Oh yes, there was football at training camp

This is Chad Courrier. After spending a couple of sweaty hours Tuesday standing alongside the fields at Minnesota State, watching various media members working their PDAs to try get the Brett Favre story, there were actaully some things that happened at practice.

The Vikings were in pads Tuesday morning for the first full-contact practice of training camp. The star of the goal-line drills was safety Jamarca Sanford, who broke through the line to stuff running back Ian Johnson on consecutive plays.

Then the offense tried to fake the dive play and throw to tight end Visanthe Shiancoe, but linebacker Kenny Onatolu leaped to tip the pass away.

When the No. 1 offense line played against the No. 1 defensive line, rookie Toby Gerhart made a strong run behind right tackle Phil Loadholt and right guard Anthony Herrera. On the next play, going left, safety Husain Abdullah stuffed Gerhart in the backfield.

Earlier, Gerhart took a big shot from Jasper Brinkley in a short-yardage drill.

Rookie quarterback Joe Webb fumbled his first snap during the goal-line practice, and somebody from the defensive sideline noticed. "Don't get nervous back there, 14."

E.J. Henderson caught a deflected pass for an interception, and as he ran down the field, someone in the crowd yelled, "Nice to have you back."

Coach Brad Childress (pictured -- yes, he did answer a non-Favre question) noted that running backs Ryan Moats and Darius Reynaud looked good carrying the football in short-yardage plays.

Will be back on the field for afternoon practice, though after a physical morning, it's unlikely much of note will happen. Unless someone says they got a call from someone who knows someone who talked with Favre.

(Photo by John Cross)