Deadline Story Shot Down

Another day, another ESPN Brett Favre story blown up like the Death Star:

"Pat Kirwan said today on SIRIUS NFL Radio’s “Movin’ The Chains” that there is no deadline for Favre in Minnesota, contrary to what ESPN has reported. Kirwan’s words carry weight on this subject because he is friendly with [Brad] Childress and frequently has the Vikings coach on as a guest during the season.Here’s the conversation between Kirwin and his co-host Tim Ryan today.Kirwan: “I heard you talking about Brett Favre, every show has been talking about him. I’ve got a couple of things to say. First off, let me make sure I’m clear on this to everyone who is listening. There is no deadline for Brett Favre to come in by Friday. There is zero deadline. The story was made up, it’s not true and trust me on that.”Ryan: “I still think he’s coming July 15. By then he’ll be signed up for the Minnnesota Vikings. ESPN calling it shoulder surgery, the biceps tendon attaches to a point up on the shoulder, did have that thing cleared out. We’ve been talking about it for a couple of months. That if he had the surgery he was coming back. It’s clear Favre’s on his way to Minnesota.”"

Did this Pat Kirwan fellow just accuse Chris Mortensen and Ed Werder of making up the deadline story?  That’s a pretty serious allegation.  Maybe he accused their source of making up the story then selling them on it – which, frankly, is almost as serious as accusing them of making it up themselves.

Obviously, time will tell who was right – and not very much time either; just enough to get us past the end of this week, at which point Favre will have either made up his mind or not made up his mind.  I’m personally hoping the deadline story is true: I want to believe that Chilly has the balls to do it, plus, I want the story to be over one way or the other.  On the other hand, if the story isn’t true, it would be a huge black eye for ESPN, and I don’t know why, but it always amuses me when those guys take one in the face.  The whole Favre saga has not exactly been the shiningest moment in the history of the World Wide Leader.  Their credibility is about where GM’s stock is.  Unfortunately, there’s no government bail-out for bad reporting.