Thanks For Wasting Our Time. Brett

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

Brett Favre will not play quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings this season, sticking to his decision to remain retired.

According to the Minneapolis Star Tribune, Favre told Vikings coach Brad Childress that he didn't think his soon-to-be 40-year old body could take the rigors of another season.

Thus, the ESPN-fueled soap opera of will-he-or-won't-he has reached its conclusion. And it's about time.

Favre has had a remarkable career with the Green Bay Packers and the New York Jets, winning several divisional titles and appearing in two Super Bowls. But all the months of indecisiveness while the Vikings have been going through off-season team workouts have tarnished his reputation, because he couldn't just walk in and become the starting quarterback without getting to know his new teammates first.

As training camp opens in Mankato Thursday, the competition for starting quarterback between incumbent Tarvaris Jackson, Houston Texans import Sage Rosenfels and John David Booty (who now gets to keep his jersey number 4) will go on as if Favre weren't there. (Well, he never was there. But still . . . )

Or the Vikings could always go after Michael Vick, who was just reinstated conditionally by the National Football League after having been released from prison. Do they really want to bring in another potential PR liability, after working so hard to clean up its act following the "Love Boat" scandal? Imagine PETA protests in front of the Metrodome on game days.

We're glad Brett Favre finally made a decision that made sense for him, his career and family. Now if he could only give us back the time we spent wondering whether he should have been in a Vikings uniform or not.