Straight Out Of The "What Are They Thinking?" Department

Let's say you're Ted Thompson, the General Manager of the Green Bay Packers. "Bus" Cook comes to you and says, "Brett wants to come back in 2008. He's throwing fifty yards on a rope and he feels good. What do you say?"

Here's what you don't say. You don't say "Yes."

You say "HELL ON A STICK, YES! Mike, throw a couple extra brats on the grill for the minicamp, because BRETT'S COMING BACK!!!" (Followed by distant cries of "Woo-hoo!" from down the hallway.)

But that's not what Ted Thompson said. He and Coach McCarthy hemmed and hawed and didn't really respond to the proposal at all. So Cook put Favre himself on the line and Favre said "Yeah, Bus is right. I want to play. I can do it, I'm healthy, my mind's made up. I want to unretire. Give me the ball, coach!"

Still, the brass equivocated and made no decision.

So apparently, Favre has broken the hearts of Green Bay fans -- hell, of pretty much all NFL fans -- by asking for an unconditional release from his contract. He wants to be a free agent and he's going to shop himself around to the other 31 teams to play another year. Or two.

I understand that it's time to groom Aaron Rodgers and get him ramped up for being the guy. I understand that Brett can't play forever. I understand that he retired. But he played great last year. He's Brett-Frackin'-Favre. He is the Green Bay Packers. And Rodgers would benefit from splitting time with Favre.

There should be absolutely no risk, ever, that Number 4 would take the field wearing a Dolphins uniform. 'Nuff said about that.