Friday's Notebook: Chilly Sidesteps Favre Talk

Get Yer Brett Favre Jerseys!

I had to laugh at a FirstCuts article that highlighted a notable piece of Favre-related Vikings apparel on eBay -- a Favre Vikings jersey that happens to look pretty dang authentic.

Sure, perhaps people should wait until he actually signs with the team to start peddling Favre Vikings jerseys, but I think it raises an interesting question: Simply put, would you want to buy one of these?

Many Vikings fans would rush out the day Favre jerseys become available to buy one.  Others wouldn't even consider purchasing one.  Admittedly, I imagine I'd fall in the former category -- I'd buy one for the novelty factor, if nothing else.  It's one of those items that, two or three years ago, you wouldn't have even fathomed seeing on a store shelf.

After the jump, we've got a bunch of quarterback talk -- Chilly's comments on Favre, an interesting quote from T-Jack, and even a John David Bootycall.  But I want to hear your thoughts on the jersey question -- if Favre inks a deal with the Vikings, would you buy his jersey?  Let me know in the poll below and comments section.

Childress: Favre is Retired

Thursday saw a rare occasion at Winter Park: Chilly making on-the-record comments about the Favre drama.  He was quite open at yesterday's press conference about having past contact with Favre, and like Mark Wilf, he acknowledged interest in the veteran quarterback -- but ultimately, Chilly denied that he's focused on Favre:

The coach confirmed for the first time this year...that he's spoken with Favre, but said their last contact was "several weeks ago" and solely by phone.

"It was worth a conversation," Childress said, "and as far as I know he's still retired."

"You're interested in going through the process," the coach said. "And are you interested in a Hall of Fame caliber quarterback? You're always interested in going through the process and discussing it and investigating it."

"He's retired, so it's not relevant and it's not any of my focus right now," Childress said.

This is a classic Chilly response, and I actually think he got the job done with this remark.  If you're Brad Childress, your goal is to sidestep any Favre talk at the OTA press conference and do whatever you can to somehow lessen the distraction that all the rumors have created -- which is a losing battle given the sheer intensity of the speculation surrounding this team, but Chilly did what he could.  I respect that.

Aside from the "I'm-not-focused-on-this" stuff he fed the media yesterday, you've also gotta be struck by the fact that he admitted to a variety of phone conversations with Favre.  Not that it's surprising, but a quote from the presser -- some highlights of which were posted yesterday evening here -- caught my eye: "I'd be lying to you if I said I hadn't been talking to him.  I talked to him, just like I did last year, three months ago."  I certainly hope those conversations last year were about lawn care or the weather, Chilly!  That whole tampering thing was a pain in the ass.

If you're a Vikings rube who isn't jumping up and down about the idea of Favre in purple, I suppose you can be pleased that Chilly's last direct contact with Favre was apparently several weeks ago.  I dunno, you might view that as implying Favre isn't quite as enthusiastic about the possibility of playing for the Vikings as the media is suggesting he is, but that'd probably be stretching things quite a bit too far beyond the actual quote.

Oh Yeah, There's a Quarterback Competition

It's almost bizarre to remember that, as of this very moment, the quarterback competition between Tarvaris Jackson and Sage Rosenfels is still very much alive.  Zulgad caught up with both folks on Thursday -- and I found this quote from T-Jack to be interesting in addressing an area he thinks he needs to improve in:

That big mistake. I tend to try to make the big play sometimes, try to save every play like I did in ‘07. I got a little bit better at that [in 2008], but a couple of plays I wish I could have back. Just going out there and just playing. At the beginning of the year, I wasn’t playing like myself. I was trying not to make mistakes and being very passive, not being aggressive, not really being Tarvaris. Just going ahead and letting it ride and whatever happens, happens.

Ya know, for all of his faults -- and I've been as critical of T-Jack as anyone -- that's unquestionably an area he's shown improvement in as his career's progressed.  We saw him throw some balls away last year, scramble around to salvage some plays, and that proved quite effective in keeping the big mistakes to a minimum.  Sure, he was often tentative with the football, but he only threw three interceptions last season (I counted the playoff game in that total).

So really, I'd partially disagree with Tarvaris.  I don't think the next stage of his progression is necessarily continuing to avoid mistakes -- I think it's maintaining some of the discipline he displayed last season and taking some more chances while still being smart with the football.

Keep throwing the ball away when there's nothing available, keep scrambling for a few yards here and there to salvage a broken play, but for crying out loud, let's start being aggressive.  Especially in the earlier parts of the 2008 season, T-Jack was so damn tentative with the football -- which was partly his fault for lacking confidence, and partly the coaching staff's fault for keeping him on too tight of a leash.  He's got a number of good targets out there...how about we put them to good use?

By continuing to display an increased level of discipline, he could absolutely win a training camp quarterback competition with Rosenfels, and in fact, I'd be very surprised if he didn't win it under those circumstances.  Two reasons: Chilly's obsessed with execution and will naturally lean toward the quarterback that makes the fewest big mistakes within the system, and...well, do ya really see Childress abandoning Tarvaris Jackson after the last three seasons?  This quarterback competition talk could very well go out the window in the next weeks/months, but I think T-Jack has the right mindset heading into the summer.

Booty, Booty, Booty...No Longer Rockin' Everywhere?

Over at Fanhouse, JJ Cooper wonders...if Favre decides to wear the purple and gold next year, what happens to John David Booty?

If Favre does join the Vikes, all of a sudden Booty would be on very shaky ground. It's hard to believe that Minnesota will keep four quarterbacks. Favre would be one, Sage Rosenfels would be No. 2 and all of a sudden Booty is battling Tarvaris Jackson for a roster spot -- and no matter what you think of Jackson, it's hard to imagine the Vikings would cut him when he's still relatively inexpensive and is coming off of his best season as a pro.

Right, no chance the Vikings cut Jackson -- there's absolutely no question that Booty's the odd man out if Favre signs.  Favre is strictly a one-season solution at the quarterback position, and this team would still have to go back to the drawing board once again in 2010 to get its act together under center.  If you honestly see Jackson as a viable starting quarterback in this league, as Chilly clearly does, you keep paying him even when Favre comes in.

Can't say I'd be heartbroken if JDB was let go.  Saw him as (best case scenario) a borderline starter at the NFL level when the Vikes took him in the fifth round last year, but I tended to view him more as a backup quarterback over the long-term.  You've gotta feel bad when his future with the Vikings is in the hands of Brett Favre, but it's a business.