'I'll take an insult from a Hall of Famer anytime'
By Dave Campbell
Associated Press
MANKATO, Minn. -- Chris Hovan showed up for training camp with two new tattoos, his usual energy and tough talk -- including some blunt answers to Brett Favre's barbs.
"A lot of people are going to say bad things about me. I'll take an insult from a Hall of Famer anytime," the Minnesota Vikings' defensive tackle said Friday after arriving at Gage Hall on the Minnesota State University campus.
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"I don't know, he might be going through a mid-life crisis or something," said Hovan, who got into a shouting match with Favre following a particularly intense 26-22 victory by the Packers over the rival Vikings at Lambeau Field last November.
Hovan hung Favre's No. 4 jersey in his cubicle at Minnesota's practice facility this offseason as motivation, a gesture that annoyed Favre more than it honored him.
"I didn't put up anything in my house. My wife wouldn't let me," Favre said earlier this week. "Like I said before, Hovan's a great player. I'd love to have him on my team. But he needs to get him a wife and have some kids and get a life outside of football."
"Five or six years from now he'll go, 'God, what an idiot I was.'"
Hovan, well, didn't really argue.
"The guy calls me an idiot," Hovan said. "Yeah, I'm an idiot. I don't need Brett Favre to tell me that. I'm still going to be the same guy, be the same way."
As for the jersey?
"I think it's a great motivational tool," Hovan said. "He's a Hall of Famer. Look at me, man. I'm an idiot, man. I've got long hair and tattoos, but I love me and that's all that matters."
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So, does Hovan have any more of a life these days?
"I date, I drink beer just like everybody else," Hovan said. "But my life is football."
At any rate, the Vikings-Packers game at Lambeau on opening weekend, Sept. 7, ought to be awfully interesting to watch.
"I respect the hell out of Brett Favre," Hovan said. "I'm damn sure going to have a good time on Sept. 7."
Top draft pick signs -- Page 2D
