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Iraqi detainees needle Wis. troops about Favre

MILWAUKEE — Detainees at a camp in Baghdad have found a way to get under the skin of guard troops from Wisconsin.

And it has to do with football and a painful chapter for some Green Bay Packers fans, who consider Brett Favre a traitor for joining the rival Minnesota Vikings.

Favre spent 16 seasons with the Packers and was the team’s starting quarterback for most of that time, leading Green Bay to a Super Bowl championship after the 1996 season. After playing for the New York Jets last year, Favre signed with the Packers’ rivals in the offseason.

Minnesota (8-1) has the second-best record in the NFC and is far ahead of Green Bay (5-4) in the NFC North Division standings. Favre is the NFL’s top rated quarterback and has helped lead the Vikings’ 2009 revival.

First Lieutenant Tim Boehnen said the detainees are familiar with Favre and picked up on the troops’ discussion about Favre’s performance with the Vikings.

Lt. Col. Tim Donovan said detainees at Camp Cropper needle the guards about Favre’s success with the Vikings.

Boehnen told WTMJ radio that since soccer is the main sport in Baghdad, it lacks a Vikings fan club.