Favre's speech well received

By Judd Zulgad

Brett Favre's request to speak to his teammates Monday at Winter Park was well received by many players who have become part of the whirlwind that involved the quarterback joining the Vikings last month.

Favre said today that he asked coach Brad Childress if he could speak at some point and felt with just days left before the regular-season opener at Cleveland that the timing was right. "I don't know how necessary it was but I thought it was appropriate for him to address the team and address the issues that have been going on in the past with him," wide receiver Bobby Wade said. "He just pretty much reassured everybody that he's here to win. No other motives. Can't promise anything. Just to play hard and stand up like a man and just address everybody like a man. I thought it was well appreciated."

Said tight end Visanthe Shiancoe: "There were questions on everybody's mind about certain things and he pretty much answered everybody's questions. He cleaned up everybody's [questions] and assumptions."

Ryan Longwell, who is a friend of Favre's and played with him for several seasons in Green Bay, wasn't surprised to see the quarterback's willingness to discuss various issues, including why he decided to join the Vikings two weeks into training camp.

"I think he just wanted to make sure, if there was any doubt with anybody, that he's on board and he's here to win," Longwell said. "He's done everything that he needs to do financially and success-wise elsewhere in his career. So it's just coming here basically to win. He wanted to make sure everybody knew that was the sole reason he came was to win."

Longwell said Favre did not give many speeches during their nine seasons together in Green Bay so it isn't as if he feels the need to talk all that often. "When he speaks, you know that it's something important and there's a point he wants to make," Longwell said.

"It felt like it was very, very sincere," Shiancoe said. "It felt like he was really here to help the team win. He gave his apologies for the all the commotion that was caused even though it might not have been intentional by him. He apologized for the frenzy. I saw it as a guy standing up and giving us what we expect of him, being a leader and for him to really man up like that."

The Vikings also issued their injury report after practice. Linebacker Erin Henderson (calf) did not take part in practice. Bernard Berrian (hamstring) was limited and so was tight end Jim Kleinsasser (hand). For the Browns, nose tackle Shaun Rogers (foot) was limited in practice.

Berrian injured his hamstring in the opening preseason game and did not play in any of the Vikings' final three exhibition games. The fact the injury is still bothering him definitely has to be a concern. Especially since he has yet to build up any real timing with Favre.