Fran Tarkenton Blasts Brett Favre

Vikings legend Fran Tarkenton made an appearance on Atlanta’s Zone 790 “Mayhem in the AM” program, and naturally, the media being the media, the conversation turned to Brett Favre (I wanted to embed their player but the idiots don’t give you the option to turn off autoplay).  Needless to say, Fran had some pointed things to say about the potential future Vikings quarterback.  Some of Fran’s strongest comments were about Favre’s handling of his departure from Green Bay:

"I think it’s despicable. What he put the Packers through last year was not good. Here’s an organization that was loyal to him for 17, 18 years, provided stability of organization, provided players. It just wasn’t about Brett Favre. In this day and time, we have glorified the Brett Favre’s of the world so much, they think it’s about them. He goes to New York and bombs. He’s 39 years old. How would you like Ray Nitschke in his last year (playing for) the Vikings, or I retire, and go play for the Packers. I kind of hope it happens, so he can fail."

Fran also ripped Favre for his poor performance in the NFC title game against the Giants two years ago:

"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 against the Giants. He’s playing against Eli Manning, I love Eli Manning, but he’s still not a great quarterback. He’s not Peyton yet, or Tom Brady. He’s just a guy. And they’re (Packers) are playing at home, and they’re in a tight situation, they went to overtime and he (Favre) throws the interception that allows them (the Giants) to come back and win the game. He has done that and driven his coaches crazy all of his career."

Fran also says in the interview, though the idiot hosts wouldn’t shut up long enough for him to elaborate on the point, that he’s “not sure” Favre would be better than the quarterbacks the Vikings already have.  He also says that, though he has a relationship with the Wilfs, they have not asked him for advice on Favre or anything else, including how to attain “personal power.”

Not a surprise that an old-school guy like Tarkenton would frown upon Favre’s diva behavior.  I have to believe most of those grizzled old guys look at Favre and wonder why someone doesn’t sock him right in the jaw.  They’d do it themselves if their arthritis would allow it.