Our Thursday Remembrance

The Last Great Comeback Of Brett Favre's Career

Michael Madsen's harsh words for Brett Favre haters and Hollywood Politicos

Bonus:

Another potential upcoming feat for Favre

Brett Favre owns every major passing record. He has had a miraculous career. And yes his Vikings came up short in their Super Bowl run last season. But to paraphrase the movie 'Saving Silverman'; Well he is our hero and we love him.

Add one more potential accomplishment to his resume. If he plays next season, he will be the first grandfather to start an NFL game at quarterback. His daughter, Britany just had a son according to a Adam Scheftler.



Picture 1: Favre family from left to right - Brittany, Deanna, Breleigh, Brett.

Picture 2: Brittany Favre.

Picture 3: Self explanatory sign.

Picture 4: Deanna Favre with Brett Favre holding up a Madden video game that bares his image.

Keith Brooking's Dallas Cowboys get no love from the Vikings, nor should he

Playing for 60 minutes a day may be enough for the big boys and girls in the NFL's Play 60 program. But for Keith Brooking it is best to stop at 58 minutes. After that, his feelings are just too fragile.

The Minnesota Vikings embarrassed the Dallas Cowboys 34-3 in this year's divisional playoff round. Keith Brooking took exception to the Vikings seemingly running up the score.

Up 27-3 with the game realistically in hand, the Vikings were not taking a knee. And Shots Heard cannot blame them. This game looked over with 6:24 when the Cowboys took over on their own 33. The Cowboys did not attempt to melt down the clock. They went four and out on pass plays. They then used their timeouts to stop the clock on the Vikings following possession.

Given the Cowboys were playing to win still (and had done a lot of talking), the Vikings were right to finish the Cowboys 'Mortal Kombat II' style. The Vikings were especially right to do so when the Cowboys guarded the underneath routes and not the end zone route ran by Visanthe Shiancoe, who caught a Brett Favre TD pass to put the nail in the Cowboys coffin. The TD made the score 34-3.

The coffin was marked, 'The 2008 and 2009 Dallas Cowboys.' And a burial analogy is fitting. In last year's last regular season game, the Cowboys would have made the playoffs with a win. Instead they laid an egg and lost 44-6 to the Philadelphia Eagles.

The Cowboys have exited the last two season by a combined score of 78 to 9! What a nightmare (foreshadowing)!

The Vikings were especially right to score when the Cowboys were talking all week after having their ears tickled by the media all week. Meril Hoge of ESPN said that the Cowboys were going to be a 'nightmare' match-up for the Vikings. Nobody was giving the Vikings respect in their own house (The Metrodome), where they are now 9-0.

Brooking in particular has no right to call the Vikings 'totally classless,' when he pinned wide receiver, Bernard Berrian down after a play was over and applied pressure to the jugular with his elbow. As well, the Vikings were well aware of his big mouth before the game and during the game.

The Vikings no doubt have avenged the classless actions of the Cowboys organization. Or you we can look at it from the view of the Master Pragmatic, Brad Childress, who is the Vikings head coach. Childress stated the Vikings were not running up the score, they were just taking care of business.

How do you like that for sweet ambivalence?

But sometimes abivalence is not enough. So Shots Heard is going to spell it out 'Keith Brooking pre-game speech stlye.' The Vikings hit the Cowboys. The Vikings kept hitting the Cowboys. The Cowboys might have backed up and the Vikings hit 'em' again.

And when the Cowboys were barely hanging, the Vikings hit the Cowboys in the mouth, bloodied their nose and knocked them out of the playoffs to the tune of 'Pants On The Ground.' The Cowboys were definitely 'looking like a fool.'

Hat to the side. Someone throw Brooking a hanky. He has something in his eyes and maybe a little blood spatter too.

NFL: 2009 Week 15 Predictions / Brett Favre Songs

Week 14: 11-5
Season: 139-69

Indianapolis Colts (13-0) @ Jacksonville Jaguars (7-6)

Dallas Cowboys (8-5) @ New Orleans Saints (13-0)

Atlanta Falcons (6-7) @ NY Jets (7-6)

San Francisco 49ers (6-7) @ Philadelphia Eagles (9-4)

Houston Texans (6-7) @ St. Louis Rams (1-12)

New England Patriots (8-5) @ Buffalo Bills (5-8)

Chicago Bears (5-8) @ Baltimore Ravens (7-6)

Miami Dolphins (7-6) @ Tennessee Titans (6-7)

Cleveland Browns (2-11) @ Kansas City Chiefs (3-10)

Arizona Cardinals (8-5) @ Detroit Lions (2-11)

Oakland Raiders (4-9) @ Denver Broncos (8-5)

Cincinnati Bengals (9-4) @ San Diego Chargers (10-3)

Green Bay Packers (9-4) @ Pittsburgh Steelers (6-7)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-12) @ Seattle Seahawks (5-8)

Minnesota Vikings (11-2) @ Carolina Panthers (5-8)

NY Giants (7-6) @ Washington Redskins (4-9)

Brett Favre Rap: MPLS (Minneapolis) Style

Shots Heard has found one of the more amusing home made rap videos out there. This is some serious Minnesota home sty lings for you. It comes complete with white boy rapping, images of the run down Minneapolis Industrial District and images from the inside of a classic 70 plus year-old tract home. There is even a KG poster on the wall as the rapper strolls down the stairs sporting bling and his Sota posse.

The song is not something you would want to roll down the street with the speakers blasting, but it goes well with the all the humorous antidotes of the video. And as bad as you may think it is, the musical workings trumps the 1985 Chicago Bears 'Super Bowl Shuffle.' Although the 'Super Bowl Shuffle' will always be at the top of the cheesy football song mountain. Enjoy.

This Holiday Season: Minnesota Vikings on a quest for 'The Ring'

Down in the Mississippi mud: There is another Favre

Down in the high school ranks there is another quarterback named Favre that is having a great season. Last night, Dylan Favre just led his high school team, Saint Stanislaush Catholic Rockachaws to a 35-16 victory over Lafayette County High School in the Mississippi State 4A Championship Game.

Yes the teams name is the Rock-A-Chaws, whatever those are. It is like something out of South Park in which the school voted whether the school mascot should be a piece of terd or a deuche bag.

Favre threw for 369 yards and 3 TDs. But he made sure to show that he is a Favre by having three interceptions on the night as well.

Dylan is the son of Jeff Favre who is the brother of Brett Favre, the Minnesota Vikings quarterback. Ole Miss, UCLA, Notre Dame and Souther Mississippi (where Brett and Jeff played) have written letters of interest. But Favre has not yet received a scholarship offer. Despite the limited interest, analysts have found many similarities in Dylan and Brett's abilities.

Brett Favre earns his North Star Six: More Fan Cam Angles

Shots Heard is showing further fan cam moments of Brett Favre's last second game winning frozen rope TD pass to Greg Lewis in Week 3 of the 2009 NFL season.

At the 11 second mark of the first video you can hear a 49er fan yell "pick it off." That makes the catch that much sweeter.

In the second video, you will see a 49er fan in a Jerry Rice jersey initially celebrate thinking the Vikings did not get the TD. It is priceless to see his knee jerk jubilation turn into disappointment.

Favre gets his vengeance, Young Guns 2 style

Brett Favre returned to Lambeau and completed the season sweep of his former team, the Green Bay Packers. Thus he attained a measure of revenge against the general manager, Ted Thompson and coach, Mike McCarthy that left him out to dry (in New York). He did so as 29.8 million tv viewers looked on.

Favre made the Packers look so bad that Shots Heard is renaming Green Bay, Brett Bay. Lambeau Field will be known as Favre Field from here on out. We like the alliterations and find them quite aprepo to the ass kicking that he delivered to Thompson and the ungrateful fans that booed him at Favre Field.

Favre threw for four touchdowns and no interceptions. The performance earned him NFC Player Of The Week honors. This despite his poultry 128.6 QB rating. He had a 135.3 QB rating when the Vikings beat the Packers at the Metrodome.

How swift was Favre's vengeance? Imagine Pat Garrett (played by William Peterson) in the movie 'Young Guns 2' asking his victim, "Trevers" if he knew who he knew him. Sticking with the alliterations, Trevers? Thompson? Shrug. BLAST.

If Favre had one thing to say to Ted Thompson now it would be, "Yoo-hoo. I'll make you famous." Apparently he does not know the definition of the word 'pals.'

Picture 1: A jubilant Brett Favre celebrates his win on Favre Field (Lambeau Field)

Picture 2: Classless Packer fans attend a Brett Favre funeral on the Friday before the game. But it was Favre that buried the Packers in two games this season.

NFL: 2009 Week 8 Predictions

Week 7 Results: 11-2
Season Results: 69-34

Predicted winners are in bold type.

Minnesota Vikings (6-1) @ Green Bay Packers (4-2)

Cleveland Browns (1-6) @ Chicago Bears (3-3)

Seattle Seahawks (0-7) @ Dallas Cowboys (4-2)

St. Louis Rams (0-7) @ Detroit Lions (1-5)

Houston Texans (4-3) @ Buffalo Bills (3-4)

Denver Broncos (6-0) @ Baltimore Ravens (3-3)

San Francisco 49ers (3-3) @ Indianapolis Colts (6-0)

Miami Dolphins (2-4) @ NY Jets (4-3)

NY Giants (4-2) @ Philadelphia Eagles (4-2)

Jacksonville Jaguars (3-3) @ Tennessee Titans (0-6)

Oakland Raiders (2-5) @ San Diego Chargers (3-3)

Carolina Panthers (2-4) @ Arizona Cardinals (4-2)

Atlanta Falcons (4-2) @ New Orleans Saints (6-0)

Picture: Shortly before the 2009 NFL season began, Reebok released a state by state graphic of off-season jersey sales. Brett Favre signed with the Vikings in September. But despite not being with the Vikings for the previous six months, his jerseys were still able to be the top selling jersey in 19 states. Favre mania will reach its potential summit this week when Favre returns to his old stomping grounds at Lambeau Field. Over 90 percent of the nation will watch the 'regionallly televised' football game between the Minneota Vikings and Green Bay Packers.

Brett Favre Earns His North Star Five: Techmo Bowl Version

A Favrelous Pursuit - Part 1: The Snake

In the 1984 movie, 'The Natural,' the New York Knights baseball manager Pop Fisher (Wilford Brimley) lamented, "the day that snake 'The Judge' (General Manager type/co-owner) walked into the park (was) one of the darkest days of his life."

And in a case of life imitating art, an accomplished Super Bowl champion, Brett Favre undoubtedly had the same lamentations during his final three years (2005-2007) with the Green Packers, in which Ted Thompson served as the team's general manager.

Just as the New York Knights were squeezed and Pop complained about being with "dead from the neck up" players, so did Favre suddenly find himself on a last place 4-12 team that had refused to resign key players from their 2004 team that finished 10-6 and won the NFC North division title.

It would be the only losing season in Brett Favre's illustreous career. Believing that the 4-12 season was not head coach, Mike Sherman's fault, Favre told Thompson that if he fired Sherman he would retire.

The very next day, Sherman, whom Thompson had replaced as general manager, was fired. Thompson was a rookie general manager but he was also a cunning opportunist. Favre did not fit into Thompson's vision to rebuild the team. But he knew that he could not cut or trade away the greatest player in Packer history.

Thompson, ever the great egoist was undoubtedly giving himself a pat on the back. This would be his team now without any more interference from Favre. Thompson would not have to operate in the shadow of the only three time MVP in the league to that point. Or so he thought.





Picture 1: Sports Illustrated saw great things from Favre, predicting the Packers to win the 1995 Super Bowl. Favre's Packers instead won the Super Bowl in 1996.

Picture 2: Robert Redford's character, Roy Hobbs was told he was too old to play. But he did play and here he is shown running the bases following his dramatic Pennant winning home run. Favre seeks to imitate art. Now at 40 and on the Minnesota Vikings he seeks to silence the critics that say he is too old to compete at the highest level. Currently his Vikings are 5-0.

Jared Allen: A hunter on and off of the field

When you see a Minnesota Viking (Jared Allen) in a number 69 jersey step onto the gridiron, you know there's going to be havoc. In Week 4 of the 2009 season, Allen had four and a half sacks, six tackles, one assisted tackle, one forced fumble and a safety in one game against their nemesis, the Green Bay Packers.

But as much of a mad man as Jared Allen is on the field, it turns out that he is maybe even crazier off the field. Shots Heard is posting a collage of Allen Clips to bring this frontiersman into focus. Let us learn about this man that Brett Favre has called a beast. Let us learn about how he hunts his prey (literally) on and off the football field.

Jared Allen 2009 Week 4 Highlights vs Green Bay Packers



Spear Hunting Elk



Bow Hunting Buffalo



Jared Allen Goes To Africa



Jared Allen Explains His Sack Celebration



Jared Allen Explains His Mullet



Kansas City News: Jared Allen Trade



Minnesota Press Conference: Jared Allen Trade



Jared Allen's VH1 List



Jared Allen Interviews Jared Allen



Jared Allen Is A Turkey



Mayne Event: Jared Allen & Wes Welker



Jared Allen: On The Flipside



Jared Allen: Packers Fan Makes Fun Of Jared Allen



Jared Allen On The Vikings 'Schism'



Jared Allen On His Defensive Stance



Jared Allen Vs. Dan Orlovsky



Jared Allen's Sports Bar & Grill



Jared Allen Gives Brett Favre A Nickname, Etc.

24 hours: Two of the biggest games in the Metrodome history

Tonight the Green Bay Packers and the Minnesota Vikings square off. And then in a matinee tomorrow, the Minnesota Twins will take on the Detroit Tigers in a one game play-in for the playoffs as both teams finished tied for first in the American League Central.

These games mark two of the biggest games played in Hubert H Humphrey Metrodome history.


Brett Favre, long considered the greatest quarterback of all-time by many is looking for 'revenge' against his old team. It is the biggest week 4 match-up in NFL history. The game is expected to be the highest rated cable football game in history.


Win or lose it would almost seem to be fate for the Twins to have won a coin flip to have the tie-breaker played at the dome. It only seemed fair that the consensus loudest stadium in America, if not the world would be in the spotlight in a high stakes game at least one more time.


The Metrodome has long been considered the toughest place to play baseball due to the bright white roof and homer hankies that help camouflage the ball. The noise level can be deafening. Despite these almost lamentable conditions, we still have the memories of the intensity in the Dome during the 1987 and 1991 World Series match-ups that the Twins won.

The 1991 World Series was ranked by ESPN as the best World Series ever played. Four games were decide on the last at-bat and three games went into extra innings. The Twins won that World Series in the 10th inning of Game 7 on their last at-bat, 1-0.

Those World Series featured legendary performances by Kirby Puckett. Puckett who was a Minneapolis statesman would also become a tragic figure. At age 35, glaucoma would end his playing career. One personal tragedy after another would culminate in his death at the young age of 45.


But next season, the Twins are moving to their new stadium, Target Field. The Vikings lease runs out in 2011. If there is not a new football stadium in the works by that time, there is concern that the Vikings could leave the mid-sized Twin Cities sports market.

One thing is sure though. The Vikings days in the Metrodome days are limited. Therefore fans should take a moment to appreciate it as the Metrodome hits its pinnacle of excitement this week.

We will soon be saying good bye to the only sports complex that has hosted a World Series, a Final Four and a Super Bowl.

For those of us that have been to Minneapolis (or lived there), we understand the beauty of the Metrodome's location. It is an integral part of the city and is a unique part of the city's skyline.

Were the Metrodome ever to be destroyed, it would mark the end of an era. It is located in downtown and is within walking distance of the Mississippi River and the University of Minnesota (which also borders the river). As well, the dome is a hub of urban activity on game days.

Most would likely argue that the prettiest views of the Minneapolis skyline come from off various spots on the Mississippi River and Lake Calhoun. Such views generally do not include an actual view of the dome. But that is what actually makes the dome's presence unique. It has seemed to add a dual identity to Minneapolis.


A complex identity was always important for a city that has a downtown only nine miles from its Twin City counterpart, St. Paul. Each city created various landmarks and cultures to distinguish themselves.


Those taking the City Rail to the games from the Mall of America in Bloomington (built on the old site of Metropolitan Stadium where the Twins and Vikings once played) know they have hit the urban heart of Minneapolis when the rail wraps northwestward and the Metrodome appears in periphery.

Picture 1: Minneapolis skyline with view of the Metrodome.
Picture 2: A Minnesota Vikings football game at the Metrodome.
Picture 3: Minnesota Vikings fans have rallied around their once nemesis, Brett Favre.
Picture 4: A Minnesota Twins pregame at the Metrodome.
Picture 5: Kirby Puckett makes perhaps the most iconic catch in World Series history.
Pictures 6-7: Views of Minneapolis from Lake Calhoun.
Picture 8: A 1930's style house off of Lake Calhoun. City planners wisely planned various parks and trails off of Lake Calhoun, so that all Minneapolis residents could enjoy the entirety of the lake. Such planning is commendable, given the high prices, such land would have commanded.

Brett Favre earns his North Star Favre: The Favre Minute Drive

The Favre minute drive against the 49ers

You have heard of the two minute drive. Two minute drives vary. But the conventional thinking is that a two minute drive is two minutes and the team trying to make the comeback has three timeouts left.

But when Brett Favre led the Minnesota Vikings to a come from behind 27-24 victory over the San Fancisco 49ers in Week 3 of this 2009 season, he had to go 80 yards in 89 seconds with no timeouts. The drive culminated with Brett Favre throwing a 32 yard touchdown to receiver Greg Lewis with 2 ticks left on the clock.

To honor that drive, Shots Heard is coining a new term, 'the Favre minute drive.' Whenever a team has to drive from their side of the field in 90 seconds or less with no timeouts then it shall be known as the Favre minute drive.

The Favre minute drive is reminiscient of the two minute drive in that there is generally a no huddle offense, spiking the ball, getting out of bounds, avoiding running plays and so forth. But having less time and no timeouts obviously adds to the degree of difficulty.

The difficulty of such a drive is so hard that Favre himself said that he did not expect to be able to pull of the drive. No quarterback has ever been able to consistently pull of such game winning drives. But nonetheless to honor the drive that kept the Minnesota Vikings undefeated, Shots Heard is coining the term, 'the Favre minute drive.' Remember you heard it here first.

Remembering Brett Favre's signing with the Minnesota Vikings

Favre earns his North Star Three: Radio Call

Troy Aikman, who is a fine play by play analyst for Fox made the call of the miraculous touch down that beat the San Francisco 49ers in week 3 of the 2009 season. But home town radio broadcasters always make the most magical play calls. The legendary Paul Allen, radio voice of the Minnesota Vikings did not fail to deliver as Favre's miraculous pass not boosted the Favre-O-Meter, but kept the Minnesota Vikings undefeated.

Brett Favre earns his North Star Two: Fan Cam. Edition

Brett Favre earns his North Star

Today, in just his third game in a Vikings uniform, Brett Favre orchestrated the greatest comeback in Vikings history. The comeback victory was culminated by the greatest play in NFL regular season history.

It was a Favreian effort. My high school English teacher would berate me for using the root word to define the effort. So not to diminish the play, let us call it a Ruthian (hyperbole) display put up by Favre in today's game against the San Francisco 49ers.

After avoiding a would-be game ending tackler, Favre threw a 32 yard strike to wide receiver, Greg Lewis for the 27-24 lead (and win) with two seconds left on the clock. The play took 10 seconds to complete, which is an eternity in football time. If Will Ferrell's 'Old School' character, 'Frank The Tank' were a Viking, he would kick the field goal stand and then say something like, "That's how you play football!that is how you win a game!"

Ferrell would be correct. Certainly there is drama in a Vinateri game winning field goal or Scott Norwood missed field goal (in their respective Super Bowls). But it is Joe Montana to Dwight Clark in the back of the end zone that amaze us, right? Sports fans recognize that play as 'the catch.'

On 'The Catch' the 49ers were able to make the Super Bowl. Had that catch came in a regular season game it is doubtful that any of us would remember that play. Instead we have magical images of Montana throwing the ball off of his back foot and then a mythical belief that Clark soared high for the ball when in fact he got just a few inches off of the ground (camera angles can be fun).

That play on 3rd down floater from the 5 yard line is an extremely heralded to mythical proportions. The miraculous Favre/Lewis play from the 32 yard line required Favre to buy much more time and come much closer to being tackled. And on this catch Lewis really did have to majestically soar horizontally across the endzone in order to reach the frozen rope that Favre was able to unleash as he was hit behind the line of scrimmage.

It is actually tragic that more was not on the line for this play. It would have been great to have a Super Bowl on the line for that play if only to have such a high level play immortalized like it should be.

Nonetheless, it was a special play for Vikings fans as their team's perfect 3-0 record was saved. The ten play, 80 yard drive with no time-outs will give the Vikings much needed momentum as they head into next week's game against their arch rival, the Green Bay Packers.

It is an intense rivalry is much more intense this year with the belief of many that Favre and many of his supporters want vengeance against his former team that was unwilling to have him back after he led them to the 2007 NFC Championship Game. But we all know about that and any football fan that does not has been living under a rock (clique noted).

Today marked the first 300 yard passing game by a Viking in 63 games. It also marked the first catch by Greg Lewis as a Viking. Many Vikings fans did not like that it when the Vikings dropped last year's team receiving yards leader, Bobby Wade to pick up Lewis. This catch will certainly dissolve any bitter feelings that the fans may have had.

The Catch but not 'The Catch'

Greg Lewis's game winning catch was an amazing display. He extend his body reminiscent of a gymnast leaping across a mat at full speed. As he made the catch he barely landed inside the line with his left foot and then had the presence of mind to drag his right foot. To coordinate all of that in one motion while defenders tried to prevent him from making the catch was extremely difficult.

Brett Favre had made a brilliant throw but it would have been for naught had Greg Lewis not made a magnificent reception. Even after the catch, Minnesota fans were half way expecting an officials' video replay review to conclude that a foot was out of bounds or that Lewis did not completely have control of the ball.

Vikings fans had to await the result of the play even more nervously than they had on the actual drive. When the officials verified their original touch down call was correct, their joy was complete.

Foot note: A special no thanks goes to Major League Baseball for clearly ordering youtube to disallow commercial Derek Jeter videos (and undoubtedly many other videos) to be placed on youtube. Shots Heard finds that to be very fan unfriendly and no amount of hiding behind copyright laws is justifiable. Shots Heard did not use an intended Jeter analogy for this article when videos of Derek Jeter could not be found.

Related Video Links

Brett Favre postgame press conference

Greg Lewis postgame press conference (Actually a pretty entertaining watch)

Greg Lewis postgame interview

Game highlights

Game highlights - Radio calls version

Brett Favre highlights

The MVC swimsuit calendar video

Percy Harvin's kickoff TD return

The flamboyant Green Bay Packers fan

Are you a Green Bay Packers fan that bleeds cheese? This video may make you rethink your allegiance.

It could even make you come down on the Favre side of the great Aaron Rodgers verse Brett Favre debate. Football fans have been debating the move by Ted Thompson in 2007 to trade Green Bay's greatest player of all-time, Brett Favre in favor of moving forward with Aaron Rodgers as their starting quarterback. Favre and the Packers were coming off of a 13-3 season and an NFC championship appearance.

In the 2008 season, Rodgers and the Packers were 6-10, while Brett Favre and the New York Jets went 9-7. The Jets had a late season collapse after starting the season 8-3. It was later revealed that Favre played the last five games of the season with a torn bicep muscle in his throwing arm.

In the current 2009 season, Rodgers and the Packers are 1-1. Favre is now the starting quarterback for the 2-0 Vikings. The two teams meet October 5th at the Metro Dome in Minneapolis. It is the first of two divisional games between the two teams ths season.