Little by little, they're weighing in: sports columnists from other NFL cities with their feelings about the Brett Favre mess.

      I posted a Dallas Morning News piece earlier today--the jist of it being that anything bad that happens to the Packers is good for the rest of the league and postseason contenders like the Cowboys.   

      Now comes this missive from Vikingland: the Star/Tribune's Judd Zulgad:

        Despite the fact many have speculated Minnesota would be an ideal landing place for Favre, the Packers aren’t going to let that happen. The only way Favre ends up with the Vikings or Bears — two clubs that would seem like pretty good fits — is if the Packers release him. No matter how much Green Bay General Manager Ted Thompson wants Favre to go away, he isn’t going to simply let Favre walk. It would be too dangerous because he knows that Favre might sign with one of the Packers’ arch-rivals because he’s, well, Favre.

But even if the Vikings have no chance at Favre, the guess here is that they are feeling pretty good about what’s going on in Green Bay. That’s because if Favre does want to un-retire he has put the Packers in a terrible situation only weeks before training camp opens. Favre might have some good football left in him but Thompson now faces what appears to be a no-win situation.

The Packers trade Favre: they get second-guessed to no end and Aaron Rodgers sees his stats put up next to Favre’s for 16 weeks. The Packers keep Favre: they look like a franchise that is being run not by management but one player. Vikings coach Brad Childress always talks about “controlling the message” when it comes to his team. So if the Packers give in and take Favre back what is the message they are sending to their players: Everyone should listen to Mike McCarthy but Favre can do pretty much whatever he wants.

This might have been true before but now the whole world will know it and that’s pretty hard to respect if you’re a player. The Packers have spent the offseason focusing on Rodgers taking over as their quarterback and entering a new era. That could all be put on hold and if that happens there will be some ticked off people in Green Bay.

Chemistry in sports can be overrated but it’s a mistake to dismiss it. The circus that could follow this Favre situation has the ability to throw a big-time curveball into the Packers’ chemistry and if that happens the Vikings should be thrilled.

         I agree that Favre is putting the Packers in a tough spot--the team apparently has already been rewired to run with Rodgers as its quarterback, but I can't imagine there are many guys in the locker room (especially on offense) who wouldn't mind another season with Favre behind center.     After all, isn't that what most of us thought was going to be the case before Favre unexpectedly pulled the plug in March?

          A bigger issue: Favre's decision to retire before the draft no doubt led Ted Thompson to pick not one, but two quarterbacks.    Does that happen if Number Four is still tops on the depth chart?      Picks are valuable commodities to Thompson, to be cherished and used wisely since he apparently has no taste for free agents.        It's a missed opportunity.

          The larger issue: the ill-will Favre's minions are spreading as the "itch" story first got traction.     The mom, the Biloxi reporter, the brother and the agent all sang the same "disrespect" mantra, saying the Packers didn't make Favre feel wanted.      Where does that crap come from?     And, why doesn't the one guy who could put a lid on it do so?     Or, better yet, grow a pair and say it himself?      More disappointing than his indecision in this whole affair is is apparent fear of accountability--letting others do his heavy lifting for him.      Remember the Favre who called out Sterling Sharpe early in his Green Bay career when the stud wideout decided to pout, waiting for a better contract?       Favre's candor was refreshing and he established himself as a team leader.       One wonders if age caused this apparent testicular shrinkage, or maybe Favre is hoping to have it both ways--remain a beloved Packerland icon who's time was cut short not by his own diminished skills but rather by evil management that allegedly wants it's own guy.        And, if the unthinkable happens and Favre truly decides to call it a career, how weird will it be on the field when the Packer brass gathers with Brett's posse as his number gets tacked on to the Lambeau ring of honor?       

         It's all so unnecessary.      It's all so fatiguing.     And, it's probably going to play out in the next week or so, taking our minds off of what we should truly be paying attention to as Wisconsin sports fans in July: the Brewers, the newly acquired CC Sabathia and what could be a baseball season that lasts well into the NFL campaign, wherever Favre ends up spending it.