Jessica Simpson's Engagement Announcement, Did She Steal Nick Lachey's Thunder?

The announcement of Jessica Simpson and Eric Johnson's engagement in itself is not a huge surprise. However, the fact that Simpson's ex, Nick Lachey, just announced his own engagement to long-time girlfriend Vanessa Minnillo, makes one wonder about Jessica's timing.

One might think that Simpson is playing the one-up game as Lachey has finally made the ultimate commitment to Minnillo, his love of nearly five years. On Thursday, November 4 it was announced publicly that Nick had finally proposed.

And then, just ten days later, Nick's more popular ex, Jessica Simpson, suddenly announces that she too is engaged.

It was obvious that Lachey was heartbroken when Jessica left him in 2005 after three years of marriage.

Then, Lachey witnessed with the rest of the world Jessica's many public loves and romances (Dane Cook, Adam Levine, Tony Romo, John Mayer), her attempt to get break into the country music world in 2008, and even some major tabloid slamming (remember John Mayer's comment about Jess being like 'sexual napalm'?),

While Simpson goes on after the divorce to live a very public life, Lachey quietly finds Minnillo shortly after the divorce, dates her, briefly separates from her and then goes back, and finally, perhaps after healing from the loss of Jessica and rebuilding trust and faith in another woman, he proposes to Vanessa. It is his moment and the public turns their eyes to Nick Lachey and Vanessa Minnillo, genuinely happy to see the pair ready to take the next steps.

Jessica, on the other hand, has only dated Johnson since May. Johnson filed for divorce from an estranged wife in February, started dating Simpson three months later and now the former NFL football player is ready to marry a celebrity A-lister.

Yet, Simpson announced her engagement just ten days after Nick and Vanessa announced theirs. Could Jessica have waited maybe a tad longer and let Nick enjoy the limelight for a while?

Further, is it possible that Jessica is trying to prove she's really not 'saddened' by Nick's engagement as was widely reported after the announcement, and that she's more than ready to move on by marrying a man she's dated only since May?

No matter her motives for getting married, the announcement could have, should have, would have been better after Nick Lachey basked in his moment. But basking in the spotlight simply isn't his style and maybe that's why we love Nick so much.