While this is a political oriented blog, I also like to talk about major stories in the news about American culture. In America, sports is a major part of our daily life, there are dozens of channel across the country that covers an individual sport or sports in general 24 hours a day. I like to talk about the on going soap opera that is Brett Favre vs the Green Bay Packers, more specifically General Manager Ted Thompson. This back and forth banter in the media is far from being finished and will probably go on until the start of the season and beyond. I equate this to a pro football version game of chicken. We have competing egos at work here and we are waiting on who will blink first. On one side Ted Thompson, he holds all the cards in this situation. Favre is under contract for three years and he did file papers to retire with the NFL, which still makes him property of the Packers. Thompson is under no obligation to play, release or trade him. Farve wasn't never his guy, he inherited him and waited out four seasons until Farve finally retired. He knew he couldn't push out Favre until Favre was ready to leave the game, not saying that Thompson didn't help the process move a little quicker. Favre's retirement allows Thompson to play his first round draft pick Aaron Rogers. Also, he can't have players dictating his decisions, even it is one of the greatest players of all time. No player can be bigger than the team and the league. The problem Thompson will run into is the backlash from the Packer faithful, who thinks Favre is a better option now at 38 years old than a younger Aaron Rogers and will run Thompson out of town if Rogers falls flat on his face and the Packers aren't successful. Thompson will have a PR nightmare on his hands. He is in a no win situation.

On the other hand we have Brett Favre, one of the most successful quarterbacks in the history of the NFL. He is one of the few active players can do what he is playing now. Most fans and the media will let him get away with him retiring and then wanting to come back as if nothing has changed. When he was making his retirement speech I knew he wasn't finished playing, knowing that he will have the itch to come back because he has been one of the most competitive players on the field for the last 18 years and football is the only thing he knows. What else will he do with all of this time on his hands, there is only so much lawn to mow on in Louisiana. I just thought it would be after a year at home with the wife and kids. He claims that he was pressured to make his decision before the draft so the Packers can plan for the future, which is probably true because the packers did draft two capable quarterbacks. Favre should have called their bluff. What could the packers have done if he didn't make his decision at that time, fine him (money had never been an issue with Brett), release him (I think that's what he has wanted all this time) or bench him (McCarthy and Thompson would have been run out of town). Farve has the right to ask for reinstatement but he has to realize that the Packers doesn't have to grant his wishes to play or be released, so he can find another team to latch on to.

So now what, who will blink, will it be Thompson to cave to Favre's wishes to play for the Packers or release him to a team that can come back and play the Packers in the playoffs, or will it be Favre, who would have to back with this tail between his legs to come back to the Packers as a backup(which was offered) or fight for the starting job, or give up his desire to play football again. As a self-proclaimed Packer hater, I don't have a horse in this race but I am interested on how this will play out.