Favre: Vikings did not tamper

[IlliniVikeFan23]

Favre: Vikings did not tamper

http://ww3.startribune.com/vikingsblog/

Brett Favre admitted that he talked to Vikings coach Brad Childress and offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell but the quarterback denied that the Green Bay Packers NFC North foe ever tampered with him.

In a story written by Peter King of Sports Illustrated, Favre said he often talks and exchanges text messages with Childress and Bevell but made it clear he does the same with other NFL coaches as well. Favre also said he was interviewed last week by the NFL’s vice president of securty, Milt Ahlerich, about possible tampering by the Vikings.

Bevell was Favre’s quarterbacks coach from 2003 to 2005, so it was no surprise the two talk on a frequent basis. King writes that Favre and Childress knew each other from Childress’ time as an assistant on the University of Wisconsin staff. According to the story, “Childress spent a lot of time in Green Bay studying the Packers offense,” during that period.

“I have no qualms about admitting I talked to them,” Favre told Sports Illustrated. “Talking with Milt, he said, ‘Brett, did they entice you?’ I said no, ‘I don’t need to be enticed anywhere.’ They absolutely did not entice me to come to Minnesota.”

Favre, meanwhile, said he planned to come out of retirement and report for the start of the Packers training camp on Monday but with the team having moved in a different direction and not wanting the veteran back he has agreed to give Green Bay management some extra time to try to work things out. Favre also admits NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has stepped into the situation as an “arbitrator.”

“I hope in the next few days we can come to an agreement that would allow me to continue playing football,” Favre told King.

The fact the NFL has now talked to Favre and the Vikings means the NFL should be able to soon rule on the Packers allegations that the Vikings are guilty of tampering. Favre reportedly would like to play for the Vikings — something that was not brought up in the interview King did with him

[IlliniVikeFan23]

Report: Favre won't say he wants to wear purple

http://ww3.startribune.com/vikingsblog/

Earlier today we posted an item in which Brett Favre admitted to Sports Illustrated that he had talked to Brad Childress but that the Vikings coach was not guilty of tampering. ESPN has now posted a story on its website in which Favre doesn’t admit the Vikings are his preferred team but goes into greater detail about his relationship with Childress.

“I haver never denied talking to Childress,” Favre told Chris Mortensen. “I’ve known [Childress] for about 12 years going back to when he and Jay Norvell were assistants at Wisconsin and they used to come in and sit in our quarterback meetings. And then Brad went to Philadelphia to be with Andy Reid [who was Favre’s quarterbacks coach in Green Bay] and, you know, Andy and I are big buddies so the relations continued.

“Like I told Milt [Alherich, the NFL’s director of security] and I told the commissioner, I’ve spoken to Childress. I’ve spoken to [Vikings offensive coordinator] Darrell Bevell, I’ve spoken to Andy Reid, I’ve spoken to Mike Sherman, Matt Millen, Steve Mariucci and I’ve spoken to a lot of guys who are my friends and guys who have coached me, either talked to them or left messages.”

The Vikings practice from 3-5 p.m. today and Childress is scheduled to address the media afterward. He has had little to say so far about the tampering charges the Packers filed against the Vikings for alleged communications with Favre, calling it a ”league matter.”

Favre went on to tell ESPN that his communications with Childress and other coaches was to get their reaction about his decision to change his mind about coming out of retirement. As he did in the article on the Sports Illustrated website, Favre denied that Childress or Bevell tried to talk him into playing and he told this to Alherich when the two met after the Packers filed tampering charges against the Vikings.

“I told Milt and Roger Goodell that if talking to teams is tampering, then there’s about seven to 10 teams that are guilty of tampering,” Favre said. “But Brad isn’t going to entice me because he knows that even if he wanted me to play there, it’s not going to happen. The Packers aren’t going to let that happen.

“So Brad and I, yeah, we talk and we exchange text messages. The Packers know that. After we beat them last year, Brad sent me a text message, teasing me how a gray-haired quarterback could still play. And the Packers were aware of that because I shared a laugh with ‘em about that.”

Finally, Favre reacted strongly to the reports that the Packers have evidence of the Vikings having tampered with him because he had a team-owned phone that enabled Green Bay’s front office officials to look at the records.

“That’s just bogus,” Favre told Mortensen. “I don’t have a Packers’ cell phone. Never have. I told Ted [on Thursday] that he and [coach Mike] McCarthy needed to clear up this cell phone thing. I told him they needed to get in front of the media and admit that I don’t have one of their cell phones. And Ted said, ‘Well, I think somebody already squashed that [story].’ But that isn’t enough. They need to get up and admit it’s ridiculous and bogus.”

[MMONTERO]

Big surprise: Favre is saying his team of choice didn't tamper.