Fran Tarkenton Needs His Own Show
Filed under: Packers, Vikings, NFL Fans, NFL Media Watch, NFL Free Agency
On Tuesday, former Vikings quarterback and Hall of Famer Fran Tarkenton went on the radio to share his thoughts on Brett Favre’s inability to retire (among other things). Short version: if Brett ends up in Minnesota, Fran hopes he fails.
Today, Tarkenton was back on the airwaves to talk more Favre and, well, just about everything else. Like ESPN’s Marcellus Wiley, who called Fran a “grumpy old man” yesterday. Via Sportsradiointerviews.com:
“Marcellus Wiley, who is trying to parlay a minimal football career into still making more money. This grumpy old man is 69 years old, I own six businesses, I’ve built 16 over the years, I’m paying my taxes, I’ve started two new businesses, we’re hiring more people, we’re not laying them off, we’re not cutting their salaries - we’re increasing their salaries, and in this society we are productive when so many people are not productive. I’m not playing croquette down at Orlando at the Villages, I’m not playing golf every day, I’m out there as a 69-year-old … making money out of sports or with sports - I’m creating and building businesses from the ground up: that’s this grumpy old man.”
To be fair, you can be grumpy, old and a successful businessman, but I don’t disagree with Fran’s notion that Wiley is trying to parlay a mediocre playing career into a teevee gig.
Regarding Favre (because, really, we can’t talk enough about that guy), Tarkenton clarified his previous remarks. Apparently, he doesn’t hope Favre fails in Minnesota. In fact, what he really meant was “… that I do hope he goes [to the Vikings] and I hope it works out. Because I think that will burn every bridge he has in Green Bay, and it should.” Bruce Ciskie agrees (if not on the former, definitely the latter).
So, right: another day of Favre-mania, even though Wrangler’s go-to spokesmodel has been conspicuously quiet recently. Good news: we’ll surely know something — one way or the other — by the end of the week. (Holds breath.)
In the meantime, somebody should get Tarkenton his own show. He obviously has a lot of stuff on his mind.
“… But I think that we’re also in a suck-up society, and for the people that are following professional football, it’s okay to have an opinion. You’re not saying Brett Favre is a bad guy, you’re not saying Brett Favre wasn’t a great player, you’re just saying that I agree/disagree with this whole scenario. But they really haven’t done it.”
Never mind. He’s making too much sense. That’ll never work on radio.
Fran Tarkenton Needs His Own Show originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Thu, 28 May 2009 12:55:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.