[CBFF] ESPN: Favre reserves right to change his mind

[Victor Waldron]

(Mabye after the Bears batter him a couple games again this season
he'll rethink the rethinking on retiring after this season.)

Favre reserves right to change his mind
Associated Press

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Brett Favre is back.

Brett Favre
Quarterback
Green Bay Packers

Profile
2005 SEASON STATISTICS
Att 	Comp 	Yds 	TD 	Int 	Rat
607 	372 	3711 	20 	29 	70.9

And so, it seems, are the questions about Favre's future beyond the
upcoming season.

Despite comments earlier in the offseason that there was "no doubt"
the 2006-07 season would be his last, Favre said Saturday that he
wasn't so sure.

"I know I said that," Favre said Saturday, in his first public
comments since telling the Green Bay Packers he would return for
another year. "But I hope you guys will respect me. I'm going to play
this year, give it my best and not talk about it."

Favre said the constant speculation surrounding his football future --
much of which has been propelled by his own public comments on the
subject -- has become a distraction for the team.

"It's been a distraction not only for me but for I think the guys I
played with in the past, and I'm not going to talk about it this
year," he said.

In a half-hour session with reporters, Favre admitted he doesn't know
whether his decision to return was the right one. But Favre said he
also would have questions if he had decided to retire.

Favre knows athletes nearing the end of their careers can risk their
legacies by playing on despite retirement being a viable option.
Others choose to quit when they could have played effectively for a
few more years.

"Where do I fall in? I don't know, and don't care," he said. "The
Packers still want me, I want to be back."

Favre threw a career-worst 29 interceptions last season as the Packers
went 4-12, the team's first losing season with since he became its
quarterback.

"I'm going to take chances," he said. "And there's going to be people
who agree with that and there's going to be people who don't agree
with it. And I really don't care."

Favre doesn't plan to change his style of play at this stage of his career.

"My desire and my commitment is why I'm here," he said. "Not my
footwork, not my mechanics, not arm strength or decision making. It's
my desire to win. I want to win more than anyone else. I'm willing to
do whatever it takes, and sometimes it's not pretty."

Favre said many of last year's interceptions came when the Packers
were trailing in games and, because of mounting injuries, Favre was
playing with young players with whom he wasn't familiar.

"Maybe I should have made some different decisions at times, but we
had to try to win the ballgame with whoever was in there," Favre said.

Interceptions aside, Favre's return is a boost for his teammates. Had
he not come back, the team likely would have started last year's
first-round draft pick, Aaron Rodgers, at quarterback.

"I don't have to ever worry about anything, because I know when the
time comes, I'm going to be that guy that's going to be getting the
ball," receiver Donald Driver said. "I would have had worries if he
wasn't here. You never know how the system works then."

Favre may have hastened the departure of disgruntled receiver Javon
Walker when he publicly criticizing Walker's threats to hold out for a
new contract last year. Walker was traded on draft day.

"We could sure use him," Favre said of Walker. "Any team could use
him. But I don't regret the things I said. And I stand by that."

Favre reiterated several times on Saturday that he never considered
asking to be traded to another team in the offseason.

"I know there was a lot of talk about being traded or wanting to play
for another team," Favre said. "That never, I've told you guys that
over and over again that I didn't want to play for another team, and
that's the truth. And never once did I mention [a] trade. This is
where I wanted to be the whole time."

But does he still want the ball with 2 minutes left and the game on the line?

"I'm here," Favre said Saturday. "I didn't pull too many out last
year, but I gave it my damnedest, and that's all I can do this year.
But if I didn't want the ball, believe me, I wouldn't be here."