MANKATO, Minn. (AP)—Vacationing Sen. Al Franken had plenty to say about his beloved Minnesota Vikings on his first visit to the team’s training camp.

Franken watched practice on Thursday morning and met with a couple of players, including his self-declared favorite, tight end Jim Kleinsasser(notes). The Minnesota Democrat said he believes the team should have a new stadium built and that he expects Brett Favre(notes) to be the quarterback this season.

“Seems like there’s a pattern here, doesn’t there? And I’m not really surprised I’m not seeing him here doing wind sprints,” Franken said, laughing.

Oh, and the actor-comedian-author-turned-politician hopes to see the Vikings in the Super Bowl—no joke. He said he remembers listening to the team’s first game in 1961 on the radio and has remained a fervent fan since.

Franken expressed sympathy for wide receiver Percy Harvin(notes), who has been absent for almost two weeks because of migraine headaches. Franken said he suffers from the same condition.

“I can’t imagine,” Franken said. “I can barely function when I have them. But to play football you can’t do that. I really feel bad for him. I hope they find some regimen for him because he’s a really spectacular game breaker.”

Kleinsasser had a huge smile when he was told of Franken’s admiration while walking off the practice field.

“I still remember him with the satellite dish on his head,” Kleinsasser said, recalling Franken’s days on Saturday Night Live.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=ap-vikings-fanfranken

Brett Favre(notes) on Saturday delivered another piece of news through Steve Mariucci. Favre texted his former position coach—now an NFL Network analyst—to say his surgically repaired ankle is still sore.

"His arm feels great," Mariucci said, per NFL.com. "His conditioning is good, but he hasn’t run much without pain in his ankle. It still gives him pain, and it needs to be better before he reports."

On Tuesday, Favre told Mariucci that he hadn’t retired, contrary to numerous reports that fueled widespread speculation. On Wednesday, Favre told ESPN’s Ed Werder he’ll play if his ankle heals.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=tsn-favretellsmariuccianklest20100807

Betting on Favre no sure thing....

Reporting from Las Vegas — Jay Rood is at quarterback and the playing field is mined with the volatility of the stock market, the cheap drama of a teenager's text message and the lunacy of television addiction.

Brett Favre is talking to ESPN with his truck's engine running, making his retirement audible barely audible. But Rood is tuning in, listening and watching for any hint whether the hunting-cap-wearing Favre is going to indeed retire to Mississippi or return to be the Minnesota Vikings' quarterback for another season.

http://articles.latimes.com/2010/aug/04/sports/la-sp-nfl-odds-20100805

"We don't have a definitive answer," Rood said after hearing Favre on Wednesday. "So we'll be guarding against inside information."

Rood, who is director of the MGM/Mirage Race and Sports book and sets odds at 10 Las Vegas properties, is charged with cutting to the chase through the onslaught of 24-hour NFL news cycles. Favre, he cares about. The impressive catches of Dallas Cowboys rookie receiver Dez Bryant, now injured and out four to six weeks, and the nickname of new Cincinnati Bengals teammates Terrell Owens and Chad Ochocinco? Factored in, but mostly irrelevant.

Rood, to the tune of "seven figures" and up to $30,000 in bets a day by MGM/Mirage customers, knows followers want to simply know who's going to win this season's Super Bowl. So he takes the gabbing out of the equation, separating himself from the other analysts by putting his money where his mouth is.