In October 2000, the NBA discovered that the Minnesota Timberwolves had entered into secret contracts that allowed them to circumvent salary cap rules. While teams in all sports stretch the rules, the Wolves and Smith exacerbated this particular situation by putting their agreements down on paper.
NBA Commissioner David Stern at the time handed out one of the most severe spankings a professional sports franchise has ever received. He voided Smith’s contract with the Wolves, fined the team $3.5 million and took away their first-round picks for the next five seasons – a move the organization from which the organization is still recovering.
One must wonder after reading ESPN’s snippet of a Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel Packers Insider story if the Minnesota Vikings might soon be in for the NFL’s version of the Wolves’ punishment. The paper reports that the tampering charges the Green Bay Packers filed against the Vikings are based on phone records showing that Brett Favre had numerous conversations with both his friend, Darrell Bevell, the team’s offensive coordinator, but also head coach Brad Childress.
Perhaps this is fitting for the organization that brought to the public the “Love Boat.” And perhaps it’s only karma coming home to roost for the Vikings for allegedly chasing after a quarterback that has given them fits for nearly two decades. But really, who could ever guess that Favre would be dumb enough to allegedly made and take these calls on, get this, his Packers’ issued cell phone?
Because the Packers owned the number, the paper reports, they were able to review the phone records and make the recovery.
Telephone calls, ESPN blogger Kevin Seifert points out, do not constitute evidence of tampering, nor are conversations between two men who have known each other for a long time. But while Favre and Bevell had a relationship through their years together in Green Bay, Favre and Childress have no such long-term relationship.
The NFL doesn’t have a long history of dealing with tampering situations. But they do have a recent one. This year the league stripped San Francisco of its fifth round pick in the draft and forced the 49ers to switch spots with the Chicago Bears in the third round after Commissioner Roger Goodell found them guilty of tampering with Bears linebacker Lance Briggs.
That penalty was based on the 49ers allegedly having contacted Briggs’ agent, Drew Rosenhaus, during the 2007 season.
It’s hard to say what the hard evidence was in that case. But one can only guess that it was no stronger than phone records as they are alleged to be in Favre-gate. And one might also guess that Goodell will come down even harder on the Vikings if he decides the team disregarded the “warning” the commissioner put out in the 49ers/Bears case.
All in all it appears as though even if Favre never plays another down in the NFL he might have had an impact on the landscape of the NFC North for years to come. And what a stupid and potentially embarrassing way to enter the preseason for the Vikings after an offseason that has been lauded by many as providing the team with its strongest chance to make the playoffs and possibly even contend for a Super Bowl in a long time.
This story continues to degrade Favre’s legacy and now it is making two teams look like complete doofuses as well.
If Brett called Childress, as the story notes, then how could is possibly pin any tampering charges on the Vikings? It would seem like Brett is the one initiating contact.
If it was the other way around, then I could see making something of it.
OK, I like conspiracy theories, and everything else like this.
I do also know that Brett Favre has talked to the Packers about being their Quarterback’s coach if he did indeed retire. He could have been talking to Bevel because they are friends? He could have been asking for any kind of pointers from the difference of being a player, and being a coach, and things of that nature???
And as for dealing with Childress… How long were the phone calls? Were they incoming, or outgoing? These are important in distinguishing if the Vikings had any interest in him at all, or if he had interest in them. Which would then be a determining factor at least in theory as to what the punishment would be.
Personally what I believe (and I’m surprised it hasn’t been brought up yet)… is that last year the Vikings had Jackson give Peyton Manning a call before the season to pick his brain. Could the Vikings have been doing the same thing with the “retired” Brett Favre about getting him to work with, or talk to Tavarius Jackson about becoming a better QB? I don’t think that’s out of the realm of possibilities. I truly don’t.
Personally, I could give a rat’s ass as long my Pittsburgh Steelers are 12-4, and beating up on Manning and Brady next year I’m a happy guy.
Given how the NFL has been handling issues of late (Briggs tempering, SpyGate), I’m not sure that they’ll need any more facts than what’s been presented to slap the Vikes with something.
If they decide it’s in the league’s best interest, of course.