Taking his time
Peter King, SI.com

I'm hearing it everywhere I go and now you're writing me with the same sentiment: Quit or get off the pot, Brett Favre. You want Favre to make his decision whether to keep playing or to retire, and you want him to make it now. First your thoughts, then I'll give you mine.

FAVRE IS DOING THE PACK A DISSERVICE. From Jay of Boston: "I have to say, Peter, I'm starting to get fed up with Favre's waffling. Sure, he's a future HOFer and all that, but he's doing his team no favors with all this do-I-or-don't-I-play delaying stuff. Essentially, he's holding the Packers hostage since they can't make any decisions regarding the QB position until Favre does. The longer he keeps them waiting, the worse off they are. Just make a decision and stick to it already, Brett!"

"H" IS FOR "HOSTAGE." From Jordan Beck of Calgary, Alberta: "Isn't Favre holding the Packers hostage by what he's doing? His agent's comments are arrogant and say it all. I read that Favre said the exact same thing as his agent did before the April 1 deadline: 'What are they going to do, cut me?' He then went on to say something like, 'I don't have to come back. My legacy will speak for itself.' I love Favre and think he's more than partly responsible for the massive growth of the NFL the last 13-plus years, but if this is how he's going to go out, with one of the worst years in QB history and backhanded comments to one of the most storied franchises in football -- never mind their fans -- he's doing himself a huge disservice. Yes, they had a lot of injuries last year, but Favre hurt them every game by throwing dumb passes and trying to do too much. Has he ever said, 'Sorry for my terrible play last year?'"

Let's examine the situation. Favre, as everyone knows, was very close at the end of the season to walking away and retiring. But he thought he should be fair to himself, his family and the team, to let the season sink in and take some time before making such a big decision. The Packers said, "Take your time. No deadline from us.'' Favre then went about the decision the same way he did last year: hang around at home, play some golf, relax, cut the grass, think some more and then make up his mind. That's what he's doing right now. And if the Packers wanted a decision by a certain date -- I believe they did -- then they're going back on their word, which was "Take your time, we don't want to pressure you."

ADVERTISEMENT
If you think about it, why do the Packers need a decision from Favre before the post-draft, full-squad minicamp in May? Were they going to go out and try to sign a big-name veteran like Jon Kitna to compete with Aaron Rodgers for the starting job? No. That's not GM Ted Thompson's style. Thompson's style and Favre's don't mesh, which is why I think there's a better chance now than I thought last week that Favre will walk away (though, believe me, I have scant inside information; I'm just trying to read the tea leaves like everyone else).

Thompson's way, right now, is to build the best 53-man roster he can for the long haul; 2006 is important to him, but not anymore important than 2007 or beyond. Favre wants the Packers to make some signings so 2006 won't be a repeat of last year. I'm guessing, with the cream of the free-agency crop picked clean by now, that's not going to happen. So in the next couple of weeks, Favre's going to have to ask himself whether he wants to go to camp with a team that would clearly be an underdog to Minnesota and Chicago in the NFC North.

Re: the other point, Jordan, about Favre's comment about being cut: I can only imagine, because I haven't talked to him, that he's chafing at the pressure he perceives he's getting from the team to make a decision. And if the team told him to go away and make his decision and didn't ever put a timetable on it, and now the Packers are putting a timetable on it ... well, then I'd be a little peeved too.