Brett Favre Is Spiteful; Who Knew?

I think it's about time to just accept reality -- we'll never stop hearing from or about Brett Favre. He is more powerful than even the saddest of athletes who can't resist an opportunity to get a headline, and more savvy than we give him credit for -- under the "awww shucks" exterior lies a man who will exploit every last bit of his newsiness, even if it means saying something that makes everyone say Well, duh.

Brett Favre Photos

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - DECEMBER 14: Brett Favre #4 of The New York Jets looks to pass against The Buffalo Bills during their game on December 14, 2008 at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. According to reports February 11, 2009, Brett Favre has informed the New York Jets he will retire. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

Getty Images

** FILE ** This is a March 6, 2008 file photo showing Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre getting choked up as he talks about his retirement during a news conference at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisc. Brett Favre's agent says the New York Jets quarterback will retire. The 39-year-old Favre instructed agent James "Bus" Cook to tell the team Wednesday Feb. 11, 2009 that he won't return for a 19th NFL season _ and second with the Jets. (AP Photo/Mike Roemer, File)

** FILE ** This Sept. 28, 2008 file photo shows New York Jets quarterback Brett Favre acknowledging fans as he leaves the field after an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. Favre's agent says the New York Jets quarterback will retire. The 39-year-old Favre instructed agent James "Bus" Cook to tell the team Wednesday Feb. 11, 2009 that he won't return for a 19th NFL season _ and second with the Jets. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun, File)

** FILE ** This is an Oct. 19, 2008 file photo showing New York Jets quarterback Brett Favre walking off the field after the Jets lost 16-13 in overtime to the Oakland Raiders in an NFL football game in Oakland, Calif. Favre's agent says the New York Jets quarterback will retire. The 39-year-old Favre instructed agent James "Bus" Cook to tell the team Wednesday Feb. 11, 2009 that he won't return for a 19th NFL season _ and second with the Jets. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar, File)

** FILE ** This Aug. 28, 2008 file photo shows a fan of New York Jets quarterback Brett Favre, Kelly Odenwelder of Allentown, Pa., holding up a sign during the third quarter of an NFL preseason football game against the Philadelphia Eagles in Philadelphia. Favre's agent says the New York Jets quarterback will retire. The 39-year-old Favre instructed agent James "Bus" Cook to tell the team Wednesday Feb. 11, 2009 that he won't return for a 19th NFL season _ and second with the Jets. (AP Photo/Mel Evans, File)

** FILE ** This is a Nov. 2, 2008 file photo showing New York Jets' Brett Favre during the first half of the NFL football game at Ralph Wilson Stadium in Orchard Park, N.Y. Favre's agent says the New York Jets quarterback will retire. The 39-year-old Favre instructed agent James "Bus" Cook to tell the team Wednesday Feb. 11, 2009 that he won't return for a 19th NFL season _ and second with the Jets.(AP Photo/Dean Duprey)

** FILE ** This Oct. 26, 2008 file photo shows New York Jets quarterback Brett Favre throwing against the Kansas City Chiefs during the first quarter of an NFL football game in East Rutherford, N.J. Favre's agent says the New York Jets quarterback will retire. The 39-year-old Favre instructed agent James "Bus" Cook to tell the team Wednesday Feb. 11, 2009 that he won't return for a 19th NFL season _ and second with the Jets. (AP Photo/Tim Larsen, File)

** FILE ** This Dec. 21, 2008 file photo shows New York Jets quarterback Brett Favre walking along the sideline in the first half against the Seahawks in an NFL football game in Seattle. The Seahawks won 13-3. Favre's agent says the New York Jets quarterback will retire. The 39-year-old Favre instructed agent James "Bus" Cook to tell the team Wednesday Feb. 11, 2009 that he won't return for a 19th NFL season _ and second with the Jets. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson, File)

** FILE ** In this Nov. 2, 2008 file photo, New York Jets quarterback Brett Favre looks on after an NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills at Ralph Wilson Stadium in Orchard Park, N.Y. Favre's agent says the New York Jets quarterback will retire. The 39-year-old Favre instructed agent James "Bus" Cook to tell the team Wednesday Feb. 11, 2009that he won't return for a 19th NFL season _ and second with the Jets.(AP Photo/Don Heupel, File)

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - DECEMBER 28: Linebacker Channing Crowder #52 of the Miami Dolphins pressures quarterback Brett Favre #4 of the New York Jets on December 28, 2008 at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Dolphins defeated the Jets 24-17. (Photo by David Drapkin/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Brett Favre;Channing Crowder

Getty Images

Peter King, obviously, is willing to make it easy for Favre by giving him a seemingly open forum. Which brings us to this.

The reality, Favre knows now, is he not only wanted to play again, but he wanted to show Green Bay -- particularly general manager Ted Thompson -- that it was making a big mistake in going forward without him. "Part of me coming back last year, I have to admit now, was sticking it to Ted,'' he said in a rather startling admission.

Again, Favre is a savvy guy, so I have a hard time believing that he's oblivious to the fact that he's only giving himself more rope to hang from, which makes me think that he simply doesn't care. But career suicide by the figurative noose is what Favre has continued to commit, and each quote or soundbyte that exposes Favre's "good guy" act as a sham (a fact that should be obvious by now) is just another shovel full of dirt preparing his grave.

After all, we can certainly replace "gunslinger" with "liar" as the go-to adjective for No. 4 after he's displayed an uncanny prowess at unsuccessfully convincing the public of one thing before revealing later that the truth in our minds was the truth in reality. This time, it was his ridiculous assertion that he wanted to play for the Jets strictly out of the love of the game.

Right. Anyone who loves the game as much as Favre has claimed wouldn't so quickly desecrate it just for some headline space.

The funny thing? While the Packers struggled in sub-mediocrity last year, all Favre has done since leaving the Packers is reinforce that Thompson's decision was the right one.