Brett Favre: Should He Stay (Retired) or Should He Go?

Last March, Brett Favre tearfully announced his retirement from the NFL's Green Bay Packers. In a short time, rumors were circulating on the internet, ESPN, and the NFL Network that Favre was reconsidering his decision. Brett Favre did not turn his formal retirement papers in to the NFL in due time, leading to more rumors. In case you have been in seclusion, a tempting option in an election year, especially a Presidential election year, the word is in: Brett Favre has asked the Green Bay Packers for his release due to Favre's feeling that the Packers no longer want his services.

The Green Bay Packers position is that the team, led by head coach Mike Mccarthy and General Manager Ted Thompson, would have welcomed Brett Favre back a couple of months ago, but now have "moved on" with Aaron Rodgers as their starting signal caller. Brett Favre could come back only as a backup the team says, hardly an attractive option for a surefire Hall of Famer coming off a 4,000 yard passing season.

I can honestly see both sides of the coin. The team has spent most of the offseason retooling their offense to suit the largely untested Aaron Rodgers and Rodgers did look good in the second half of last year's game at Dallas after Favre was injured. With the youngest team in the NFL in 2007, the emergence of Ryan Grant in the second half of the season and Rodgers having the talent to be a first round pick a few years ago, the Packers and their rabid fan base could have much to look forward to in 2008. After all, the team finished just a hair short of the Super Bowl last season.

On the other hand, Brett Favre, even at 38 years old, is still better than most Quarterbacks in the NFL. Favre may have felt pressured by the team to make a hasty decision and Favre has criticized the team's decision not to pursue Randy Moss before the 2007 trade between Oakland and New England sending the mercurial Moss to the Patriots. In a way seeing Brett Favre in another team's uniform would be a little like Johnny Unitas ending his career in San Diego, Joe Namath as a Ram or Joe Montana as a Chief. The biggest difference is Brett Favre is clearly still able to excel on the field, unlike those gentlemen, although Montana did have some bright moments in Kansas City.

Here are 4 reasons why I hope Brett Favre returns, even if it means his wearingi another uniform. (As long as it's not a Chicago or Minnesota uni)

Reason #1
The guy can still play. I can think of 4,000 reasons, one for every passing yard Brett Favre compiled in 2007, along with 28 touchdown passes, but I'll settle for 4. To me, it would be better to find out you had lost "it" and then retire, than to retire and always wonder if you could still play.

Reason #2
As a fan, you never know what Favre is going to do. #4 is one of the wildest, most unpredictable players in the history of the NFL, a league known in some circles as the "No Fun League". This guy has fun and he's as much fun to watch as any player in the history of the league, unless you're a Bear or Viking fan, I suppose.

Reason #3
Sports fans need something to talk about in the dog days of summer with football not yet starting and baseball nowhere near over. What better water cooler than whether Brett Favre should come back to the NFL and for what team?

Reason #4
The NFL badly needs high profile stars who don't appear to be programmed like R2-D2 such as Carson Palmer , Peyton Manning and others. Don't misunderstand, Peyton Manning is a Hall of Fame player, and Carson Palmer is very good when healthy, but if either ever cracked a smile on the field, their faces would break. And speaking of cracks, Brett Favre does not have a Dudley Do-Right buttcrack on his chin ala pretty-boy Tom Brady. And yes, Brady is also a future Hall of Fame player, but fun to watch? I've had more fun having root canal surgery than watching Brady. So what if Brady completes more passes off the field, the NFL needs Brett Favre.