• 
• CLASS
• JOBS
• AUTO
• HOMES

Vikes regroup after Favre snub

MANKATO, MINN. — Once again, Brett Favre ran away from a Minnesota rush.

Brad Childress insisted the chase is over.

The Vikings coach said Wednesday evening he’s “more than content with” a competition between Tarvaris Jackson and Sage Rosenfels for the job the team tried so hard to give to Favre, only to find out he’s decided to remain retired.

“He’s gone his way, and we’ve gone our way,” Childress said Wednesday, after discussing the matter with both Jackson and Rosenfels earlier in the day.

Childress described their demeanor as excited, and said Jackson was the first player to report to the residence hall on the Minnesota State University campus where the Vikings have held training camp for 43 years. Neither player was immediately available for comment outside the dorm, as players began the annual move-in process with pillows, luggage and TVs in tow.

In an interview posted on Sports Illustrated’s Web site, Favre added another subtle twist to this endlessly open-ended story: “I truly, truly believe it’s over. But if someone calls Nov. 1, who knows?”

The coach was then pressed to definitively rule out another dalliance with the NFL’s all-time leading passer.

“There’s not a chance, from my standpoint. I’m going forward with the guys we have, and we’ll have a great competition,” Childress said, using a similar line to deny interest in pursuing the recently reinstated Michael Vick.

Now the Vikings are trying to revive their support for the guys who were going to fight for the job in the first place.

Teammates, including running back Adrian Peterson, openly expressed interest in playing with Favre and recently sent him encouraging messages when he was trying to make up his mind.

“It doesn’t make sense to worry about things that are out of my control,” Peterson said in an interview posted on the team’s Web site. “My entire focus this offseason has been to recharge my body and prepare myself for the 2009 season.”

In an earlier interview with the AP, before Favre made up his mind, Childress called the distraction and potential negative effect on Jackson and Rosenfels “overrated.”

He added: “We’re going to be a good football team, either way.”

On Wednesday, Childress defended the perceived risk of such a high-profile pursuit: “I owe it to this organization and I owe it to this football team to bring in the best possible players that I can bring in here.”