Favre: Retirement U-turn

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This could all get really ugly really quickly (if it hasn't already). It is also the stuff which could leave several reputations severely tarnished and leave the air full of acrimony.

The story of Brett Lorenzo Favre is poised for one final sporting chapter it seems and, the way things are going at the moment, it is likely to be a dark and unfulfilling one, without a happy ending (and with bruised egos on the side of Green Bay management and even in Minnesota, where the Packers have accused them of "tampering" with their former player).

And it will be hard to have much sympathy if Favre eventually rides into the Hall of Fame in Canton with a serious shadow dogging his steps.

Because it is difficult to see anything positive coming out of this week's hand-wringingly awful prevaricating from the (ex?) Green Bay quarterback and his assertions that he'd quite like to come back and play but he'd really prefer if he could do it for a team other than the Packers.

Are we not supposed to remember his tearful press conference only four-and-a-half months ago when he admitted he could no longer guarantee his 100 per cent commitment to the sport?

Is it not the case that the three-time former MVP no longer has the appetite for the daily gridiron grind and the rigours that go with full-scale practice and the weekly battle to play through pain (for, lord knows, he has battled through the pain barrier often enough in his career).

And are we not supposed to imagine that the Vikings (or Chicago Bears) are lurking in the background with the promise of a very big cheque if Favre can wangle his way clear of his Green Bay registration?

Lose

The simple truth is, Brett has far more to lose than gain by trying to eke out an 18th successive season in the NFL, whether it's with the Packers, Vikings, Bears or even the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (because they are probably down to their last 10 viable quarterbacks by now).

Whether he's being disingenuous or not by claiming he's just "guilty of retiring early", there are very few good things that can come out of any Favre return and an awful lot of bad ones.

First and foremost among them are his actual physical safety and well-being. He hasn't attended a proper training session or mini-camp since Green Bay's agonising NFC Conference defeat to the Giants on January 20. And he finished the season with injury concerns over his left shoulder and right elbow.

Then, even if he returns to a full training schedule immediately, will there be any doubts in his mind about being whole-hearted in his willingness to lay his body on the line again in training camp; in pre-season games; and in the heat of regular NFL action once more?

Will his team-mates fully trust that he is totally committed to the cause and that part of his psyche hasn't stayed in the comfort zone of retirement?

And can his coaches believe with 100 per cent justification that they are getting the complete Favre package back with his trademark intensity?

Does the Green Bay hierarchy even believe that the possible short-term gains would outweigh the long-term development of Aaron Rodgers (and there are certainly some heavy hints that the Packers are willing to sustain a season or two of growing pains with the new QB in order to create a lasting winning formula)?

Questions, questions, questions. And precious few answers.

Legacy

The way Favre himself has so far dealt with the media firestorm of curiosity over his on-again, off-again 'retirement' also suggests he is not in full possession of all the angles.

To say that the way he and agent Bus Cook have handled his proposed comeback has been just plain clumsy is a major understatement; it has been a PR disaster of significant proportions.

But PR clumsiness can be forgiven in time. A spoiled legacy is much harder to pardon (just ask Roger Clemens). Jerry Rice managed to get away with one extremely anonymous season with Seattle and a failed attempt for one last hurrah with Denver without it damaging his legacy in any way; but he wasn't under the intense scrutiny that Favre would face as the team leader.

Every errant pass and rash interception would carry the caveat of suspicion (at least in the press corps, but probably with some team-mates, too). Each mistake would be analysed from the standpoint of, "Would he have done that last year when his heart was totally in it?"

Favre himself has already sowed those seeds of suspicion. The media would be quick to reap them. And a truly honest and uniquely pugnacious competitor would have his reputation diminished as a result.

Of course, the worst case scenario is that Brett could be victimised by a serious injury (on the theory that he has already dodged many a gridiron bullet and just may not be in the shape necessary to keep shaking them off). He just needs to be half a step slow on one occasion, and, in the words of John Madden, "Boom!"

The best case scenario, of course, has him riding off into (another) sunset with the Super Bowl trophy in his hand. But that is the stuff of fairytales. And we all know fairytales no longer happen to aged warriors in modern sport. Just ask Michael Jordan how well he fared in his comeback bid at the age of 38......