Anatomy of a Rumor: Favre to Redskins

[The Mayor of Fed Ex Field]

http://misterirrelevant.com/index.ph...-the-redskins/

Anatomy of a Rumor: Favre-to-Redskins
By Chris Mottram | June 18, 2009


You may have already heard a little something about a Favre-to-Redskins rumor this morning. If you haven’t, there’s a decent chance you will at some point today. Now, first of all, calling the rumor shaky would be an understatement. Actual rumors are offended that we’re even labeling this rumor a rumor. There is nothing to it whatsoever. [/Jinx]

Having said that, I thought it would be fun to explore the anatomy of a rumor, or “why the internet is a horrible, unethical, no good, speculative, and extremely awesome place.”

Two Days Ago: ProFootballTalk.com/NBC’s Mike Florio goes on sports talk radio in Minnesota to discuss Favre and the Vikings’ impending acquisition of his services. But that just isn’t sexy enough. Florio shows some leg (as transcribed by Matt Terl):

Florio: I do not rule out Daniel M Snyder waking up one morning between now and the end of July and realizing, “You know what, we run the West Coast offense, I’ve been trying to get a quarterback other than Jason Campbell, I want Brett Favre for a season.” Now, that doesn’t necessarily mean that Brett Favre detours at this point, ’cause he’s pretty much locked himself into the Vikings based on what he said to Joe Buck. […]

HOST: But the whole thing is settled now. I mean, it’s … there’s a zero percent chance he even thinks for a second about playing for the Washington Redskins.

Florio: I disagree. Here’s why: with Brett Favre there never is a certainty.

This rumor is then transported by carrier pigeon to Chicago, where it catches a two-day train ride to D.C. via the B&O, stopping once in Cleveland to visit its cousin Plaxico-to-Browns.

6:09AM Today: Our dear friends The Junkies tweet a blog post they’ve published about the Favre-to-Redskins rumor. This is then re-tweeted by Matt Terl, whose tweet is in turn re-tweeted by many D.C. area Twitterers. Thus, the rumor spreads around the DMV.

8:35AM Today: I tweet that the rumor is “typical baseless speculation” from Florio (similar to the rumor he started last week about LaRon wanting to be traded). Florio does not appreciate this comment; tells me the rumor does, in fact, have a base. And calls me Chachi, a reference so timely it requires me Google’ing it to understand. I email him to learn more.

9:42AM Today: Florio responds to my email. Here is the base:

yes, it was speculation. but based on favre’s history and snyder’s history and the current circumstances in washington, i don’t think it was “baseless.”

There is a reason he’s a successful lawyer.

10:22AM Today: I publish this blog post on Mister Irrelevant.

Sometime in the Not-So-Distance Future: Redskins sign Brett Favre to one-year deal. I bow to Florio’s powers of speculation before ingesting enough Xanax to kill a mule.

[The Mayor of Fed Ex Field]

The author does not start said rumor, but I think its interesting to say the least.

[BuryYourDuke]

Not even Dan is this dumb. Last year, maybe. After the debacle in New York though...come on.

[SAli457180]

This should be fun.

[Pimpey42000]

Wow, just wow, this should be fun!

[RammsteinSkins]

Florio is so full of it. I can't stand him.

[Lar0n Landry]

i wouldn't be opposed to it, anything is an upgrade over jason candle.

[RenegadeTK]

lord, it never ends....

unfortunately, the only thing i can count on from this FO is to expect to be surprised and probably disappointed

[MassSkinsFan]

Hi there - you're being Glavined.

"Everybody - do the Glavine!!!"

[Soup]

Please, Please let this not become fact. These so called "rumors" usually come true.

[LandryLaysWood]

Florio is a joke. I don't buy anything he tries to sell.

[flexxskins]

At the very least...ya gotta love the title of this thread.

[Dan T.]

Great linefrom Max Wass in the blog's comment section:

"Using Florio’s logic, Sean Kemp will impregnate Jamie Lynn Spears, based on their histories."


which pretty much sums up the lameness of the "basis" for Florio's rumor.

[Stew]

Originally Posted by Lar0n Landry

i wouldn't be opposed to it, anything is an upgrade over jason candle.

I don't agree with this.

Campbell in the same system, with an improved O-line and a Defense that can get off the field will pay dividends.

[TheLongshot]

Originally Posted by Soup

Please, Please let this not become fact. These so called "rumors" usually come true.

Actually, most of these rumors never become fact. What they do, tho, is keep FUD alive in the fan base by letting them think it "could" happen. Course, past history should teach that it usually doesn't happen, but the fan base is so conditioned to FUD. They think that the majority of these rumors were a hairsbreath away from coming true, when in reality it is probably a lot smaller percentage (and probably some things we will never know.)