Although the story first emerged in August, Vikings quarterback Brett Favre has publicly faced questions about his interactions with former Jets sideline reporter Jenn Sterger only once, on Thursday of last week.
He declined to address the situation.
In meetings with ESPN’s Monday Night Football crew, Favre talked about the situation again.
But in so doing he didn’t talk about it at all.
“My main focus is the New York Jets, they are a tough team; as good as they are that has been my focus,” Favre said. “I hate in any way if this has been a distraction as I said Thursday -- we are here focused on trying to beat the Jets.”
As to whether the allegations are accurate, Favre said only this: “That will take its course.”
That’s fine, but in the Court of Public Opinion, people who exercise their right to remain silent in the face of claims of this nature routinely are presumed guilty. Apart from the fact that Favre himself hasn’t denied sending the voice message or photos posted at Deadspin.com to Sterger, no one has leaked on Favre’s or the Vikings’ behalf an alternative explanation that would tend to exonerate him.
And there definitely are potential holes in the Deadspin report that Favre’s camp could try to exploit. Sterger’s manager continues to insist that Sterger didn’t provide the information to Deadspin, and ESPN reports that a Deadspin editor has acknowledged “it paid a third party for the material and acknowledged it’s possible the man who sent the voice mails and photos may not be Favre.”
That said, it sure sounds like Favre’s voice. And if it wasn’t Favre’s voice, we’d most likely be hearing something from Favre other than, “That will take its course.” Moreover, Deadspin undoubtedly would be hearing from Favre’s lawyers.
Favre admitted to ESPN that his reputation “has always been important to me. . . . Sure it is important to me, it has always been a concern.”
If that’s the case, and if Favre has truly done nothing meriting scrutiny or possibly discipline, common sense tells us that we would have heard something by now aimed at protecting or rehabilitating his reputation.
