How QBs Tell You To Go “F” Yourself

On Thursday night’s “SportsCenter” tease, I heard a sound byte from Brett Favre when he was asked what he thought about the reports there is a “schism” in the Vikings locker room.

Favre’s response: “I don’t even know what that means.”

In Folksy QB Talk that translates to “Fuck you.”

Favre knew what the reporter was asking. He knows what you’re trying for and he just doesn’t want to answer it. By saying he doesn’t know what you’re asking, he’s basically saying, “You have to be the dumbest motherfucker for even asking the question.”

And sadly, I myself have received the exact same response from a future Hall of Fame quarterback.

A few years ago, I was covering the Indianapolis Colts training camp. It was the first few days of camp, so everyone was getting used to the notion of Adam Vinatieri kicking instead of Mike Vanderjagt. I was writing a story about Vinatieri’s inclusion into the team, you know, with him being the former enemy and all.

So I, in a rare 1-on-1 with Peyton Manning, ask Mr. DirectTV what it’s like swapping in Vinatieri for a “Liquored-Up” Kicker (though I used his actual name).

He looked down at me.

Him, this huge 6-foot-5, totally intimidating redwood of a man.

Me, a 5-foot-6, 132-lbs., bespectacled weasel.

He gives me this look. Like, “I was nice enough to talk to you, and you ask me this bullshit?”

Then he says it.

“I don’t even know what that means.”

Ah, a good old, “Fuck you.”