Oh, Brett, we love you but why do you do these things?

It shouldn't come as a shock that quarterback Brett Favre might want to come out of retirement to lead the Green Bay Packers this season — or any other team, for that matter — but the whole charade of retiring after the season, then getting the "itch" to come back over the summer, is becoming a nightmare for the Packers.

Remember, Favre left the Packers dangling last summer, debating about whether he wanted to retire, then waiting until just before training camp to make a decision.

The Packers, who did not look to make much improvement last season, went 13-3 and reached the NFC Championship Game.

That stinging loss — at home against the eventual Super Bowl champion New York Giants — was hard to take, but it looked as if Favre would return next season with a championship again at the Packers' doorsteps.

Or, was it the Packers' one big push, with everything falling into place for a Super Bowl victory? Could that same magic be there again this season?

Probably not, and Favre, the future Hall of Famer, knew that. When he decided to retire, he felt he could still play and said so, but figured the game was becoming more and more draining to him.

The end of the season is probably not the best time to decide to retire unless you've dreaded playing all year. Favre does not. He loves football, the way we all would love to love football if we played at that level.

The aches and pains were doing the talking, I'm sure, but a couple of months later, it's all changed.

Favre's getting that hunger to be back in Green Bay with his teammates preparing for the season, although this year could be like it was back in the 1996 and 1997 seasons, when the Packers were Super Bowl champions and losers, respectively.

I would have no problems with Favre coming back, if he hadn't worn his emotions on his sleeve, crying and walking away last winter. But, supposedly, he's mentioned he's getting the itch to play again (although his agent, Bus Cook, has denied that came from Favre).

Still, it's all anyone is talking about in NFLcircles, and Favre has not come out and vehemently denied it.

The Packers, though, looked to be moving on, giving four-year backup Aaron Rodgers the keys to the offense. It seems Rodgers has been doing a great job in the off-season with drills and the voluntary camps, but now this has thrown a wrench into everything.

He'll have the cloud over his head until Favre refutes the claims he's wants to return. It gives Packers fans hope for another run, but puts a crimp in the start of a new era.

Rodgers has felt the pressure before. He was quoted in the off-season as saying that Packers fans need to get on board with him or shut up. That didn't go over too well, but you could sense his frustration.

If Favre walks back into training camp later this month, things are really going to get complicated, as well as uncomfortable.

And the Packers never thought that was a possibility one week ago.

Sam Tallarico is a staff writer for the Butler Eagle.