As a Vikings fan I don't feel one bit bad for the Vikings. While they thought (along with plenty others after his past season) Favre was coming back, there is no reason why they couldn't address their QB questions. Just this past April they had a chance to draft Clausen. While we don't know what he'll amount to, I'd rather take a chance with having him sit behind Favre for a year, two if the Vikings are lucky/unlucky. (great season from Favre, but no SB win, thus him deciding to come back just one more season) or at worst competing with Jackson and Rosenfels for the starting job.
Instead what the Front Office decided to do was put all their entire season on the biggest flip flopper since Kerry, and 2 guys who are never going to be a competent starter in this league.
The organization HAAAAAD to know that Favre wasn't going to play forever, and this teams window is going start to close with the Packers nipping at their heels, not to mention Chicago should Cutler ever get his shit together. They had a chance at grabbing a potential franchise QB to team with Peterson and Rice for the next few years, but nope Childress still believes Jackson is gonna be a SB winning QB.
So no I don't feel bad for them at all, they done goofed themselves, and everyone saw this possible scenario a mile away.
*edit* If Favre retires there is no nipping at the heels for the Packers, it's their division to lose.