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The Minnesota Vikings got the New England Patriots treatment on Tuesday, as officials from NFL Security arrived at the team’s headquarters to investigate the Packers’ tampering claim, arising from allegations of communications between the Vikings and quarterback Brett Favre.
According to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, it is believed that coach Brad Childress and offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell were interviewed. It recently has been reported by the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel that both men’s phone numbers appear on a log of calls that the Packers obtained via a team-issued wireless device that Favre had been using after his retirement.
Regardless of what Childress and/or Bevell said when interviewed (if they indeed were), for their sake we hope they told the truth. In so many cases, the cover up ends up being worse than the crime. And if the Vikings try to play hide the horn with the NFL over what they did or didn’t do, the penalty likely will be even worse.
July 23rd, 2008 at 11:46 am
Any examples of this? Most times the cover up seems to result in the NFL backing off. Remember the tampering charges against the Jets? Or any number of accusations against teams in the NFL? The Patriots reportedly came forward and were completely honest with the NFL, which resulted in the biggest penalty ever issued a team.
Granted, I know little about other teams being accused of things, and which ones came forward and which ones held back in investigations. However it seems to me that the teams which do what they can to with hold information end up getting away with it, unless some evidence shows up they can not deny, in which case hiding stuff is just stupid to begin with.
Some examples would be nice here, teams which withheld information and teams that came forward and were honest.
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July 23rd, 2008 at 12:06 pm
How can the vikes not be found guilty if Chrildress’s number is really on the bill? Theres no reason for those two to be talking!!
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July 23rd, 2008 at 12:09 pm
I’m guessing the over/under on time it takes for the NFL to destroy any evidence they find is about 48 hours.
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July 23rd, 2008 at 12:23 pm
I didn’t talk to him about playing for the Vikings. He asked me how long I thought it would take him to learn the Buccaneer’s playbook.
- Darrell Bevell
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July 23rd, 2008 at 12:25 pm
Well, if they continue to get the patriot’s treatment, NFL security will just destroy the phone records and any other evidence, slap them on the wrist, then try to sweep it under the rug.
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July 23rd, 2008 at 12:47 pm
What’s the issue here ? Brett Farve was the one contacting Brad Childress. Was Childress suppose to recognize the phone number. I hope while the NFL is investigating this whole think they look into why farve is issued a Greenbay Packers cell phone. Seems like a perk to me
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July 23rd, 2008 at 1:11 pm
Coach Childress may not an Einstein, but he’d have to be a complete and total idiot to say anything more than, “Brett, can’t talk to you, but good luck on your future endeavors. Buh-bye.”
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July 23rd, 2008 at 1:12 pm
After the Vikings get disciplined, Brad Childress will need at least 1 playoff win this season in order not to get fired. I don’t think I have ever seen a coach on a hotter seat.
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July 23rd, 2008 at 1:13 pm
This is great knowing the ViQueens are squirming! I love it. And I’m think’n that after one call from Brett that Childress would know who’s number it was.
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July 23rd, 2008 at 1:18 pm
Isn’t that funny? Brett Farve makes outbound calls because he would much rather be a Minnesota Viking than a Green Bay Packer (who could blame him) and the Vikings are the ones that get into trouble.
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July 23rd, 2008 at 1:23 pm
The vikings HEAD COACH was talking with another teams player…. For a half hour!!!!that is more than enough time to say “good luck” or “congrats on the ESPY”….everyone knows the vikings are lusting after favre in a huge way. And now its appearing that brett actually wants to play there. Anyone who says t-jack is better for the vikes than favre is clearly drunk and an idiot. Vikings cheat, they are a dispicable bunch….give GB a draft pick right now.
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July 23rd, 2008 at 1:23 pm
Another great post svndr. Instead of slapping them on the wrist with the most severe penalty in the history of the NFL by fining the coach & owner 1.25 million & taking away a first down draft pick maybe the NFL should have thrown a rope around BB neck & drug him from Foxboro & all the way to Boston on the back of a truck.
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July 23rd, 2008 at 1:38 pm
I can’t wait to see what TacoBill cooks up for this one!
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July 23rd, 2008 at 1:45 pm
Boy if Favre complained about the Packers receiving corps and whining about getting Dandy Randy, I can only imagine the “Pats on the back” and “Atta-boys” he’d be throwing the Queen’s WRs way! (if you can even call them WRs)
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July 23rd, 2008 at 1:59 pm
Lighten up ampats…it was a JOKE
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July 23rd, 2008 at 2:09 pm
jyernberg:
I’ll try to spell this out so that even a Packer fan can understand it:
Assuming the Vikings did “tamper” with the Pampered Gunslinger Who Really Always Wanted To Be A Viking, and assuming they get caught/admit it, and assuming the NFL does take away some Purple Pick(s), the confiscated picks will just disappear, not go to the Packers, or any other team.
Get it?
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July 23rd, 2008 at 2:15 pm
NFL security visiting the Vikings is Standard Operating Procedure for looking into the tampering charge. It’s not a new development.
As to why Childress would be talking to Favre. It’s cliche, but the NFL is a fraternity. Coaches and players don’t have to have prior connections to have something to talk about. He could be giving advice on how to handle retirement, how to get into coaching if that’s what he’s looking for (Favre’s late father was a HS coach), networking contacts for business and football ventures, etc. Just because they talk doesn’t mean it was about Favre playing football for the Vikings.
That being said, it is highly likely part of the incentive for Childress to have extended conversations with Favre was to hear if he planned to return to playing football elsewhere (including Minnesota) and to hear what his plans were to get out of his contract with the Packers.
That’s where the NFL will have to base it’s case. Unless there were text messages from Childress (with the 49ers and Briggs there was a written email trail), it will be up to the NFL to dole out punishment on the basis of assuming any conversation between Favre and Childress included talk about Favre playing for the Vikings. Based on that, there may be a penalty, but it shouldn’t be too severe (less than the 49ers got with written evidence).
And do the Packers have text messages from Childress? Possible, but doubtful. The Packers didn’t have to leak that the tampering charge was filed, unless they wanted some of the bad PR from the Favre saga to be directed at the Vikings (the league office is not the ones who made this tampering charge public knowledge). If there is any written proof, the Packers would have leaked that too.
Finally, there’s one last thing to consider. The Vikings are near the bottom in the NFL in revenue due to one of the worst stadium deals. And there not getting any closer to resolving that. It is in the NFL’s best interest to make sure the Vikings due not hinder a chance and getting a stadium (and improving the NFL’s bottom line) and possibly having to relocate from Minnesota. Because of this, I can’t see the NFL making an example out of the Vikings with a harsh penalty based on assumptions.
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July 23rd, 2008 at 2:39 pm
Its hard to say what would happen with a punishment from the NFL. In the case of the 49′ers, a 5th round pick was forfeited and teams swapped picks in the third round, moving the Bears up 5 spots.
So while precedent may indicate the Vikings won’t just give a pick to the Packers, the 49′ers-Bears incident was pre-draft, allowing the NFL to determine a 5 spot switch was sufficient punishment.
Since this (alleged) tampering took place post-draft, a complete transfer of the draft pick from the Vikings to the Packers may be used in case the Vikings wind up with a lower draft pick than the Packers would have had.
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July 23rd, 2008 at 2:44 pm
bgman,
Your knowledgeable, well-reasoned, in-depth yet unbiased explanation has no place on this site. Please leave and never come back.*
A-GOD SuX!!!!**
*Kidding
**Not Kidding
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July 23rd, 2008 at 2:47 pm
One thing I do not understand in all of this…why is a highly-remunerated quarterback apparently using a cellphone issued by his team to talk to the coach of a rival team? Can he not afford his own cellphone? Or is he not being very smart here?
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July 23rd, 2008 at 2:55 pm
Think the League will uncover any packages containing Whizzanators?
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July 23rd, 2008 at 3:35 pm
Along with that very good comment from bgman, it must also be remembered taht Farve was the person originating the calls. The burden of proof becomes rather heavy when the origin of the call was not the team being targeted for investigation. If one of the calls originated with the Vikings, yes, I believe some penalties would be forthcoming, but since these calls were placed by a player to the team, rather hard to prove ANY tampering at all.
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July 23rd, 2008 at 4:02 pm
@mossey cade
I am pretty sure the vikes have to sit this season out… They will lose a pick AND not win the SB…
Get it?
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July 23rd, 2008 at 4:07 pm
Multiple calls with/to chilly would make tampering almost indisputable
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July 23rd, 2008 at 4:16 pm
If the vikes did not initiate any of the calls, and there is no paper trail. How can the vikes be hit with tampering?
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