Favre happy to talk about football, but little else

As he painstakingly peeled off his uniform, fairly limped to the shower and took his sweet time getting dressed to meet the media after the Vikings' 29-20 loss to the Jets Monday night at New Meadowlands Stadium, Brett Favre showed the effects the Jets' physical defense had on him.

But when it came time to face the music about the NFL's investigation into allegations that Favre sent inappropriate messages and photos to three women who worked for the Jets when he played for them in 2008, the old guy scrambled as nimbly as Fran Tarkenton. No one laid a glove on him.

The first question was a gentle one, wondering if it was a "disappointing day.'' You know, amid all the unseemly allegations. "It is disappointing,'' Favre allowed. "I thought we were going to win this football game. We played what I feel is the best team in the AFC at their place. They have a great defense, but I felt we had some opportunities.''

The message to the media is that Favre was there to talk football only. Asked more directly about the so-called "distractions'' he faced, Favre said, "It's no different than any other time. I concentrated on this game. I was focused on the New York Jets.''

After another question about whether he is concerned about an NFL investigation that could result in a suspension if he's found to have violated the league's personal-conduct policy, Favre stepped into the teeth of the rush and said, "I said what I had to say. If you want to talk football . . . ''

Of course, this day was about a lot more than just football. It was widely reported that Favre spoke at a team meeting Monday morning and apologized for the distraction and promised to play "lights out.'' When asked after the game what his message to the team had been, Favre cracked, "That's between me and my teammates . . . apparently not all of them.''

That last reference was to the leak. But in the Vikings' locker room, his teammates admitted Favre was even more emotional than usual coming into this game.

After a poor first half in which he passed for a net 15 yards, Favre indeed came out in the second half and lit it up with three touchdown passes, one to newly acquired Randy Moss and two to Percy Harvin. He also became the first NFL quarterback to reach 70,000 passing yards and 500 TD passes, which came on his first score of the game to Moss.

"He was very emotional,'' Harvin said of Favre. "He was very in tune to the game. I don't think the outside stuff had anything to do with the game . . . His message was big. He gave us the message that he was touched . Good or bad, we have his back.''

Moss, who just arrived Wednesday after a trade from New England, admitted there were times when he and Favre were ad-libbing during the game. Basically, it consisted of Favre telling Moss to go deep.

Questioned about the controversy swirling around Favre, Moss said, "What goes on in people's lives, I try to stay out of. I know he has a lot on his plate, but we're going to stick by him.''

Based on the allegations of a former in-house sideline reporter for the Jets and two massage therapists about harassment, Favre is going to need all the support he can get. Toward the end of his news conference, Favre was asked flat-out if the allegations are true or false.

"I'd love to talk about Randy Moss' touchdown catch,'' the quarterback replied, and he obviously wasn't kidding.

Asked if he is embarrassed, Favre said, "I'm embarrassed we lost this football game. [Passing] for 40 or 50 yards in the first half, that's embarrassing.''

If that turns out to be the extent of the embarrassment Favre faces, he will be a lucky man indeed.