The Luckiest Man

Enough of Brett Favre.

Enough of his leaks. Enough of him being "50-50" in terms of reversing his retirement,
according to his brother. Enough of his ex-teammates saying they think he may return
to Lambeau. Enough of ESPN's Chris Mortensen perpetuating these rumors from
third-hand sources when he was able to replay Favre's retirement message from
his own voicemail.

Enough of Brett's mother, Bonita, saying the Living Legend of Lambeau felt the
Packers didn't want him back.

Either split, or get off the pot, Brett.

You're not Tiger Woods. You're not Michael Jordan. You're not Magic Johnson.
You're not Kareem, Kobe or Shaq.

You're not Wilt, Russell, Ruth, and in postseason games, even Reggie.

You're not Mantle, Montana, and someday won't even be Manning.

In fact, thanks to a great piece by ESPN.com's Sal Palantonio after your supposed
departure, you're not even Bart Starr, let alone Tom Brady.

The fact is, you do this every off season. Only in 2008, you were bored by your own
charade of threatening retirement, so you decided to actually do it the day after the
Packers decided not to sign Randy Moss.

Hmm.

Then, years of worry turned into tears, which have now can only be wiped away by
either Aaron Rodgers, or by the man who nay return for another last lap.

And in Green Bay, you will be welcomed and forgiven by Packer fans whose wounds
you will reopen if you re-retire in 2009.

Speaking of Rodgers, the Packers are partly to blame as well.

Green Bay has to decide whether to keep Favre or release him if he returns to the NFL.
Favre is currently on the team's Reserved-Retired List, not counting against the team's
salary cap. Meanwhile, the Pack have given Favre's (at this time) former understudy their
utmost confidence by drafting not only one, but two quarterbacks in April's draft.

Keeping Brett's locker intact didn't exactly boost Rodgers' confidence, either.

Buffalo Bills fans can remember how badly Todd Collins reacted on the field when
the Bills traded for Billy Joe Hobert after Jim Kelly retired. Rogers is facing national
scrutiny after carrying the clipboard for three years behind the NFL's Everyman.

Brett, as you celebrate the 4th of July in Kiln, Mississippi contemplating how you'll
spend the next six months, keep one real legend in mind.

This legend was forced into retirement.

Like you, Brett, he held his sport's record for consecutive games played.

Like you, he was his team's captain, in the cornerstone franchise of his sport.

Like you, people thought he would play forever.

Unlike you, however, he didn't go out on his own terms.

And instead of being known for his greatness as a ballplayer, he's better known
for the incurable paralysis named that bears his name.

And on July 4, 1939, Lou Gehrig reminded everyone at Yankee Stadium--most of
whom had little idea the Iron Horse was whittled down to an immobile state--that
he still considered himself "the luckiest man on the face of the earth."

Brett, there's no question you know how lucky you are. And you're an Amercian legend
no matter what this writer truly thinks.

So make up your mind before people remember you for something else instead.