ESPN's Chris Mortensen reports that the sun rises in the east.

Then, Brett Favre is reportedly rumored to tell a reporter that the supposedly apparent rumor about the rumor regarding the report of the rumor that he's rumored to return for this NFL season is supposedly, apparently, reportedly, just "all rumor."

Yeah, fire up the Tractor Watch. Again.

Anyone who's barely glanced at it should have known this would happen.

And we have Brett, our fellow media, and ourselves to blame in this three-pronged monstrosity of a sad situation.

More of this story below these series of links.

Analysis: Brett, the Sun Rising in the East, and Supposedly Apparent Reported Rumors

Audio from Sports Central with Bill MIchaels:
• Biloxi Sun-Herald Reporter Al Jones
• 620WTMJ Packers Voice Wayne Larrivee
• Packers Radio Network/Today's TMJ4's Lance Allan

Brett's Retirement Coverage:
• Favre: It's Over"
Retirement News Conference:
• Audio: Part 1 | Part 2
• More Audio at Packers.com

Favre Said This Would Happen

Go back to March 6th of this year, two days after the initial report Favre would retire. During his teary-eyed first statement, Brett warns us of these specific days coming.

"I will wonder if I made the wrong decision," said Favre.

"I'm sure on Sundays, I will say, 'I could be doing that, I should be doing that.' "

Well, he's wondering whether he should be doing that.

So we knew what was going to happen. After four months, Favre would struggle through the caverns of his mind and heart and, with training camp weeks away, want to come back.

It's just like the sun rising.

The only thing Mortensen reported that was of any news value was when it actually rose.

Then came the whole Brett Favre to Al Jones text message thing where he said "all rumor."

That coming from one of hundreds of rumor spreaders, and rumor discussers, in the media.

Just like I am. Just like anyone in the media with a brain who knows that if you mention the word Favre, you get ratings and web clicks.

Why The Madness?

ESPN's Sportscenter seemed to devote half its 5:00 p.m. CT show to Favre having an itch.

3/4 of 620WTMJ's Sports Central discussed the same topic.

Why? Because people have this insatiable pull toward anything Brett Favre.

Certainly, it's natural to put attention on anything connected to the greatest player in Packers history, perhaps the best to ever play the quarterback position, and maybe the third most beloved American athlete ever, behind Muhammad Ali and Michael Jordan.

But when someone reports Brett Favre gets a speck of dust in his left nostril, it makes national news, and television crews camp out at the Favre estate with cameras set up to probe into his nose.

I wouldn't be surprised if NFL Films released a DVD about his right nostril.

OK, I'm exaggerating.

(No malice intended, Steve Sabol. Just kidding.)

My point is, people want to know anything and everything about the quarterback who defined a generation of pro football.

So we, the media outlets with a need to pay the bills, give it to you, and we overblow it.

Plenty of Examples

Think 2003, after Favre throws an INT in the 4th-and-26 contest to cost Green Bay a playoff game.

He doesn't talk to the press that day, so he makes up for it with a presser in Green Bay the next day.

The Packers announce a media opportunity.

Every media outlet in the world shows up saying "watch if he retires!!!!!"

We here at 620wtmj make a point to say "he's not retiring, people!" We ran the conference, of course, but we knew retirement wasn't happening.

But all those media outlets were pumping it up to get people to watch, listen, click, etc.

Then there's the 2006 Favre Charity classic in Mississippi where he announces a presser.

All of Wisconsin media show up thinking it's his retirement announcement.

Nope...it's to simply pump his foundation - a good move, but we run to it like ants to a loose piece of watermelon.

Brett's to blame for giving it to us media lemmings.

We media lemmings are to blame for taking it and turning it around into dollar signs.

And you're to blame for wanting it, even when you say you don't.

Don't tell me you're sick of it, then watch it like crazy, as frustrated as you are about it.

(When I was away from the office yesterday and heard about it, I went off. PROMISE I DID!)

So what stops it?

I don't think there is a stop to it. We're too immersed in the nutsiness of Favre.

It's not a tractor we're riding, but a runaway train.

As long as Brett Favre lives, we'll be riding it. The most beloved athlete this side of the United Center and the Thrilla in Manlia will be driving it, us media folks will shovel the coal into the engine, and you'll be drinking the Favre juice.

Unless you, the fans, stick a mountain in front of the train and finally make it crash.

And you won't want to. As a fan, I won't want to.

So it just keeps rollin' on...and rollin' on...and rollin' on.