Vikings Want Favre to Commit This Week

(NEWSER) - He just can't stay away: Brett Favre will talk to Vikings coach Brad Childress this week about renouncing his NFL retirement—again—and suiting up for Minnesota, reports ESPN. A decision would have to come quickly: The Vikes would want Favre to participate in training camp, something he missed last year with the Jets. Much reportedly depends on how well Favre's torn biceps tendon heals. More»

NFL levies fines against team, GM and former coach for not reporting injury

(NEWSER) - The NFL hit the Jets, GM Mike Tannenbaum, and former coach Eric Mangini with $125,000 in fines for not reporting Brett Favre’s injured arm last season, Bloomberg reports. Favre, now with the Vikings, spilled the beans a week ago that he played hurt the final weeks of the season. The team owes $75,000, and Mangini and Tannenbaum $25,000 each for not reporting the injury as required. The fine's unusual, but the league is trying to beef up the credibility of its weekly injury reports, long treated as works of fiction by teams. More»

(AP) - What was once unthinkable became reality tonight under the big white top of the Metrodome—Brett Favre received a standing ovation in Minnesota. Long considered the most dastardly of villains in Minnesota sports, Favre's decision to sign with the Vikings has instantly turned him into the state's white knight and the team's key to a Super Bowl run. More»

(NEWSER) - Brett Favre's decision to un-retire again and join the Vikings has set off all kinds of Favre-bashing among sports columnists. Rick Morrissey of the Chicago Tribune wonders if everyone's lost their football sense. "Is he selfish? Very likely, but he's going to make the Vikings better." Is he the QB he once was? "No, but he's going to make the Vikings better." The Vikes have a great defense, and "now they have a great quarterback." That's all that matters. More»

(NEWSER) - With Brett Favre mulling yet another unretirement, Will Leitch of New York magazine looks back on the worst unretirements in sports history. They range from cringe-worthy to incomparably cringe-worthy:

• Ricky Williams: How many drug tests can one man fail?
• Lance Armstrong: "It’s difficult to come up with a better final chapter than winning your seventh Tour after overcoming cancer and thoroughly infuriating the French by evading all their attempts to bust you as a drug cheat."