This QB competition has nothing on ‘Favre-a-palooza’

J.J. McCarthy and Kyler Murray will command plenty of attention, but nothing compares to the circus surrounding Brett Favre’s arrival in Minnesota in 2009.

Kevin O’Connell has pledged to hold a legitimate quarterback competition in training camp. I will admit that this news has caused me to wake up in a cold sweat at night.

The last time I covered a Vikings quarterback competition I ended up standing next to a guy dressed in a parrot costume outside Winter Park waiting for Brett Favre’s arrival following a helicopter surveillance chase.

Those were the days.

It was the summer of 2009. Or the “Summer of Favre” as my partner on the Vikings beat, Judd Zulgad, and I came to call it. Former tight end Visanthe Shiancoe gave it a different nickname: “Favre-a-palooza.”

It was a circus.

We didn’t take vacation that summer because, inevitably, that would be the day Favre woke up in Mississippi, called ESPN’s Ed Werder and said, “Do I think I can play? I believe I can.”

Favre Watch didn’t take PTO.

The ’09 Vikings were loaded with established star talent, except at quarterback. Landing Favre would’ve made them instant Super Bowl contenders. Tarvaris Jackson and veteran Sage Rosenfels were set to battle in camp for the starting job.

The whole Favre-in-purple angle was “man bites dog” material, something too absurd to become reality.

Fans probably still suffer from whiplash following the daily updates coming out of Mississippi that were relayed in our Star Tribune reports.

Favre is throwing passes to high school kids.

Favre’s injured shoulder isn’t responding favorably.

Actually, his arm feels great.

Wait, no, it doesn’t.

On and on it went.

This was our lead paragraph in one update: And on the 87th day he was anguished.

That was in response to an ESPN report stating that Favre “remains anguished” about whether he should come out of retirement and join the Vikings.

We thought we had reclaimed our lucidity when Favre called coach Brad Childress the day before the Vikings reported to training camp to say that he would remain retired. That drive down Highway 169 was made with renewed intent on covering the Jackson-Rosenfels camp duel.

Oh, the vision of Favre never really disappeared. There were “credible” reports that someone had spotted him driving around Mankato in a convertible. It sounded ridiculous, of course, but, but, but … what if?

We checked it out. False alarm.

Training camp in Mankato concluded, practices moved back to Winter Park, all was normal.

Until it wasn’t.

Word spread one day that Favre was flying to Minnesota on owner Zygi Wilf’s private jet. The Vikings suddenly became the epicenter of the NFL and, it seemed, the entire free world.

TV trucks lined the street across from the team facility. Fans started showing up to witness the spectacle.

Childress had driven to pick up Favre at the airport, which added to the surreal nature of what was unfolding. One TV station provided live footage tracking Childress’ SUV making its way back to Winter Park with Favre. We later learned that players were eating lunch in the cafeteria and watching the breaking news, as if they were following the O.J. Simpson chase.

A crowd of several hundred people between media and fans stood along the street. The Vikings sent security outside to maintain order. Eden Prairie police showed up to assist.

The guy in the parrot costume stood holding a sign above his head. He was advertising for some restaurant, which was genius marketing, by the way.

Passing cars stopped to gawk and honk. Finally, Childress’ car came into sight. Fans roared with excitement and rushed into the street, swarming the vehicle as Childress pulled into Winter Park. Police officers were yelling, “Get back! Get back!”

The parrot stood holding his sign.

Favre waved from the front seat and smiled.

The Vikings practiced a few hours later. Favre was there on the field, not in purple but in a red jersey that quarterbacks wear. That scene at the end of that day — and that entire saga — was indescribable.

The Star Tribune did a compilation of our video reports throughout the “Summer of Favre.” It was a series of clips of us saying, “He’s going to play, he’s not going to play, he’s going to play, he’s not going to play.” It included a clip of us reporting Favre had called Childress the day before training camp to tell him that he couldn’t play.

The final scene showed the chaos of Favre’s arrival with a guest appearance by the late Sid Hartman screaming into the microphone that he’d never seen anything like it.

The quarterback competition between Kyler Murray and J.J. McCarthy that will continue at camp later this month figures to be slightly less eventful. Right?!

It’s the Vikings and quarterbacks, of course, so some drama is expected. Observers are examining it as an either-or outcome, but the injury history of both quarterbacks suggests each will start games this season.

Alas, it will take a lot to overtake the ‘09 story in terms of theatrics.

Only if LeBron shows up in town.

Now that would warrant a parrot costume.

STRIB