The good folks at Yahoo! Sports have occupied a foxhole at the front of an interesting theory.
Brett Favre's second year in Minnesota will result in a massive failure.
Jason Cole has supplied the reporting, and Michael Silver has fashioned a compelling op-ed item that spells out the situation in cinematic terms.
"Every so often ('Caddyshack II,' 'Basic Instinct 2,' 'Legally Blonde 2: Red, White and Blonde'), a sequel is so atrocious that it sullies the memory of the original and leaves us feeling dubious about everyone who had the misfortune of participating," Silver writes.
Silver has even offered a suggested title for Favre's return -- Stick It To Ted 2: It's Not About The Money.
Silver points to the current sense that Favre doesn't respect coach Brad Childress, and Silver points to the mess that emerged in December after a frustrating loss to the Panthers.
And that's what will determine success or failure of Favre's second tour in 2010. Last year, it all came easily for Favre and the Vikings with a schedule that started with wins over the hapless Browns, the lowly Lions, the non-playoff-making 49ers (barely), the Packers, the 1-15 Rams, and the Ravens (barely). The Vikings then lost at Pittsburgh, which at the time was one of the best teams in the league. Next came wins against the Packers, the lowly Lions, the imploding Seahawks, and the overmatched Bears.
The Vikings' rough patch came in December; on Wednesday Favre said he played his best football that month. But the Vikings still lost three of four games, and along they way they blew their shot at forcing the Saints to come to the Metrodome for the NFC title game.
This year, the schedule gets a lot tougher, with six of the first seven games against the Saints, Dolphins, Jets, Cowboys, Packers, and Patriots. If the Vikings sputter, there likely will be more of the same frustration that followed that ugly loss to Carolina. And with that frustration surely will come more reports of friction between Favre and Childress.
We're not prepared to predict that the wheels will come off. But if the Vikings somehow manage to get off to the same start in 2010 that they managed last season, this will be the best sequel since Godfather II.