what I call Brett, “The Mississippi Hickey.” John Madden’s lips have been on Brett’s ass so long there’s a permanent hickey on Brett’s right cheek. Greta Van Susteren put one on Brett’s left cheek earlier this week with her lust-filled interview.
The point is the media love Brett Favre. You can’t win this pissing match. No one is really going to be on your side. They might pretend to be on your side in July and August. But by the time we get to December, when playoff seeds are being decided, their support will be totally dictated by the NFL standings.
It’s just not worth the risk.
It doesn’t matter that Brett is a little goofy, a whole lot selfish and thinks he knows more about running a football team than you. Get your ego out of this equation. At all times you’re supposed to do what’s best for your football team in 2008.
If Favre bolts, just call Ted Thompson the dumbest GM in the history of sports. (Jonathan Daniel / Getty Images)
You cannot possibly believe Aaron Rodgers gives the Packers a better chance at winning in 2008 than Brett Favre. If you do, you are the dumbest general manager in the history of professional sports. I don’t believe you’re that stupid.
Brett threw for 4,155 yards and 28 touchdowns last season. He completed a career-high 66.5 percent of his passes and averaged a career-high 7.8 yards per attempt. He led your team to the NFC Championship. He was as good as he’s ever been in his career, and the continued maturation of Greg Jennings and the addition of rookie Jordy Nelson are only going to make The Mississippi Hickey even more effective.
You don’t discard the Pro Bowl quarterback who came within three points of the Super Bowl just because he’s a 38-year-old diva who doesn’t want to play football in March.
Here’s my solution. Call a press conference immediately — today, if not sooner. Announce that you’re a huge Barack Obama supporter, you got swept up in the mania and wanted to do your part to show America how far we’ve come in terms of racial equality.
Say that you took a dump on Brett Favre to show Ray Lewis that NFL franchises will disrespect any and all of their employees regardless of color.
You remember when Rev. Ray Ray went on national TV and claimed that Brett Favre and Peyton Manning, two of the best quarterbacks in the history of the league, would never be treated as poorly as the Titans treated Steve McNair, a three-time Pro Bowler whose career is a shade below Rich Gannon’s?
After a 4-12, 16-TD, 11-interception season, the Titans had the audacity to cut ties with and lock out their nine-year starting quarterback from the team’s training facilities. Oh, the horror, indignity and racism of it all. A fired employee got escorted out of the building. That never happens.
Well, you can now argue you did Favre much worse. For a decade and a half, the man never missed a game — even when his father passed away.
I know, I know playing through pain, injury and grief for 16 years doesn’t compensate for the fact that Favre acts like a spoiled baby when you refuse to acquire a quarterback’s best friend, Randy Moss. And I know it’s really tough on the franchise when Favre’s aching, middle-aged body and mood swings tell him to retire in March and play in July.
Get over it. The great ones are always a pain in the ass.
Seriously, call a press conference today, take the high road by accepting blame for not being more patient with Favre and beg him to return for another season or as many as he wants.
You have him positioned perfectly now. All the pressure will be on Brett this season. He’ll need to be disciplined and play at a very high level or he’ll take all the heat for putting the Packers in an awful position during the offseason.
That’s my advice. Take it or leave it. The last guy not to listen to me was former Kansas City Chiefs head coach John Mackovic when he passed on Dan Marino and took Todd Blackledge in the 1983 draft.
Sincerely,
Jason Whitlock
Opps, cleaned it up…
Dear Ted Thompson:
Hi, my name is Jason Whitlock. I’m sure you’ve heard of me. My reputation in football circles is well established.
I’m the guy who told Bill Belichick to stick with Tom Brady over Drew Bledsoe years ago. When Bill Polian was debating Peyton Manning vs. Ryan Leaf, I was the voice on the phone at 2 a.m. the morning of the draft assuring Polian that Manning was the right choice. I told Parcells to take a long look at an undrafted quarterback from Eastern Illinois.
I know quarterbacks, how they think, what motivates them and whether they’re any good.
You’re in a jam in Green Bay with Brett Favre. You need me. You need my guidance, my expertise. If you’re not careful, you’re going to continue to mismanage this situation and go down in history as the dumbest general manager in the history of professional sports.
Yeah, the stakes are that high.
This thing with Favre is bigger than football. He’s a modern-day Babe Ruth, an American sports icon capable of no wrong, a symbol of American might. You realize when Boston foolishly unloaded The Bambino, it caused the Red Sox to go 486 years without a World Series title?
Do you want to be responsible for the curse of The Mississippi Hickey?
That’s what I call Brett, “The Mississippi Hickey.” John Madden’s lips have been on Brett’s ass so long there’s a permanent hickey on Brett’s right cheek. Greta Van Susteren put one on Brett’s left cheek earlier this week with her lust-filled interview.
The point is the media love Brett Favre. You can’t win this pissing match. No one is really going to be on your side. They might pretend to be on your side in July and August. But by the time we get to December, when playoff seeds are being decided, their support will be totally dictated by the NFL standings.
It’s just not worth the risk.
It doesn’t matter that Brett is a little goofy, a whole lot selfish and thinks he knows more about running a football team than you. Get your ego out of this equation. At all times you’re supposed to do what’s best for your football team in 2008.
If Favre bolts, just call Ted Thompson the dumbest GM in the history of sports. (Jonathan Daniel / Getty Images)
You cannot possibly believe Aaron Rodgers gives the Packers a better chance at winning in 2008 than Brett Favre. If you do, you are the dumbest general manager in the history of professional sports. I don’t believe you’re that stupid.
Brett threw for 4,155 yards and 28 touchdowns last season. He completed a career-high 66.5 percent of his passes and averaged a career-high 7.8 yards per attempt. He led your team to the NFC Championship. He was as good as he’s ever been in his career, and the continued maturation of Greg Jennings and the addition of rookie Jordy Nelson are only going to make The Mississippi Hickey even more effective.
You don’t discard the Pro Bowl quarterback who came within three points of the Super Bowl just because he’s a 38-year-old diva who doesn’t want to play football in March.
Here’s my solution. Call a press conference immediately — today, if not sooner. Announce that you’re a huge Barack Obama supporter, you got swept up in the mania and wanted to do your part to show America how far we’ve come in terms of racial equality.
Say that you took a dump on Brett Favre to show Ray Lewis that NFL franchises will disrespect any and all of their employees regardless of color.
You remember when Rev. Ray Ray went on national TV and claimed that Brett Favre and Peyton Manning, two of the best quarterbacks in the history of the league, would never be treated as poorly as the Titans treated Steve McNair, a three-time Pro Bowler whose career is a shade below Rich Gannon’s?
After a 4-12, 16-TD, 11-interception season, the Titans had the audacity to cut ties with and lock out their nine-year starting quarterback from the team’s training facilities. Oh, the horror, indignity and racism of it all. A fired employee got escorted out of the building. That never happens.
Well, you can now argue you did Favre much worse. For a decade and a half, the man never missed a game — even when his father passed away.
I know, I know playing through pain, injury and grief for 16 years doesn’t compensate for the fact that Favre acts like a spoiled baby when you refuse to acquire a quarterback’s best friend, Randy Moss. And I know it’s really tough on the franchise when Favre’s aching, middle-aged body and mood swings tell him to retire in March and play in July.
Get over it. The great ones are always a pain in the ass.
Seriously, call a press conference today, take the high road by accepting blame for not being more patient with Favre and beg him to return for another season or as many as he wants.
You have him positioned perfectly now. All the pressure will be on Brett this season. He’ll need to be disciplined and play at a very high level or he’ll take all the heat for putting the Packers in an awful position during the offseason.
That’s my advice. Take it or leave it. The last guy not to listen to me was former Kansas City Chiefs head coach John Mackovic when he passed on Dan Marino and took Todd Blackledge in the 1983 draft.
Sincerely,
Jason Whitlock
This will be just wonderful when ChiliDipWad shows up on FavRay’s speed dial. You can just see Colonel Klink wetting his pants over the chance to actually have Brett’s cell phone number — just like a real head coach.
OK, that’s it. I am going to say something to end this mess RIGHT NOW!
Brett Favre and Ted Thompson need to get on board now or keep their mouths shut!
(aaron rodgers, get it?)
WOW! That should end it all right. I expect to wake up in the morning and see the following headlines:
All’s Well in Green Bay; Charges Dropped Against Vikings
Nice work, Lefty!
Before I go to bed, I am going to check the numbers in my cell phone. You never know when someone might want to drum up some “inappropriate dialogue” charges, alleging “impermissable inducement”. (Jeez, that sounds bad) I suggest you do the same Mr. Spelling-Bee-Champ-with-a-Legacy-to-Protect.
seriously, I don’t think Childress is THAT stupid (yeah, he’s an idiot, but still). Bevell talking to Favre can be explained, but Chili calling him would have no explanation but tampering.
As I said earlier, there is no tampering. The pukers are spinning this as a way to keep the Vikings from picking up Favre when they do release him. Its all a ploy.
“OK, That’s it.”
Boy, when my mother said that, the fit was about to hit the shan.
If you have also “Had it up to here!”, then I have a clear and vivid vision of how angry you are.
You’re probably “Sick and tired of this” too.
I think so too Fargo. It’s their way of saying, “If we are going to have a dog and pony show going on leading in to training camp, let’s try to do the same to the Vikes.” This story is at that stage of “sources close to the situation”, so who knows what is close to accurate.
The latest chapter in the Brett Favre saga could have the Vikings in some serious hot water. In a story that broke yesterday on the wire services and other media outlets, Green Bay officials are actually blaming Favre’s change of heart to return to the NFL on the Vikings and, apparently more specifically, the result of talks between Favre and former Packers QB coach and current Minnesota offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell.
According to reports, the grievance claims that the Packers believe the Vikings and Favre already had talks about the Vikings’ interest, which is why Favre has been pushing so hard for his release.
As the allegation goes, the Packers have turned over information they believe confirms the tampering charge and have asked league officials to examine telephone records to confirm that the contract between Favre and Bevell was more than just the normal interaction between the friends.
Although Favre is officially retired, he still remains the property of the Packers if he seeks to return to the league, and any discussion about any potential relocation to another team would constitute tampering because Favre still had three years left of his contract at the time of his retirement announcement.
The NFL has taken a dim view to tampering by other teams, a charge that has been leveled by multiple sources in terms of free-agent contracts that are completed and inked within hours of the signing period opening. Understandably, there is the belief that teams and agents have pre-arranged deals before free agency begins, which would explain how complicated, multi-year contracts could be finalized in such a short time frame. However, free agency and tampering with a player under contract are two very different things.
Phone records were the source of tampering charges made by the Chicago Bears against the 49ers in accusations of tampering with linebacker Lance Briggs. Although there little more than phone records to go by, the league agreed that tampering took place and San Francisco lost a fifth-round draft pick and was forced to swap third-round picks with the Bears.
“Even if you get a guy’s phone records, that he talked to Brett, what’s to say that they’re not talking about hunting,” Jay Glazer of FoxSports.com, who broke the tampering story, told Fox 9 news. “But at the same time, they might have. I will say this: If there was something going on, if they deny it and then it comes out, then that’ll be a lot worse.”
The Vikings have declined to comment, leaving the league to investigate the matter.
THURSDAY NOTES
Brad Childress was not around to comment on the matter Wednesday. He spent 45 minutes flying around in Blue Angels fighter plane in Duluth Wednesday and, when asked to comment on the allegation, said he was unaware of any wrongdoing.
The Vikings aren’t the only team being questioned in relation to Favre. Tampa Bay general manager Bruce Allen is denying that he had a dinner meeting with Favre Monday night. Brett must feel like the best looking girl at the prom if so many allegations of suitors prove to be true.
In the airing of third part of a Brett Favre interview on Fox News’ “On the Record with Greta Van Susteren, Favre said that Packers general manager Ted Thompson lied when he said he wasn’t aware of Favre lobbying for Green Bay to sign wide receiver Randy Moss last offseason. “That’s bull,” Favre said of Thompson’s denial.
The Ravens announced the signing of QB Joe Flacco Wednesday to a five-year, $30 million deal. Flacco is represented by Joe Linta, the same agent who represents Vikings center Matt Birk, who is entering the final year of his current contract.
In the never-ending search for truth, the NFL has hired experts in the field of gang activity to review game film searching for signs that players may be using gang symbols as part of on-field celebrations. Actually pinpointing gang symbols as opposed to other celebratory activities may not be very easy to identify.
The ongoing dispute between the NFL Players Association and the league over language in the collective bargaining agreement is expected to be resolved by next week. A special master has been assigned to go review the case and render a decision.
Pathetic Packer Posturing: Green Bay Files Tampering Charges Against Minnesota
by Gonzo on Jul 17, 2008 5:42 PM CDT in Vikings
This crap simply will not go away, and now Packers GM Ted Thompson has elevated this entire thing to a whole new level of ridiculousness.
On Tuesday, the Green Bay Packers filed tampering charges against the Minnesota Vikings, alleging that the contact with the Vikings is the reason that Brett Favre “suddenly” wants to come back to play in the National Football League again. The Packers say that Favre’s conversations with Minnesota offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell. . .who was Favre’s quarterbacks coach for three seasons in Green Bay and has been friends with Favre ever since. . .were in violation of Favre’s contract, which Green Bay still holds the rights to despite his retirement back in March.
Are you freaking kidding me?
The filing of these charges by the Packers is absolutely absurd on so many levels, it’s awfully hard to count them all, but let’s give it a whirl anyway.
Point number one. . .and this is important. . .so much so that I’ll use my fancy editing tools to put extra emphasis on it. . .THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THAT BRETT FAVRE HAS TALKED ABOUT, OR EVEN HINTED AT, COMING BACK TO THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE. This article from Yahoo! Sports, which details the timeline between the NFC Championship Game and Favre requesting his release from the Packers, tells us
Week of March 24: During the coaching staff’s spring break, Packers offensive line coach James Campen, whose in-laws live in New Orleans, goes up to visit Favre in Mississippi on March 26. On the 27th, Campen tells McCarthy Favre is having second thoughts and McCarthy should call him.
He does, and learns that Favre indeed is having second thoughts. McCarthy and Thompson decide they will welcome him back. They secure a private jet from a Packers board member to visit Favre in person and seal the deal.
March 29: Favre calls McCarthy to deliver a message: Thanks, but no thanks.
“He felt at this point we had reached a point of closure,” McCarthy said. “Those were his words. And he was going to stick with his initial decision.”
Hmmmmm. . .so Favre had a deal in place to come back to the NFL as the quarterback of the Green Bay Packers before he changed his mind. Again.
Can I safely assume that that’s Darrell Bevell’s fault, too? I mean, Thompson and company are alleging that Bevell is somehow the impetus behind Favre’s desire to come back to football. I can just imagine Bevell speaking with Favre at this point and saying, “You know, Brett, the Packers have beaten us four straight times, and the last time we played you handed us the worst loss we’ve had in a long time. . .but, you know, I sure would love to see you come back with the Packers again!”
But, this is what Ted Thompson would have you believe. He would have you believe that Darrell Bevell is really this stupid.
So Bevell and Favre might have spoken on the phone a few times. Big deal. As I stated earlier, Favre and Bevell have been close since Bevell was the quarterback coach in Green Bay, and they’ve talked pretty much every off season since Bevell left. A phone conversation. . .or even numerous phone conversations. . .isn’t proof of anything. Hell, Favre’s still pretty close with Mike Holmgren, too. Has he spoken with Holmgren since his retirement? If he has, why haven’t tampering charges been filed against the Seahawks yet?
Let me present you with my theory on this entire thing.
Ted Thompson, in all his Nancy Grace-esque bug-eyed wisdom, has screwed up the entire Brett Favre situation about as badly as anybody has screwed up any situation in the NFL in a long time. And because of that, he needs something to dangle in front of Green Bay fans and the media at large in the hopes that they’ll go “Ooooooh. . .SHINY!!” and forget just how much of an idiot he’s made himself look like in this entire thing.
These tampering charges aren’t about Brett Favre or even about the Minnesota Vikings. . .this is, as John Siebel said on ESPN Radio on my drive home, “two dogs circling the same fire hydrant, trying to figure out which one is going to cock their leg on it first.” This is the Packers’ front office firing a salvo across the bow of the U.S.S. Favre after his interview on Fox News with Greta van Susteren, in which he pretty much called Ted Thompson a liar (and, in light of these idiotic tampering charges, I have a hard time not believing Favre on this one).
This is, quite frankly, Ted Thompson’s acknowledgement that he can’t control the drama on his OWN football team, and so he’s basically said to himself, “Well, if I’m going down, I’m going to try to take someone else with me.” And who better to try to grab on to than your team’s biggest rival, and the team that a lot of “experts” have said is the best fit for your future Hall of Fame quarterback that you, from all accounts, really don’t want any more?
The Green Bay Packers have absolutely, positively no proof that Darrell Bevell or Brad Childress or any member of the Minnesota Vikings organization tampered with anything in regards to Brett Favre. None. Nothing. Zip. Zero. Nada. Nil.
Oh, wait, never mind. . .they have. . .*cue ominous music*. . .PHONE RECORDS!!
Please.
Yeah, I’m sure that Favre and Bevell have talked on the phone since Favre’s retirement. There are exactly two people that know what was said in those conversations. . .Darrell Bevell and Brett Favre. And unless either one of those guys gave Ted Thompson a call and said, “Hey, Ted, you’ll never guess who I just talked to and what we talked about,” then all the Packers have as proof is a few sheets of paper and a whole lot of jack squat. This is just something that the Packers are using to try to take the focus off of their team and, frankly, I hope it fails miserably, because that’s what Ted Thompson and company deserve to have happen. Anyone with an IQ larger than Favre’s jersey number knows that Favre’s not coming to Minnesota. The Packers aren’t going to release him for him to go to Minnesota, they’re certainly not going to trade him to Minnesota, and Brad Childress has repeatedly said that he’s not interested in bringing Favre in. The ONLY reason that Thompson has for filing these frivilous charges is to set up a smokescreen. Unfortunately for him, NO amount of smoke is going to obscure the huge blaze that’s happening over in Wisconsin.
And if you look around at various message boards and the like on the internet, there are people that have the nerve to intimate that, if the Vikings WERE to be found guilty of tampering. . .which would be a complete miscarriage of justice. . .that the Packers would somehow be entitled to a first-round draft pick from the Minnesota Vikings. Give me a damn break. If you look back at the tampering case this past year between the San Francisco 49ers and the Chicago Bears concerning Lance Briggs, the Niners’ penalty turned out to be a fifth-round pick and a swap of third-round picks. . .and the Bears had messages from the Niners on Drew Rosenhaus’ answering machine. The Packers have no proof at all that anyone from the Vikings has done anything, and people have the audacity to think that the Packers would be entitled to a first-round draft choice? Anybody that thinks the Packers would be entitled to that level of compensation need to dislodge their head from their rectal cavity, get some oxygen flowing back to their brain, and rejoin us in the land of reality.
If there’s any justice out there, this will go exactly where it belongs. . .which is nowhere. . .and the Vikings will turn around and file a grievance against the Packers for wasting everybody’s time and trying to drag them into Ted Thompson’s idiocy-induced drama.
Bottom line. . .nothing to see here, folks. Please move along
Have you ever noticed that NFL spokesman Greg Aiello seems to be very tight-lipped when he talks to an MSP reporter? He sticks to reciting the rules or offers no comment. I thought that was the way he responded to all of you news types. So I was surprised to see how he opened up to a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reporter - he seems at ease and casual in his explanations. Doesn’t he like you guys up her, Judd.
Here it is:
Aiello told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that tampering charges have to be substantiated.
“Of course, it has to be established,” Aiello said. “There are teams that file a tampering charge against another team, and then our office reviews it, and it turns out there was no tampering or that there was insufficient evidence to prove that there was tampering. And in most cases, invariably, the team that files the tampering charge believes there was tampering, and the other team doesn’t believe there was tampering, so (is there a) gray area? Absolutely. That’s why these disputes are resolved by the commissioner or the commissioner’s office.”
He’s not just reading the rule book, which I infer when I usually read his comments.
What up wit dat, Judd and Chip.
chip n Judd aren’t out of bed yet
No they are just bored stiff from those idiotic copy & pastes you do monc… freakin popst a LINK dumbass….
FIRE CHILDRESS NOW !!!!!!!
BUSTER YOUR JUST MAD BECAUSE U CAN BARELY READ
I can read I just can’t flipping keyborad worth a sh!t…
FIRE CHILDRESS NOW !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
bwaaak bwaaak buster
who is viking j
Gesus H Christy on a croissant Monc, you paste War and Peace or something???
As the blonde said as she walked down the sidewalk, looked ahead and saw a banana peel:
“Oh no, here we go again!”
just keeping you honest Bud…
fargo- tonypants@gmail.com
Full time job, Fargo!
Today’s dream is to not hear a certain QB’s name all day. Not on the blog, not in the office, not on TV. Fat chance!
FAVRE FAVRE FAVRE FAVRE FAVRE FAVRE
You mean Favre?
Bret Favre
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he will be a viking soon
Brett Favre
bwaaak bwaaak bwaaaak
I eat my steak with a spoon
Who would wins in a fist fights, Busters or Tony Pants?
6 Days 22 hours to training camp, and presumably Viking on-the-field news.
I like you Fred do you like me?
Tony,
I already have a dates to the prom.
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So if McKinnie is suspended at some point, is Artis Hicks actually going to see the field as a left tackle? That would leave Hutchinson, Birk, and three scrubs protecting Jackson. Ugh…
BP and Bones…my old friends…where have you been…any VQ sitings? or GPG?
where is the old gang f/ last summer at?
Lots of work to do lately.
Herrera is not a scrub.
The latest rumor on ESPN is the Vikes and Farve had a deal in place before this blew up. Just proves the Chili thinks T-joke is a turd….
Herrera had a couple of solid games, but I miss the days when our o-line dominated. Cook & Hicks on the edges might be the worst tackle combo in the league…
Chili knows he’s toast with T-Joke, but with Farve that could mean an extension… Go Farve!!!
I agrees…Herrera isn’t a scrubs…and by the way, Bone…to much work? Right, and your old pal fragile has been at Harvard studying grammers!
Judd, how come you haven’t picked up on this rumor, could be huge….
Zigy might as well get on the phone and offer a 1st rounder to GB for Frave to nip this in the bud….
Why aren’t you on a Packer blog?
Fox Sports is now saying a multi year deal was agreed upon between Farve and the Vikes… Damn!!!
Because I’m not a Packer fan.
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[…] Tampering is defined as any interference by a member club with the employer-employee relationship of another club or any attempt by a club to impermissably induce a person to seek employment with that club or with the NFL. For a more detailed look at tampering, see this link. […]
[…] Tampering is defined as any interference by a member club with the employer-employee relationship of another club or any attempt by a club to impermissably induce a person to seek employment with that club or with the NFL. For a more detailed look at tampering, see this link. […]
[…] Tampering is defined as any interference by a member club with the employer-employee relationship of another club or any attempt by a club to impermissably induce a person to seek employment with that club or with the NFL. For a more detailed look at tampering, see this link. […]
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