According to the Minnesota Vikings' 2007 media guide, six players have worn No. 4 in the 47-year history of the franchise.

They include quarterback Archie Manning; kickers Dale Dawson, Donald Igwebuike and Doug Brien; and punters Mike Saxon and Eddie Johnson.

This year, John David Booty, the quarterback from Southern California whom the Vikings selected in the fifth round of April draft, has been assigned the number.

But what if Booty had to give it up?

Imagine it's the morning of July 25 — that's just 10 days away — and there's a new No. 4 warming up on the practice fields at Minnesota State University's Blakeslee Stadium before the first session of training camp.

Imagine the biggest crowds training camp has ever seen. Imagine the largest throng of media members to ever pace those sidelines at one time.

Imagine fans who, for years, have wandered Vikings Village wearing racy T-shirts disparaging this player, now buying and wearing $100 jerseys with his name and number stitched on it. Imagine those same fans, who have only known cursing this player's name, cringing at his brilliance and only laughing at his foibles now cheering his every move.

Imagine No. 4 — Brett Favre — in Mankato. At training camp. In purple.

By now, you should know the latest episode of the Favre soap opera. If not, here’s the Cliff’s Notes version:

The Green Bay Packers great “officially” retired during a weepy press conference last March. A few weeks later he thought about coming back, even telling the Packers that he changed his mind. Then he changed his mind again. Last week, he flip-flopped one more time, and when the Green Bay brass told him they were moving on without him, he asked for his unconditional release. Now the Packers say they’d welcome him back if he “officially” un-retires, but there’s one catch: He’ll have to compete for the job he alone has held for 16 seasons.

Clear as a snowstorm on Lambeau Field, right?

All of this has led to speculation as to where Favre will end up. Will he get cut? (No way.) Will he get traded? (Perhaps.) Will he play for the Packers? (Possibly.) Will he stay retired? (Doesn’t look that way today.)

Right now, the future is as uncertain as one of Favre’s heaves into the end zone: It might be as brilliant as one of his NFL-record touchdowns or as disastrous as one of his record-number interceptions.

The story has also begged the question as to which of the NFL’s other 31 teams could use Favre’s services the most, and that has led us right to Mankato where the Vikings have held training camp for more than 40 years.

While the idea of Favre in a Vikings uniform seems highly unlikely for several reasons — including the Packers’ certain reluctance to trade him to a division rival, as well as Vikings coach Brad Childress’ faith in the development of Tarvaris Jackson — it is intriguing to think about what those three-plus weeks in late July and August would be like with Favre tossing passes to Sidney Rice and Bernard Berrian, handing off to Adrian Peterson and spending his nights in Gage Towers.