FanHouse Fran Tarkenton

This is a couple days old, but it still merits a mention because Fran Tarkenton is suddenly the angriest, unintentionally funny quote on the planet. Plus, it's one more opportunity to clown frowny-faced Jay Cutler after his pick-tastic performance against the 49ers Thursday night.

Back in May, when the "Favre is RE-UNRETIRING ... AGAIN!" talk began in earnest, Tarkenton, who took the Vikings to four Super Bowls during his career, appeared on an Atlanta radio station to make his views on the idea crystal clear.

Less than three months ago, it seemed obvious that Brett Favre would end up playing for the Minnesota Vikings. As the rumors really got going, former Vikings quarterback Fran Tarkenton lambasted Favre in a radio interview.

Wednesday morning, Tarkenton was back at it. He appeared on Sirius NFL Radio, and it's clear he still isn't a fan of the ol' gunslinger.

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:

The last time I thought about Fran Tarkenton I was in elementary school and he was on That's Incredible, cast as the third wheel opposite John Davidson and Cathy Lee Crosby. That was 25 years ago.

I bring it up not to point out that Fran was to reality teevee what Joe Theismann was to Sunday Night Football (and who, coincidentally, was linked to Crosby ... until he sued her, anyway), but to emphasize that professional athletes bound for the Hall of Fame can retire from the game -- and the media glare -- with some dignity.

ESPN and various media outlets have Brett Favre talking with Vikings coach Brad Childress about something.

Many speculate it's about coming out of retirement. Favre's agent Bus Cook told Fanhouse last week that we could stick a fork in Favre and that the only way the quarterback would return would be to win another championship. If that's the case, the Vikings are not that much better with Favre as their quarterback. The beasts of the NFC are the Giants and Eagles. (But that's another story for another day.)

Favre's returning could embarrass him. The fact is that Favre is an old quarterback. He turns 40 in October and old quarterbacks don't win Super Bowls unless they have plenty of help.

Every week, NFL FanHouse hits the lowlights from Sunday's action, looking at those players who did the most to move their head coaches that much closer to returning to the Bed and Breakfast business.

Anthony Smith, Steelers
Didn't see that coming, did you? First, let me say that I don't have any real problems with Smith, a second-year safety used primarily as a backup until starter Ryan Clark went on injured reserve earlier this season, smacking his gums during the week. It's football; guys yell and scream and run into each other for a living.

The problem, however, is that Smith single-handedly torpedoed Pittsburgh's already-slim chances with what can kindly be described as "his play." Early in the second quarter with the Pats leading 7-3, Smith bit on a play-action pass that resulted in 63-yard touchdown pass to Randy Moss.

And on New England's first drive of the second half, they ran the same play that the Steelers used to break the Bengals' back in the 2005 wild-card game: wide receiver throwback, quarterback hits the deep post. But instead of Antwaan Randle El, Ben Roethlisberger and Cedrick Wilson, it was Moss, Tom Brady, and Jabar Gaffney. The guy responsible for not letting Gaffney get behind the defense? Yep, Mr. Smith.
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