Favre to Indianapolis is just rumor

This is how rumors get started in the zany world of Twitter, text messaging and emails from smart phones.

On Saturday morning, Colts owner Jim Irsay said it was not definite that Peyton Manning (who is recovering from neck surgery) would be able to start the season opener.

On Saturday afternoon, Manning said he would not play in either of the final two preseason games.

On Sunday, Irsay tweeted that he was in Hattiesburg.

Since the league's only other three-time MVP happens to be a gentleman farmer in that Mississippi burg, rumors immediately exploded that the Colts would sign Brett Favre.

Irsay has been refusing interview requests, but former Glassboro High star Gary Brackett, with the common sense that has made him the Colts defensive captain, laughed off his owner's comments.

"I wouldn't call anything on Twitter gospel," Brackett said.

LOVE THAT DEAL. Star running back Chris Johnson is holding out for a better contract with Tennessee. When Arizona gave receiver Larry Fitzgerald an eight-year, $120 million blockbuster contract, Johnson saw the dollar signs.

"Congrats to @LarryFitzgerald god is good," Johnson tweeted.

Teams are notoriously reluctant to tear up old contracts — Johnson has two years left on his deal — no matter how valuable the performer.  The rationale is, if we do it for him, we'll have to do it for everybody.

Bird Seed!  When the next guy ambles in looking for a raise and says "you did it for Chris Johnson," there's an easy retort — "You're not Chris Johnson!

ALBERT THE LOAD. When the New England Patriots will get tired of Albert Haynesworth's act is hard to predict, but it surely won't be all that much longer.

Here's an eye-witness report, via Twitter, by Ron Borges of the Boston Herald from Saturday's.

"Haynesworth briefly put on helmet today. Tired by the effort, then took it off and stood around for an hour. Like a Game Day with Redskins."

JONATHAN THE IDIOT. Reports from Kansas City say first-round draft pick Jonathan Baldwin hurt his hand or wrist in a fight with running back Thomas Jones at practice on Friday and will be out for the rest of the preseason.  The team refused comment.

The only logical comment would be the label Baldwin an imbecile.  Already dragging around some baggage from his college days at Pittsburgh, he had no business challenging — let alone fighting — the most respected veteran on the offensive unit.  That it resulted in injury is bad icing on a rancid cake.

NO SCANDALS IN JAX. Vito Stellino of the Florida Times Union noted that the Jacksonville Jaguars, under character-conscious coach Gene Smith, didn't have a single player on the 90-man roster from scandal-plagued USC, Miami or Ohio State.

FIGHT ON STATE. Penn State's new  basketball coach,  Patrick Chambers, will be in Philly next Monday (Aug. 29) for a Nittany Lion Club event at the Radisson Hotel in Valley Forge, sponsored by the Delaware County Chapter of the Nittany Lion Club. For more information or to register, go to  www.Nittanylionclub.com.

FIGHT ON STATE, Part II.  SI.com's Peter King has a well-detailed report on former Nittany Lion Mike Munchak's recruiting experience in 1977.  Interestingly enough, the big former guard is the first of Joe Paterno's coaching offspring to head an NFL team. Read it at http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/peter_king/08/21/preseason.week2

'CATS & QUAKERS. Villanova was ranked No. 13 in the Football Championship Sub-division Top 25, and Pennsylvania was ranked No. 24.
The two meet at 7 p.m. Sept. 24 in Franklin Field.

FINALLY. It's 7:45 p.m. as this column is being filed, far too early to know if Charlie Manuel will continue his dangerous experiment of using Brad Lidge in critical situations.  Stay tuned!

Contact Don McKee at dmckee@phillynews.com