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07/14/2008: "Oh, Brett ... No, no, no ..."

Brett Favre may be the greatest quarterback in NFL history. He certainly is the most popular Packer ever, holding place in the fans' heart jus below that of the immortal Vince Lombardi. But now, because he justcan't say no, he's putting all that at risk.

Great athletes live for the game. Very few have room in their lives for anything else, which is why you seldom see them going into coaching or other management positions after they retire - they've given it all on the field. The problem is, they just don't know when to say goodbye. We've seen it with so many greats - and now we've seeing it with Favre.

For the last few years, the Packers went through anguish every off season waiting for Favre's decision - play or not play. Two years ago, it was particularly agonizing, as he waited until the last minute to decide to return for another season. As a result, the team urged him last season to make his decision early. When the Packers lost in the NFC Championship last winter, Favre made his decision early - he was retiring.

Oh, that it should be that easy. Apparently, while the Packers were moving full speed towards life with Aaron Rodgers as quarterback, Favre was contemplating his future without football - and didn't like what he saw. He decided he wanted back - but would the Packers want him?

What started out as a private matter exploded into the media this week, as Favre requested his formal release from his contract with the Packers, and they in turn declined, claiming that Favre was welcome to compete for his old job. Talk about your no-win situation: the greatest QB in franchise history wants to come back, but you've promised the job to the other guy.

Let's be clear - the Packers have few options. They can't give him a unconditional release, risking him signing with a divisional rival. And they can't put him on the bench when he drove them to the brink of the Super Bowl last year. So they offer him a chance to compete - hoping he won't take it.

Favre, in the mean time, is feeling feeling a little less than loved. But rather than work with the Packers to find a solution, what does he go? He does an interview with Fox News' Greta Van Sustern. Not ESPN, not any other sports channel - Greta freaking Van Sustern, the legal correspondent. Sure, she's a Packers fan, but you don't think this was like tossing a gallon of gas on the fire?

Any chance of a friendly solution is out the window - and it's your fault, Brett. You probably would have gotten one retirement mulligan for your past performance, but not when you back the club into a corner. They'll never let you put on someone else's uni, and you won't just stay retired. So the fan uproar will increase until the team is forced to bring you back to compete for your old job. You won't be on the same page - physically or philosophically - with the rest of the team, so this will be a throwaway season for the Pack. They'll have to wait one more year to start the Aaron Rodgers era - and that's assuming you don't pull this stunt again.

We love you, Brett, but dude ... get a life!