This needs to be the last year Brett Favre holds the Purple Nation captive.
(Maybe).
The Vikings open training camp on Thursday and after almost seven months the world still awaits word as to whether No. 4 will play a second season here. Yes, it’s understandable that the 40-year-old quarterback needs time during the off-season to make a decision about whether to continue his career or retire. But how long does it take to count all your fingers and toes to see if any are missing?
A decision in late July or even in August like last year? Year after year?
Let Favre join the team just before kickoff for the regular season opener this September if he can immediately play at the high level of 2009, a season that was among his best ever. But after 2010 no more of this high drama stuff.
Unless (wiggle, wiggle) the Vikings go to the Super Bowl. (Where of course, they will lose a fifth Super Bowl. Why? Because the Vikings don’t win Super Bowls. Look it up).
Without a Super Bowl appearance to warm their souls, the Vikings can’t afford to spend another cold winter wondering whether Favre will play a third season for them. The offseason is a time for figuring out how to improve the team for both the near future and further out. Whether it’s through trade, free agency or the college draft the Vikings need a QB plan to take them beyond the 2011 season.
Favre might deserve a commitment by the Vikings for 2011 but he needs to speak up and say he’s committed soon after this coming season ends. The only way he should be allowed to play the drama game is if he punches the Vikings’ ticket to the Super Bowl.
And if he pulls that one off (God, what if they even won the game!), we can all welcome him back in September of 2011. Just before kickoff.