Brett's leaving on a jet plane, don't know when he'll be back again.

The earth turns, taxes increase, fast food still makes you fat and Brett Favre is still unsure where he wants to go. Well, for now anyway. Reports have surfaced stating Favre and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (my favorite team, in case you were wondering) are close to entering a marriage in hopes to win a Superbowl, but nothing is set in stone yet. For all we know, Aaron Rodgers could get injured running away from Favre's shadow and Brett would have to come back to the Pack. Personally, I'm thrilled by the possibility of the Buc's acquiring Favre, but not for the reasons you may expect. Here's why...

First, Favre does improve the product on the field here and now. I'm not naive enough to believe a quarterback in his late 30's will be the difference between a first round playoff exit and the Superbowl, but they could finish with 12 wins and make it to the NFC championship game. He would make the receivers around him better, and would definitely provide leadership to the team.

Second, it would mean more Buc's games on T.V. Living in Maine is tough as a Buc's fan, as they normally play on Fox and we get mostly Giant's games on Fox, unfortunately. I can guarantee that whatever team Favre goes to will immediately get more games broadcast nationally, because the NFL has the new fluctuating schedule. Plus, any chance John Madden has at seeing Brett Favre he's sure to take. I bet Madden would boycott the season if he doesn't get at least three Favre games for Sunday Night Football.

Third, and finally, it would symbolize a change for the Bucs. Right now the starting QB is Jeff Garcia, and it sounds like Garcia thinks he has three or four years left. If Favre goes to Tampa Bay then Garcia is gone. I doubt Garcia will sit quietly behind Favre, and I doubt the team would want to keep Garcia and his salary as a bench QB with so many other QBs on the roster. This means that, when Favre retires yet again either next year or two years from now they will need a young quarterback to take over. That is something that makes me ecstatic. I'm sick of the young guys the Bucs have now. The Chris Simms, Bruce Gradkowkis and Luke McCowns of the world just aren't going to get it done, yet the team seemed content with them until they acquired Garcia, and then seemed content with Garcia after that. In every case they were content with mediocrity. By acquiring Favre they are showing they are trying to commit to excellence, and I believe that applies not only to the Favre acquisition, but also to the next QB. If Favre joins the team I am willing to bet they commit to drafting a QB high in the next draft, which is something they should have done already. Favre coming to the team clinches, at least in my mind, that happening.

When it's all said and done, maybe Favre stays and maybe Favre goes, at this point no one really knows. What I know is this; both bays need a change, and this deal would be a step in that direction. Maybe it's only one step, but sometimes it only takes one step to start running.

~Aaron Jackson