It just became officially close to being almost over… Brett Favre was traded to the New York Jets late this evening for at least a third round draft pick, with the possibility of the pick being improved to a first round pick depending on how well Favre plays this season.

I, for one, am glad to hear that this mess is as close to being over as possible. Every where you look, it’s Favre this, Favre that, and it is getting old. Unfortunately for us (and Brett), he changed his mind and decided to not retire this season. Instead of going out with the praise and support of the whole Packer nation and his teamates, Favre now turns his attention to New Jersey to help prop up a poor Jets team that went 4-12 last season.

Like so many others before him, Favre has overstayed his welcome and moved on to obscurity elsewhere which will probably just be a footnote in his Hall of Fame career when he finally does decide to hang up the cleats. Emmit Smith made the same mistake when he went to the Cardinals to try and extend his career and he sadly tucked his tail between his legs and retired soon after.
What makes a great player do such a thing? Is it the competition? The money? Myself, I believe Favre was hoping one of the big networks would come calling when he retired and beg him to do color commentary or be an analyst on a pre-game show. But, alas, no one came a calling, so Favre was left with one option, return to the Packers and give it another whirl. But this time, the team had already moved on and had set plans in motion to make Aaron Rodgers the starting quarterback for the upcoming season.

I certainly don’t blame the Packers for doing what they did as Favre has strung them along for many years. How can you build for the future when the past won’t let go? Sure, the Packers aren’t getting all that they want out of this trade, but they did remedy their one major concern, which was to elimate the Favre problem. It may not be a very popular decision right now, but at least now the Packers can move on and begin building their team around Rodgers and see if he’s worth the first round pick they used on him so many years ago.

As for Favre, he steps right into the starter quarterback job in New York as the Jets have been looking to replace Chad Pennington for awhile now. They even went as far to draft Erik Ainge in the fifth round of this years draft to try and sure up that weakness. I look for Favre to take the starter job away from Pennington leaving Clemmons, Ainge, and Pennington to duke it out for the back-up job behind the future Hall of Famer, with the odd man out possibly getting cut and looking elsewhere for a job, i.e. Pennington.

As for the Jets, this is a good move on their part. This definitely improves their QB position, but I look for age and regret to sneak up on Favre and the season being a slight improvement over the previous season’s 4-12 record. I also look for them to start grooming either Ainge or Clemmons to be the heir apparent to Favre who’s contract is up in 2010… even after he contrmplates retirement once again at the end of this season…

Ramble on…