November 1
St. Paul Pioneer Press
columnist Charley Walters
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For 16 years, Mike Eayrs was the brainy numbers guy for the Vikings. Eayrs fed statistics, variants and formulas into sophisticated computers that would digest the information, then spit out tendencies that could be used by his team to win football games. For the past 10 years, Eayrs has been doing the same as director of research for the Green Bay Packers, who this afternoon play Minnesota in an epic game that features storied former Packers quarterback Brett Favre returning to Lambeau Field as the 40-year-old star QB of the division-leading Vikings. "Basically, the way we're approaching it over here, it's probably going to be who scores last," Eayrs said from Green Bay. What does the ..."
October 30
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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The saga continues Sunday at Lambeau Field. The storylines are drawn for this drama that's been building for 16 months: The signature player for one team for a decade and a half returns in the uniform of its rival. Made for television, guaranteed to garner the strongest rating of the 2009 NFL season. High drama indeed. Having spent nine years in Green Bay, I've commented often about both sides of the decision by the Packers to move on without quarterback Brett Favre. I'll leave out the truly confidential parts of the story, but here's a look behind the green and gold on some matters. "We've moved on" As we know, when Brett decided to un-retire last year to reclaim his throne in Green Bay, ..."
October 30
St. Paul Pioneer Press
columnist Charley Walters
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Last July, at age 59, Tom Watson lost the British Open in a playoff in Turnberry, Scotland. Coming that close in a major tournament at that age was a remarkable feat, one of the most admired in golf history. Vikings kicker Ryan Longwell, who has a United States Golf Association handicap of 1.8 at the posh Isleworth Golf & Country Club in Florida, agrees. He is qualified to appreciate Watson's gallant effort. But the magnitude of teammate quarterback Brett Favre's performance, at age 40 this season, has been even more impressive than was Watson's effort last summer, Longwell figures. "The mind-set is similar in that Watson didn't feel that his age was a detriment; he felt he was an ..."
October 28
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
columnist Michael Hunt
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On the level of a captured Bigfoot being turned loose in a roped-off Times Square, there's no getting around the fact that Sunday from 3 to 3:15-ish at Lambeau Field is going to be a freak show. And as the ticket-bearer paying NFL prices to be entertained, you are free to respond however you choose to Brett Favre's re-entrance to the grounds he either consecrated with his 16-year presence or defiled by crossing over, depending on your point of view. Boo him, as LeRoy Butler advises, or greet him with applause, as our Garry Howard suggests, and no doubt both reactions will blend into a peculiar cacophony before the actual business of the afternoon is allowed to proceed. But there is another ..."
October 28
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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"Physically, and from a talent level, this is the best team I've ever been on." That's what Brett Favre said a few weeks ago about his Minnesota Vikings. And fans in Wisconsin dusted off commemorative programs, pulled out VHS tapes, arched an eyebrow with a little attitude and thought, "Brett, all due respect, but are you for real?" So you can imagine what his 1996 teammates think. The Green Bay Packers won the Super Bowl after the 1996 season with Favre playing in his MVP prime and with the Minister of Defense, Frankie, Chewy, LeRoy, Free and the Gravedigger. They got big-time performances from starters and backups, top draft picks and castoffs. They dominated on defense, did what they ..."
October 27
St. Paul Pioneer Press
columnist Charley Walters
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Darrell Thompson, the record-setting former Gophers running back, played five seasons for the Green Bay Packers. Three were with Brett Favre, now the Vikings quarterback. Favre returns to Green Bay on Sunday to play against the franchise he led to two Super Bowls. "It's going to be a love-hate relationship," said Thompson, the University of Minnesota football radio analyst, of Favre's return to Lambeau Field. "I think the people there care tremendously about Brett and what he's done for the Packers, the success he had, the Super Bowls — winning one and losing one. That's a big deal." When Favre's career is finished — and nobody knows when that will be, probably including Favre — his No. 4 ..."
October 27
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
columnist Garry D. Howard
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This is pretty simple, Green Bay fans: When Brett Favre, aka No. 4, enters Lambeau Field late Sunday afternoon in his white Minnesota Vikings uniform - intent on working his magic for the purple-helmeted enemy - this is what you should do, please. Stand up in front of your seat, put your hands together and clap. And whistle. And then clap some more. Forcefully. And cheer. Loud. Louder. The loudest you have ever screamed in your life. That's right. . . . Show him the love and affection he has certainly earned by leading this franchise back to respectability and its rightful place as "Titletown." Empower yourselves by showing off your obvious class with this rousing ovation. Make him cry ..."
October 23
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
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Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has never met Minnesota Vikings counterpart Brett Favre. Roethisberger didn't make the trip to Green Bay in 2005 when Favre played for the Packers after underging arthroscopic surgery for a torn miniscus in his right knee. The Steelers defeated Green Bay 20-10 that year with Charlie Batch as the starter. "It's going to be fun," Roethlisberger said Thursday. "I grew up watching Brett, kind of idolized him, molding a little bit of my game after him." • Roethlisberger didn't take the bait when asked to compare his game with Favre's. "I'm not going to compare myself to Brett because he is a legend, and I'm just trying to get to his level,'' Roethlisberger said. ..."
October 22
St. Paul Pioneer Press
columnist Charley Walters
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Agent Bus Cook has worked out a $30 million, two-year contract extension for Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler. Cook also represents Vikings QB Brett Favre, who is signed through next season on a two-year deal for $25 million. Cutler is 26; Favre is 40. If Favre remains healthy and decides to return next season (owner Zygi Wilf has said he expects him to return), as sly as Cook is, he's not expected to try to do a new deal for Favre, who is having a Pro Bowl year. That's because Wilf has given Favre a fair-market deal. Meanwhile, Cutler's contract would bind him to the Bears through 2013. Amazing thought: If the Vikings (6-0) were to go on to win this season's Super Bowl, and if Favre ..."
October 8
St. Paul Pioneer Press
columnist Charley Walters
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The contract Brett Favre signed with the Vikings in August is for two years — $12 million this season and $13 million next season. Vikings owner Zygi Wilf wants Favre to quarterback the Vikings next season, too. "I would love him to; why not?" Wilf said. "That's what we signed him up for." When Favre, who turns 40 Saturday, takes a snap in Sunday's game against the Rams in St. Louis, he'll still have a long way to go to match kicker-quarterback George Blanda. In 1975, Blanda threw three passes for the Oakland Raiders in their regular-season finale when he was 48 years old. In 1970, when he was 43, Blanda threw passes in six of the Raiders' 14 regular-season games, plus went 17 of 32 for ..."