Not so Favre away?

I've tried to maintain a relatively even keel regarding a certain former Packer quarterback. I've acknowledged his greatness, even if he was a touch overrated in the latter part of his career. Because of that -- the fact that his team probably won't be that much worse without him than they were with him -- I didn't celebrate too hard when he called it quits last month. Even last week, when the media, desperately starved for any kind of Brett Favre story, simply invented one to sell some papers/get some hits on their web sites, I stayed mostly quiet.

But this is just absurd, degrading, and insulting. "Hey, I know I was adored and admired and unconditionally loved for 16 years. But if you came begging on your hands and knees for me to come back, I guess I might. Maybe. If I felt like it."

It isn't enough that Favre exploited his fame and popularity for years so as to lead the Packers on the last few offseasons as to whether or not he would retire. Now, if Aaron Rodgers struggles or is injured, he's perfect poised to ride in like the cavalry to "save" his struggling team -- provided management gets down on its knees and asks really, really nicely.

Even better, this keeps the media darling in the public eye all season long, and for at least a few more years to come. Every time Rodgers throws an interception (or probably even an incompletion), the questions can begin anew: Will Brett come back? Does he feel wanted? Does he feel loved?

I know the usual trolls will respond to this post saying how terrified I, and all Vikings fans, are of Favre's potential return. On the contrary. I have no issue with facing a quarterback who's got a career record of 17-15 against my team. Of course, the same Packer faithful who ignore Favre's last 10 years of mediocrity probably also think Favre dominated the Vikings every time they played. His recent record -- 9-6 since 2001 -- is also only slightly above average. Over that same time span, the Chicago Bears, with their multitude of ineffective quarterbacks, are 8-6 against the Vikings. I say let the nearly 39-year-old with one good year out of the last three suit up. Every time we played Brett Favre, I knew he had the capacity to tear our hearts out with a great performance -- and I also knew he had nearly the same chance of making a boneheaded play or two that cost his team the game.

Stay or go, Brett, it makes little difference to me. Just make a decision, already.