Favre: 'Re-evaluate'

Brett Favre's storied career isn't going to have a storybook ending. It isn't going to be that way.

There's the ongoing investigation involving the texts, and messages, and photos he allegedly sent to Jenn Sterger.

Finally, the NFL is getting around to tracing the communications.

In an effort to determine what Brett Favre did or did not text Jenn Sterger, the NFL is conducting high-tech forensic work to trace the electronic pathways and transmission of any photos or messages that might have been sent during communication between them, according to a source familiar with the situation.

It is the latest intriguing turn in a drama that features an iconic NFL quarterback and a former Jets subcontractor that has appeared on television.

Sterger met with the NFL earlier this month for three hours and provided league investigators with "substantial materials," according to her agent. Among the items turned over were cell-phone records, at least one phone and a SIM data card.

That's the Favre drama off the field. He's wrestling with the truth.

The NFL seems to be dragging its feet on the investigation, as if trying to avoid dealing with the matter. The league appears unable to handle the truth when it comes to Favre. If not unable, then it's uninterested and unwilling to handle the reality of Favre's behavior.

There's also the drama on the field.

The Vikings are in meltdown. The Packers overwhelmed them yesterday, 31-3. It was beautiful. Aaron Rodgers' spectacular performance was thrilling. It was great to be a Packer fan.

In his post-game press conference, the dejected Favre said he had to go home and re-evaluate the situation.

Then came the predictable analysis and speculation. What did Favre mean by "re-evaluate"?

Twice during his postgame news conference, Favre said he planned to "go home" and "re-evaluate."

What will he re-evaluate? Favre wasn't clear. But he did not directly answer a reporter who asked if he was committed to playing the rest of the season.

"I would never have expected to be in this situation," Favre said. "Mathematically I think there is still some hope. I hate to use Jim Mora's comments about playoffs. I can't even think about that. I know there is still a slim chance, but come on. We've got to play a lot better than we played today and last week.

"I came back for a Super Bowl, you're right. Also [there is] a chance that that doesn't happen, probably a better chance that we don't. And there's a way better chance that you won't play as well as last year. ... But this is a little surprising. Again, I'm just going to go home and ... I don't want to say 'think' about this game. Just re-evaluate tomorrow."

Favre has given enough news conferences to know that his answer left open the possibility that he would opt for an early retirement now that the Vikings' season seems cooked. But would Favre really give up $6 million -- the salary he would lose for skipping the Vikings' final six games? And would he really want his final act as an NFL player to be walking out on his team?

Enough.

Favre isn't going to call it quits before the season ends. There's no way that's what he means by "re-evaluate."

It's already too late for Favre to leave the game gracefully. If his "re-evaluation" brings him to the conclusion that he should walk away now, Favre will be even more of a joke than he is already.

He didn't look like a football legend yesterday. Favre looked broken and defeated. There was nothing larger than life about him.

No matter how you feel about Brett Favre - if you once loved him and now despise him, if you consider him the greatest player ever to wear a Green Bay Packers uniform or a spiteful, petty, dishonest, traitorous old man - it was hard not to feel just a pinch of sympathy for him Sunday.

Once a three-time NFL most valuable player and just last year still among the best quarterbacks in the game, Favre is finishing out his career with a team in a death spiral and looking every bit like a 41-year-old man in a young man's game.

As purple-clad fans fled the Metrodome and Packers fans stayed behind to savor the closing minutes of a 31-3 beat-down of Favre and the Minnesota Vikings, chants of "Go, Pack, go!" must have rung hollow in Favre's ear flaps.

This isn't why he came back for a 20th season, but it's his reality: The Vikings are 3-7 and going nowhere fast.

Favre is playing out the string, a Hall of Famer reduced to irrelevance save for a mythic consecutive-games-played streak that may, at some point soon, come to an end.

So many times for so many years now when the topic of his retirement was raised, Favre has said, "I know I can play."

Yesterday, it was clear that even Favre finally has his doubts. Or maybe I'm misinterpreting anger at others for humility on Favre's part. He may still believe he can play.

Although Favre has had his moments of greatness this season and continues to break records, he's mostly been just a shadow of what he once was. It certainly doesn't look like he's enjoying what he's doing. There is a sadness to that.

Watching Rodgers had to be painful for Favre. He can't be that delusional not to grasp how poorly he played, can he?

I hope he's content with the money he's hauling in for being the Vikings quarterback, playing a 20th season in the NFL after he decided to retire and unretire from the league for the third time.

Those millions and millions of dollars might help to take the sting out of the defeat of having his ego punctured to publicly deflate.

Favre's "re-evaluating" has been a spectator sport for years. I hope he realizes that game is over.

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