The quarterback draws criticism for making love to wide receiver Sidney Rice in the Minnesota Vikings’ 34 – 3 NFC divisional playoff victory versus the Dallas Cowboys
When Brett Favre raced down the field this afternoon and had end-zone relations with teammate Sidney Rice, who had just caught his third touchdown pass from Favre, some felt it was a classless move.
“This is not the kind of image the NFL should be presenting,” Dallas Cowboys linebacker Keith Brooking said. “Two grown men in the throes of passion? Right there in the end zone? That’s hard to swallow.”
FOX Sports commentator Troy Aikman disagreed.
“That’s just Brett being Brett,” Aikman said. “If it were anybody else, you’d have to consider the person’s motives. But with Brett, I think it came from a good place.”
“A very good place,” added Aikman’s announcing partner, Joe Buck.
It was not the first time that Favre has expressed himself so flamboyantly. The future Hall of Famer has been intimate with teammates (or, in some cases, opposing players) an NFL record 267 straight games. Only in recent years, though, has Favre brought the practice to the playing field and out of the locker room. In 2002, after Favre willingly took a sack versus the New York Giants – thereby giving his friend Michael Strahan the all-time single season sack record — Strahan and Favre took off their uniforms and engaged in sexual congress in front of the Giants’ bench.
“No big deal,” Favre said at the time. “In Kiln (Mississippi), where I’m from, it’s considered a sign of respect to diddle an opponent after a pivotal play or a big win.”
Favre sang the same refrain after today’s game. “This isn’t anything new – it’s not a slap in the face to the Cowboys. I give them all the respect in the world, especially Tony Romo. I’d do the same thing with Romo if the circumstances were different.”
After the game, FOX Sports studio analyst Jimmy Johnson offered his two cents.
“Look, players will be players,” Johnson said. “These guys may not always act in ways that you and I approve of, but you can’t come down hard on someone of Favre’s stature. He’s the face of the game. That’s reality — that’s money in the bank for this league. You can make some exceptions with a guy like Favre…in various states of undress.”
During the controversial display, FOX turned the camera away from the lovemaking session and opted to show a clip of Favre releasing audible, on-air farts in a pre-game interview with sideline reporter Pam Oliver.
Rice was unavailable for comment after the game, but it seems he has the support of his teammates.
“Hell, (Rice) can mount (Minnesota offensive tackle) Bryant McKinnie on the 50-yard line and I wouldn’t care,” Vikings defensive end Jared Allen said. “He’s worked so hard to get to this point. If it ends up distracting this team — which it won’t — we’ll deal with it internally. In the locker room.”
Vikings offensive coördinator Darrell Bevell had a similar take.
“One thing you have to understand,” Bevell said, “is the tremendous pressure these guys are under to perform. Something like this is a natural reaction to an intense build-up of emotions. A crescendo really. If Brett and Sidney needed a moment — for whatever reason — you can’t take that away from them. I don’t think you can take that away from them.”
The New Orleans Saints, who host the Vikings next week in the NFC Championship game, have something special waiting for Favre and Rice should they produce an encore performance in the Big Easy.
“I’ll tell you what,” New Orleans safety and former Favre teammate Darren Sharper said, “if those two try that in our house, they’re in for a big surprise. I love Brett — not in the same way that Sidney Rice does — but I love him, and I’m not against a little tough love, if it’s necessary.”
Asked to elaborate, Sharper just smiled furtively. “You’ll see,” he said.
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — –
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — –
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — –
2 Comments
Cousin Larry on January 18, 2010 at 2:01 UTC.
Is that an “Onion” article or did you write that? Very entertaining. What do you think? Is he gonna pull this off and CEMENT his legacy? If he does, there won’t even be an argument anymore and he’ll ride off into the sunset as the best of all-time.
P.S. Lets drafts some more corners PLEASE. Woody can’t do it alone!
Iced Borscht on January 18, 2010 at 2:01 UTC.
It’s just me, shamelessly ripping off the Onion’s format. I swore never to do that, but after the game yesterday, I just couldn’t stop myself.
I agree on the corners. At the same time, though, I think the Pack erred in putting Pat Lee on injured reserve with a fairly minor knee injury. He might be pretty good, but I guess we won’t know until next year. He would have come in handy versus the Cardinals.