The Viking Age points us to another member of the defensive line expressing a bit of frustration about how the Favre saga is playing out. Ray Edwards generated some controversy back in June when he criticized Favre for being a distant presence in the Jets locker room -- and now, Jared Allen just wants the Vikes to move forward:
"If we get Brett, then that's a bonus," the All-Pro defensive end said in a phone interview. "But let's either get it done and get moving on with it or let it go.
"It's not so much that it's a distraction because we're professionals and don't really buy into that. But it's annoying."
"Let's either get it done and get moving on with it or let it go." Ha! That's a good one, Jared. Give it another week or so and his wish might be granted, but he ought to realize that, when you're dealing with Favre, 'getting it done' a moment before the last possible second just ain't gonna happen. It's Brett Favre 101.
But his comments do raise that uncomfortable issue once again of how the locker room reacts when Favre is brought into the mix -- something Edwards has already not-so-subtly alluded to. It's an issue worth paying attention to simply based on some news stories that came out after the Jets capped off their season last year:
A Jets player told Newsday Favre was "distant" and created animosity among his teammates over his failure to create good relationships in the locker room."
There was a lot of resentment in the room about him," said the Jets player, whose identity Newsday kept private.
Worst case scenario is that the frustration of Allen, Edwards, and other players (who just haven't said so publicly) will carry over to training camp and beyond when the man who kept the team in limbo throughout a tumultuous offseason creates a similarly wild environment in Mankato and Winter Park. Things might be "annoying" at the moment for Allen, but he'll have to live with much worse -- at least, while the initial media circus is unfolding.
We'll just have to see what happens, as these next weeks could be some of the more eventful ones we've ever experienced as Vikings fans. Fears that we might see "resentment" from the locker room toward Favre might very well be overblown, but it's also a possibility that probably shouldn't be ruled out, either.